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Nice  wery nice:D

Thanx for your reply Gooser   But what are you talking about m8 ?

I've never seen a Kyz with a 2nd hole drilled into the gusset, as in a Kz-1.
I've seen dozens of Kyz's, including looking through the museum itself and none of them have the Kz-1 hole.
I've original pictures of my frame before it was coated, and it's lovely chrome, decalled up, with no hole.

Obviously the licence agreement was for E.t models in 1982, which is why these frames were chromed and decalled up as Kyz's in stead of E.t models.

I doubt if Universal had the rights to a frameset, just a paint and parts job to make the E.t.

So while fabricating thousands of identical frames on a production line in '82, I guess some went E.t, some went elsewhere. Then the run of Kyz carried on with the same frameset in to '83 etc.

Kyz's were the identical frame as the E.t. The forks are the only difference on these models.
I've measured mine against a real frame, and weighed etc.  All identical m8.

I'd love to see the literature you're quoting from, as i like a good treasure hunt

Sweet!!!  I remember those bikes being in my local bike shops when they were brand new back in the day.

Bloody Computers.

Ok here you go, sorry about the quality I need to scan things.

This Factory Documentation will show you that the ET and KYZ frames were not the same and that they did have the gusset hole to distinguish them from the ET frame.

1982 Factory Build/Specification sheet for the then named KE-1. This document came directly from the Kuwahara Factory complete with pricing in Yen, it was sent to the US distributor who then whited out certain things like prices etc and made copies for the Kuwahara Dealers. This is a pic of the US Importer/Distributors copy which was purchased directly from him.

It clearly shows the Model to be called KE-1 (later changed to KYZ).
It clearly (well kind of clearly, I have the photo's scanned at high res at home) shows that it has a small hole in the gusset.
It clearly states that the frame is Hi-Ten/CR-MO (cromo main tubes) and the KYZ original decals had the Cromo steel decals on them.

The ET section of this catologue clearly states that the two Looptail ET bikes were Hi-Ten only frames with the Tange Cromo fork.
The Magazine tests of the ET looptails from the time clearly state that the ET Frames were only Hi-Ten steel.

So logic dictates that if one was a half cromo frame and the other High Tensile Steel they aren't the same frame are they...

In 1982 they were designed from the start to be two seperate stand alone frames for two completely seperate models made from different materials.

I have an original 1982 KYZ with Cromo decals and the little hole in the gusset as well as four ET looptail frames and they are not the same.

The ET Looptails were going to come with the High Tensile steel fork (This also follows logic as the ET was as lower spec bike). But during testing of the prototypes by BMX Action Magazine they broke some forks and so in response Kuwahara went with the full cromo fork for the ET as they had to save face.

The KYZ came with a stronger frame from the start and it makes sense for it to have a cromo fork.

Now I don't disagree that at or near the end of 1982 or into 1983 they may well have chromed some ET frames and sold them off as KYZ's and this may well be the case but...

There can be absolutely no doubt that the KYZ was designed from the start to be a more up spec model than the ET and that a true KYZ is not the same as an ET.

Trying to get a definative answer to a few of these grey areas from the Grand Master, the guy who organised the model range and the hole Kuwahara/ET deal back in the day...
As soon as I hear back I'll let you know.
Cheers:)

If you watch the movie...They had Redline chainwheels with a one piece crank.

Very NICE Kuwi by the way

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/kuwahara/29754

I'll update my pictures soon as I've changed a few bits around on her.

I removed the 401's to fit them to my Skyway TA.

So I now have a Sugino 1pc, chrome Sugino spider, and a 44t Sugino chainring in black fitted.
The Polished Araya 7X rims have been replaced too, with her now sporting a pristine set of Araya 7X shine-sides in black, laced with chrome spokes and nipples to a set of Suzue low flange hubs also in black.

I also fitted a black, fluted seatpost, but couldn't live with it so reverted back to a chrome one.

Finally for an extra bit of class I put a Kashi' 5 Gold saddle in black suede on her.   

Looking good 

daleyRANGER that is one nasty Kitty there!

i owned a chrome kuwahara frame identical to the ET frame, no hole in the gusset and it wasn't filled in....check my pic in museum....

Just trying to debunk the myth that left over ET's were the reason why the KYZ or Chrome looptails appeared.
Lack of demand for ET's was not the reason chrome looptails appeared in 1982 that's rubbish.
The chrome looptails were made as a seperate model and were 1/2 cromo.
They were designed as a seperate model and appeared in the factory list for 1982 models before a single ET was ever sold as shown above.
ET's were different as they were an all high tensile steel frame and were done in a production run for a limited time in 1982.
KYZ's were an ongoing model made into 1983 possibly into 84.
The later KYZ model's did come out without the small hole in the gusset as center pull brakes were dropped ,(which is what the hole was for, as they could use a Weiman brake adjuster mounted in it) but they were also half cromo.
But you can pick the KYZ from an ET by the hole, if it has it, it's a KYZ 1/2 cromo frame.
They also chopped and changed between cromo and hightensile forks with the KYZ, as well as single and 2 piece sprockets and changed stems etc.
They were even the first production bike to have Z rims factory fitted.

But to state that the KYZ came about because demand for ET's dropped off is just not true.

I am know expert, but is it fair to say that Gremlin & Gooser are both right.

Perhaps some ET's were left over once the ET craze dried up. They sub sequently Chromed them and sold them off as KYZ's but a slightly cheaper model. But never showed this in any catalogue, just distributed a slightly cheaper version of KYZ to some bike shops.

Just a theory, could this be possible!