lititzbmx-docs
26.0038 — Harry Leary Specialized Hemi Frame Signed Twice by Jeremy McGrath
← 26.0037 · Artifact Inventory · 26.0039 →
Artifact visual — original source, unchanged
Published historical context
Harry Leary Specialized Hemi Frame – Signed Twice by Jeremy McGrath
This Specialized Hemi BMX frame was owned and ridden by BMX pioneer Harry Leary, one of the most recognizable figures in the early history of BMX racing. Known for his aggressive riding style and the iconic “The Leary” jump, Leary played a major role in shaping BMX during its formative years in the late 1970s and 1980s.
The frame carries an additional layer of significance through two autographs from motocross legend Jeremy McGrath, widely known as the “King of Supercross.” McGrath’s signature on the frame reflects the deep cultural connection between BMX and motocross. Many BMX riders grew up riding motocross or drawing inspiration from motocross racing style, equipment, and track design, and the two sports have remained closely linked throughout their histories.
The Specialized Hemi frame represents an era when BMX frame design was continuing to evolve as companies experimented with geometry and materials to improve strength and performance. Riders like Harry Leary often rode equipment that blended racing performance with the freestyle-influenced riding style that was emerging during the 1980s and 1990s.
Photographic evidence further strengthens the historical significance of this artifact. Images provided by Linda Leary show Harry Leary riding this frame, documenting its use during his active riding years. In one of these photographs, Leary is wearing a Honda racing jersey, which is also preserved within the Lititz BMX Archive. The presence of both the frame and the jersey allows the archive to connect the physical artifact directly to a documented moment from Leary’s riding history.
This combination of personal ownership, photographic documentation, and cross-sport signatures makes the frame an especially meaningful artifact. It represents not only Harry Leary’s continued riding career but also the shared culture between BMX and motocross communities.
Within the Lititz BMX Archive, the Specialized Hemi frame serves as a central piece connecting multiple elements of BMX history—rider, equipment, photographs, and the friendships that link different generations of racing legends.
Artifact record
| Field | Published record |
|---|---|
| Artifact ID | 26.0038 |
| Artifact name | Harry Leary Specialized Hemi Frame Signed Twice by Jeremy McGrath |
| Category | Frame |
| Source | Leary Locker |
| Collection | Lititz BMX Archive |
| Location | Lititz, Pennsylvania |
| Source evidence status | original_page_capture |
Original source record
The primary original source image is displayed above exactly as stored. No crop, composite, enhancement, generated replacement, or other image transformation has been applied.
The additional original source captures are displayed openly below.
Original source capture — 2026-07-25_09-09-56.png
Original source capture — 2026-07-25_09-14-29.png
Source trail
- Original Lititz BMX artifact page
- Structured published inventory text
- Machine-readable metadata
- Image provenance register
Preservation clarifications
An earlier supplied draft contained incorrect jump terminology and was expressly withdrawn. It is excluded from this release. The corrected published wording uses “The Leary.”
Preservation note
This record preserves the artifact ID, published wording, live source address, and original source imagery without silently correcting source inconsistencies. Every displayed image in this record is an unchanged original source file. This checkpoint covers 26.0001 through 26.0101.