American Flyer Emperor at Goodwill
10-13-17, 06:22 PM
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American Flyer Emperor at Goodwill
Hey all,
This cool bike (American Flyer Emperor) is sitting at our local Goodwill – outside, where they keep them.
I noticed it yesterday as I donated some stuff. Looked at the sticker and the lowest number I saw was 39, but also saw a 69.
I looked it over and thought it over last night, looked it up online (most of the info. was here, thanks) and ran the idea past my wife.
Went back to buy it today, hoping it was $39. Nope, it is $69. Here's the killer: Yesterday all bikes were 1/2 off!!
I had to pass on the thing.
Oh, I see we can't upload photos to this forum. Okay.
This cool bike (American Flyer Emperor) is sitting at our local Goodwill – outside, where they keep them.
I noticed it yesterday as I donated some stuff. Looked at the sticker and the lowest number I saw was 39, but also saw a 69.
I looked it over and thought it over last night, looked it up online (most of the info. was here, thanks) and ran the idea past my wife.
Went back to buy it today, hoping it was $39. Nope, it is $69. Here's the killer: Yesterday all bikes were 1/2 off!!
I had to pass on the thing.
Oh, I see we can't upload photos to this forum. Okay.
10-13-17, 07:34 PM
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You can upload pics from a hosting site after you have 10 posts. Or you can post pics hosted on your computer buy using the "Go Advanced" button.
10-13-17, 08:38 PM
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Thrifty Bill
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I came across an American Flyer, I bought three bikes and it was one of the three (one of those buy three to keep one kind of deals). It was pretty basic and I donated it to the co-op. There I used donated parts to get it road worthy and they sold it for $65. Always easier to get a return on a bike if you use donated parts and mechanics.
The pictures I have seen of the Emperor model show a basic high ten steel frame bike but with some good parts. If I came across one, I would probably buy it for parts alone. I would not pay the $69 Goodwill price, but would have bought it during the half price sale.
The pictures I have seen of the Emperor model show a basic high ten steel frame bike but with some good parts. If I came across one, I would probably buy it for parts alone. I would not pay the $69 Goodwill price, but would have bought it during the half price sale.
Last edited by wrk101; 10-13-17 at 08:42 PM.
10-13-17, 09:57 PM
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Thanks, guys.
I was gonna put it right into service in my cheap, old fleet.
I ran it through the gears today and it worked fine except would not go into the highest gear on the rear.
Yeah, 40 bucks was my personal limit on the thing. The woman working there acknowledged that they charge too much for bikes.
I've gotten a few pretty cool bikes from thrift shops for, if I recall, no more than $25.
I was gonna put it right into service in my cheap, old fleet.
I ran it through the gears today and it worked fine except would not go into the highest gear on the rear.
Yeah, 40 bucks was my personal limit on the thing. The woman working there acknowledged that they charge too much for bikes.
I've gotten a few pretty cool bikes from thrift shops for, if I recall, no more than $25.
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10-14-17, 06:40 PM
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Oh be still my beating heart. American Flyer Emperor made by Kuwahara with an Ishiwata 012 frame and Shimano 600 brakes. It's worth $100 if the wheels are OK.
Last edited by ramzilla; 10-28-17 at 12:37 PM.
10-15-17, 11:20 PM
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Yes! I think it might be your posts here from the past that gave me the information on the Emperor as I attempted to research it.
I really wanted this bike, but given my situation I could not justify over $40 for it. It was a killer that the Goodwill employee told me that the prior day – the day that I discovered the bike – all bikes were 1/2 off! That would have put it at $34.50.
I really wanted this bike, but given my situation I could not justify over $40 for it. It was a killer that the Goodwill employee told me that the prior day – the day that I discovered the bike – all bikes were 1/2 off! That would have put it at $34.50.
10-16-17, 09:47 AM
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Thrifty Bill
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Its red to white fade, and its toast.
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
10-16-17, 09:48 AM
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Oh be still my beating heart. American Flyer Emperor made by Kuwahara with an Ishiwata 012 frame and a Shimano 600 groupset. A very nice riding machine that can only be appreciated by certain devotees of fine Japanese steel. Please be kind to the beautiful vintage Japanese bike. It has many many more miles to travel before it's life is over. Worth $100 as is. Much more to those who seek one.
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Last edited by wrk101; 10-17-17 at 05:44 AM.
10-16-17, 08:59 PM
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It does have that 012 sticker on the seat post tube – the word "guaranteed" on it. Whether this has any bearing on it being Ishiwata or not, of course, I don't know.
If I had gotten it, I would have just blissfully used it, thinking it was cool and hoping it served me well.
If I had gotten it, I would have just blissfully used it, thinking it was cool and hoping it served me well.
10-17-17, 10:34 AM
#13
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I'm just not feeling the love for Kuwahara bikes on here. Too bad. So sad.
10-23-17, 09:50 AM
#14
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Here's a picture of my American Flyer Emperor. It was too heavy to be a drop bar racer so, I converted it to upright handlebars.Not in this picture but, I recently added thumb shifters. I looked & the only Shimano 600 parts are the brake calipers. It's a real nice city bike.
10-24-17, 10:37 AM
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Ishiwata 012?
10-24-17, 11:41 AM
#16
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Kinda hard to see in this picture. But, sticker says 012.
10-24-17, 11:48 AM
#17
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It's also got Kuwahara name on the front dropouts. I've put a rear rack & thumb shifters on it. Love using it on my three park ride. Piedmont, Candler &, Grant. Plus a quick run through Oakland Cemetery.
10-24-17, 01:44 PM
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Are you sure that isn't a Kuwahara 012 sticker? Ishiwata tubeset numbers approximated the rounded weight of the tubeset in kilograms. For instance 022 weighed 2.2kg. The lightest tubeset that Ishiwata produced in the very early 1980s, which is the apparent era of the bicycle, was 015, which should probably have been called 016, as it weighed 1.6kg. That was pretty much state of the art for steel at the time, with Columbus Record and Tange Champion Pro having similar weights and Reynolds 753 being 150g heavier.
10-25-17, 05:31 AM
#19
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Interestingly, Kuwahara was the name of the Japanese guard who refused to torture US Air Force prisoners of war during WWII in the book "Unbroken". He wouldn't torture the American Flyers.
10-28-17, 12:18 PM
#20
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PICTURES. It's got about three years of wear since being serviced. This is the one I ride through downtown Atlanta.