^^^^^Nice ride, Chris! I see you swapped out the rear rack and added some bags. What size tires are you running? I also have a vintage Japanese steel bike, but my 1987 Panasonic DX-5000 doesn't have clearance for anything much wider than 28mm.
Ha, glad you noticed! Running 700x38c front and back, which worked ok on the trail but the road gearing meant I was walking uphill a lot. Since then I picked up a 1987 Specialized Rockhopper for off road touring.
Wow, I'm surprised your Nishiki frame has clearance for 38mm tires! Did you have to swap out for some long reach brakes? BTW, 1987 is a good year for vintage bikes. 😉
Yes, long reach brakes (Tektro R559's) were a must. Have not tried, but I might be able to squeeze 700x40c's!