I can’t resist one owner, low mile, high end pre 97 mtbs. Kestrels always did it for me. I remember seeing this bike in the magazines. Ebay lowball offer score. Just took this one out of the box and cleaning it up.
In 1989 I was an age group triathlete and worked at a bike store At the time I was blown away by the white kestrel race bikes Lance Armstrong and Mike Pigg were riding….. This Kestrel mxz might be the first mtb that caught my attention in a magazine. This bike is in great all around shape. Some scuff from what look like rack or bike box use. I’m really excited about it.
It´s interesting that the mainstream needed 25y to catch up. I remember seeing this in magazines and it was really looking like the future. One of the few times the mags were right with their long time predictions.
I too remember seeing a Kestrel in a magazine of the time and always wanted one. I’m sure the one I saw was a road version in my Grandad’s Cycling Weekly and had Campagnolo Delta brakes. I remember trying to add up the cost at the time and realised as an 11 year I couldn’t afford even a tyre, xmas and birthday presents would have got me as far as maybe a wheel! Definitely something there to blame for my obsession as an adult.
It is your bike, but a new set of smokes and a repro turbo or even flite would compliment very well imho, but that's just a personal preference i guess..