Kona Ku Serial Number List - update 01/11/24

[Pipmeister]

Re: Re:

So these are the only known pictures of a 98 Ku then?

Doubt there will be another anytime soon...

Kyle

Kyle, if you can find another picture of a 1998 Ku, then please do post it up here.

You'll notice that the picture in the 1998 catalogue is not a photograph. Each year the catalogue is published towards the end on the previous year. In the case of the Custom range in particular, the frames were probably not available at the time for a photo shoot.

If you do find a picture of what appears to be a 1998 Ku, then it is likely to be one of the mock-up attempts that I have seen. I can see that this thread could lead to them being "outed" as a fake, which would be unfortunate for the owners .

Perhaps sent it to me in a P.M. first.... unless the general consensus on here is that the facts need to be known

Pip.

 

[kyle888]

Re: Re:

So these are the only known pictures of a 98 Ku then?

Doubt there will be another anytime soon...

Kyle

Kyle, if you can find another picture of a 1998 Ku, then please do post it up here.

You'll notice that the picture in the 1998 catalogue is not a photograph. Each year the catalogue is published towards the end on the previous year. In the case of the Custom range in particular, the frames were probably not available at the time for a photo shoot.

If you do find a picture of what appears to be a 1998 Ku, then it is likely to be one of the mock-up attempts that I have seen. I can see that this thread could lead to them being "outed" as a fake, which would be unfortunate for the owners .

Perhaps sent it to me in a P.M. first.... unless the general consensus on here is that the facts need to be known

Pip.

I just meant i find it crazy that these are the only pictures as far a we know on the Internet. Goes to show how rare it is!

Hope one does come up though.

Kyle

 

[al-onestare]

Re:

Until last year there weren't any shots of the 97 Caldera, then we uncovered 5! So I'm confident a few more Ku's will show up

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Rightyho, here is the update to this thread as promised.

Magas was kind enough to track down the serial number of the third Stars 'n' Bars frame pictured below - he owns one himself and Ernie has the other.

These three frames were imported to Austria at the same time. While two of them have the same "expected" 1996 format, the third one has what we presume to be the older format that appears on my Burgundy 1996, the Champagne 1996 and the Lilac (formerly Blue) 1995. Keeping up with this?

The serial number of this latest one is KU0186. It is interesting to note that it is the one with the slightly different "Custom" decal that is coloured orange.

All the serial numbers that we have collated so far are documented on this thread, but here they all are together for convenience:

Mine: KU0160 - 1996 Burgundy.
Ernie: K09606058 - 1996 Stars ‘n’ Bars.
Magus: K09606012 - 1996 Stars ‘n’ Bars.
Markwashington: KU9702049 - 1997 Bright Orange.
That odd Stars ‘n’ Bars Ku that had 1996 HOT decals with a 1997 serial number and cable routing!: KU97020--.
LDP: KU 015 - 1995 Formerly Blue, now Lilac.
e-Bay Community 05-28-2012: KU0153 - 1996 Champagne.

Pip.

 

[al-onestare]

Re: 1998 Kona Ku

Good work...but what does it all mean?!

 

[Leighcal]

Re: 1998 Kona Ku

Wow, the research and information gathered in this thread is brilliant. Interesting to read and surprising the lengths some of you will go to to find out information. It's people like you that make this forum what it is.
Great work guys and keep it coming.
Leigh

 

[Pipmeister]

Re: 1998 Kona Ku

Good work...but what does it all mean?!

Off the top of my head, and without linking historic posts from the likes of Anthony….

My guess is that Mountain Goat (in their final months of existence) welded those frames with the short serial number. Then Jeff Lindsay’s new company Altitude Cycling took over the contract, producing the frames with the format seen on Ernie’s and Magas’s frames, until things went awry, when Enigma Design took over the contact – Ref your 1997 Caldera thread.

It is a shame that we don’t have the serial number of a 1998 Ku - as these were allegedly built by Enigma; this could give us some useful information.

Pip.

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

At last I have managed to get hold of a 1998 Ku - my Kona Shrine is complete , and we have another piece of the jigsaw.
The serial number is:

KK88044

Now that we have seen the serial number format of a 1998 Ku, does it reinforce the notion that the frames were welded by Enigma in 1998?

I’m gonna stick my neck out and say the format possibly goes like this:

Kona Ku 8 (August) 1998 number 044

I support this idea after seeing Ernie’s 1998 Stars ‘n’ Bars Hot. Despite having 1997 decals, the 853 Reynolds tubing is Ovalised (unlike a ’97), it has 1998 cable routing, and the serial number is a different format 1997 Hot, but is very similar to my 1998 Ku.

KH78007

Kona Hot 7 (July) 1998 number 007

Anyway, with my serial number being 44, it seems more likely now that 50 or less 1998 Ku frames could have been the total number produced. I will be contacting Kona with regards to this.

Meanwhile, here is a link to my thread on Reader's Bikes 1998 -->

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=342494

….. and here is the inventory of the 9 serial numbers to date, in some sort of sequential order.

• LDP: KU 015 - 1995 Formerly Blue, now Lilac.
• E-bay: KU0153 - 1996 Champagne.
• One of mine: KU0160 - 1996 Burgundy.
• Magas’s mate: KU0186 - 1996 Stars ‘n’ Bars.
• Magas: K09606012 - 1996 Stars ‘n’ Bars.
• Ernie: K09606058 - 1996 Stars ‘n’ Bars.
• That odd Stars ‘n’ Bars Ku that had 1996 HOT decals with a 1997 serial number and cable routing!: KU97020--.
• Markwashington: KU9702049 - 1997 Bright Orange.
• The other one of mine: KK88044 – 1998 Canary Yellow

Phew!

Pip.

 

[kyle888]

Re:

So looks like was enigma who welded it then and looks like your 98 was one of the last made if there were 50.

Kyle

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Hi Kyle,

I have drafted a message to Kona asking them a few questions regarding the 1998 Ku.

A while back I was given advice by Anthony on how best to construct a message to Kona with a view to obtaining the required answers. You have to consider that they must receive a flow of questions, some of which could be considered rather tedious. :roll:

I've previously fared well, so I must be doing something right.

Pip.