Giacomo 1 

Wow, I was just looking up some things on e-bay, and I went through the Miyata pages and was pretty well stunned by the high prices that are being asked for some of the bikes!

I have an AlumiTech 1400A myself, and I was shocked at the price that was being asked for a frame only - $799! Yes, it is NOS, but c'mon, that is a very, very high price for a 20+year old bonded aluminum frame IMHO. I thought I had over payed for mine a few years back, but if this guy gets this price, then I got mine for a song! Actually, he say's it's his last one, so I'm guessing he's already sold one or more at this price.

Other quick observations -

An 85 Miyata 1000 in so-so condition at $550
A 615GT going for $699, OBO
A 714 in excellent condition for $599 OBO
A 710, in excellent condition for $755 OBO
Even an entry level 100 model going for $285

Most of these Miyata's are CroMo, double or triple butted with low-to-mid level Shimano groups, so I'm abit stunned at these high prices. There are other high priced Miyata's on sale there to, but this gives you an idea.

So, what gives? Has Miyata become the hot, must have brand, or is this now the going rate for mid to upper level Japanese bikes?

cb400bill

And that, my friends, is the key.

You have to look through the "Sold" listings to see if he did. For the higher end bikes, some sellers did. Others did not.

bikemig 

One of the reasons to buy a classic vintage bike was because the cost was much lower than a new bike. High prices won't necessarily stop a collector from buying a bike but it should make anyone looking for a bike just to ride think twice. I don't know if the Miyata 1000 can fetch $550 but it is has, as the seller notes, some issues. I'm looking for a touring bike and at that price, I'm starting to think the surly at $1300 is a better buy.

Giacomo 1 

Agreed, at that price, the bike should be perfect. Even then, it's no bargain.

I noticed that you have a Team Miyata, and there is one on e-bay right now for $1299! NOS, frame only! Yikes!

T-Mar

Forget the asking price and use the sold items filter in the advanced search function. You'll see that things are a lot more realistic. If you compare the sold items to the closed auctions you'll find that only about 25-33% of listed items sell because the sellers price them too aggressively.

Velognome 

This is my favorite Miyata on ebay this week $1,999. May well be worth it, TA Triple, full chrome loads of mods.

Began life as a 610

FRAME SIZE: SEAT TUBE 60CM C-T, TOP TUBE 575MM C-C

HEADSET: TANGE LEVIN NJS
DERAILLEURS: SHIMANO FD-M700, RD-M531GS
SHIFTER: SILVER POWER RACHETING BAR END
CHAIN: KMC X8.93
CLUSTER: SHIMANO CS-HG701 11-30T
CRANKSET: TA SPECIALITES CYCLOTOURISTE 48 X 42 X 26 170MM ARM LENGTH

BOTTOM BRACKET: GRAND CRU 122MM
PEDALS: MKS SYLVAN ROAD, MKS TOE CLIPS, GRAND CRU LAMINATED LEATHER TOE STRAPS
TIRES: CHALLENGE PARIGI ROUBAIX 27MM
RIMS: VO PBP
BRAKESET: DIA COMPE 981
HUBS: VO HIGH-LOW CASSETTE
SPOKES: DT SWISS
SADDLE: BROOKS B17 SPECIAL
SEAT PILLAR: KALOY FLUTED 26.8
HANDLE BAR: NITTO B132 RANDONNEUR 44CM
HANDLE STEM: GRAN COMPE 100MM
BAR TAPE: ZEFAL CLOTH (waiting for shellac)

EXTRAS: ZEFAL FRAME PUMP, ZEFAL BOTTLE CAGES, VO PASS HUNTER RACK, VO FENDERS 45MM, GRAND BOIS DECALEUR, CRANE JAPAN BELL, GILLES BERTHOUD GB25 BAG, BOULDER BICYCLE TAILLIGHT, CHAMPION CHAINSLAP STRAP

Giacomo 1 

I hear you, but I still think these asking prices have really skyrocketed over just the past couple of years. Also, the fact that there are bids on some of these high priced Miyata's say's there are people out there that see something special in these bikes...

T-Mar

Well, there has been some BF member who has been stating for years that Miyata are arguably the best of the 1980s mass produced Japanese bicycles and possibly all mass produced bicycles of that era. You know what happens if you say things often enough...

ricohman

What you ask and what you get are two very different things.
I bought a 1000 5 years ago and the seller wanted over $900 and justified his price with ebay adds.
I thanked him for his time and left. And no, I never told him to sell it on ebay.
A month later I bought that bike for $375. I have since passed it on for the same price.

Giacomo 1 

Wow, I guess this certain BF member has some real pull with the C&V crowd.

I mean, it's not easy to get people to believe that a mass produced bicycle like Miyata is worth what a high end Italian is worth!

auchencrow

+1
I've ridden/owned a full gamut of Miyatas, and while I think they are really excellent machines, I don't see where they are any MORE excellent than the equivalent offerings from their contemporary Japanese competitors, such as Nishiki, Maruishi, Univega, et al.

- But popular perception is reality I guess.

Giacomo 1 

Your certainly right, but again, it's my observation that people are asking, and in many cases, getting the high prices being asked.

Miyata's are pretty nice bikes. They are well built and they are all-around pretty competent, but it's been my observation that they not truly great at any one thing, and they are not in the league of the better Italian builders, yet when you look at these prices, you might think they were.

IMHO of course!

wrk101

Ebay asked for = Totally useless information.

Ebay completed auctions/sold = useful information.

Looking at completed auctions, prices vary, but several buyers got deals.

Miyata 615GT, Terry style, $275 shipped.

bikemig 

I mainly agree. One thing Miyata had going for it is that it was not simply a label slapped on a bike. Miyata built their own bikes and rolled their own tubes. I think that made them a bit more desirable than many of the other Japanese brands. But not at these prices; I'll get a soma or a surly frame instead.

FrenchFit 

A few of those ads have been on eBay for months, no takers. The $1299 frame was originally listed for $799 a few years ago when they had a couple, now they are down to their last one...or though they say.

Supply and demand. What I notice is the bikes I might be interested in just aren't there; Miyata owners seem to be holding onto their bikes. As far as contemporary Japanese competitors, I agree. I picked up a minty '90 Schwinn Voyaguer a few years back, I doubt a Miyata 1000 would be better in any respect, the Voyaguer is a dream to ride 80+ miles.

I may be an outlier, but I still will ride my old steel Miyatas, 1200 & 312, over my full carbon Roubaix on any given day. The retail on my Roubaix was $3300. You can buy a lot of old Miyatas for that price, in fact all 10 or so Miyatas I've bought over the years wouldn't add up to the cost of the Roubaix new.

Giacomo 1 

That seller happens to be a very nice guy and he really goes all-out to give you as much info as he can on what your buying and he has great communication. On these frames however, I think he is out-of-line, but then again, if he get's it, then I'm the one out-of-line!

Giacomo 1 

But then there is this 615GT, which has already received a bid for $599, plus shipping, and it has 5 days to go...

CenturionIM

Didn't know that. great advice.

I got a '84 710 for $275 all original. Friction shifting, frame/wheels were in good condition, but the tires/bar tape/brake hood all needed to be replaced. I think I overpaid.

Cougrrcj

Remember that many of those 'other brands' are really US-importer spec-built bikes, not manufacturers.

My Univega that I just recently picked up is built on a frame made by Miyata and is a 'tweener - just shy of the full Miyata 710 component build of the same year, but of better components than the 310. Same frame, fork, brakes, bars, stem, seatpost and hubs as the 710. So what if it has 27" wheels instead of the 700c of the 710, and has Suntour Vx derailleurs instead of the 710's Cyclone. Result? I picked it up for $140 in very-good condition.

Nishikis are pretty much in the same boat, although many of those frames are Taiwanese Giant-built frames. I picked up a too-large-frame-for-me Nishiki off Craigslist for $75 - mainly for the full Shimano 105 component group to use on another bike - but I may just give it as-is to my B-I-L to get him into riding.

eippo1

Weird stuff happens on ebay. i sold an '89? Miyata 1000 a few years back for almost $800 because it was in great shape and there was a bidding war. I've also picked up an sworks road frame for under $100. Ebay is fickle. As others say, average the completed listings for a better picture.

toytech

550 for a Miyata 1000 is pretty average. I have sold 3 of them from 500-800 depending on cosmetics. In fact the least I have sold any touring bike for was 450 for a Trek 620 with lots of scratches. Miyata 1400 and 450 and a 914 frame set for 200.00. they can be all over the place though.

Bruce Enns

As a BF member who's opinion has "little to none" merit on this forum, LOL ........ I'd just like to say that I would never consider selling my Miyata 1000 for 550.00. My bike is also an earlier model 1000 with half step gearing/friction shifting, etc, etc, which in most circles leaves a lot to be desired.

I know many forum members have 1000's and I'd be curious to see how many owners would part with them for 550.00. My bet is not many, but I could be very wrong!

clasher

I just finished putting my 1000 into touring ready shape I spent around 600 so far... it's also got a small dent and has been powdercoated so it's not really gonna fetch top dollar no matter how I gussy it up.

Velognome 

Still looking for my 1000 or later 610

toytech

2 of the Miyata's I found had Miyata misspelled.. they are out there. I have never found a 1000 in my size though.