Mystery Yokota
 

I recently picked up this road bike, and can't seem to find out anything about it. It is branded as Yokota, with a "Legend" decal on the top tube. Made from Tange Champion #2 butted tubing, it seems pretty lightweight and very well made. On the seat tube, close to the bottom bracket, there is a decal stating that it was made in Taiwan. Shimano Biopace rings, Sport LX cranks, Exage Sport cages, brakes, and front and rear derailleurs. Black Araya rims, Exage Sport hubs. Sakae seatpost, bars and stem. Shimano headset and BB. Recessed allen head brake mounts.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/...9f34f1.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/...bc6ed5.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/...b167bf.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/...6fe138.jpg?v=0

I have posted on FGG and Velospace, but the extent of the answers (aside from one or two) has been to convert it to fixed. Not happening. I really enjoy this bike, as it is the lightest and most responsive bike I have ever ridden. It seems to me to be very nice, and from what I can gather pretty rare. But what do I know- That's where you guys come in! Any info will be greatly apprecciated!

That's a pretty slick looking bike. Converting it to a fixie would be a sin.

I think Yokota is mainly known for mountain bikes and I believe the company morphed in Dirt Research in about 1994, and then disappeared altogether a year later. Thomas Teesdale (tetcycles.com) made some higher end Yokota frames and made all of the DR frames. The Yokota may also be a reference to frame builder Gary Yokota, who apparently works for Santa Cruz now. I suspect you could email Gary or Tom and get some information about it.

Thanks! I shot an email to Tom, maybe he can be of some help...

Be sure and report back. Thanks.

+1

There's currently very little info online, so if the OP finds out more, it would be great to add to our knowledge base.

I found a Yokota touring bike a while back, cantilevers, triple, and Deore components. Was a sweet bike, but someone had a SERIOUS wreck on it unfortunately. Looked similar graphics wise.,,,,,BD


http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...Numbskull1.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...Numbskull2.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...Numbskull3.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...Numbskull4.jpg

Still no response to my email, and I have not been able to find out anything from my LBS either. Maybe someone will pop up with some info at some point...

Guessing by the unicrown fork, black rims, and components.... 88-93?,,,,BD

Sakae Modolo patent bars, right? They are my favorite.

Yep. I like these bars as well. This is the first bike I have had that has been outfitted with them.

Here's a blurb from another forum re MTBs:

"The Yakota Frames in the pictures were distributed by Strictly Wholesale in Newark, DE. They were heavily marketed in CA and I believe they even had a race team. Strictly Wholesale then started distributing Dirt Research. Reid Rollins (owner of Yakota, Dirt Research, and Ballistic forks) has a bunch of the Dirt Research frames in his warehouse and sells them from time to time on Ebay. He will sell direct (if you drive there) and his prices are pretty good for a steel bike, but not rock bottom. $280 will get you a Columbus EL-OS frame and a matching Tange fork. I bought one last year and used it as a race bike. Unfortunately, they were built around a 63 MM fork and I had trouble finding a good 63 MM fork, so it sits in my shed now waiting to be reborn."

I understand Reid Rollins still sells Dirt Research frames on eBay. Search for "Dirt Research" on eBay and ask him a question re Yokota road frames. There may be no connection, but you never know.

So that is a potential relative to the Dirt Research MTB I am building... I do like the NOS Dirt Research frame/fork I bought on Ebay. :)

I own the exact same bike, the legend. Mine is approximately a 53cm frame, and just like you said it's probably one of the nicest bikes I've ridden in a while.

I've also been really curious where it came from and why there's absolutely NOTHING on the net. It seems like a well put together bike, why wouldn't it be better documented?!

Let me know what you find!!

I have a Yokota tandem. I don't know much either but the decals say "Yokota Project USA. There is a sticker with a picture of a bear that says designed and built in California, USA. There is another bear sticker that says true temper tubing 4130 or something like that. It seems like a pretty nice frame. I believe it is a 1992 or so. I know it's not much help, but it is all I can offer.
I too would be very interested in more info. if it become available.

palmtree wrote, "I have a Yokota tandem. I don't know much either..."

A week ago I bought a '93 Yakota Grizzly Peak mountain tandem. I was also curious about the background of the bike, so I spent afew hours online. That's how I stumbled on this thread.

The most complete information I found was on Bikepedia:

http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/Default.aspx

They have specs for older parts, bicycle configurations, etc. Enter the year of the bike to get to a list of manufacturers, select the brand, model, etc.

On this thread I had just learned that these Yakota bikes were made in the early '90's. I guessed at 1993 for mine because the frame number starts with "T93" then 5 more digits (Tandem 1993?). I went with that and found some good info. (The number is stamped on the underside of the bottom bracket).

Here's what I found: :thumb:

1993 Yakota Grizzly Peak
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...Peak&Type=bike

From the information listed I found that my bike has had changes in the shifters, rear derailer, wheels, tire size and cranks. That, or Yokota changed around equipment as they went along (and nobody told Bikepedia!).

With any luck you can find your bike listed also.

As for cromoly steel, here's what Sheldon Brown (R.I.P.) had to say,
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ch.html#crmo

Good luck and let us know what you find!

Yesterday I had a friend who has a shop at his house help me work this bike over. We repacked the headset and BB, replaced the cables and chain, and broke all of the parts down for a soak and a cleaning. This bike rides sooo smooth now! We threw on some 80's Scott clip on aero bars and bottle cages, and I am ready to go.

Based on the components, it would indeed appear to be circa 1988. Tange #2 is a good tubeset and I would venture to say that the frame is a bit underdressed (ie. tubeset level is better than components). Given the tubeset and components, this probably originally sold for about $350-$400 US. Knowing the serial number may allow to establish the exact year and original manufacturer.

I was just searching for some other info in some old magazines and ther it was, staring me in the face, a Yokota Legend, complete with Sport LX group! It was from 1989 and had a suggested retail price of $350-$450. I don't know why the range this would be this large.

Another Mystery Yakota
 

Here is a Yokota Legend I picked up at a thrift shop and just outfitted with new tires, bar tape, saddle, and pedals. This bike, despite my LBS not knowing anything about it, is light, and perfect for my first road bike. I am also perplexed as to the lack of info on Yokota on the web, but it is good to see some posted here! Let me know how you think it looks or if you want some more pics.

I know this is an old thread but I have a Yokota Gran Turismo exactly like the the one bikedued posted. Sadly the frame is too large for me and I will be swapping it out for something a bit lighter, newer, and without decals. I really wish I was a couple inches taller and could refnish the frame and keep it. Regardless, me + my old yokota = :love: Just thought I would share.

-Ali

reviving this thread for a third time...

For those that know about the Yokota Gran Turismo, what could it's current equivalent be as a comparison? I had one of these that my dad lended me, and it recently was stolen. I'm trying to place it's value which is hard to do considering the bike was purchased back in 92/93 and the tech has changed so much. Would someone have a suggestion as to the value of it?

Thanks.

I had a yokota enterprise. It fit me like a glove and the build quality was pretty high considering it was plain 4130 from Taiwan. Don't be fooled, sport LX is pretty decent stuff. The Shifters and derailleurs have always worked for me, and the crank usually comes with aluminum chain rings.

Mystery Yokota
 

I just stumbled on this post, ( 4 years later). I am the founder of Yokota Cycle USA and the designer of the bicycles. While primarily Yokota's focus was Mountain Bikes I did offer road bikes in 1989. The legend was the top of the line model spec'ed and using the tubing, TANGE #2 as you mentioned. Prior to working for Yokota, I was a custom frame builder and that is where the responsive geometry originated. Wile I know Gary Yokota he was not a part of the company and I never used him to build frames. i did contract with Tom Tesdale for the Half Dome model. Strictly Wholesale was my East a coast distributor and after I left the company to join Easton Sports, Strictly became the USA exclusive distributor of the line. The Legend was a very lightweight bicycle using USA appropriate frame geometry and was a very sweet ride. However, the late eighties and early 90’s were the heyday of Mountain Bikes. Road bike took a very far back burner. So the model is very rare.

Welcome to the forum Jharrington! Several folks have Yokota bikes and information is slim. I'm quite sure any insight you could provide would be MORE than appreciated by the owners.

Thanks for posting!

I have a Yokota Yosemite Mountain bike. I have had it for about 26 years and it is still in very nice condition.
I am putting it on Craigslist if anyone is interested see link below.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/2889927956.html
EMAIL:
knykid-one@yahoo.com