A few months ago, Dan Durr from HaroFreestyler.com - a well known vintage Haro BMX collector - managed to find an extremely rare 1985 Haro Sport in near NOS condition.  What makes this particular Haro so rare?  It’s color - only five were made in pink - or so the story goes.  Up until recently, the facts surrounding the infamous pink Sports were unclear - or even if they existed at all.  Apparently, it was a sort of test-marketing experiment, since GT was going to offer a similar color for 1986 in their competing product, the Performer.

:: This pink 1985 Haro Sport is one of only five made - click on image to enlarge ::
For a 1920×1200 pixel high resolution version of the above photo, click here.

I generally do not take  the words of most people at face value, however Dan is a bit different - his collection, experience, and known relationship with Bob Haro makes him an authority on Haro bikes.  George M.Y. in Naperville IL., the original owner, verified the authenticity of the bike, and consequently Dan and I talked about this rare bike and made a deal for its purchase.

A week later, I was in possession of this Sport. This particular bike is an all-original survivor in near-new condition.  When I say near-new, I mean that literally.  The paint is near flawless and the parts have zero wear.  Only very slight brake rub on the rear rim would indicate that the bike has been ridden, though very briefly.  The wheelset is also bit of a mystery - all Sports in 1985 came equipped with Peregrine Master wheels, so why does this one have Peregrine 48s?  The original owner indicates that these are original with the bike, so either the bike shop he purchased it from upgraded the bike or Haro included this wheelset with the bike as part of its unique offering with the color.  There’s no way to know for sure, though the wheelset is correctly dated, and the Peregrine 48s were considered a new exotic option for freestyle bikes during the time.

:: This is the only known pink Haro Sport to survive completely intact - click to enlarge ::
For a 1920×1200 pixel high resolution version of the above photo, click here.

The shade of pink on this Haro is somewhat similar to the color GT used at the time, though this is a bit lighter.  Not surprisingly, the shade of pink Haro chose is right between Hutch’s light-creamy pink and GT’s more fuchsia color.  Apparently, Haro also produced a few 1985 Masters in this color as well, and as of yet only one has surfaced, though its condition shows much age.  Perhaps I’ll be able to obtain all the facts on these mysterious bikes someday from Bob Haro himself.

:: Hard to believe this Haro has never been restored - click on image to enlarge ::

All other components are Haro-spec correct for this model, with no signs of wear or age.  Even the rare Dia-Compe FS-880 freestyle brake set looks unused, and the levers do not have a scratch.  The Anlun stem appears brand new, and even the underside of the plates show almost no evidence of having clamped on a set of handlebars.  The tires are Mitsuboshi Comp Stadium (yellow label) and though they have very little actual use, the sidewalls are beginning to dry from age.  It’s a very beautiful example of 1980s freestyle BMX history.

:: Rare Dia-Compe FS-880 freestyle brake set is original - click on image to enlarge ::

What are my plans for this bike?  Well, I won’t ride it in case you were wondering.  It’s just too rare and there’s no need to - I just enjoy having it in my possession and it will reside in my office where it will remain in its current condition, hopefully for a very long time.

Related Links:

• HaroFreestyler.com
• BMX Museum
• Vintage BMX
• Table Top BMX