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

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Thank you very much for your help with the Kona Ku Serial Number list.

I have now updated the list on page 7 to add you bike, which I have listed as Mustard Yellow. It appears to be the same shade of Yellow as H9A00496 18” 1998 that Alasdair alerted us to, which differs from my Enigma built Banana Yellow 1998.

The information at the start of the list has also been updated to document that we now know of three Hodaka built Ku frames.

Pip

 

[Lynn_T]

Re:

Thank you for all of your hard work in putting this together. It's been very interesting reading about the history of these bikes. I've always felt an unnatural fondness for this bike, and even more so now that it has a "history". I do agree that it looks very similar to the other bike pictured on the forum from the same timeframe. I've always considered it to be orange though, not yellow, though I can see how it looks that way in pictures. Certainly different than your bike, to be sure. I think you're probably correct that it's a 16 inch frame, though I've never measured it. I usually ride at least a small frame size, and it's just a tad bit long for me.

 

[al-onestare]

The yellow, blue SIDs and sunset rims really work. Nice job!

 

[kyle888]

Re:

A 3rd 1998 model has been found! Awesome!
Kyle

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

This list doesn't have the same frequency of updates that the Hot or Titanium Lists receive, but we have another 1997 to add.

Alasdair brought this one to my attention, and it is a corker - an 18" Matt Purple with Matt Yellow Flames. I have been holding back for a while, as I was hoping to get a picture of the Serial Number from the seller for my records. Sadly no show, and the number verbally quoted cannot be correct. I have detailed this in the entry.

It is slightly unusual with regards to the Cable Stop arrangement. Despite having an Altitude Serial number and 1997 Decals, it differs from the majority of them with its pair of single Top Tube Front Mech and Rear Brake Cable Stops. Most of the Altitude 1997 Decaled frames have 1996 Cable routing. The true 1997 frames built by Enigma have two twin Cable Stops on the Top Tube for Front Mech and Rear Brake similar to other 1997 frames from that year's line-up.

It's a small detail, and I only have one other picture on file of this arrangement - a bike that I found located in Bulgaria.

Pip

 

[al-onestare]

Oh lord - new one discovered - incoming Pip!

 

[Pipmeister]

Oh lord - new one discovered - incoming Pip!

Oh blimey :shock: .

I would say that this is a true 1997 frame. If I am correct, and the frame is indeed made by Enigma, then this is only the fifth example that we know of.

E-mail sent regarding obtaining the Serial Number.

Cheers,

Pip

 

[mk one]

Will us mere mortals get to see it, please

 

[eshew]

Re:

Yeah, it's pretty sweet, missing a drivetrain though.

 

[Pipmeister]

Will us mere mortals get to see it, please

Apparently it is on something called Facebook, which this old Luddite doesn't do . However these are the two pictures that Alasdair sent to me:




Alasdair mentioned that the colour is 1997 Kapu Green, which is called Happy Go Lucky Green in the Catalogue.

Pip