Koga Miyata was a Dutch bicycle manufacturer based in Heerenveen, The Netherlands. The company became known for their high-range bicycles. As of May 2010 the original Dutch brand Koga Miyata stopped and continued under the international brand Koga.
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The company was founded by Andries Gaastra in 1974, who therefore left his function at his fathers company Batavus. The name Koga is a combination of his surname and that of his wife Marion Kowallik. The addition of Miyata came from the cooperation with Japanese manufacturer Miyata. Koga-Miyata relied on Japanese quality components from manufacturers such as Shimano.
From 1980 Koga Miyata started the sponsoring of the Ijsboerke cycle team. This led to immediate success when the Dutch Peter Winnen won a stage in the Tour de France at the Alpe d'Huez. The international recognition of the Dutch Koga Miyata brand started growing.[1]
In 1992, Gaastra sold his company to the Atag Cycle Group, who had by then already inquired Batavus six years ago.
Koga Miyata started with the use of superior Japanese components. The design and assemblage of the bicycles was done by hand in The Netherlands.
At first Koga Miyata only produced racing bicycles. In 1976 they added a range of high quality randonneurs or touring bicycles, and in 1986 mountain bikes. In 1993, after the acquiring by the Atag Cycle Group, Koga Miyata also produced hybrid bicycles.
Some of the early brochures are made publicly available for download.[2]