1995 Kona Kilauea

[Spanky22b]

Picked this up over the weekend a 1995 Kona Kilauea, i have a lot of Konas but no 95 models. To be honest i'm not really to fussed on the 95 onwards Konas mostly to do with the boring graphics but a couple of things drew me to this.

1 it was more or less original bar the tyres which i love, there's something about an original bike.
2 it's a Kilauea (i've got a soft spot for the Kilauea) with Tange Prestige Concept tubing

So we get to the looks and what to do about them, plus point i thought it was plain white but turns out its a pearlescent white so once cleaned and polished should look nice.
But i just don't think the white goes with the bronze/brown colour of the forks and stem just seems off.
So the plan is to keep the bike original and not respray the forks or stem so i'm thinking about getting the frame powder coated in a dark colour.
The reason i say this is looking at the 95 Lavadome with the dark blue just looks spot on.
Going that why i think the forks and stem will look better and also with it having the titanium bars and the colour of those it should really make the bike stand out more which i think it needs.

Any thoughts

 

[Totoro]

That looks very nice, I keep looking at older Kona bikes... I fear it will not be long at all before I own one. I think that frame looks real nice in white

 

[mk one]

Like you say, it is such a nice paint job up close, have you thought about buying a '95 Lava Dome and keeping this as is!?

 

[XTSTIMAN]

I would be for keeping the pearlescent white, can't think of another steel Kona model in white. Plus the bronze graphics go with the stem and forks IMHO.
Good find

 

[Spanky22b]

Like you say, it is such a nice paint job up close, have you thought about buying a '95 Lava Dome and keeping this as is!?

The 95 Lavadome is on my wanted list to be honest purely on looks nowt to do with the parts on it lol
With the Kilauea being a keeper because without even riding it yet i just know it will be good, how can it not be with having Tange Prestige Concept tubing lol and although i've a funny feeling it will look nice with the pearlescent paint i feel Kona could've done better. When you look at the Explosif of that year it just looks so much better and in my opinion so does the rest of the range with there colour schemes,i just feel Kona missed a trick with the Kilauea.

 

[Spanky22b]

I would be for keeping the pearlescent white, can't think of another steel Kona model in white. Plus the bronze graphics go with the stem and forks IMHO.
Good find

I'm getting you with that because I've no doubt it will look good all polished and gleaming and also it's staying original.
My conundrum is after stripping the whole bike down and polishing the frame etc to build it back up but think na not happy and then have to strip it all back down again. decisions decisions lol

 

[Spanky22b]

Oh and the gripshifts are heading for the bin, 100% they're not staying

 

[Totoro]

it will look nice with the pearlescent paint i feel Kona could've done better. When you look at the Explosif of that year it just looks so much better and in my opinion so does the rest of the range with there colour schemes,i just feel Kona missed a trick with the Kilauea.

Funny how taste is very subjective, I thought the others looked amazing too... Until I saw yours in that white lol.

I don't think the bronze/brown colour goes with it so well either though.

 

[d8mok]

White 95 Kilauea is iconic. I wouldn’t paint it personally.

 

[Spanky22b]

Funny how taste is very subjective, I thought the others looked amazing too... Until I saw yours in that white lol.

I don't think the bronze/brown colour goes with it so well either though.