Well - thought it was time to post some pics if my holy grail now i have had it a year and finally decided what to do with it.
This is a 1997 Kona Kilauea. So what, you may ask, we've seen plenty of those on here.......look closer!!!
The Kilauea is listed in 1997 as matte blue with P2 forks - well this is definitely not matte blue and has marzocchi forks.
This is in fact something altogether rarer (thanks for the help Anthony!!). This is a 1997 Kona Kilauea SE. It is in no catalogues and there are no other pictures of them anywhere as far i can find. The only place it is listed is Bikepedia where it is listed as plumb blue. At first I didnt think that bike was this bike because I thought plum blue would be a more purple colour....
but plumb blue is different and the dictionary includes a reference to plumb as meaning extremely. So plumb blue in fact means extremely blue - which it certainly is
Anyway, a quick email to kona may have unearthed some more information. The guy seems to remember that it was released North America only and mid season (hence not in any catalogues) and with a run of between 100-200 bikes/frames and the frame was colour matched to a limited release of the Z1 forks
Would that make it one of the rarer Kona bikes??
I have managed to find someone in NZ who can reproduse the decals as transfers and can colour match the paint on the frame forks etc. I also managed to get a NOS Columbus Cyber Sticker
Going to build up as a top bike but without too much bling - so full M950 and Control Tech/Race Face finishing kit
hope you like it and looking forward to hearing some comments
This is a 1997 Kona Kilauea. So what, you may ask, we've seen plenty of those on here.......look closer!!!
The Kilauea is listed in 1997 as matte blue with P2 forks - well this is definitely not matte blue and has marzocchi forks.
This is in fact something altogether rarer (thanks for the help Anthony!!). This is a 1997 Kona Kilauea SE. It is in no catalogues and there are no other pictures of them anywhere as far i can find. The only place it is listed is Bikepedia where it is listed as plumb blue. At first I didnt think that bike was this bike because I thought plum blue would be a more purple colour....
but plumb blue is different and the dictionary includes a reference to plumb as meaning extremely. So plumb blue in fact means extremely blue - which it certainly is
Anyway, a quick email to kona may have unearthed some more information. The guy seems to remember that it was released North America only and mid season (hence not in any catalogues) and with a run of between 100-200 bikes/frames and the frame was colour matched to a limited release of the Z1 forks
Would that make it one of the rarer Kona bikes??
I have managed to find someone in NZ who can reproduse the decals as transfers and can colour match the paint on the frame forks etc. I also managed to get a NOS Columbus Cyber Sticker
Going to build up as a top bike but without too much bling - so full M950 and Control Tech/Race Face finishing kit
hope you like it and looking forward to hearing some comments