[Identification] Kuwahara Professional Racing

[diHib]

Came across a frame that seems quite odd, the Kuwahara Professional Racing with oversized aluminum, 26" and seems to clear very wide rear tires. My google skills are failing me so I can't actually find any information at all about this one.

Kuwahara seems to be mostly known for building BMX bikes and especially the one that was in the ET movie, in the 80s and 90s they also had several mountain bikes, often with names like Oncilla, Maragay, Badger but "Professional Racing" feels like a very strange name for a frame model. Also curious as to what kind of stem it is that seems original and matches the square profile of the rear triangle.

 

[joglo]

The stem is a Club Roost i-beam.

With regards to the bike, indeed Kuwahara is most known for their end of 80ties, early nineties steel frame MTBs and Pacer. But already early nineties they have introduced aluminum frames too. Here in Germany every now and then aluminum Kuwas appear in classifieds from later nineties, often in similar bright colors like red, blue or yellow.
I haven't seen yours before but it's definitivly from second half of the nineties if not close to 2000 and is looks more costly or even like a high end frame.

A bit like a Hot Chili Zymotic designed by Peter Denk, but not identical.
This polished Taiwanese Orca frame, obviously built after an Hot Chili blueprint like other similar bikes from Chaka, Cypress, Fun works, etc. , looks pretty much like your Kuwahara.

Picture taken from this german thread.
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/a-c...ili-zymotic-fuer-arme-und-lange-beine.913706/

 

[diHib]

The stem is a Club Roost i-beam.

With regards to the bike, indeed Kuwahara is most known for their end of 80ties, early nineties steel frame MTBs and Pacer. But already early nineties they have introduced aluminum frames too. Here in Germany every now and then aluminum Kuwas appear in classifieds from later nineties, often in similar bright colors like red, blue or yellow.
I haven't seen yours before but it's definitivly from second half of the nineties if not close to 2000 and is looks more costly or even like a high end frame.

A bit like a Hot Chili Zymotic designed by Peter Denk, but not identical.
This polished Taiwanese Orca frame, obviously built after an Hot Chili blueprint like other similar bikes from Chaka, Cypress, Fun works, etc. , looks pretty much like your Kuwahara.
View attachment 671376
Picture taken from this german thread.
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/a-c...ili-zymotic-fuer-arme-und-lange-beine.913706/

Super interesting and thanks for identifying the stem. I think you're on the right track regarding the frame! It clearly looks like a clone of the Zymotic Hot Chili frame and the Orca or Chaka frame that the thread you linked to was about looks almost identical to mine Kuwahara! Is there any value in a "copy"? Asking because I'm not sure what to do with it. The frame is large and actually too big for me with the stem that was intended at the time, but with a shorter stem it is rideble. Unfortunately, the paintwork is in really bad condition, but I think this frame would really suit as "stripped" and I've always wanted to remove paint from a frame

 

[joglo]

Removing paint from a frame and moreover polishing is some effort, but also a project which could make an anonymous bike yours and something you could get proud of it!
So go for it, if your ready for the challenge.

If not, we can communicate via PM, I might know someone (not me) who potentially could give this frame a nice home.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Kuwahara is well known where i live for building steel road bikes and mountain bikes through the 70's and 80's originally under the Apollo brand name and later under Kuwahara. I have a 1980ish Apollo Grand Sport built up with Shimano 600 Arabesque in my garage currently.

 

[Imlach]

I'd be interested in this frame if you wish to part with it.