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{{Short description|Japanese manufacturer of bicycles, unicycles, and fire extinguishers}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = Miyata Cycle Co., Ltd.
|native_name      = 株式会社ミヤタサイクル
|native_name_lang = ja
|logo             = Miyata Cycle company logo.svg
|logo_size        = 300px
|type             = [[Private Company|Private]] ([[Kabushiki gaisha|K.K]])
|foundation       = {{Start date and age|1890}}
|founder          = Eisuke Miyata
|hq_location_city = [[Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki]] 210 - 0005
|hq_location_country = Japan
|key_people       = Shinichiro Takaya<small><br>([[President (corporate title)|President]])</small>
|industry         = [[Leisure industry|Leisure products]]
|products         = {{unbulleted list |[[Bicycle]]s|[[Unicycle]]s}}
|area_served      = Worldwide
|owner            = Morita Holdings Corporation (30%)<br>[[Merida Bikes]] (70%)
|homepage         = {{Official website|http://www.miyatabike.com/}}
|footnotes        = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.miyatabike.com/company/kigoyodata.html |title=Company Profile |publisher=Miyata Cycle |accessdate=February 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=112262101 |title=Company Overview |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |accessdate=February 7, 2019}}</ref>}}
[[Image:Miyata710.jpg|thumb|250px|Miyata 710: a high-end Miyata from the late 1970s]]
[[Image:Miyata head badge.JPG|thumb|250px|Miyata [[head badge]].]]
'''Miyata''' is a Japanese manufacturer of [[bicycle]]s, {{cn span|text=[[unicycle]]s and [[fire extinguisher]]s.|date=April 2022}} The company has been in operation since 1890. Miyata was also one of the first producers of [[motorcycle]]s in Japan under the name Asahi. The Asahi AA was the first mass-produced motorcycle in Japan.<ref name="Alexander08" />
Miyata claims to have been the first Japanese manufacturer of [[flash welding|flash-butt welded]] frame tubes (1946) and the first to use [[powder coating|electrostatic painting]] (1950).<ref>1981 Miyata catalog (USA)</ref>
==History==
Miyata was founded by Eisuke Miyata (宮田栄助 1840-1900), a [[bowyer]] and engineer from [[Tokyo]] who also made components for [[rickshaw]]s. Eisuke's second son, Eitarō, apprenticed in a local munitions facility and later earned a degree in [[mechanical engineering]] from [[Kyoto University]]. In 1874, Eisuke moved the family to [[Shiba, Minato, Tokyo|Shiba]] and in 1881 opened Miyata Manufacturing in [[Kyōbashi, Tokyo]]. The factory produced guns for the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] including the [[Murata rifle]], and knives for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Navy]]. In 1889, a foreigner visited Miyata to ask the gunmakers to repair his bicycle. The engineers repaired the bicycle, and the company began to repair bicycles as a side business.<ref name="Alexander08" />{{rp|31}}
In 1890, Miyata opened a new factory in Kikukawa, and the company was renamed ''Miyata Gun Works''. Eitarō manufactured the first Miyata prototype bicycle in 1890, using rifle barrels produced at the factory. The early success of Miyata's bicycles was boosted by a request in 1892 from crown prince Yoshihito (later [[Emperor Taishō]]) to build him a bicycle. Nonetheless, Miyata halted production of bicycles to focus exclusively on arms manufacture during the [[First Sino-Japanese War]] of 1894-95.<ref name="Alexander08" />{{rp|31–32}}
Japan changed its laws in 1900 to allow the import of foreign rifles, and the subsequent flooding of the market with cheap imports hurt Miyata's business badly. Upon Eisuke's death on 6 June, Eitarō converted the business entirely to bicycle manufacturing, producing bicycles under the ''Asahi'' and ''Pāson'' brands. Miyata's entire production of Asahi bicycles was purchased by the Imperial Army until the end of the [[Russo-Japanese War]] in 1905.<ref name="Alexander08" />{{rp|31–32}}
== Automobiles ==
{{Main|Asahi (automobile)}}
Miyata began developing automobile technology in 1907. Miyata's first automobile, also named Asahi, debuted at the Kansai Prefectural Association Exhibition in 1910. The first Asahi automobile was a two-passenger car with an air-cooled, two-cylinder engine.<ref name="Alexander08" />{{rp|33}}
== Motorcycles ==
[[File:China Fortepan 100029.jpg|thumbnail|left|A [[Jesuit China missions|Jesuit missionary]] on an Asahi motorcycle in [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]] in 1939 ]]
Motorcycles gained popularity in Japan in the early years of the 20th century as foreigners began bringing British and German machines to the country. The Japanese government officially allowed commercial import of foreign motorcycles beginning in 1909, creating a market for businesses selling imported machines, as well as domestic designs incorporating foreign components. Miyata produced the first all-Japanese motorcycle in 1913,<ref name="Walker"/>{{rp|9}} also under the Asahi name, based on a British [[Triumph Engineering|Triumph]] design.<ref name="MazdaMiata"/> However, at the time motor vehicles were a luxury item and imported motorcycles were seen as fashionable and desirable over locally made machines, and the Asahi sold fewer than 40 units before production was discontinued in 1916.<ref name="Walker"/>{{rp|9}}
[[File:Asahi golden beam FA.jpg|thumb|right|1952 Asahi Golden Beam motorcycle manufactured by Miyata]]
Over the next two decades, Japanese manufacturers caught up to imported brands, and the rise of [[motorsport]]s and [[motor club]]s made motorcycles more accessible to the Japanese public.<ref name="Walker"/>{{rp|10}} Miyata returned to motorcycle production with the ''Asahi AA'' in 1933. The ''AA'' was the first [[mass production|mass-produced]] Japanese motorcycle,<ref name="SAEJ"/> and was highly successful, leading to construction of a new plant at [[Kamata, Tokyo|Kamata]] in 1938.<ref name="Alexander08"/>{{rp|55}} However, after the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] broke out in 1937 resources and materials for motorcycle construction became increasingly scarce, and in 1939 Miyata's Kamata plant was converted by the government to produce components for military aircraft.<ref name="Alexander08"/>{{rp|56}} The ''AA'' sold an estimated 40,000 units from 1933-39.<ref name="SAEJ">{{cite web |url=http://www.jsae.or.jp/autotech/data_e/4-2e.html |title=Asahi AA Motorcycle |website=240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology |publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan |accessdate=20 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718211417/http://www.jsae.or.jp/autotech/data_e/4-2e.html |archive-date=July 18, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Miyata again resumed production of motorcycles after the [[Second World War]]. Through the 1950s the company released the ''HA'' and the ''Golden Beam FA/2'', both with a 249cc [[four-stroke engine|four-stroke]] motor, as well as a model with a 344cc single-cylinder motor, and various two-cylinder [[two-stroke engine|two-stroke]] motors.<ref name="Hicks"/><ref name="Ewald"/> Miyata manufactured its last motorcycles in 1964.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}
== Bicycles ==
Many say Miyata pioneered triple butting, and revolutionized frame building techniques. The first Miyatas were bolt-upright town bikes. Over the decades, Miyata established a good foothold in the bicycle market, becoming contracted by multiple local brands to build their bicycles and ultimately attracting Panasonic Corporation to become a shareholder in 1959.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~iwat/zenshi-4/zenshi-4.html |script-title=ja:日本自動車百年史 |trans-title=100 years of Japanese History before Automobile |language=ja |archive-date=December 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217101809/http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~iwat/zenshi-4/zenshi-4.html}}</ref>
[[Panasonic Corporation]], for a period the manufacturer of ''National'' and ''Panasonic'' brand bicycles, was Miyata's largest shareholder from 1959 until 2008, when it sold its remaining stake in Miyata.<ref name="sell stake">{{cite web
|title       = Panasonic to Sell Stake in Bicycle Maker Miyata
|publisher   = Japancorp.net
|url         = http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=20223
|url-status     = dead
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120405162907/http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=20223
|archive-date = 2012-04-05
}}</ref>
===Miyata in the U.S.===
Throughout the U.S. [[bike boom]] of the 1970s and into the 1980s, Miyata competed with American companies including [[Schwinn]], [[Huffy]], and [[Murray (bicycles)|Murray]]; European companies including [[Raleigh Bicycle Company|Raleigh]], [[Cycles Peugeot|Peugeot]] and [[Motobecane]] &mdash; as well as other nascent [[List of Japanese bicycle manufacturers|Japanese brands]] including [[Nishiki (bicycle)|Nishiki]], [[Fuji (bicycles)|Fuji]], [[Bridgestone#Bicycles|Bridgestone]], [[Centurion (bicycle)|Centurion]], [[Lotus (bicycles)|Lotus]] and [[Univega]] &mdash; whose bikes were manufactured by Miyata.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071212153444/http://archive.roadbikereview.com/04/0EFC753D.php RoadBike Review's Forum Archives<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Japanese-manufactured bikes succeeded in the U.S. market until [[Japanese Yen#Effect of the Plaza Accord|currency fluctuations]] in the late 1980s made them less competitive, leading companies to source bicycles from Taiwan.
===Models===
Late 1970s to mid-1980s Miyata bikes have high-quality Japanese lugged steel frames and Shimano or Suntour components.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://beauty.nagog.smasher.net:81/bike/miyata/index.shtml |title=Miyata Info |website=smasher.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526172226/http://beauty.nagog.smasher.net:81/bike/miyata/index.shtml |archive-date=May 26, 2009 |accessdate=November 26, 2017}}</ref>
Miyata models carried numeric names (e.g., ''Miyata 710''). By the late 1970s Miyata began using the same names, writing out the numeric names (e.g., ''Miyata Seven Ten'').
Generally,{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} 90 and 100 series were sports/entry level bicycles. 200 and 600 series and the 1000 model were touring bicycles, with the level of bicycle increasing with first digit in the series. In general, a 200 series touring bicycle would be roughly equivalent to a 300 series competition/fitness bicycle in terms of component levels, frame materials and value. 300, 400, 500, 700, 900 series were mid-range competition/fitness bicycles &mdash; with the level of quality increasing with first digit in the series. The top line, pro series bicycles were named non-numerically (e.g., Team Miyata and Pro Miyata). 1000 series and X000 series bicycles, with the notable exception of the 1000 touring model, were competition/fitness models with non-ferrous frames.
Often (but not always) the last two digits of the model number indicated the number of available gears, e.g., 912 was a 9-series 12 speed and a 914 was a 9 series 14 speed.
* '''Miyata 9x''': This was the bottom of the range, entry-level model. Triple butted tubing, Shimano/Suntour entry-level components.
* '''Miyata 1xx''': Low-level model aimed at the casual consumer. Chromoly triple-butted main tubes, hi-ten stays, toe clips/straps, available in both men's and mixte styles.
* '''Miyata 2xx''': A popular lower-end touring model. 1984 catalogue indicated the 210 used straight-gauge tubing, Dia-Compe cantilever brakes and Shimano triple drive train. By 1985, the 210 featured triple-butted chromoly tubing in the frame, with a Mangalight fork. Later models used 700 wheels; earlier models used 27" wheels. Braze-ons on front and rear dropouts (no low-rider braze-ons in front), cantis front and rear, horizontal rear dropouts, one bottle braze-on, rear rack braze-ons, and flat-top fork crown. There were also special models such as the 215ST (both traditional and mixte styles).
* '''Miyata 3xx''': {{citation needed span|date=August 2020|A mid-range road bike model from the "Semi-Pro" group, with Shimano 105 brakes, derailleurs, and shifters. The 105 was also shown with an arrow-like graphic. The Miyata 310/312 had a shorter wheelbase than the touring models, but with clearance for fenders and wider tires and is sometimes called a "sport-touring" model (a comfortable model for day rides and commuting). Features included double- or triple-butted Cr-Mo tubing (depending on year), 525 Crown, SR CTD handlebars, and Araya rims. Earlier models had hi-tensile steel forks, but later forks were "Mangalight" [[manganese]] alloy. Some years are equipped with an "aero-style" shifters, mounted on a single brazed-on post on top of the down tube.}}
* '''Miyata 5xx''' Competition (part of the "Semi-Pro" group): A higher-end road bike than the 310/312, with more "aggressive" geometry.
* '''Miyata 6xx''': A quality touring model, one step down from the 1000, with slightly different frame geometry and lower level components. Mid-1980s 610s have triple-butted splined Chromoly frame tubing, an unusually high quality tubing and construction for its price level. This bike is slightly lighter in weight than Trek 520/720 touring bikes, but of similar quality.
* '''Miyata 7xx''': A mid- to high-end road bike from the "Semi-Pro" group. Early models had Suntour parts, including an odd 3-wheel rear derailleur, possibly using the same frameset as the 910.
* '''Miyata 9xx''': Miyata's high-end road bike from the "Semi-Pro" group, with Shimano 600 components.
* '''Miyata 1000''': Touring bike with splined, triple-butted Chromo tubing. Some report the 610 to be stiffer than the 1000. 1997 model had a mix of Shimano 600 and Deore XT parts (600 DT shifters, XT derailleurs). Noted bicycle authority [[Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic)|Sheldon Brown]] called the Miyata 1000 "possibly the finest off-the-shelf touring bike available at the time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.html#miyata |title=Japanese Bicycles in the U.S. Market |first=Sheldon |last=Brown |editor=Allen, John |accessdate=November 26, 2017}}</ref> The 1000 was marketed in the U.S. from the late 1970s and marketed in North America until about 1993.
* '''Miyata 1400''': A high-end road bike sold only as a 1989 model with Shimano 600 components. It was higher-end than the 914 that was sold in the same year. Unlike the aluminum 1400A, the 1400 used Miyata's CrMo triple-butted construction.
* '''Miyata Cross''': A top-of-the-line "cross" bikes (which included the Alumicross, Quickcross, Sportcross, and Triplecross). The Alumicross was introduced in the late 1980s with standard-size aluminum main tubes bonded to steel lugs and a Chromo fork. Seat and chain stays are steel, with the seat post binder bolt holding the seat stays to the seat post lug. The Quick, Sport, and Triplecross were triple-butted cromoly.
* '''Miyata Pro/Team/1200''': These are the high-end race ready models (Team Miyata, Miyata Pro, etc.)
===Today===
The Miyata brand still exists and, while it is no longer distributed in the United States, it had until 2010 a joint venture with the Dutch [[KOGA|Koga]]<ref>[http://www.koga.com Koga]</ref>{{failed verification|date=August 2020|reason=The given link makes no mention of Miyata at all, and particularly not about a past joint venture}} brand, a Dutch bicycle manufacturer, established in [[Heerenveen]] Netherlands, under the name [[Koga-Miyata]]. Koga is part of the [[Accell|Accell Group]] since 1998. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Koga // About Koga > History |url=https://www.koga.com/en/about-koga/history |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=www.koga.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In late 2011, Miyata announced plans to once again sell bicycles under its own ''Miyata Japon'' brand.<ref name="cyclingiq">{{cite web |url=http://cyclingiq.com/2012/01/26/miyata-japanese-road-bicycle-legend-reborn/ |title=Miyata: Japanese road bicycle legend re-born |website=cyclingiq.com |date=26 January 2012}}</ref> Its new frames were based on the Koga Miyata frame on which [[Peter Winnen]] won the [[Alpe d'Huez]] stage of the [[1981 Tour de France]].<ref name="MdC1981">{{cite web|url=http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1981.php#Etapes|title=68ème Tour de France 1981|work=Memoire du cyclisme|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121062422/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1981.php#Etapes|archive-date=21 January 2012}}</ref> Each custom-ordered frame was to be hand-built and made with Miyata's traditional chromoly steel process, featuring [[Campagnolo]] components, at its [[Chigasaki, Kanagawa|Chigasaki]] factory.<ref name="gqjapan">{{cite web |url=https://gqjapan.jp/life/interior/20120124/bike |title=日本の伝説のロードバイクが今、蘇る。本物が持つレトロ感「THE MIYATA」 |trans-title=Japanese legendary road bike revived |website=GQ Japan |date=January 24, 2012 |accessdate=November 23, 2017 |language=ja}}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Japan|Sports|Transport}}
*[[List of Japanese bicycle brands and manufacturers]]
*[[Univega]]
==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Alexander08">{{cite book |title=Japan's Motorcycle Wars: An Industry History |first=Jeffrey W |last=Alexander |year=2008 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver, BC |isbn=978-0-7748-1453-9}}</ref>
<ref name="Walker">{{cite book |title=Mick Walker's Japanese Grand Prix Racing Motorcycles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fpoF0PMZEjEC&q=asahi+car+miyata&pg=PA10 |first=Mick |last=Walker |year=2002 |publisher=Redline Books |isbn=0-953-1311-8-1}}</ref>
<ref name="MazdaMiata">{{cite book |title=Mazda MX-5 Miata: The Book of the World's Favourite Sportscar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tqnLfwPXxJMC&q=asahi+car+miyata+-kasei&pg=PA38 |first=Brian |last=Long |year=2007 |page=38 |publisher=Veloce Publishing |isbn=978-1-84584-043-3}}</ref>
<ref name="Hicks">{{cite book |title=Die internationale Enzyklopädie |first=Roger |last=Hicks |publisher=Motorbuch-Verlag |location=Stuttgart |year=2006 |isbn=978-3-613-02660-5 |language=de}}</ref>
<ref name="Ewald">{{cite book |title=Enzyklopädie des Motorrads |first=S |last=Ewald |publisher=Bechtermünz Verlag |location=Augsburg |year=1999 |isbn=3-8289-5364-6 |language=de}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Morita Miyata Kōgyō}}
* {{Official website|http://www.miyatabike.com/}} {{in lang|ja}}
{{Japanese bicycle manufacturers}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1890]]
[[Category:Defunct defense companies of Japan]]
[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of Japan]]
[[Category:Science and technology in Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese brands]]
[[Category:Japanese companies established in 1890]]