• Mark Lapakko

    Very nice sharp looking bike. Have never seen one like this before. Thanks for submitting this!

  • Mark D

    I thought Mike D’s 1982 Mercian Vincitore from yesterday might be a shoo-in for OTSOTM, but today I see that the competition could be stiff! Nice bike, great story. Brought back memories since I arrived in Tokyo in 1980, where a planned ten-month stay turned into 13 years. But no departing American had anything like this beauty for me. Arigatou gozaimasu. (BTW, where did you get those killer orange brake lever hoods?)

  • Burton Blume

    Mark: Thanks for the appreciation. I got the organge A’me brake hoods from ebay (seller had other colors, too.)
    http://cgi.ebay.com/Ame-Dia-Compe-Standard-Style-Brake-Hood-NOS-turquoise-/300511578092?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45f7e2c7ec
    Also found the NOS Suntour Cyclone derailleurs and slotted brake levers on eBay

  • Mike

    Nice rig, love the color, I have a trash rescued Nishiki I am going to repaint, thats definetly the color Ill use, thanks for sharing

    • Burton Blume

      I thought of color-matching & repainting this one but have been persuaded not to by the lovely patina of the original color.

  • http://oldttenspeedgallery.com DOC SPROCKET

    I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SEE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE IN MY LIFE TIME MY FATHER WAS A SEBE AT THE END OF KOREAN CONFLICT & CAME HOME WITH ONE. HE LATER MERGED IT WITH TWO OTHER BIKE FROM THE SALVATION ARMY & MADE A THREE WHEELER FOR MY MOM WITH A SEARS 3 SPEED INTERNAL CRANK SYSTEM. THE BIKE YOU HAVE IS A REAL RARITY

  • http://rvabikecommuter.wordpress.com Willis

    I too have a Katakura Silk. It is the nicest frame I have ridden….period. I believe mine is some sort of weird touring frame as it has braze-ons under the main triangle for a third water bottle. I don’t know what model mine is but I am almost certain it is comprised of Tange 1 tubing which is awesome stuff from my experience riding it. Currently it lives as just a frame in my shed waiting to see what form it will be ressurected as this spring Follow the link to see it:

    http://rvabikecommuter.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/katakura-silk-build/

  • Kelly Cox

    Oh, this nearly made me cry…I bought a blue Katakura Silk just like this one in around 1977, that was a few years old. I was in high school and saved money for quite a while to buy this bike. It was stolen at UC Davis around 1984, and I still miss it.