Kabuki bikes? Anybody remember the models?
 

One of my first bikes was a Kabuki, and I've been trying to remember the model number so that I can try to find images of it. It was one of the early models with index shifting. The shifters were on the downtube. The front derailleur lever sat next to the rear derailleur shifter, but was shorter. The bike was red, and that's about all I can remember. Oh, this would have been around 1980.

The only model I remember is the Submariner, and nice-looking bike with a clear coat over the steel. Anybody remember any other models?

Yes, I've seen this page: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/

I'm interested in finding out more about these bikes too. I have a Kabuki SSK Probably 80s but I'm not sure, It has none of the Kabuki features described in the Sheldon Brown Article(cast aluminum lugs and what not), It's Def an entry level bike, it came with a cheap saddle, Suntour Honour derailer, stem friction shifters, steel wheels, but everything works really well, no complaints, the bike has a made in Taiwan sticker. I don't know anything about the tubing, but it's a fully lugged steel frame, I'll post a picture later

I had a Grand Kabuki for a while a few years ago. Surprisingly light, but it was way flexy. Many of the components where rebranded "Bridgestone". It originally was set up as a tourer of sorts with steel north-roadish bars and thumb shifters. Had normal road brakes though. Cromo, lugged frame, but no idea what the exact frame material was though.

jim

Sounds like it was equipped with Bridgestone Synchro Memory Shift (aka SMS), a proprietary repsonse to Shimano's Positron indexed system. If you thought Positron had poor market receptance, SMS's was even worse. Even funkier, both shift levers were mounted piggyback on top of each other, on the right hand side of the frame. The only models that I recall seeing it on were entry level with hi-tensile frames, possibly a Skyway or Super Speed.

The SSK was the botton of the line model in the very late 1970s and very early 1980s. The frame is high carbon steel.

Yes! That's it--Synchro Memory Shift.

It could've been a Super Speed. I don't think it was a Skyway. I remember it cost something like $189. Which I thought was a fortune.

Here is my high tensile Taiwanese made Kabuki ssk, it may be cheap but I love riding this bike and it has the coolest head badge around

I have a Kabuki SFD which has a HiTen frame and the Shimano FFS front freewheel system and Positron shifters. Definitely entry level but cool just for the head badge.

SFD = Super Speed FFS