Factory Kuwaharas were made in Japan by a few different companies but mainly Tange Japan. This topic is highly debated and we have constructed our data based on research and information from a few key people who have lent us this information.
Companies like Tange Japan made the tubing for Kuwahara frames, and companies like Toyo Frame welded them together. Apparently, Koizumi made frames as well, or at the least welded Tange made tubing.
Please visit Sparky's OS-DB for his thorough guide to serial numbers: 70s DBs made by FMF (USA) Koizumi (Japan) Akisu (Taiwan) Serial Number Registry. Please be sure to fill out all details accurately, and we will send you a free Kink BMX sticker pack by mail upon registration. Please Note: For complete bikes and aftermarket frames, the serial number is located underneath the bottom bracket. Fork serial numbers are located on the steerer tube. For mid-school GT BMX bikes built in Taiwan through most of the 90's with a serial number that begins with 4 letters before the series of numbers. The 3rd letter corresponds to the year of manufacture. 1991-2000 – 4 letters at beginning, 3rd is year A B C D E F G H I J.
All Kuwahara forks, however, were made and welded together by Tange Japan except fo the Giant made Pantera forks.
Regardless of the manufacturing details, here is a breakdown of the serial numbers found on Kuwahara frame sets and forks between 1979 and 1985.
Tange / Toyo Stamped Frame Serial Numbers
Tange Made Tubing welded by Toyo or TangeFound on KZ, Laserlite, Survivor, Nova, KYZ, E.T., KM-1 and 24 models 1979 – 1984
Stamped: T1A0001 (underside of bottom bracket)
Stamped: TANGE JAPAN (rare to see)
T = Toyo / 1 = 1981 / A = Month / 0001 = Unit # produced of the month
Ex. T3J1340 = The 1,340th frame made by Tange in October of 1983
Ex. T9K1576 = The 1,576th frame made by Tange in November of 1979
*T stands for Toyo who welded the Tange tubings. If marked 'TANGE JAPAN', then the frames were welded by Tange.
Tange Made Fork Serial Numbers
Found on KE-1, KZ, Laserlite, Surivivor, Nova, KYZ, E.T., KM-1 and 24 models 1979 – 1985Stamped: Tange OA (on steerer tube)
Tange / 0 = 1980 / A = Month
Ex. Tange 3C = Tange made fork in March of 1983
Ex. Tange 9I = Tange made fork in September of 1979
*Tange Made forks were welded and stamped by Tange
Kuwahara Stamped Frame Serial Numbers
Tange Made Tubing welded by KuwaharaFound on KZ, Laserlite, Survivor, and Nova models 1980 – 1985
Stamped: K1A0001 (underside of bottom bracket)
K = Kuwahara / 1 = 1981 / A = Month / 0001 = Unit # produced of the month
Ex. K4C0560 = The 560th frame made by Kuwahara in March of 1984
Tange Made Fork Serial Numbers
Found on KE-1, KZ, Laserlite, Surivivor, Nova, KYZ, E.T., KM-1 and 24 models 1979 – 1985Stamped: Tange OA (on steerer tube)
Tange / 0 = 1980 / A = Month
Ex. Tange 3C = Tange made fork in March of 1983
Ex. Tange 9I = Tange made fork in September of 1979
*Tange Made forks were welded and stamped by Tange
Koizumi Stamped Frame Serial Numbers
Tange Made tubing welded by KoizumiFound on KE-1, KZ, Laserlite, Survivor, and KM-1 models 1979 – 1984
Mongoose Serial Number Lookup
Stamped: KGA 1 0001 or 79 1 00001 (underside of bottom bracket)
KG = Koizumi / Third Letter = Year / First Number = Month / 0001 = Unit # produced of the month
Ex. KGC 8 1130 = The 1,130th frame made by Koizumi in August of 1983
Ex. KGB 12 1100 = The 1,100th frame made by Koizumi in December of 1982
Ex. KGA 7 0830 = The 830th frame made by Koizumi in July of 1981
Ex. 79 12 00358 = The 358th frame made by Koizumi in December of 1979
Tange Made Fork Serial Numbers
Found on KE-1, KZ, Laserlite, Surivivor, Nova, KYZ, E.T., KM-1 and 24 models 1979 – 1985Stamped: Tange OA (on steerer tube)
Tange / 0 = 1980 / A = Month
Ex. Tange 3C = Tange made fork in March of 1983
Ex. Tange 9I = Tange made fork in September of 1979
*Tange Made forks were welded and stamped by Tange
Apollo Stamped Frame Serial Numbers
Kuwahara made FramesFound on Apollo, Apollo E.T. and Apollo 16 models 1980 – 1987
Stamped: 80-01-00001 (on left side of seat post tube)
80 = 1980 / 01 = Month / 00001 = Unit # produced of the month
Ex. 81-09-64191 = The 191st (or possiblly 64,191st) frame made by Apollo in September of 1981
Ex. 83-10-71465 = The 465th (or possiblly 71,465th) frame made by Apollo in October of 1983
Stamped: N72856 or N7395C
breakdown explanation n/a
Giant Made Frame Serial Numbers
Found on Pantera models 1983 – 1985Stamped: G0184 (on right rear dropout) & 4684981 (on left rear dropout)
G = Giant / 01 = Month / 84 = Year
4684981 = Unit # produced of the month
Ex. G0783 = Made by Giant in July of 1983
Ex. G1284 = Made by Giant in December of 1984
Years Active:
1979 - 1980 (Version 1)
1980 - 1981 (Version 2)
Factory Models (Version 1):
KE-1, Early KZ, and KM-1
Factory Models (Version 2):
Late KE-1, Early KZ, and KM-1
- Japan Flag on left side of main tube decal text.
- All fonts used on all frame areas are considerably different from other Generation decals.
- Does not include the ® symbol.
- Silkcreened on clear vinyl stock.
- Red color used is darker than standard CMYK red.
- Version 1 decals have square Die Cut corners whereas Version 2's are rounded.
- Version 1's Head Tube decal has white to the edge of the die cut whereas Version 2 has clear edges.
- Version 1's holes in the letters A and R are knocked out (not filled in with white) on the Main Down Tube decal unlike Version 2 which are filled in with white.
Bmx Serial Number
Years Active:
1981 - Mid Oct. 1983 (w/o ® Symbol)
Mid Oct. 1983 - Late 1984 (w/ ® Symbol)
Bmx Serial Number Chart
Factory Models:
KZ, Laserlite, Survivor, Nova (w/ ® Symbol only), KYZ, Apollo (16',20',24'), 24' Cruiser (Version 1 & 2)
- Japanese Flag positioned above the 'K' of 'Kuwahara' on main tube decal.
- All fonts used on all frame areas are considerably different from other Generation decals.
- Chrome-Moly 'Lightning Bolt' seat post tube & handlebar decal included (on Laserlite, Survivor, & 24' models only).
- Litho printed on clear polyester stock with a protective laminate.
- Red color used is darker than standard CMYK red.
- Yellow color is darker than standard CMYK yellow (more like a yellow/orange).
- Did not include the ® symbol until mid October 1983 which was placed at the bottom right corner of all decals except the 4130 decal.
Years Active:
1982 (w/o ® Symbol)
1983 - 1984 (w/ ® Symbol)
Factory Models:
ET (w/o ® Symbol), Pantera (w/ ® Symbol), Exhibitionist (Cut-Out) (w/ ® Symbol)
- Japanese Flag is not included on main tube & fork decals except on Exhibitionist model.
- All fonts used on all frame areas are considerably different from other Generation decals.
- Chrome-Moly 'Lightning Bolt' seat post tube & handlebar decal included (on Exhibitionist model only).
- Litho printed on clear polyester stock with a protective laminate.
- Red color used is darker than standard CMYK red
- Yellow color is darker than standard CMYK yellow (more like a yellow/orange).
- Did not include the ® symbol until mid October 1983 which was placed at the bottom right corner of all decals except the 4130 decal.
- '4130' and 'Japan Flag' seat post tube decals were not included on ET and Pantera models.
- Headtube had slanted 'Kuwahara' words on ET and Pantera models only.
- ET fork decals had 3 stripes at top of words.
- 'The Bicycle Source / USA' decals included on Exhibitionist models only in North America.
Years Active:
March 1984 - 1986 (Bravo Only)
1985 - 1986
Bmx Serial Number Identifier
Factory Models:
Laser-Lite, Exhibitionist, Nova, Bravo, Bravo KT, Magician, Scamp, Apollo
- Japan Flag was replaced with a 3 colored 'flag' integrated into the K of the main tube and head tube decals.
- All fonts used on all frame areas are considerably different from other Generation decals.
- Includes the ® symbol at the bottom right corner of every decal.
- Litho printed on clear polyester stock with a protective laminate.
- Decal sets came in many different colors combinations
- Model names were depicted in a new Script font and placed on the handlebar and seat posts.
- Chrome-Moly 'Lightning Bolt' seat post tube & handelbar decal were replaced with the a new
'Kuwahara' Script font decal.
Years Active: 1987 - 1988
Factory Models:
Laserlite-3000, Nova Titlist, Bravo Pro, Bravo Team, Magician Pro, Magician EX, Hopper
- Japan Flag was replaced with a 3 colored 'flag' integrated into the K of the main tube and head tube decals.
- All fonts used on all frame areas are considerably different from other Generation decals.
- Includes the ® symbol at the bottom right corner of every decal.
- Litho printed on clear polyester stock with a protective laminate.
- Decal sets came in many different colors combinations
- Model names were depicted in a new Script font and placed on the handlebar and seat posts.
- Chrome-Moly 'Lightning Bolt' seat post tube & handelbar decal were replaced with the a new
'Kuwahara' Script font decal. - Colored shadows and grids were added beneath each decal except for the 'Kuwahara' script decal.
FACTS: SOME INTERESTING AND KEY DETAILS TO NOTE – All models produced mid October 1983 and later included the ® symbol in all the decals (including 'Lightning Bolt' seat post & handlebar decal) except the '4130' seat post tube decal. This ® logo was found ONLY at the bottom right corner of each decal. Factory original decals also include little ‘placement dots' on the main tube decals of all models, on the ‘model name' decals (Laserlite, Survivor, Nova, & Pantera) and on the fork decals of E.T. models only.
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