Kona Titanium Serial Number List - update 31/01/25

[al-onestare]

In the meantime, we have a new 1993 entry:

Hopefully we'll get some more glamour shots. For now we have a FB video here. Thanks again to @swannymere for spotting it.

B19609 - Bullet, Long Seat Tube extension, 3-2.5 seat-tube decal, later 1995/6/7 "custom" decal on rear triangle only.

 

[natiturner]

Very nice, thank you for sharing. Do you have any other pictures of the frame/bike?

This could be as early as a 1991 model, so additional pictures will really help us pin-point the production year.

For the record 20" 1994 HH's were deep into the 500 stamped number/s.

Had to change the Tioga Fork. Also Cantilever for security. Parts on stock.
Joe murray ti was stolen before he sold it To me.

 

[al-onestare]

Had to change the Tioga Fork. Also Cantilever for security. Parts on stock.
Joe murray ti was stolen before he sold it To me.

Wonderful and it still has it's noodle. A gentle clean and she'll scrub up lovely.

I'll add it the list in the next few days. Such a shame about the stolen fork

 

[al-onestare]

Couple of updates to existing listings.



https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/kona-hei-hei-1991-british-championship-contender.463264/

B19013 - Pre-Bullet, Canti Bridge, Long Seat Tube extension, Rear Brake Noodle complete, David Harmon's ex-race bike. Mix of original and reproduction 1991 Decals.



B17501-64 - Short Seat Tube extension, mix of 1995 and 1996 reproduction Decals with many in the wrong places. Original “Thumbs Up” Decal.

 

[al-onestare]

B20370 has re-appeared and is for sale, so I've been able to update the listing with a few more details.

I wonder who the original celebrity owner was?

Ebay ad here.







B20370 - Pre-Bullet, Canti Bridge, Long Seat Tube extension, Rear Brake Noodle missing (middle part), Original Decals. With Ti O-Beam seatpost.

 

[al-onestare]

Are you ready for something a little bit special?

Many of you are familiar with the content Kona have shared over the years, in articles and videos, about their story, often told or featuring their Bellingham warehouse. Here are just 2 examples:

One of the things Pip and me chatted about over the years was how'd we love to visit, and which bikes and frames we sneak away with Pip would explain that one of ambitions was to try and obtain SN's for the custom programme frames.

Very long story short, I was blessed and incredibly fortunate to have a virtual tour last Friday over Skype with Paddy White. I still can't believe it happened and I just typed that

(^^^ not pictured last week)

I'm incredibly pleased to say, that we've managed to get some confirmed details for the HQ wall-hangers.

Let's start with this one, and I'll post the others over the coming weeks and as more information come through.

Yep, a 1999 King Kahuna. Paddy raced this one a few times (TransAlp) hence the Hutchinson decal we've seen many times on team bikes of this era. He might be able to dig out a few pictures of it built up in action. The brake bosses have been unscrewed and lost to time so I wonder if it ran a make-shift disc set-up at some point. As far as we know and remember, it never had a painted headtube which was more common at this point.

Pretty cool right? I think the placard is pretty accurate in terms of 100 made in 1999. The SN range currently supports that view.

KK19062 - Unpainted Headtube, Orange Go Faster Decals. Paddy White race bike on display at Bellingham warehouse.

I think there's a fair argument to be had that this might have been created in the 1998 production run given employees and affiliates will have access to the latest designs and bikes. Again the SN could easily place it right at the end of the run. However, I've placed it in 1999 given it's a pretty much perfect example of what the frame looked like that year.

 

[Classiker]

Al, wow, incredibly good. More and more information please. Can't Paddy set up a question line for Retro at Kona? I would have so many questions

Great, your work!

 

[murphy79]

Very cool, that must have been amazing!

So the placard says that the '99 KK's had a 6-4 rear triangle? I thought that was only on the '96 frames with the 64 suffix on the S/N. If it's coming from Kona HQ then it has to be true, but what does that mean for the years in between?

 

[al-onestare]

Very cool, that must have been amazing!

So the placard says that the '99 KK's had a 6-4 rear triangle? I thought that was only on the '96 frames with the 64 suffix on the S/N. If it's coming from Kona HQ then it has to be true, but what does that mean for the years in between?

Now there's a question...

Al, wow, incredibly good. More and more information please. Can't Paddy set up a question line for Retro at Kona? I would have so many questions

Great, your work!

...which neatly links to this.

To quote Jake "...we're busy saving a bike company".

It's said with love of course as Kona have always been very supportive and reflective of their history, the culture they've helped create, and the fan-base they've built. But it's also said with fact. They've bought back a company that was on the verge of going out of business and so naturally all efforts are focused on getting Kona back in black, the Kona way.

I can't say too much at the moment but I'm in discussions with Kona on how we can share the work Pip started, including a wealth of information he collated that's not on this site, and widen the net of information, highlighting and show-casing their history, starting with the Kona custom programme. This would involve time and effort from both sides, so getting the scope right is important and what I'm working on, as a side hustle. When there's more concrete information to share I'll post it here

My point is, they're already doing a lot for us and the community through the relationships they've built over the years. We might not see it directly, but it's there.