We rode for the love and living in the moment, not worried about picking up a sponsor or getting shit for free. It was a brother hood that just loved riding. So when we travel, I feel like a teenager again and let my inner child come out.
John Buultjens
Global Brand Manager at Haro USA
Age?
47, Born 16/03/72
Bike?
2018 Lineage Haro Sport, custom painted to look like my 88 OG Sport.
Current Job/Role?
Global Brand Manager at Haro USA
How long have you been in that role?
7 Years
Your story is pretty incredible and inspirational. Do you have to constantly pinch yourself to make sure it’s all real?
Ha Ha! I live the life I love. I believe we all have the capability to do the same. We are the only ones stopping ourselves. When I’m driving on the 5fwy heading to Haro, I do sometimes say to myself “WTF, How did I seriously get here”
Moving to Oz seemed like it really kickstarted things for you. What was it like making the move to Oz? Did you have doubts/fears? Was it hard to leave Scotland?
My biggest draw to OZ was the weather. I was getting sick of the constant rain and wanted to ride more. Yes we had the factory in Dundee, but the ramps got set on fire back in 94 and I was like “That’s it, time to move” I left Dundee and moved to Aberdeen due to the rad scene up there. I was going up to stay with Grant Smith almost every weekend, so why not live in town. My Visa for Australia was in application and if anyone reading has applied to emigrate to Australia, you know how long that takes. So I partied for a year in Aberdeen with the boys, riding everyday in the great summer of 94. I wasn’t scared of the move, I was excited.
What do you miss about the old days with the Scottish crew?
For sure I miss my closest friends I had grown up riding and that made it so difficult the first few years moving to OZ. I loved when the boys would come to Dundee and stay at mine. My folks would think one or two stayed in my room over the weekend, we had more than 5 at times. Riding the Factory or the Dundee streets then out to the pubs and clubs causing havoc at night. Plus the road trips to Southsea, Barrow or the Backyard jams, they for sure are the best days of my life. But I am so thankful now with social media and smart phones allowing us to be so close for minimum cost helps a lot.
Do you get to see them often?
I’ve been home 4 times in the past 12 months and so thankful that the old Scottish crew are still my friends today after 30 plus years. Framey always says “We only all get together when you or Paul Robertson come home” that’s so rad to hear for sure. Love them all like family!
You owned a few BMX companies in Australia, can you tell us a little about those?
When I moved to Australia, I just wanted to ride my bike, never wanted to work again. Ha Ha! I got a job doing some extra’s work on Neighbours and a few movies, that was fun but not enough to keep the bills paid. So I got a job in a bike shop back in 94. Working in the shop I really got a feel I want to do more for BMX, I wanted to contribute in my own little way to our wonderful sport. So after traveling around Australia and riding for Schwinn Australia, I got offered a job at the Haro Distribution in Melbourne with a flow deal to keep riding.
This was 1999 I was living in Perth and decided to move back to Melbourne. I had no place to stay so first few nights I ended up at Nick Watts house, the few nights ended up more like 6 months Ha Ha! Such a great time riding and partying every night we could. Anyway I stayed there till 2002 then got approached by Trickbits who said I could do my own little in house brand too. They distributed Hoffman, Macneil, Fly (For 5 mins, that’s another story). Profile, King Volume and Demolition. The best brands in BMX. We started our little parts brand, but we used more stock items out of Taiwan instead of being able to design our own parts. I was bored very quickly and in 2004 was recommended by Clint Millar (Colony) to work for Triplesix. Started at 666 and we came up with Forgotten bikes, Sponsored Luke Parslow, Jed, Mildon, Jaie Toohey, Matt Whyatt and a few others. Actually stayed at Triplesix for 5 years, when I decided to sell my 25% shares back to the owner and go out on my own.
That’s when Pilgrim started, the name came from the old videos I used to make in Dundee, Scotland back in the early 90’s. This is where things got real, we had the heaviest hitters on the team like Jed Mildon, Jaie Toohey, Matt Whyatt, Logan Martin, Andrew Ahumada, Cam Pianta, Nick Cooper, Adam Aloise and Dane Searls (R.I.P.) actually at 1 point I had 18 riders pretty crazy huh? Distribution was going great in the USA, UK, Australia and NZ. Sadly in 2011 my factory in Taiwan doubled my order and I wasn’t happy, but sales where going so well, so I accepted on one condition I pay for the overstock when it sells. Well, you can only sell so much of one color, we where left with 800 overstock of bikes. Doesn’t sound like much, but I lost $165K and had to close. Around that time the position at Haro USA came up as Brand manager and I had to take it. I still own Pilgrim, stopped trading in 2012.
You’ve had huge success with the Haro Lineage line (hell..even I was tempted by them and I don’t really have a reputation fo being fond of the old school stuff!). Why do you think that have been such a huge hit?
Emotional connection, when you are emotionally connected to something, there’s no price tag. I wanted to create a product line that pulled at the heart string. Build bikes that wouldn’t break but had the throwback to the great days of Haro. Right now working on the 2018 Sport to hopefully the 2021 Lineage Air-Master – my favorite years of Haro, so these are exciting times around here. Today I just received the 2020 Sample of the Zolatone Team Master and the paint is gorgeous, ore to come on that!
What is it that you think sets Haro apart from the other brands that were around in the early days?
We have always stayed true to ourselves, well most of the time. For a while they’re we did lose our way. The love and passion is back with the brand and our team are as strong as our team back in the 80’s.
How do the sales of the Lineage line compare to the contemporary line up?
In bike sales it’s like 5%, in P&A more like 50%. We are working on making more current parts with our Haro and Premium line that are more relatable to the young riders of today.
For some people Haro is the only old school brand that emerged with any respect and dignity from the dark years and changing times of bmx. What do you think they did right that others got wrong?
Kinda answered above, being true to ourselves. I don’t like making cheap product, even though we do with our entry level bikes made in China. I get excited building bikes and parts in Taiwan as the quality is far greater and the trust in our products I stand by 100%. I believe having riders like DMC, Ryan Nyquist, Dennis Enarson, Chad Kerley, Matthias Dandois and Mike Gray keep us legit in the riders eyes. Ryan has been on Haro 22 years, Dennis over 12, sadly that is very rare today with bike brands.
How important were Mirra and Nyquist at cementing the haro brand and ensuring it continued to be relevant as bmx grew?
Go back to 2000, Mirra and Nyquist where like super heroes, kids wanted to be them. So many copied their style and tricks. Plus BMX had just hit another dive in the industry and only a handful of brands were still making high quality product. So having the boys representing Haro back then was key to our sales 100%!
How far do you think the Lineage line can go? Will there be any call for a “Blammo”?
I’d love to see Lineage continue for many years to come. I’d love to see the yellow Blammo made, but we have to clear the Mirra Tribute stock we have left right now. Right now I am focusing on 2021, I hope the love for Lineage Completes lasts till then.
What the general vibe in the industry to the Olympics? Are companies eyeing this as a potential sales boost? Or is there a degree of scepticism?
I can only speak for myself and say I wish the olympics were more like the Vans bowl contest and not the FISE park style. The main problem in the USA is BMXers getting into the 1,000’s of skateparks around the country (where some parks don’t allow BMX). If the 2020 Olympics where more like these parks the riders ride daily, maybe they would lift the ban here in the USA for bikes to ride all parks.
Being more like the FISE ramps, isn’t going to help much at all getting BMX into the concrete parks. I was excited when I first heard BMX was going into the Olympics, as I believed this was our way in. But building ramps and box jumps has only put us back . If we had concrete park riding in the Olympics like skate does, I could 100% see BMX sales grow.
How’s the bmx industry doing at present?
Today we have more riders than ever, but we also have more brands. What that does is dilute the sales and makes it more difficult to pay the riders what they really deserve to be paid as a professional athlete. Back in the 80’s, all the brands paid top dollar for a pro athlete, due to there only being 10 big brands. Early 2000 again only a few brands so rider where paid what they were worth.
Today with over 200 BMX brands, yes we have more kids on bikes. But the key brands are selling 75% less than they did when we had 5 or 10. So with those kind of numbers reduced, how can you still pay the same salary. So many talented pro riders out there today, worth every penny and more what they are paid, sadly the rider has to rely on energy drinks and outside sponsors to pay a decent salary. Due to only 5 energy drink companies being out there who are making 100x more the percentage BMX brands are making.
What are the key challenges that Bike manufacturers face?
Wow, do we have time for that? Ha Ha! I would say time to market, again due to so many bands the factories are working harder than ever to produce the small orders that we all place.
How hard is it for Bike manufacturers to stay competitive and relevant?
It is extremely difficult for sure, as soon as you come out with a new product, it’s obsolete within a few months. Unless you come out with something like the Pivotal Seat or elementary stem to name a few products that change BMX for future generations to enjoy!
How important is social media to brands these days?
Seems to me our Social Media is flooded too, so many posts, so many amazing riders. You click on and your ad has been buried by 200 more posts.
When did you last go riding?
I was riding in Japan on the weekend with Hoffman and Haro, plus so many amazing riders to celebrate one of the words longest lasting BMX distributers Motocross International celebrating 40 years distributing BMX in Japan.
How do you fit riding in with work/life/family/whatever?
Yea, I honestly need to get out the office more. Recently I have been riding with JP and the SD crew most weekends, so that’s been fun for sure. I need to ride more during work hours too Ha ha!
Whats the story for you and injuries now that you’re an older dude?
Shit! You want the list? 24 broken bones, hairline fractures on my C1, C2, and C3, 5 budding disc’s between L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5 & S1. Oh and 4 fractures on my skull over the years. Well that’s what we have found over the years.
Do you do any exercise or stretching to help with BMX fitness and/or injury prevention?
I got into Yoga a few years ago, I haven’t at all this year so need to get back on it. Thankful to my Chiropractor Dr Corey here in San Diego, he has helped so many athletes in SoCal. He keeps me walking.
What about Eating and Booze? Do you try to watch these so you can keep on riding BMX?
I’m still a big kid, I like to party with the boys. I do need to watch what I eat when traveling and the drinking can get a bit much too. I love eating healthy food and for sure a nice bottle of Pinot Noir goes down well
What do you miss about the BMX scene of times gone by?
We rode for the love and living in the moment, not worried about picking up a sponsor or getting shit for free. It was a brother hood that just loved riding. So when we travel, I feel like a teenager again and let my inner child come out.
What don’t you miss about the BMX scene of times gone by?
No parks to ride, we used to build our ramps and jumps. They always got torn down or set on fire. Today we have parks available in almost every town in any country.
What’s next for you?
I will always be a rider, I’d like to see out 10 years at Haro USA. I’ll be 50 in a couple of years and that’s where I can see a change in my life. I’m working towards doing more with Foster and Adoption as that’s so close to my heart. Being the ambassador for Adoption UK is such an honor, sadly living in America I don’t get to do all the charity events I would love to. Inspire kids and adults that have come through tough times, that today is the beginning of the rest of your life and you can do anything, be anyone you want.
I’d like to be remember for inspiring one human being to be who they want to be in life and pass that onto the next. You can’t change the past, so why live in it? I know it’s hard, but we got to let go of the past as it can really destroy our present and future. I plan on setting up a non profit that allows me to inspire others through all walks of life.
Any last words?
Live The Life You Love!
