Launched in 1976, the Grifter became the ultimate 80s bike – chunky and funky with hand-twist gears. This was BMX before BMX. You even got blisters on the insides of your hands (from doing wheelies you understand).
And with a deft fold of the mud flap you had a realistic moto-cross noise – even if it did leave a U shaped melted hole on your flap (oo-er missus).
The Grifter was a motorbike minus a motor. Unfortunately, it had a very solidly built frame. It was damn heavy. Much heavier than most nine-year-old herberts . . .
