It’s hard to believe this car is 20 years old now.   I still remember when it was ordered, and the day it was picked up - the day after my birthday (April 26).  How do I remember this day so easily?  It’s not because getting a Corvette was such a big deal - many people had them in Massapequa - it’s because I had some friends over for a cool party on my birthday the day before.

:: I can’t believe this car is 20 years old now. Where does the time go?  Click to enlarge ::

Over the years the 1989 Corvette accumulated a total of about 6000 miles, and when I moved to south Florida, the car was brought here on an enclosed trailer.  There’s really not much else to tell about the car - it’s your basic fully-loaded C4, optioned the same way most were at the time.  It’s not a [then new] 6-speed model, however.  I always liked these cars for their digital dashboards, which reminded me of the old television series “Battlestar Galactica“.  I know that digital instruments are considered geeky and useless today, though I still think they look awesome.

:: Bright red leather surely designates this as a 1980s-era car - click to enlarge ::

I still have the car and it sits in the garage covered in a fairly thick layer of dust.  Although the car still looks new, it will need some attention to make it roadworthy.  Nothing major - fluid and filter changes mainly, from its long hibernation.  The last time I used it was in December of 2004 (date of photos above), and it ran just fine.  Today I purchased a new battery for the car, and replacing the battery in a C4 Corvette is a pain in the ass, believe it or not.  I’ll install the battery this week (I hope) and we’ll see what happens.  On a side note, these images were taken using the first real digital camera I owned - a Nikon Coolpix 995.

:: All-digital instrument panel as seen from 1984-1989 model years. Click to enlarge ::

A quick update:  I have a new battery installed in the car - the install wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, maybe 30 minutes total.  I was also able to correct an incorrectly installed lower sill fastener from the factory.  One thing that surprises me is all of the tapping screws and cheap plastic fasteners that keep this car together.  The fasteners are designed for a loose-tolerance fit, so the car could be assemebled with no issues no matter how poorly the fit.  I’m not impressed.  I’m assuming that the current Corvette does not follow this trend. In any event, I’ll change the oil and bring the car to my local dealer for a fluid change and injector service.  From there, it will be ready for regular use.

Related Links:

• Corvette Forum

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  Haro is very serious about its BMX program now.   I’ve seen a much more focused trend on Haro’s part to make their bikes cutting edge in function, parts, and style.  So here I have the new Forum Pro Lite - Haro’s new top-of-the-line freestyle/street/trails bike that could be the best such complete available today.

:: The Haro Forum Pro Lite is a rock-solid, high performance freestyle bike - click to enlarge ::

The Forum Pro Lite starts with Haro’s lean-and-mean Convert frame with a 21″ top tube and 100% chromoly construction.  The frame itself weighs about five pounds and has removable gyro and brake mounts.  The “acid bath” translucent finish is great without being overstated, and I’m glad to see that there’s a minimalist attitude with regard to the frame’s decals.  The welding quality is, unsurprisingly, fantastic - neat and even.

:: Ryan “Z-Man” Zielinski testing the new Haro Convert frame - click to enlarge ::

Componentry is fantastic for a bike in the $700 price class.  The bike includes Alienation center ridge rims with Haro sealed cassette hubs that are higher quality than you would expect on a factory complete.  25/9 gearing is standard, and the 175mm Haro cranks are clean looking and stiff (and they haven’t bitten my ankles either).  The Dia-Compe Hombre/Tech 77 combo works about as well as a 990-type brake should - very easy action and great stopping performance, aided by the chrome finish on the rear Black Sheep rim.

:: Note Odyssey tires, inverted 45-degree stem, and Haro sealed hubs - click to enlarge ::

I’m a tall person, so I appreciated the Haro 8-inch bars, which are full chromoly, by the way.  They are not small, yet not too wide either - just right for a person between 5′8″ and 6′ 2″.  The bike does not include pegs, though the axles and dropouts can easily accommodate them.   Full bike weight is about 25 pounds, which is light for a freestyle ride.   Adding to the bike’s light weight is a nice pivotal seat and ’stubby’ alloy post.

:: 25/9 gearing and great hubs make this bike a smooth operator - click to enlarge ::

I was a little less impressed with the inverted Haro 45-degree stem.  It works great and does not slip, however the bolts seem to have been forged poorly - my 6mm hex driver could not fully engage the bolts so extra caution was needed to tighten them.  Not a big deal, but worth mentioning.  The grips are awesome and the plastic pedals grip very well.  Finally, the Odyssey tires are a nice surprise - perfect for the street and trails.  Heck, I’ll even take this bike on the race track here for some fun on the tabletops.

:: Rear cassette hub is better than anything I’ve seen on a factory complete - click to enlarge ::

How does it ride?  Fast, smooth, and forgiving.  I like this bike much more than my Eastern - not only because of the components and quality, but simply because of the geometry.  The rear end doesn’t feel quite as slammed as some other street rides, and that’s just fine as far as I’m concerned.  The Convert frame feels great for my 36-inch inseam, and I feel a bit more confident on it as a result.  I’ll post more photos when we’re able to give this bike a real hard workout at the park, but it’s safe to say that this is a complete that freestyle riders should set their sites on.

Related Links:

• Haro Bikes
• Haro Freestyler.com