YA Japanese racing bike

[LQQK]

I think this is the first or second time I have ventured into the Road Bike section. I can hold a decent conversation about mountain bikes but know next to nothing about road bikes. I saw this on eBay, it is local and seems in very good condition.

Depending on size and at this price would this be a good first move into retro road bikes? Is it true retro road bike or just an old bike?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/YA-Japanese- ... 2eb7e2a675

 

[Tel]

It looks to be a nice bike and certainly of good quality. Groups is a 600EX/ 105 Golden Arrow mix which is quite reasonable. Frame is good quality Ishiwata.

I would like to see close ups of the paintwork as there does appear to be some blemishes "from moving it around". Also there does not appear to be any graphics but just a blank frame, which is a bit of a shame. Essentially unless the frame is pantographed it could be anything.

 

[doctor-bond]

I'm fairly new to road stuff too, and have never heard of YA. But that bike seems to have that tingly feel you get when a prospective purchase 'speaks to you'.

The quality tubing, the odd mix of tasty period components, the unused condition. Give me another glass of Prosecco and I'll persuade myself that YA are the start and end initials for master builder Yoshiaki Nagasawa .....


Still, for almost £300 I'd ask for better pics of the frame, especially where the tubes meet - esp. seat and bottom bracket clusters; any serial numbers under the BB; F&R drop outs and fork crown.

 

[henna]

YA is the registered logo for frame builder Yanagisawa, frame from the 1980s will only have logo on head tube.

 

[doctor-bond]

Very cool. Glad it's too small.

YANAGISAWA
There is a studio in Tokyo.
builder:Mr.Yanagisawa
Birth January 21, 1941
He is the second generation of the bicycle shop. He learnt the frame production from builder Kajiwara of Mr. of the phantom in 1975, and established Yanagisawa frame brand three years later.
The pronunciation of Yanagisawa looks like Nagasawa. Not NAGASAWA!!
Google map street view of Y anagisawa shop

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?f=q&so...2,96.5,,1,3.32