After 4 years of neglect I finally retrieved my Takara Highlander from the dark depths of my back garage. I was pulling out bikes to get ready to sell and it was on the cut list until I cleaned it up and got it into riding condition. The big honkin' cruiser saddle and newer seat post were replaced with a fluted SR Laprade and the saddle off my Scott Sportster, I threw a couple old blackwall knobbies on it and raised the stem about 3 inches. The BMX pedals and clear plastic bottle cage are gone too. I didn't take any pictures but it looks SO much better! After a short ride then staring at the lugged frame for awhile I decided it's a keeper. It is so different from the '95 Marin I just picked up yet they are only a few years apart, I know I'd regret it later if I let it go. Plus, Takaras don't have any following so it probably wouldn't bring anything unless somebody bought it for parts for another 80's MTB and it's too nice a bike to be a parts donor. Of the few Takara Highlander MTB's I have found online this is the only one I've seen with the contrasting paint on the head tube between the lugs although there were a few road bikes with this paint scheme. I'm thinking this came toward the end of Takara production which from the little info I've found seems to have been around 1988.

From the way it is equipped I'm guessing it dates somewhere around 1985 to 1988. It has Suntour XC Sport derailleurs, friction thumb shifters, brake levers and hubs. The rear roller cam brake says Cunningham Design not Suntour and the front cantilever brakes are Dia-Compe "weed wackers". The crankset is a Sakae CR triple and the rims are Araya that are dimpled outward for the spoke nipples. One of the neatest features is the slingshot stem.

I flipped it over to get the serial number to see if I could confirm what I was told when I first got it that it that is was probably built by Kuwahara but either I'm missing something or it doesn't match any of the formats listed for Takara in the Asian Serial Number Guide stickie. Any ideas anyone?