Kona Titanium Serial Number List - update 05/11/24

[Yabai]

All other Kona scores do have a gusset. Yours is likely THE catalog frame, oddities being no gusset, and a King Kahuna serial, so likely a very early score as even a king kahuna has down tube gussets is addition to top tube..

Thanks Eshew,

Here are more pics:

 

[eshew]

Yeah man, the catalog score and yours are oddly similar and very different from all other Kona Score pics anywhere. No down tube gusset and seat tube water bottle cage bolts are unique to your frame and the catalog pic.

Very cool

 

[al-onestare]

Now added:

KK17069 - Original correct Score decals, shorter top tube approx. 21.7" but no gusset and with King Kahuna SN prefix (note no currently recorded 1999/00 King Kahuna with the same SN). Likely early production show, demo or catalogue example.

 

[Yabai]

Now added:

KK17069 - Original correct Score decals, shorter top tube approx. 21.7" but no gusset and with King Kahuna SN prefix (note no currently recorded 1999/00 King Kahuna with the same SN). Likely early production show, demo or catalogue example.

Thank you much. It’s clear to me now. I am enjoying this vintage frame.

 

[al-onestare]

Great, it was, and I agree, Kona's ultimate titanium frame.

 

[fordfanatic]

Thank you for sharing. Are you the original owner? This is either a 1998 or 1999 model, and in it's current guise it's very hard to pinpoint which.

If you could let us know how it developed into this that'd be handy and perhaps give us some clues e.g., was the disc tab added later, was the head-tube painted, etc.

Sorry for the late reply. No, I'm not the original owner. The disc tab was recently added and there was red overspray inside the head-tube when I bought the frame.

 

[al-onestare]

Sorry for the late reply. No, I'm not the original owner. The disc tab was recently added and there was red overspray inside the head-tube when I bought the frame.

Brilliant this confirms it's a 99, duly added:

KH18012 - Evidence of Read Paint stripped from Headtube, Replica 1994 Decals, added disc tab (not from factory)

To date, this is the earliest 1999 Hei Hei.

 

[farmer giles]

Hi Al,

there was a Hei Hei sold on ebay USA on 30th May this year (cracked frame) number B18 054, sorry i can't do the link thingy.

i hope this helps,

Cheers,
Joe

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Greetings,

Just procured this lost soul recently. Due to chain drop the third digit of the serial number is almost unreadable. The seller swore the serial number was B19263, but also looks like B18263? What do you all think? Geometry wise, this “looks” like an 18” frame but that super long seat tube throws off my perspective.

Also, 1990? Nah… 1991? 1992? I don’t know
Thanks for the help!

 

[al-onestare]

Thanks for sharing. I'd like the Kona eagle eyed to add their views. From the picture it looks more 8 than 9. Could you go old skool and try a brass rubbing, or something like that to check the marks?

At #263, with solid triangle drop-outs and a complete canti bridge and noodle, it's more 1992 than 1991 as #263 would place it as the earliest 1992 on record so far. The highest 1991 is #081, and the lowest 1992 #281.

Back to 18 or 19, we have no 18"s on file until 1993 which is where I'd love to call on Pip and clarify if 18" was an option between '90 and '92 and whether the lack of them was to do with the measuring format during those years or something else.

To add to this clarity conundrum, we already have B18263 on the list, as a 1994 model, with all the 1994 identifiers! We do know sequential numbers for these frames sometimes over-lapped, but still, it adds to the story.