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Mid School BMX (>87) 1989 to 2003 (<05) => Mid School ( Keep the faith ) => Topic started by: markyp on July 22, 2013, 06:00 PM
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a mate of mine has just bought himself what looks like a kuwi champion,ive not seen it in the flesh but he thinks it isn't as when he looked at them on t'internet there were very very subtle differences,none that I could see though from the pic of his bike that he sent.so what looky likeys are there of this frameset?? ???
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Primo made 'copies' of the Kuwahara Champion about two years after its release. I chatted to a bloke at Primo who'd been around since the get go and confirmed they did do a Primo version. The differences are very subtle and I've seen at least one Primo sold as a Kuwahara.
(http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aWfPlT4_cfY/UFNm9RSZ61I/AAAAAAAAAMk/6SM8cyT_TUw/s800/1_kuwi003.JPG)
The story of the Kuwahara Champion is an interested one - an enigma - as Kuwahara in Japan didn't have anything to do with it (I emailed them too!) and Mr. Everything Bicycles can't remember them either. But there they are...
(http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LfDhfD5elTk/UFNnDhkOlZI/AAAAAAAAANM/ZTANdZZvUtY/s640/IMGP6382.JPG)
Looking at the dropouts & seat collar on my Champion and Dirtbike leads me to believe they're S&M made - IMHO...
(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3A9viB5C2yQ/UFNnIouLv4I/AAAAAAAAANs/KphFFSx0aDc/s640/IMGP6386.JPG)
(http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-id6DV3X-OaM/UFNm7OjePnI/AAAAAAAAAMU/wrAbM6fcwBs/s800/1_kuwi001.JPG)
Absolutely lovely to ride - very stable.
(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IJcLztYLk4M/UFNnHg3PkLI/AAAAAAAAANk/vsv_d7XTfik/s640/IMGP6385.JPG)
(http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H2KC192yFHo/UFNnFInnNWI/AAAAAAAAANU/WAfI4S8aTdM/s640/IMGP6383.JPG)
Check the headtube and fork dropouts.
(http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eJv-s4n7Xmo/UFNnBte0-GI/AAAAAAAAAM8/NN8g_fRNk1E/s640/IMGP6380.JPG)
(http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--e-d9HaZDzU/UFNm8DOQqyI/AAAAAAAAAMc/8I9Yu5-Dbnw/s800/1_kuwi002.JPG)
Mine came from an old Kuwahara dealer in Texas. Apparently they were given to 400 Kuwahara dealers by the distributor.
:)
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Interesting read that is :daumenhoch:
One thing though - S&M couldn't have made the frames as they didn't start in house manufacture until 2002. In all likelihood they may have been made by the same peeps that made S&M frames (and frames for a few other companies) - it was B&E that did all the building for these companies in the real early 90's :daumenhoch:
*quick edit - in fact them drops look a lot like the later MK1 and MK2 Dirtbike drops, so I reckon B&E prob. made them n'all :daumenhoch:
and another edit ;D Them forks drops look very Revcore/CW - I believe B&E also made schizz for the in the late 80's/early 90's.
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Aha. Yeah I meant to say a Mk1 Dirtbike dropouts - well spotted. B&E eh
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Has to be B&E...
Revcore, S&M, Hyper. It's all there, bottom bracket shell, head tube, seat tube, drop outs. Unfortunately it was designed by Stevie Wonder.
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Has to be B&E...
Revcore, S&M, Hyper. It's all there, bottom bracket shell, head tube, seat tube, drop outs. Unfortunately it was designed by Stevie Wonder.
B&E???? ???
oh aye :daumenhoch:
(http://doclib2.c5host.com/files/8812/9115/6066/bert-and-ernie.jpg)