<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Shogun Bicycles =====

The Shogun bicycle brand was created by Rio Marui in 1977, who also owned the [[https://www.tiogausa.com/|Tioga]] brand of components and tires, was the sole distributor of [[https://www.shimano.com/en/company/locations/sac_en.html#|Shimano]] components to the US ((Marui remains the top Shimano US distributor today: [[https://www.datamyne.com/importer/30438112/shimano-north-america-holding-inc--ca-|datamyne]].)), distributed Mitsuboshi tires ((Marui supplied Specialized with Mitsuboshi tires branded as Specialized.)) and supplied complete bikes to other brands, such as American Eagle.  Since 2004, the [[https://kent.bike/collections/shogun|Shogun]] brand has been owned by Kent International of New Jersey, where it continues to sell over 42 different models of Shogun, most of which are mountain bikes.


Info from:
[[https://classicjapanesebicycles.com/shogun/|classicjapanesebicycles]],
[[https://proteanpaper.com/scart_results.cgi?comp=howiebik&part=Marui%20Ltd&scat=&scatord=&scatall=&skey=&srkeyall=&srkeywords=&srcateg=|proteanpaper]],
[[http://www.bikepro.com/products/stems/tioga.shtml|bikepro]],
[[https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xxzuqripbbfyfmw/AADCTnHD1Q4f6sufNzC7yy_0a?dl=0|dropbox]],
[[https://kent.bike/collections/shogun|kent.bike]].


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<div column 45%>
{{group.jpg?440|Rio Marui, 1972}}
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Rio Marui (3rd from left,) with the CEOs of Shimano and other manufacturers looking at a future export to the US.  1972.
[[https://proteanpaper.com/scart_picture.cgi?comp=howiebik&pic=000000000000002915&part=000000000000005879|proteanpaper]]
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An American Eagle bike, exported by Marui/Shogun to WCC/Howie Cohen((Howie had his fingers in many brands, such as [[cyclepro:start|Cycle Pro]], [[nishiki:start|Nishiki]], [[kuwahara:start|Kuwahara]] and others.  See also: [[https://www.proteanpaper.com/scart_about.cgi?comp=howiebik|proteanpaper]].))
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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 MTB-I =====

AKA MTB-//**1**//.  Shimano RD-AL11 (1984-5), slingshot stem
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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 MTB-I }}
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1984 MTB-I
[[ https://www.facebook.com/TrekBicycleVerona/photos/a.10153104778850210.1073741878.339465100209/10153104779020210|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Prairie Breaker 1 =====
RD-AL11 (1984-86), bullmoose bars, biplane forks.
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The name ultimately comes from a type of [[https://avbarn.museum.state.il.us/node/134415|long plow]] - but it happens that in 1983-84 there was a very successful American race horse, also named [[https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=809648&registry=T|Prairie Breaker]].
At that time Rio Marui's son Shinji was living in Glendale, CA, helping with importing various Marui brands and apparently hedging Marui Ltd.'s investment bets.
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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 PB1 }}
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1985 Prairie Breaker 1
[[ https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/440465-shogun-serial-database-13.html#&gid=1&pid=19|bikeforums]]
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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Prairie Breaker 1 =====
Shimano Light Action RD-L525 (1986), bullmoose bars, biplane forks
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<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 PB1 }}
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1986 PB1
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1186157-show-us-your-bikes-starting-s-3.html|bikeforums]]
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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Prairie Breaker PRO =====
The "economical version of our top-of-the-line Team Issue ATB."  A triple triangle, which coincidentally appears at the same time [[gt:start#s1987|GT]] also adopts the new style craze.
Catalog pic, Shimano Deore MT-60 (1987-88)
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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Prairie Breaker PRO }}
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1987 Prairie Breaker PRO
[[ https://www.mtbr.com/media/1987-shogun-prairie-breaker-pro.1514461/|mtbr]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Trail Breaker 1 =====
The Edsel of mountain bikes.  High rise stem, oval "chain disc" crankset cover.  These are still [[https://www.axasecurity.com/bike-security/en-gb/products/Guards/73/8A501173/axa-chain-disc-black|available]].
Shimano Light Action L532 (1987-88), "made in Taiwan" sticker
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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Trail Breaker 1 }}
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1988 Trail Breaker 1
[[https://www.facebook.com/2065899410186446/posts/1988-shogun-trail-breaker-1-i-saved-this-bike-because-it-is-so-awkward-from-the-/2624828960960152/|facebook]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Ground Breaker =====
Shimano Mountain LX (1989) groupo, "black/marigold duotone colors."
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<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Ground Breaker }}
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1989 Ground Breaker
[[https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f517533497|yahoo.co.jp]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Prairie Breaker Team =====
Shimano XT M732 (1989), 26.5 pounds.
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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Prairie Breaker Team }}
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1990 Prairie Breaker Team
[[https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xxzuqripbbfyfmw/AADCTnHD1Q4f6sufNzC7yy_0a?dl=0|dropbox]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Prairie Breaker Expert =====
Deore LX (1990-92)
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<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Prairie Breaker Expert }}
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1991 Prairie Breaker Expert
[[https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21141&start=675|bicycles.net.au]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 Prairie Breaker XTR =====
Full XTR group, Marzocchi XC-100 forks.  Pic from the 1992 Shogun catalog.
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<div column 45%>
{{1992.jpg?300|1992 Prairie Breaker XTR }}
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1992 Prairie Breaker XTR
[[https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xxzuqripbbfyfmw/AADqDyNCVGoMzTczasvI-e5Va/Catalogs?dl=0&subfolder_nav_tracking=1|dropbox]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 Prairie Breaker Expert =====
Unknown components.
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<div column 45%>
{{1993.jpg?300|1993 Prairie Breaker Expert }}
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1993 Prairie Breaker Expert
[[https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21141&start=100|bicycles.net.au]]
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