How many King Kahunas?

[Pipmeister]

I have brushed on this before, but a strange coincidence has inspired me to discuss this again. A 1997 King Kahuna appeared on e-Bay last night:
See eBay & Marketplace Watch http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138797

I asked the seller for the serial number, and they responded with K19087. The serial number of my ’97 K.K, (imported from the U.S.) is one digit away at K19088.

Official info:
On the Kona World Timeline, it is documented that 4000 titanium frames were produced during the 10 years of production starting in 1990.

I can only assume that this includes all of the Hei Hei models, and the K.Ks. (from 96 – 2000) and the few Score models that were produced in 2000.
http://www.konaworld.com/page.cfm?content=about

Previous discussion:
There has been discussion on this Forum regarding the quantities produced each year – see towards the end of this thread referring to a 828th Hei Hei:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... h&start=15

The current K.K. seller in Bolton and I seem to have sequentially serialized frames from ’97.

Question:
Were these from a probable one hundred-something 19" produced in 1997? Or did the serial numbers start from the beginning of K.K production in ’96 and we have the 87th & 88th 19” ever produced?

Mmm...

Pip.

 

[DM]

Interesting question.
Must check the serial no. of my Hei-Hei.

Did you try Dewey at Kona?
tech@konaworld.com

 

[Pipmeister]

Did you try Dewey at Kona?
tech@konaworld.com

Cheers, that’s a good idea. I’ll see what can be revealed on here first.

Pip.

 

[andrewl]

From memory the 96 King Kahuna has a different serial number BxxxxxK or something similar and the 98 to 2000 King Kahunas have serial numbers which start with KK so I for the King Kahuna I'm leaning towards yours being the 88th in the year, however it could be 88th 19" in total.

Mine is K20018 and I've also seen K20017 for sale.

 

[Anthony]

I think K19087 is the 87th size 19 King Kahuna since they stopped using B numbers, or it might mean it was 87th size 19 King Kahuna period and all King Kahunas had K numbers from the start.

B19915 is a 94-96 Hei Hei, and I think it was the 915th size 19 Hei Hei. When they built a few more after number 915, they would need a new numbering system anyway.

 

[andrewl]

The B numbers were used for the Hei Hei in 1997 - well MY97 as I nearly bought a standard 97 Hei Hei a number of years ago.

MY98 went to KH and KK for the two versions.

Additional: the single K at the start of the serial number is MY97 King Kahuna only.

 

[Pipmeister]

Thank you gentlemen.

It may also help to mention that mine (and the current eBay sale) have Top Tube cable routing. I understand that the Down Tube rear cable routing was changed during the ’97 production. I presumably have a frame produced toward the end of the ’97 run.

Mine is K20018 and I've also seen K20017 for sale.

Could you say which version of routing your K20018 is? I realise that 20” would have been produced in less quantities than perhaps 18” & 19”, but it’s interesting to think that your 1997 20” is possibly the 18th ever produced (or at least since the K prefix numbering was established).

I’m not sure if this helps, but here’s a link to a discussion from about a year ago - see halfway down the thread: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... ht=treacle


Pip.

 

[mrkawasaki]

My 20" HHKK is B20563-64...