hiltonhead

My bike has been hanging in the basement for a long time. I bought it used from a guy I worked with (probably 20 years ago) and rode it to work for a summer. I recently tuned it up and began to ride again. I began to wonder just how old this bike is. It is a Bridgestone Kabuki Diamond Touring and the serial number (on the bottom of the crank housing) is
B623666. I've looked on line for a chart but was unsuccessful. Incidently I also bought a woman's Kabuki SuperLight from the same guy at the same time. Both bikes are still in good shape. Anybody got a clue as to age?--Dave

hiltonhead

Anybody?

Kobe 

I would guess early to mid eighties. The Kabuki's were the entry level offerings from Bridgestone. I think another BF member has a brand new one in the box that they bought and stored. Do a search of the C&V forums. I think his was red also.

I always loved the Kabuki headbadge.

hiltonhead

Thanks for the response guys. I looked on the reccommended site and found that my Sugino Mighty Competition crank arm is marked 49-4. Year-Month. 46 being 1971. So I reckon I have a 1974...36 years old! Thanks for the direction.--Dave

T-Mar

It could be slightly newer as stock rotation was not necessarily well conducted during the boom. However, it does appear to be mid-1970s.

cycleheimer

Older thread, but wow! Not too many of these around! Mine is a '77 or '78. Never saw another one in the same color! The Diamond Road is what I really wanted back then, but I got a great deal on this one brand-new as a leftover. Notice that the OP's has the Suntour power shifters. Mine also has them, Cyclone derailleurs, Araya rims. Really nice bike, and probably second in the hierarchy after the Diamond Road as I remember.





The only other color I saw these in back then....

TugaDude

Saw a Kabuki on Chicago Craigslist last year that was awesome, so I'm not going along with the notion that all Kabuki's were low or middle-of-the-road. It had extremely nice components on it and super nice detailed lugs along with a very unique stem. It was a Kabuki Diamond edition and was listed for around $500 if I remember correctly. If it was bigger, I might have made an offer, it was that nice. Beautiful orange color, nice rims, just a great looking bike.

hiltonhead

Cool pic with original carton! My old 74 has Suntour derailleurs and Gran Diacomp center pull brakes...still rides great. It's like me: got lots of miles on it but still in pretty good shape for the shape it's in!--Dave

cycleheimer

I never could find the exact same bike in that same color in any catalog I could lay my hands on back then. New tires, and maybe a new tube. Everything else is original. I even kept the original receipt. It kind of got forgotten in the attic for a "few" years. It became kind of a dinosaur when the mountain bike trend hit. Unfortunately, it didn't show any signs of ageing...but I did. Really nice riding bike.

Kobe 

I remeber when you dug that out and put it together. An amazing find in your own attic. I just wish I had done the same with a Masi back in the '70's.

cycleheimer

Glad I didn't get rid of it when everybody was buying mountain bikes! There's a bunch of other stuff, however, I wished I had done the same with, especially my baseball card collection from the 40s through early 60s.

TXSLEDS

Dave, Very nice bikes. I have some catalog and promotional material should you need a scan.
The serial number dates the bike to Month (B)Year (6) WEEK(2) DAY(3) #666 frame of the year's production run.
Your bike frame was produced Feb 10, 1976.

Howard Ramsay
Bridgestone Owners Bunch on Facebook

TXSLEDS

Great bikes. You may be surprised at what you find in this catalog:
The catalogs of Japanese vintage bicycle

T-Mar

Do you have any company documentation which leads you to this interpretation of the serial number format? The reason I'm asking is because my own data analysis leads to believe that Bridgestone, like other vintage Asian manufacturers, did not stratify below the month and fortnight level. Your format may work in some cases, but I've seen cases where the your month indicator goes beyond L, the week indicator goes beyond 5 and the day indicator goes beyond 7.

TXSLEDS

The format varies somewhat. Some Bridgestones use a date code with the Year code first, some with the Month code first. Some TIG welded frames are a little different also. Your database and the catalogs I have, along with the actual bicycles, help me to determine when they were made. Some are month-year, some are year-month, according to the model and year produced. Month codes are always by letter, year codes are always by numeral. I own 15 different BRIDGESTONE model bikes, 1970-1994. (N=21)

Kabuki12

Wow, 15 Bridgestones! I have owned 3 over the last 40 years. They were all Kabuki's. I still have the 1976 Diamond Formula that I bought new in 1976(not a cheap bike). it is now full Campy period correct components and rides like a dream. Mine has vertical dropouts that I like a lot. It came as a 12 speed, but now has a Regina Oro freewheel (5) making it a 10 speed. Last weekend I rode it on the Eroica ride , not 1 problem with it . I have so many miles on this bike ,I can't even begin to add them up. The first two years of ownership I did not drive my car(intentionally)I loved the bike so much. I mean rain and wind and all !! Very light and quick for its year.

Tom Del

I has a Kabuki Bridgestone 12 Speed bike I just purchased and don't know what inch or year it might be. The vin is cy8303j and maybe an N or m at the end. It is black with gold decals.

TXSLEDS

Tom, please turn the bike over. Look closely at the underside of the bottom bracket shell. What letters and numbers do you see, please.

Kabuki12, I now have 18 BRIDGESTONE bicycles in my shop, and two on the way. Just three left to find.

Tom Del

Cy8303j and maybe an N or m as the last letter

Tom Del

Or is their another area to find the number. This is on the bottom of where the pedals go threw crank area

zukahn1 

The women's bike is from the early 80's based on the style of crank and 12 speed drivetrain.

T-Mar

This is the 3rd time that Tom Del has posted about this bicycle. Previously, I gave him the following response;

"That is not the traditional Bridgestone serial number format and it would appear to be a contract manufactured frame. Twelve speed, if OEM, would place it no older than 1978, while the Bridgestone reference was dropped circa 1982. At this point, the best age indicators would be the date codes on the components, provided they are OEM. Refer to the components (page) of the Vintage-Trek website for decoding the date codes. Regardless, please post pictures, as many members would enjoy seeing your bicycle."


The owner never did reply but goes on to post the same question in other Kabuki threads.

Tom Del

sorry I am new here and not sure how to post images from my photos images htlm ect

Tom Del

Sorry new to this site. not sure how to post my photos

Tom Del

Is this a womens or mens bike possible year ect. Thanks