A banana seat, sissy bar, and tall handlebars are part of the make up of the lowrider bike. They have been around since the 1960’s when they were started by George Barris who actually customized lowrider cars. When he saw that kids with bikes were copying his work on their bikes, he began to customize bikes.
The first company to make a muscle bike was Schwinn who introduced the Stingray. It was the first one to be made up by George Barris,
His bikes were used on the TV series, The Munsters. Eddie Munster was the proud owner of one of these lowrider bikes. The bikes were quite a hit and it did not take long for other companies to start making them. BMX was the next to make a bicycle that was used for customizing to make a lowrider.
Although the BMX was a good bike and still is, different trends dictate which bikes sell the most at different times. Thus the Schwinn made a comeback. These bikes were normally 20 inch bikes, however some were 16 and even 12 inches. The idea was also copied in Australia, where they used the Malvern star long frame and bratz beutie bikes for customizing.
The Lowrider bicycle shop was born and these bikes were being sold rapidly. The younger generation wanted a lowrider that looked good for competing with their friends. The custom made lowrider was the way to go. It could be made to the specifications of the buyer. Many copied the ideas from some of the lowrider car shops.
Exhaust pipes were added, the rims naturally are a characteristic of these bikes, and white wall tires. The seats were the banana seats because of the longer style. Handlebars were another consideration. Spring action suspension was another item that was added. These bikes had fenders added to the front and the back.
Some even had chain steering wheels added. Most of the time any accessories that were added to the lowrider bikes were chrome. The chrome was polished until it gleamed. Many designers opted for gold on the accessories for the look to really stand out. However if price is an issue, the chrome was much more economical.
The lowrider bike even went as far as to be altered to a tricycle type. This was done so they could sit lower to the ground. They used airbags and hydraulic suspension so that they could hop up and down. The seat added in these lowrider bikes between the two back wheels was often referred to as the love seat. If you did not want this seat, a boom box could be added or pumps for suspension of the bike.
Other changes to the bikes when being customized were twisted metal strips being added to the spokes or handlebars. This was called “bird cages” because the metal resembled the strips that are used on bird cages. A tank and skirt could be added if you really wanted your bike to stand out. These were usually welded on. Many people love to customize these bikes for their own unique look.
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