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

[al-onestare]

how is it going to happen that the BB cracked - wrong BB ?

Mad isn't it? Some insane power shift? Fitting the wrong BB or fitting it sideways or just overtightening the BB? Space monkeys?

 

[al-onestare]

It's been a while, but we have an early first gen 1995 confirmed and on this site

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/new-kona-ku-find-ku148.473950/#post-3518168
KU148 18" 1995 cable routing, 1995 decals - Black (@GhettoDog )

 

[Guigui58]

Not mine, but I found this rough looking Ku on Kijiji in Montreal near where I live. The owner was kind enough to share the serial number, which appears to be H9A00480. If I'm not mistaken, it means it's a late model from 1998 (Hodaka).

 

[Classiker]

Kona Ku 1996
Framenumber: KU237
The seller is the original owner and built it himself when he was young. He says it's a 16 inch model.
The bike was bought at H+S BikeDiscount in Bonn, Germany. The original invoice is lost.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/285970258131

 

[mk one]

Kona Ku 1996
Framenumber: KU237
The seller is the original owner and built it himself when he was young. He says it's a 16 inch model.
The bike was bought at H+S BikeDiscount in Bonn, Germany. The original invoice is lost.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/285970258131

Nice, not a 16" though, probably measured to top tube.

 

[Classiker]

It is a 19....

 

[al-onestare]

It's a been a while eh? Last list update since December 2023, so thanks for the 2 new additions:

H9A00480 16" 1998 Metallic blue - Hodaka, 1999, Control Code A, October, 0480 (sold on Kiiji)

This makes it the first known Hodaka built 98 model, and I love the Kona Clump decal. Was it ridden by a member of the team? The fact it's in one piece would suggest no, but it could have been a daily rider. Most likely it was collected by the original owner. Either way, it's cool and the colour is excellent. They really nailed the custom colours in 1998/99.

KU237 18" 1995 cable routing, 1995 decals - Green with yellow/brown flowers/leaves with pink centres (sold on eBay)

A totally unique paint-scheme never seen before. There's got to be a story behind that which the only the original owner will know. Definitely not 16", if it's measured to the top tube and centre BB it's likely 18" but happy to be proven wrong. It looks like it's never seen dirt. But I think we can all agree that 3k is wishful thinking.

That now makes 35 confirmed and 36 total Ku's in the big wide world that we know of. A truly rare beast in the Kona stable.

 

[al-onestare]

Well then, a 98 Ku, and at #519, the second to last produced or second youngest Ku on record to date. It has the same subtle metallic flake as the others in this era. Another duck-egg blue too



H9A00519 16" 1998 Eggshell Blue sparkle - Hodaka, 1999, Control Code A, October, 0519 (al-onestare via Lee Dottridge on FB)

Anyone else noticed that makes 3 16"s in that batch? What was it with Ku's and smaller riders I wonder? Also worth remembering, this is only the 7th 98 Ku on record.

 

[al-onestare]

Like buses we have another one from @murphy79 with more details to come hopefully

K09606008 18" - blue flames - welded '96 June number 8, (@murphy79 )

This is the earliest 1996 model with this SN configuration, and by the sounds of it, with a super paint-job!

 

[murphy79]

As mentioned by @al-onestare here is my '96 Ku, although it is blue lightning rather than flames! I am almost certain that it is the original paint from the factory. Where there is a bit of damage to the paint there is no sign of any other colours below, and the decals are an exact match with other '96 frames I have compared it to. It is really cool paint, at the head tube it is almost like a boling, grey cloud, and the lightning bolts somehow manage to go both under and over the decals! Unfortunately, the paint is not in the best condition over the rest of the frame, with a few bad touch ups, but there is no way that it is going. It also appears to be crack free (for now, scared to attempt to put a headset in!). S/N is K09606008 which hopefully comes through in the picture, and it is an 18" frame.