The Cheetah was a very fast "ride-on" toy from the early 1970s. Some kids had Big Wheels, a few others had Green Machines, and the select few had a Cheetah!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Cheetah Manual
Huge thanks to Paul for sending us a Cheetah Manual!
I ended up at your Cheetah by drifting laterally when looking for a replacement pedal for my sons Green Machine. I began reading "The Cheetah" to see why you were boasting about a... "Cheetah" on a Green Machine post. Santa Claus brought me my first Green Machine in 1976 or '77. I was 6 or 7 It wasn't something I asked Santa for. In fact, I didn't know it existed. Imagine, waking up Christmas morning...and heading to the tree to see what Santa brought. I remember that "moment". Once I saw the wheels, then the big wheel in the front...then "the handles" all surrounded in a Green Aura...and then the captains chair. I rode that Green Machine until the front tire wore down to the point that it looked like a Black YoYo just needing a string tied through the crack.
I rode it nonstop,for about a year and a half...when my birthday rolled around at the right time and I got a brand new Green Machine...
If you could lean down low enough, I believe you could do a power spin at 60mph and machine it back up that hill....and do it again!
So now you know where i'm coming from as I read about your "Cheetah". I was searching for it's weakness, there had to be one...anything I could find that would compete with the Green Machine.
Of course, I have no actual operating experience. But I am impressed and intrigued with the Cheetah. No offense...but soley b/c of the stearing system...it shouldn't even be compared to the Green Machine. But what should be said is that the Dual/Independent pedal drive train is awesome and unique! The extended frame is nice and sets it apart from the Big Wheel's. The handle bar on the top of the seat would be great for towing a buddy on his Lance Mountain skate board. And the manual mentions a "Super Sound that increases as you go faster..." all I can say on that is niiiiicccee!
Thanks for posting this. I used to brag to others about my Cheetah, and no one seemed to have heard about it. I used to smoke my friend Gary on his Green Machine.
Wow, as I get ready to venture into fatherhood, I began revisiting some of my childhood memories and one of them involved this awesome ride I had called the Cheetah.
And to answer Jeff I was a pretty spoiled kid and also had a Green Machine, both of which received extended use and play.
The Cheetah was way faster and as such was by far my favorite, but eventually the drive system in the rear wheels gave out and it was later replaced by a Green Machine.
I love the Green Machine too but never matched my need for speed.
Thus, if when I become a father I had the option for my child (I have seen Green Machines on Ebay!)I would choose the Cheetah.
The smile this web page placed on my face today was obvious! My LORD I was transported to the honest, carefree days of my youth once more! These were the precious perfect summer days of having weekdays off from school, in favor of mini Harley Davidson-esque rallies with all the Big Wheels, Green Machines, Inch Worms, Scramblers, and traditional Lil' Red Wagons as far as our then 'perfect vision' could see throughout the neighborhod.
I was one of the fortunate kids on the block to have the only Cheetah within a parent-set boundary in the neighborhood. Riding down my street in that thing at what felt like MACH II was my true, first taste of what independence feels like. That feeling of, "Wow! I have my OWN vehicle now! Not just mom and dad!"
One of the more entertaining inventions I recall with my Cheetah, was our Kid-Approved, Neighborhood Rocket Train! Basically a Big Wheel would be propped on top of the back of the vehicle in front of it, and so on, and so forth. After getting everything hooked together, we would all take our seats and then enjoy the ride! It was our own version of a roller coaster!
REP I had a Cheetah in 1974 when I was five. I have met in my adult life 1 other person ( a military buddy from Chicago-20 yrs. ago) that even remembered a pocket rocket called the Cheetah. Nothing could compete with it!!! I smoked every Big Wheel & Green Machine that was brave enough to race me!!!! Awesome that some other people remember this awesome ride.
Please leave your email with a comment or email me if you are interested in the Cheetah or have any information to share!
Cowboy Stylin!
Must have been brand new...
3 Cheetahs!
A topper here! Can you find all 3 of them?
Side by Side Cheetahs
Brothers ready to take out any Big Wheels they see!
Little one with Cheetah...
The 1970s come to the 2000s!
Cheetah
The Legendary Cheetah
Cheetah Label
Cheetah from the front...
Another Cheetah
Those rear wheels are wearing away!
Cheetah Back End
Drive End
Cheetah from the back...
Cheetah Pedals
Pumped
Back to Back Cheetahs
A rare find!
Cheetah from the side...
Cheetah Handlebar Connection
Chopper
One of the first...
A prototype?
The Cheetah List
I was developing an email list of Cheetah afficienados (pretty much us kids that had one). My old laptop crashed and I lost the list. Please email me if you're one of those folks and let me know if you have any pictures (several sent me some great ones)!
7 comments:
I ended up at your Cheetah by drifting laterally when looking for a replacement pedal for my sons Green Machine. I began reading "The Cheetah" to see why you were boasting about a... "Cheetah" on a Green Machine post. Santa Claus brought me my first Green Machine in 1976 or '77. I was 6 or 7 It wasn't something I asked Santa for. In fact, I didn't know it existed. Imagine, waking up Christmas morning...and heading to the tree to see what Santa brought. I remember that "moment". Once I saw the wheels, then the big wheel in the front...then "the handles" all surrounded in a Green Aura...and then the captains chair. I rode that Green Machine until the front tire wore down to the point that it looked like a Black YoYo just needing a string tied through the crack.
I rode it nonstop,for about a year and a half...when my birthday rolled around at the right time and I got a brand new Green Machine...
If you could lean down low enough, I believe you could do a power spin at 60mph and machine it back up that hill....and do it again!
So now you know where i'm coming from as I read about your "Cheetah". I was searching for it's weakness, there had to be one...anything I could find that would compete with the Green Machine.
Of course, I have no actual operating experience. But I am impressed and intrigued with the Cheetah. No offense...but soley b/c of the stearing system...it shouldn't even be compared to the Green Machine. But what should be said is that the Dual/Independent pedal drive train is awesome and unique! The extended frame is nice and sets it apart from the Big Wheel's. The handle bar on the top of the seat would be great for towing a buddy on his Lance Mountain skate board. And the manual mentions a "Super Sound that increases as you go faster..." all I can say on that is niiiiicccee!
It was nice reading your post...
Ain't Life Grand....
Jeff
Note to Jeff, well, some rich bloke (hopefully me someday) will rebuild both of these and do a shootout between the 2 machines :)
Has anybody contacted the Canadian company Leisure Dynamics (on the customer service information sticker?).
Thanks for posting this. I used to brag to others about my Cheetah, and no one seemed to have heard about it. I used to smoke my friend Gary on his Green Machine.
Wow, as I get ready to venture into fatherhood, I began revisiting some of my childhood memories and one of them involved this awesome ride I had called the Cheetah.
And to answer Jeff I was a pretty spoiled kid and also had a Green Machine, both of which received extended use and play.
The Cheetah was way faster and as such was by far my favorite, but eventually the drive system in the rear wheels gave out and it was later replaced by a Green Machine.
I love the Green Machine too but never matched my need for speed.
Thus, if when I become a father I had the option for my child (I have seen Green Machines on Ebay!)I would choose the Cheetah.
Clif from California
The smile this web page placed on my face today was obvious! My LORD I was transported to the honest, carefree days of my youth once more! These were the precious perfect summer days of having weekdays off from school, in favor of mini Harley Davidson-esque rallies with all the Big Wheels, Green Machines, Inch Worms, Scramblers, and traditional Lil' Red Wagons as far as our then 'perfect vision' could see throughout the neighborhod.
I was one of the fortunate kids on the block to have the only Cheetah within a parent-set boundary in the neighborhood. Riding down my street in that thing at what felt like MACH II was my true, first taste of what independence feels like. That feeling of, "Wow! I have my OWN vehicle now! Not just mom and dad!"
One of the more entertaining inventions I recall with my Cheetah, was our Kid-Approved, Neighborhood Rocket Train! Basically a Big Wheel would be propped on top of the back of the vehicle in front of it, and so on, and so forth. After getting everything hooked together, we would all take our seats and then enjoy the ride! It was our own version of a roller coaster!
Sure was nice to relive those days once more…
–Mark
REP
I had a Cheetah in 1974 when I was five. I have met in my adult life 1 other person ( a military buddy from Chicago-20 yrs. ago) that even remembered a pocket rocket called the Cheetah. Nothing could compete with it!!! I smoked every Big Wheel & Green Machine that was brave enough to race me!!!! Awesome that some other people remember this awesome ride.
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