Classic & Vintage - Koga Miyata Fullpro 1981

Hi Forum people.

I have just bought a Koga Miyata Fullpro 1981 road bicycle with a serial number biginning with a letter J****** stand for 1981 the year of production. There is also a number including below: 585. Is this number standing for the frame meassure? Witch mean 58,5 cm?
There are also engraved the Letters DW-DD What do these letters stand for? DD probably stands for Dynamic Drive?
I think I also have a original team frame because on the gold head tube there is no badge but vertical standing ‘Koga Miyata’ and on the bottom of the top tube is also an eyelet for a race number. Maybe anyone can help me?

Thank You!!

Henk

Henk...I'm not an expert (the expert on these is definitely elev), but I think a lot of the stock models had the number tange and have seen stocks with the decal you describe. As far as the serial number...I'm not sure. What I do know is that we need pics!

You can measure size easily with a tape measure.

Henk, The Team frame you describe sounds accurate as well. It would be a gold headtube with decals running vertically.

KonAaron and I both own Team Miyata's and I think he'd agree (and I think so would most folks who've ridden one) that they are really wonderful bikes.

Original team bike? Could be. According to 'de wielersite' there were two riders 'DW' in 1981

http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/beeldbank/1270230187DanielWillems81.jpg http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/beeldbank/1270015573WAYENBERGDirk.JPG

Some pics would be cool

What are the specs?

Thanks for the quick response. Here are some pictures to find of my Koga:
https://picasaweb.google.com/101154584564493372227/KogaMiyataFullpro1981

Not all the parts are original. the shifters and brake levers are Shimano 600 Arabeque, they still need to be replaced by Dura Ace EX. The frame is a 58cm measured from cc / ct. it might also be a 58.5 can be.
The wheels are not original I think, but they are aluminum rims with Mavic Dura Ace hubs.
Brakes are quite original, Dura Ace EX
The Dura Ace cranckset GA-200 with holes drilled chainring is not original but looks great!
The bike is in perfect condition. Maybe the Letters DW stands for Daniel Willems?

http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/12/1302613769-410.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3710863.html)

Beautiful Photos!

That's a helluva bike!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_qYqcjONw44I/TaSGRFQM_FI/AAAAAAAAAO8/yK4w0k5lM30/s640/DSC_0187.jpg

Bada-boom! Nice.

Great bike Henk. I think you did very well with getting your hands on it. Thanks for photo coverage. It looks very nice indeed. The digits under the shell look hand stamped and that is unlike with regular production frames.

Some parts are non original for a FullPro in genaral or the Capri Sonne bike more specific. You already mentioned the 600 bits, but there is also a later era DA headset, earlier cranks and I think I see non DA QRs, but I am not sure. A Rolls is later and dito for the tape. Possibly it was sold as frame only at some point and equipped with more or less correct parts.

I only now realize I do recognize that bike. 1st time I saw it was on US eBay. That must have been 4-5 years ago. Offered was frame, fork and I believe headset. I think it sold for somewhere around $450. It went back home, as a collector in Friesland, Holland bought it. About 1.5 years later he put it up on Holland's largest classified site. Frameset was acquired by someone in Flevoland. He only recently built a bike with it. I understood he had back issues and possibly that made him decide to let the bike go now.

A couple more things I notice: AX front mech (instead of EX), non hatch plate rear mech, 600AX stem. Last time I saw the bike it had nutted brakes fitted, but it looks like that is now recessed. Nice are the original pump and bottle.

I'm surprised how much Elev12k knows about the history of this bike!

It is true that I've purchased this bike from someone who lives in Almere Flevoland.
I have been looking for a Fullpro many years, and saw this earlier on his website: http://reetegoed.pinkbike.com/album/Koga-Miyata-full-Pro-1982sold/
As a big surprise to me, later I saw this bike on Marktplaats.nl. So I called him, and bought it after we got a agreement about the price. The reason he sold this bike was that he has no time to ride it, and Mountain biking was his passion, he could use the money for building another bike, so he told me.

It is true that this bike was not assembled original and he knew about that. I want it so much as possible bring it back in original condition like de teambike Capri Sonne.

In the meanwhile I have allready the blue cork handlebar tape replaced by orginal white handlebar tape. The Dura Ace BA-100 mounted brake calipers I have replaced one week ago for the original EX series. The AX Front mech wil repaced in time for a longer 120mm EX

I hope in time I will soon replace all other spare parts.

Strange that nobody knows, (even koga) what the meaning is of DW-DD.
This is what they said:

“Our compliments on how your bike still looks. Your bike is not an original team bike of Capri Sonne. We will not really understand why no model name on the frame was made. The letters DW-DD are not known to us.
It may be that team replicas have been made”

I have to live with that?!

Incidentally, I was already in possession of an original Capri Sonne – Koga Miyata cycling jersey, Cycling hat and leather helmet. I will ride the ‘Retro Tour of Flanders’ with it at Sunday, june 26 http://www.crvv.be/en/museum/activities/retroronde

Henk,

I do not know why they say it isn't. Actually they have a team bike in their little museum I have my doubts about. Funny thing is I got a roundtrip through the Koga factory including the little museum and the marketing manager told me, while standing next to a 1984 FullPro-A, that this was their 1st aluminum bike. It is fillet brazed and chromed (Aero Miyata equivilent).

The way how the digits are stamped under the shell is defo not how it was done with all of the shelf FullPros I have seen. There is something special about that bike, whether or not it is a team bike. Specials and oddballs - it sometimes happened. I have a FullPro-S with serial that goes back to 1977. It is aerodynamic bicycle and it is not present in any catalogue. Showpiece probably.

That is an awesome bike.

I have a comment concerning the frame. The connection between the chainstay, is unlike conventional Fullproframes visible on attached photos.



My Fullpro DW-DD:

http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/14/1302761004-930.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3716381.html)
http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/14/1302761004-931.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3716382.html)


Other Fullpro's DD:

http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/14/1302761004-932.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3716383.html)
http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/14/1302761004-933.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3716384.html)

. Actually they have a team bike in their little museum I have my doubts about.

The bike where you are referring to is probably the team bike of IJSBOERKE 1980
The decals are probably of a different font

The bike looked like a regular FP to me and assuming their limited knowledge I assumed it could be anything. I didn't study it carefully though I have to admit.

How the connection is done with your frame looks how it is done with the earlier FullPro-L and ProLuxe models. They use an equal diameter tube however, as shown on this Japanese Extra Record (http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=3246&g2_imageViewsIndex=1)

Is there chrome on your frame?

1981 FullPro-L shares the same construction as with your frame >>

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4652651884_eecdc6d4a8_z.jpg

The 'regular' FullPro also lacks the brazed on bottle boss reinforcements. Dito for the number plate tab of course.

Is there chrome on your frame?

No, there is no chrome. At the left dropout is a number stamped: OM-244

The 'regular' FullPro also lacks the brazed on bottle boss reinforcements. Dito for the number plate tab of course.

So my current frame is an FullPro L, with digits that will be always remain as unanswered?!

No, there is no chrome. At the left dropout is a number stamped: OM-244

A production FullPro would have chrome. Bare chromed dropouts and chromed under paint on stays and full fork. Drop outs for the production FP are Shimano EF.

So my current frame is an FullPro L, with digits that will be always remain as unanswered?!

A (production) 1981 FullPro-L frame is a frame with a lot aerodynamic influences and it looks very different. If it were a 1980 FullPro-L the stay tops would for example have looked like shown below among other things.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5036160329_f19bab14ce_z.jpg

I do have a custom 1980 FullPro-L however, that has the caps like with your frame, but to confuse everything again, differs in other detailing. It is a very enjoyable and light bike btw.

I would say your frame is a custom example too, but a year younger. Possibly it is blend of FullPro with FullPro-L. If you can find out what tubing is used it could tell whether it shares more dna with the former or the later. Tange #2 for FP, #1 for FP-L.

Is the Koga Miyata FullPro related to this bike? (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pro-Miyata-Road-Race-Bike-/140530155263?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item20b83ffeff)

No. The equivilent for that bike would be the Koga ProRacer.

Equivilent for FullPro is Team Miyata.

Miyata US never caried a FullPro-L equivilent.

If you can find out what tubing is used it could tell whether it shares more dna with the former or the later. Tange #2 for FP, #1 for FP-L.

Tange Champion Chrome Molybdenum Double Butted Tube.

Here you see the FullPro with his owner in action! Only is missing an original Capri Sonne cycling Team bib short and Le Coq Sportif cycling shoes. Someone??

http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijk/2011/04/15/1302879165-210.jpg (http://www.plaatjesupload.nl/bekijken/3721405.html)

Damn. That is one of my favorite Japanese racing bikes. Impeccable.

Tange Champion Chrome Molybdenum Double Butted Tube.


I have taken a look on your pics for finding a tubing decal, but I couldn't find one. Anyway, when a bike has a decal with what you say on the seattube, it will be a decal with green in it and that would denote Tange #2. A #1 decal has red in it and mentions something like superlight.

I checked two FullPro forks I have available. Both had Tange stamped in the steerer, but unfortunately none of them mentions whether 1 or 2 is used, so taking the fork out won't unveil anything.

Good to see the bike gets used ;)

Killer bike, Herera!

Koga Miyata FullPro 1981 update;


I recently had again contacted Koga about this frame, this is What They Said:


"Thank you for your email of May 6, we apologize for the delay in replying.

We have checked internally by Various people, but there was no one who give the right information That Could Help. There was only one employee who Could tell us it would and most likely be the team bike of Daniel Willems. Daniel Willems did not like to run with a Dynamic Drive frame.

We guarantee you Sufficient information and wish you lots of cycling."

I also had a contact with a collector who had this bicycle in his possession. He now only have a few bikes in his possession which are very special and even two original race bikes one of them was owned by Peter Winnen. They also called him "Piet Koga and his blue smurfs" The frame I owned was at the time brought to the U.S. by one of the engineers and has since years stored in attic area. So this bike was made for Daniel Willems

Meanwhile I have already changed some parts

- Shimano 600 AX 100mm stem replaced by Cinelli Record 130 mm
- SR Champion 38cm handlebar replaced by a 42cm Cinelli Campione del mondo
- Shimano 600 shifters arabesque replaced by Dura Ace EX
- Shimano 600 AX Front Derailleur replaced by Dura Ace EX
- Shimano 600 AX seat post replaced by SR CT P5 Laprade (is Dura Ace EX)
- Dura Ace brakes first generation replaced by Dura Ace EX
- Shimano 600 brake levers replaced by Dura Ace EX (not pictured)

Still things I need to replace to get the Capri Sonne team bike original:

Dura Ace EX Lever hoods
Dura Ace Dura Ace EX Cranckset with DD pedals
Dura Ace EX headset
Mavic GP4 rims black tubless
Champion FrameTubing and Fork decals

If some can help me, you’re welcome!:)


Here to see the last pictures:
https://picasaweb.google.com/101154584564493372227/KogaMiyataFullpro1981?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Class! A real thoroughbred.