Power Kite Forum - PTW Hero Buggy no longer for sale

PTW Hero Buggy no longer for sale

BeamerBob - 7-5-2012 at 02:57 PM

I've been tossing this around for a few weeks and the time has come to list it. Wexler and I have been sponsored by Landsegler Manufaktur, a disc wheel manufacturer from Germany. It is going to be prohibitively expensive to upgrade the Hero buggy for Wexler to run the disc wheels so I'm going to have to go another route to have 2 buggies capable of running the disc wheels.

That puts me in the tough position of selling the Hero buggy. This buggy was a culmination of years of desire to own a PTW buggy. The craftsmanship and sheer beauty of his work is unparalleled. Every inch is well thought out and given full attention. Popeye has built a buggy or 2 so there wasn't any practicing going on when he made this buggy for his own personal use at NABX 2011.

It includes the aluminum wheels and the mounted set of smoothie tires. One of these is brand new and the other 2 have been used slightly. Riding on any surface other than the dry lakebed, these tires will probably last for years of use. I never wore out a set of tires before moving here.

Also included is a polished stainless gps holder, also handmade by Popeye himself. I can make a deal you can't refuse on a garmin etrex that so happened to be the gps that was used to verify the current buggy world record speed run.

If you don't know the history of this buggy, the patch on the seat (and the name of the buggy) is in honor of the men and women who died serving others at the World Trade Center on 9-11-2001.

Link to PKF release of buggy.

This is a video Popeye put together when the buggy was complete and ready to ship here for NABX 11

Also, Popeye did a series of videos of the construction of every piece of the Hero buggy and I will just link to the one regarding making the swan neck and you can go through the series if you like. His attention to detail will amaze you if you haven't seen the videos yet.

Swan neck video

Buggy is priced at $1800 US plus shipping.

Todd - 7-5-2012 at 03:42 PM

Wow what a steal of a deal... someone is getting a chance in a lifetime to own a PTW in the US :bigok:

mougl - 7-5-2012 at 04:29 PM

Someone's going to get a nice ride!!!

awindofchange - 7-5-2012 at 04:31 PM

Bobby....I could make you a new front fork that would fit your wheels.

BeamerBob - 7-5-2012 at 04:48 PM

Thanks Kent, message sent on facebook. Anybody on the fence out there, this one might not be on the market long.

And thanks Todd and Mougl. I have fretted about selling this for a couple weeks and really think it's worth more than I'm asking since it's one of a kind and such a piece of craftsmanship.

g00fba11 - 7-5-2012 at 05:28 PM

U2U Sent

rocfighter - 7-5-2012 at 05:31 PM

WOW what a great chance. I wish I had the money burning a hole in my pocket. Can't Carlos just make you up a front end w/ gooseneck? Must be less than a new buggy.

BeamerBob - 7-5-2012 at 09:02 PM

Well, didn't see this coming but my intention was to buy Ripsessions Apexx (which is in my garage). Just got word that he sold it to someone else before I committed, so the Hero is back to first string at my house. 2 were talking to me about it the Hero, but no deals made yet so that's good. I believe things happen for a reason and so I'll roll with this. I'm actually very relieved to not be selling the PTW buggy. Wexler was happy about it too saying he likes his buggy so its all good there.

So, thanks for your attention and sorry for all the budget crunching I'm sure has been going on out there. I waited 2 weeks before pulling the trigger on this listing and it all changed within hours of doing so.

rocfighter - 8-5-2012 at 04:48 AM

I for one am glad your keeping it. I bet you would have regreted it the second you taped the box shut.

BeamerBob - 8-5-2012 at 07:56 AM

Heck, I even had "listers remorse". I can imagine how sellers remorse might've felt.

MDK - 8-5-2012 at 08:05 AM

Very glad to see your keeping it! :thumbup:

cant wait to see the new wheel set-up on it!

bobalooie57 - 8-5-2012 at 08:35 AM

I remember when this buggy was being built, and then PTW lost his job, and his attendance at NABX was in question, I thought then, (and still do, BTW) that Carlos could make 5 times what he could charge outright for his buggy, by selling raffle tickets at $10.00 a chance. I even thought that if he had already outright sold the Hero, he could make another to raffle off, and fund his trip. Being the humble sort he is, he didn't seem to think that there would be that much interest.(!!!) I would have bought 5 tickets myself, each payday until they were sold out! Anyway, I almost choked when I saw this buggy go up for sale, especially at the price you were asking, I was trying to figure out a way to get my doctor to say I needed this for therapy/rehabilitation, and getting the money from my HSA!!! :tumble:

BeamerBob - 8-5-2012 at 09:53 AM

Yes, Bobalooie, all that stuff along with the hours on skype talking about buggies and Ivanpah with Popeye (becoming great friends along the way) makes this buggy a part of the family. It troubled me to be selling it and I'm actually relieved it worked out this way. It really is an honor to own such a masterpiece and I don't' even get to sit in it. :rolleyes:

I get a sense of satisfaction watching my boys ride in it and seeing the rear axle "flash" when the sun glints off of it during a turn.

If the day ever comes that I do sell it, I might consider the raffle, given the buggies history. Someone already called dibs if I come to a point where I need to sell it in the future. I think both boys would have to outgrow it for that to happen now.:wow:

bobalooie57 - 8-5-2012 at 09:56 AM

Make sure, whomever builds the front end for the new wheels, "accomodates" your needed longer wheelbase, then you too can ride the Hero! :wee:

BeamerBob - 8-5-2012 at 10:08 AM

Even that wouldn't fix it. No room for my thighs and my ribs have pressure on both sides from the side rails.

bobalooie57 - 8-5-2012 at 10:27 AM

Well, all I can say then is, GOOD FOR WEXLER!!! :P

g00fba11 - 8-5-2012 at 02:56 PM

Perfecto.......

saved by the bell......

way to go BB!!!! smart move!!!!

popeyethewelder - 9-5-2012 at 01:07 AM

Wow....how situations change ehh, when Bob said he was considering selling the Hero Buggy, because of the Landsegler deal, it was, well more annoying than sad for me, if I lived around the corner from Bob, I could easilly knock something up to get that buggy rolling on those wheels, but being over 5000 miles away makes it slightly more difficult.

More dissapointingly was the fact that Wexmeister would be riding another buggy, I love Wex's enthusiasm more than anything and that has already taken him to become, the fastest 16 year old on the planet in a kite buggy, he is also the fastest PTW buggy rider, and the Hero is the fastest of the buggies I have built.

The Hero buggy also, has the extra emotional connection too, with that special patch sewn into the seat, that patch meant a great deal to me, given to me by a NYFD fighfighter Dale Barret who went into the Twin Towers, to help save as many lives as he could, it was a great honour for me to have that patch, he also cut from one of the Twin Towers fallen columns a steel cross, and that sits in my garage workshop, it still has the slag from the cutting gear on it, I could have polished it up, but I like it just the way it is.....so you see, the Hero buggy to me, will never be "just another kite buggy" to me, that buggy, is for all those Hero's, and Wexler rides that buggy in the spirit it should be ridden, with grit, grace, determination and a sense of pride, and I am proud to have Wexler riding it on the Playa.

I am also not that daft to know one day the buggy will move on to someone else, everything moves on, I know that, and I accepted straight away Bobs sensible decision to sell the Hero buggy at that time, I get a lump in my throat every time I sell one of my buggies, I do not mass produce them, but I do make each one as if it were my own, and 95% of them are, so when one goes...its like a child leaving home, but nothing gives me more pleasure when I go to a meet, and there are a whole bunch of them there, and I love the fact not two of them are the same...... thats a great feeling.

bigkid - 9-5-2012 at 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by popeyethewelder
The Hero buggy also, has the extra emotional connection too, with that special patch sewn into the seat, that patch meant a great deal to me, given to me by a NYFD fighfighter Dale Barret who went into the Twin Towers, to help save as many lives as he could, it was a great honour for me to have that patch, he also cut from one of the Twin Towers fallen columns a steel cross, and that sits in my garage workshop, it still has the slag from the cutting gear on it, I could have polished it up, but I like it just the way it is.....so you see, the Hero buggy to me, will never be "just another kite buggy" to me, that buggy......

I agree