Kona Explosif 1997 - "look, a golden bike!"

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - lovely stuff - finished on P3

Mini update - proper pics to come after Easter. After a few small test rides and the excellent feedback from you guys, I have replaced the Indy's with a pair of Pace RC35's. I was going to go with some Z1/2's but I prefer the more slender look, and they are much lighter. Secretly I've always wanted to own a pair, something about having the brakes the other way round makes
them a bit more unusual.

(I took it over the other week to the LBS to have the forks checked over and there was a little boy with his dad who when he saw her, turned to him and said, I kid you not, "look Dad! A golden bike!" Kinda put his fathers soulless Cube to shame )

I think they look much, much better and performance wise they are like cheese to compared to the chalk of the Indy's. If this weather ever improves I'll be able to get some better pic's, hopefully on a proper ride. In the meantime here's a ropey shot with the A'ha indoors. Thanks to KonaBen for another slightly tweaked set of decals - they look boss!

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - lovely stuff - finished on P3

al-onestare":3ona5674 said:

Mini update - proper pics to come after Easter. After a few small test rides and the excellent feedback from you guys, I have replaced the Indy's with a pair of Pace RC35's. I was going to go with some Z1/2's but I prefer the more slender look, and they are much lighter. Secretly I've always wanted to own a pair, something about having the brakes the other way round makes
them a bit more unusual.

(I took it over the other week to the LBS to have the forks checked over and there was a little boy with his dad who when he saw her, turned to him and said, I kid you not, "look Dad! A golden bike!" Kinda put his fathers soulless Cube to shame )

I think they look much, much better and performance wise they are like cheese to compared to the chalk of the Indy's. If this weather ever improves I'll be able to get some better pic's, hopefully on a proper ride. In the meantime here's a ropey shot with the A'ha indoors. Thanks to KonaBen for another slightly tweaked set of decals - they look boss!

Click to expand...

a very nice couple..i think that gold on the 97 explosif was the best single colour..nice "steed" mate

Ernie

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - lovely stuff - finished on P3

Great minds think alike. I have never liked the primary yellow of the Judy fork, and have also been a great fan of Pace forks since my first set of RC35s that I had on my '94 Cinder Cone. So, since I also believe that Kona sold their bikes expecting them to be upgraded, I didn't have any problems popping some more colour coordinated bits on my version of this classic (see earlier pics in this thread). Easton carbon fibre bars, Thomson stem and some rather nifty grips replace the original items (which have been kept safe, just in case I want to shows the bike in it's catalog original state once more). The forks were a must. Period correct in that they are the 1998 RC36 (yes, it's a '97 Explosif, but an upgrade would have been done a little later, no?) but more specifically the gold anodised stanchions were just made for this bike. The legs look like a light grey colour but that is simply because the photo is in bright sunlight (wow, what's that!).

Oh yes, and I call it the Golden Wonder (aka Goldilocks, coz it's just right!) :roll:

Hope ya like it.

CC

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - lovely stuff - finished on P3

Now that´s a beauty - not sure if mine scrubs up to that standard. I´ve pissed about with the forks long enough now - Z2 that were too short, red/gold RC35s that were just lovely but clashed too much with the gold, so here are the "normal" RC35s instead. New pedals are coming this week so perhaps if we´re lucky we might be able to take her for a proper spin soon.













Need to lower the nose of the Flite a bit! And thanks to the roadies attention to detail I need to sort out the tyre label allignment LOL. A shakedown ride is needed pronto!

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - lovely stuff - updated on P3

Flite nose lowered, she road like a dream. Proper single track is calling her and me...

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=252092&p=1890094#p1890094

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - "look, a golden bike!" - updated on

Looking

Reminds me of my old one with RC36's on .....

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - "look, a golden bike!" - updated on

^^^ Inspirationaaaaaaaaal ^^^

Re: Kona Explosif 1997 - "look, a golden bike!" - updated on

al-onestare":2roalv5u said:

^^^ Inspirationaaaaaaaaal ^^^

Click to expand...

Link in sig for more pics

Cheers

Re:

Back on page 2...

al-onestare":14kdduag said:

wadsy":14kdduag said:

Nice one

The first build I posted on RB (back in '09) was a '97 Explosif

If you're interested?....

viewtopic.php?t=66084&highlight=


Cheers
wad

Click to expand...

Yep, this was the thread that gave me the horn a year or so ago which led me this purchase. So it's all your fault

Stunning machine.

Click to expand...

I still blame you wadsy

Re: Re:

al-onestare":1wgh6cvh said:

Back on page 2...

al-onestare":1wgh6cvh said:

wadsy":1wgh6cvh said:

Nice one

The first build I posted on RB (back in '09) was a '97 Explosif

If you're interested?....

viewtopic.php?t=66084&highlight=


Cheers
wad

Click to expand...

Yep, this was the thread that gave me the horn a year or so ago which led me this purchase. So it's all your fault

Stunning machine.

Click to expand...

I still blame you wadsy

Click to expand...