Kona frame number info

Reluctant

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I'm sure this has been done somewhere, but I've missed it as I haven't owned a Kona since 2002! Anyway, I've got a polished (stripped) alloy Kona, pre 97, that isn't made from Easton tubes (no stamp marks) , so could be a 96 Koa or maybe an AA? What else was made from unbranded 7005? Can I ID it from the frame number anywhere? Any help appreciated, thanks!
 
The serial no will tell us when the frame was built and where, but not a lot more. From a combination of the serial no and photos, it is usually possible to identify the model. The weight of the frame might help as well.
 
Thanks, Anthony, that's helpful. I've taken pics of frame number and characteristic parts. Also came with silver dog collar and seat clamp. Weight is 3lb 12oz or 1724 grams! The frame saver bit is presumably not original and a repair that's been made later. Any advice appreciated!



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This is a guess as I am no Kona (or anything else actually) expert.

But no replaceable hanger makes me think AA or Koa. And as the purple AA had a hanger and that I think was 1995 it would be a 1994?

Ready for Anthony to come along and tell you what it actually is though!
 
Funnily enough, I have a record of a similar number - H4M0 1719 - that is on a 1995 AA. H4 means it was built in Hodaka in 1994 and I believe the M0 bit is an alphabetical format that gives each letter a fortnight, so that M is the 13th fortnight of the year and maybe 0 denotes the first week of that fortnight. That would mean the end of June 1994, so certainly a 1995 model.

If that size 18 frame weighs 3.8lbs without paint, that is pretty much consistent with Kona's claimed weight for the 1995 AA of 4.1lbs with paint, but I think it is too high to be a 1995 Kula. Also I know of a 1995 Kula that was made in Fairly rather than Hodaka, although that doesn't mean they all were.

BobCatMax has a 1995 AA, so I feel sure he would be able to tell you whether all the details that you have highlighted in your pictures are right for a 95 AA.

It's important to know that AA is to be pronounced Ah! Ah!, not eh eh. The Hawaian dialect is phonetic and AA is supposed to be the word for hot lava rock, so I assume that Ah! Ah! is what you tend to say when you step on hot lava rock without realising.

PS
The purple AA was the 94.
 
Thanks Anthony AA sounds like a good educated guess to me - it was built with mid-rangey LX and Sugino type stuff. If it's as old as 94, it rules out everything else (Koa and Muni Mula arrived in 96 as far as i remember) Kula would have Easton stamps in the tubeset ~ so that just leaves the AA. Cheers for the info, mucho grateful! :D :D :D
 
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