In 1964, Mattel introduced what is widely considered to be the first BMX ( bicycle motocross) bicycle: the Stallion. The brainchild of Jack Ryan – also known as Zsa Zsa Gabor’s sixth husband and the creator of the Barbie doll – the Stallion was meant for stunt riding, not long-distance commutes to your grandma’s house. With an adjustable rear suspension, rear shock absorbers, and a front pivot in the frame, this bike was made to jump, wheelie, twist, and hop. Its triple-forked front end could take a licking, and the wheels, shod in knobby tires, had extra spokes to absorb the shock of landing with a kid aboard without deforming. Here on craigslist, this 1966 Mattel Stallion is offered for sale, at $135. The bike is located in Houston, Texas. It looks like it may have a replacement or cut front fender, and it’s not accessorized with the optional V-rroom motor, but it’s a good start for a collector. We have T.J. to thank for this unusual tip!
The Stallion was a member of the V-rroom set of toys. The V-rroom was a toy engine accessory that made idling and roaring sounds just like a kid’s favorite hot rod. It could be clipped onto a bicycle or scooter, instantly transforming an ordinary toy into the coolest thing on wheels. This photo is from a video, showing the V-rroom motor installed, with the sound control nestled between the handlebars. If you want the motor, there are plenty available, running from nearly $200 with the original box to about $65, working but a bit shabby. The control knob came with a key, but those are available as well.
The tubes heading to the back of the rear wheel mimicked the dual exhaust of the very popular early 1960s Honda motorcycles, and the entire bike was chromed. The brake was a Bendix. This bike inspired the creation of the Schwinn Krate and the Raleigh Chopper, among others.
This commercial demonstrates that “You can tell it’s Mattel – it’s swell!” While $135 is a decent price for a restorable Stallion, it’s possible to find restored examples. Of course, they’re more expensive, but with the cost of chrome plating these days, it might be worth looking around if you have your heart set on a Stallion.
While I don’t recall this particular bicycle, I do remember the add on motor. It had a twist grip throttle, and sounded pretty hoaky, but selling goofy bicycle gizmos to kids was money in the bank, kind of like old Ford Broncos today, “but mommy, I want one”,,,A high end thrift store( I realize the irony of that statement) you know the kind, $100 for an old key fob, features vintage bicycles, they had a 1965 Firestone “GTO” sting ray type, made by Murray, complete with the “impaler” shifter,, price? $400 BUCKS,,sigh, yeah, “it’s” infiltrated into the world of,,well, classic anything, apparently.
For younger readers, a chrome bike may seem like a bit much, but chrome plating was gargantuan in the 60s,, EVERYTHING was chrome, and a worse substance for environmental impact, I doubt you could find, non-nuclear, that is. As a kid from that era, not much could have been more cool, and companies like Mattel made a fortune off of spoiled brats parents My old man never bought me a chrome bike, or ANY bike, for that matter, I had to be content with my sisters converted old 20 incher with butterfly handlebars and a banana seat, and THAT took a lot of grass cutting as it was. Cool find!
I begged my parents for the Stallion for Christmas. And I mean begged. Always got a firm No. Talk about a HUGE surprise when I saw it around the Christmas tree. I rode that bike all day every day during the summer and on nice days during the winter. I still have it in its original condition. When I say condition, I mean nothing has been replaced. I’m having to clear out my parents home and enclosed barn after my mother passed. I could hardly believe my eyes when I took off a tarp and saw it. Daddy did me proud. It’s coming home with me. Sad I don’t have grandchildren to pass it on to. But I do have very good friends who do but choosing will be difficult.
Do you happen to know how to remove the top frame half from the bottom half. It has a cap on each end with 4 holes that looks like a special tool is required?? I’m restoring a 1964 Stallion and down to that bearing removal to separate the frames in prep for re-chroming.
I had one in 64 and want to give this to my 6 year old grandson.
Never had noise maker like that.I had to settle for a playing card with a clothes pin holding it on the fender support.
That’s what we used all the “dud” baseball player cards for and the clothespins had to be the “springy” kind. Both, probably worth a fortune today.
I forget now but we used to somehow mount balloons to get that engine exhaust sound. It was louder than playing cards, but didn’t last as long !
Boy I haven’t thought about that in 50 years. I must be getting old!!!
I would take this in perfect condition over any Porsche or Ferrari ever made. That’s another grand slam, Michelle! Fantastic research and writing, as always.
Thanks for all of the research and the links, Michelle. I’ll need that when this comes back to MN… (yes, I bought it!)
I mean, how much could it be to have your whole bike chromed? (crickets)
Congrats Scotty G..
Please share the restoration process with us Scotty!
Here it is in a friend’s garage in the Houston area after they picked it up for me.
I don’t know if anyone will see this and maybe I’ll do an update when it’s done, but almost everything just came back from the chrome shop other than the rear fender. They’re redoing that, but everything else looks fantastic! I brought everything in, disassembled, back in April, so it’s quite a process. Now, to try to remember how it goes back together again, order new pedals, rims, and tires, get the black shocks powder-coated and reassemble the somewhat complicated rear shocks, and and and…
P.S., I found a V-RROOM! “motor” still in the box!
Scotty, still following along, keep the updates coming!
When I was growing up in the 70’s the BMX thing was starting to take off. I remember the cool thing to have was the new plastic 5 spoke wheel over conventional spokes. I had a 10-speed road bike but my go to bike was my Raleigh BMX bike with the spoke wheels. I remember it was built like a tank and there was no way I could break this thing. It weighed as much as a tank as well and when I look back I think it’s funny how weight was a non issue. I used to ride that bike all day long in the Texas sun and humidity and never once complained it was too hot. I miss those days.
My dad used to say “you can tell it’s Mattel ‘cause it costs like hell”.
I had forgotten all about those bicycle noise makers. I had a cheaper knock off version that hung off the top bar. The speed control was right on the engine. It only lasted a few sets of batteries, as I seemed to be very hard on my toys.
What a cool bike!
Never seen that engine noiser.
Very nice find.
Ruth Handler was the creator of Barbie. Mr.Ryan worked with her (And others) to put Barbie into production.
American Pickers
I was about 10 when I saw a kid with a red bike that had that little engine and gas tank and all that on it. I thought it was a moped that wouldn’t start, but my buddy told me it just looked like that, and that a 5-speed was better.
Makes me think of the legendary opening to On Any Sunday where Jeff Ward rides a 10 mile wheelie
Such a great movie. A hundred thumbs up!
I remember the V-RROOM noise maker, they looked better than they sounded.
I had a Vrroom engine, but it was hand operated.
This one: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1236919524/vintage-1964-mattel-v-rroom-booster?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-toys_and_games-toys-pretend_play&utm_custom1=_k_{gclid}_k_&utm_content=go_1844702853_71203579818_346429769474_pla-352859725846_c__1236919524_468304166&utm_custom2=1844702853
Cool to look at but a lot of metal there when it comes time to lift it up and realize it’s a true back breaker lead sled–without the motor.
As a child of the seventies I remember BMX really taking off in ’76, the older kids had brand new RnR’s with the Scorcher being the lightweight primo bike, but you had to be a real good rider to be seen on one.,, ha, DG, FMF, Webco, Redline, Mongoose…..they all were pricey with a boat load of the best forks, wheels, bars, grips, tires, goosenecks…it was no longer using a Schwinn frame and tearing it down and making a BMX bike out of a bunch of cool parts. Now they were race ready right off the shop floor, or so it seemed. Has nothing to do with this bike for sale here……but the memories just come back. It was a great time to be a kid in the seventies!
There was also the Raw Power handlebar attachment from the mid-70’s.
I remember this commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnzZaIagkXE