Surprised no one mentioned this...Rare 18" Kona Hot

[epptx]

Here's a recently-ended eBay auction (Canadian seller) that I'm surprised no one seems to have commented on in the forums (at least I didn't see anything...).

This is one of my all-time favorite bikes, with one of my all-time favorite customized paint jobs, in a perfect 18" size...a 1997 Kona Hot, with flames.

The auction also included a nice 63mm Judy SL, and the frameset with fork went for a quite reasonable £309 ($515 USD)...especially considering how difficult it is to find Kona Hot frames these days, I'd say this buyer got himself a steal!

I'm disappointed this simply wasn't a good time for me to go "all-out" with a winning bid. (With a new baby, my wife and I need a new bedroom -- which we are about to start building -- more than I need another bike, no matter how rare and lovely it might be.)

I will simply have to wait and wait and wait until the stars are aligned in my favor...this very bike is one of my "must-haves"!

 

[rojo]

Wow now that is very very nice and like you say really rare. If my size I would have had to sell a few things to be able to go for it

 

[kaiser]

That is very nice and a veritable bargain!

 

[mynchiboy]

Very nice indeed!

I was close to sorting a deal with an on and off member on here a couple of years back for one of these complete with full XTR for around £350 complete...at the time though I already owned 2 hots and a third would have been downright greedy :twisted:

Needless to say I regret it now...I prefer these to the stars and stripes Hot in a strange way

 

[konaman1]

l cant believe l didn't see this

My favourite colour way of all the Hots, l started to think that it didn't exist apart from the '97 catalogue

Bugger and its my size :cry:

 

[epptx]

Konaman,

Agreed on all points. I've been looking at that photo in the catalogue SINCE 1997, and I don't know why, there's just something about this bike, with that paint job, that has grabbed me like few others. She haunts me!! :shock:

I was watching the auction for weeks, and I'm surprised it didn't go for even more...I fully recognize that it may literally be *years* before another bike exactly like this -- in my size, no less -- comes along...if ever.

Knowing that, I was truly torn over my inability to bid high, but such is life...I need to appreciate the bikes I do own!

 

[dendy]

Only the other week i mentioned to rojo how this was my fave Kona

Wished i new of this :roll:

 

[konaman1]

The more l look at this l cant help but feel its actually a 19" frame :? The gap between the top and down tubes looks way bigger than any of my 18"ers This idea fills me with joy as if this is the case it would have been too big anyway

 

[Anthony]

Oh, perhaps I'd better not say anything then!

I actually don't like the colours much myself, I far prefer the more subtle colour scheme in the catalogue mock up to this garish green. The original also matched the 97 Judy SL colours nicely (note though that all they could find for the catalogue mock up was a 96 Judy XC). I haven't seen one actually painted like this though.

The other reason why the catalogue bike looks better is of course that it's a size 17, unlike the eBay one which is a ......

 

[rojo]

Oh don't say it was 19" I be gutted even more