RL is on the april 1975 cover of Bicycle Motocross News.
Bob Osborn, R.L.'s father, is starting BMX Action magazine.
COVER.
R.L. Osborn water splashin' with the Torker MX on the cover of BMX Action september 1977.
Local Torrance hotshoe racer Mike Buff joined the BMX ACTION test team in 1979. Buff soon crossed over to freestyle and in the absence of Haro, the longtime teaming of R.L. Osborn and Mike Buff began. As the “Nerd herd”, R.L. & Buff were vital in setting BMX trends during the 80’s, from jumping styles in bike tests to the 4x4 vehicle craze, to clothing fashions and hairdos.
COVER.
RL Osborn on the Raleigh test bike on the cover of BMX Action december 1979.
COVER.
R.L. Osborn testing the Powerlite Thrasher on the cover of BMX Action may 1980.
Our first tour was in 1980. Mike Buff and I had heard about a bunch of BMXers goin' on tour, so we figured we could do the same thing. Only, instead of racing, we could do trick shows. It wasn't cheap, either. It cost us each about ten grands to do the first one. Starting from scratch, we had to buy everything -from the ramps to the P.A. system. We also had gas to worry about, and we had to pay Duke, who booked the shows and announced for us. It was a succes in its own way. We were going out there and doing shows, and sometimes we wouldn't even get paid for doing them. We wanted to build a name for ourselves. I'd say it was a success.
COVER.
BMXA Trick Teamer R.L. Osborn on the cover of BMX Action october 1980.
RL Osborn bunny-hopping through the Ring of Fire during the BMXA Trick team show at Anaheim, CA. on the cover of BMX Action january 1981.
One-footed x-up kick turn by RL Osborn on the cover of BMX Action april 1982. Photo taken by Oz during filming for "That's Incredible".
TV show featuring RL Osborn racing a horse through an obstacle course. Also includes footage of Mike Buff in a skatepark and bunnyhopping 16 people laying down.
COVER.
BMX Action november 1983.
BMX Action may 1984.
1er Indoor de Paris Bercy
Eddie Fiola, toupie volante, et R.L. Osborn, le missionnaire du Free-Style, attaquent les banks du 1er Bicross International de Paris Bercy. Personne en France n'avait déjà vu ça. Désormais beaucoup de freestylers en herbe vont sévir dans l'hexagone.
RL just before the show, BMX Action Bike UK magazine, february 1985: This is the first time me and Eddie have ridden a performance though we've worked out and goofed around together plenty of times. It should go good. We have a lot of new tricks. We got one called the Miami Hopper, another called the Osborn Twirl where I do a spin on the ground four times around. With the Miami Hopper I take the bike, throw it forward and balance on the handlebars, switcharound and take off my hands.
Interview dans Bicross magazine #30 mars 1985 lire un extrait de l'interview
A propos du BMX TRICK TEAM
COVER.
BMX Action june 1985.
R.L. Osborn separated from the BMXA Trick Team to devote 100 percent of his time to the Red line Trick Team.
BMX Action january 1986, Eddie Fiola and RL Osborn.
COVER.
Freestylin march 1986
Red Line Engineering has announced that it has dropped R.L. Osborn.
RL could be picked up by General....who else could afford his rumored $70,000-plus price tag.
Interview in Freestyle Spectacular february 1987.
I recently bought a 1986 Corvette convertible. I also have an 1985 Toyota 4-Runner and a 1985 Corvette.
I recently started a small-scale advertising agency; R. Lewis Advertising. We do Redlines ads and are going to be doing Peregrine's stuff too.
Freestylin july 1988,
COVER.
BMX Action october 1988.
RL Osborn leaves General Bicycles to focus on his own compnay, Hammer Bodywear. RL was thought to be the highest-paid rider in the sport, drawing an estimated $100,000 a year from General, but he says Hammer is doing so well that he'll make out better now than before.
INTERVIEW.
Freestylin #44 december 1988.
I had a goal when I was nineteen, I wanted to be worth a million dollars by the time I was 25 and I've hit that goal.
Cover of Freestylin july 1989.
Yearly earnings: $350,000
