I'm hoping someone can help clear this up for me... I keep running across references to frames being made by large Japanese manufacturers and then rebranded in Canada and the US. I just want to make sure I have the relationships right:

Kuwahara - manufacturer, made Apollo, Nishiki, some bikes with own brand?
Kawamura - manufacturer, made Norco?

Other places I have seen Kawamura referenced as the Nishiki maker.

Thanks!

T-Mar is the guy who really knows this stuff, but AFAIK the early Nishikis were built by Kawamura, then later models (maybe 1980s) were built by Kuwahara. (And you'll find these two names are frequently interchanged and misspelled).

Thanks, that helps. Any idea where I can find serial number information?

T-Mar, again. He's your official treasure trove of information on this subject. Do a search of his postings via the archive function. If you still have questions you can try a PM to him, but I bet he's already provided the info many times within this forum (and we wouldn't want to annoy him, right? ).

I've actually already searched, nothing useful came up.

i just took my own advice and there's a huge thread concerning Nishiki serial numbers (and aberrations):
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...nishiki+number
including the fact that I am probably wrong about Kuwahara ever making them; according to T-Mar it was Kawamura and then Giant, with an occasional Araya...but I swear I saw something in the past that stuck in my head cause it was unexpected and noteworthy.

There are serial number databases for Centurion, Fuji and Nishiki right here on C&V on BF. Enjoy!

Kawamura built a lot of frames for Nishiki -- these usually carry a decal stating same on the left chainstay near the bottom bracket. They weren't "rebranded;" just the better frames in Nishiki's lineup. I've never heard of a Nishiki being made by Kuwahara; but there's a lot I don't know or am not aware of.

The bikes I am specifically trying to identify are a Kuwahara Blazer, and a Norco that has lost its model name (top tube scratched all to hell). That's why I need to know the serial number format used by the manufacturers, and which manufacturer made the Norcos.

When I seach Kuwahara I get references for Nishiki serial numbers.