Saracen Kili 97

[dendy]

Sorry for not replying to this sooner.. I have been massively busy but have managed to sort out the correct model/ year for my bike and have found out a little along the way.

Due to the kit, colour (bomber orange) i am pretty sure it is the 98 kili comp above (sorry mods, move to 98 if you want). The group set, wheels and other original kit is exact and I think it is fact that they only did this orange on the 98 comp.

The closest colour would be the 99 kili team that was a bright red/orange that would probably fade to look more orange over the years

I found out a little more about the orange colour via a google search, I found a chap who powder coated his motorbike frame the same colour. Describing it as having a gold sparkle finish is exactly the same as on my bike and I think the following picture is a good example.

I have been told the 97 kili were green, yellow and silver. The yellow being the kili comp and reynolds 853.

The 98 kilis as follows:
Kili Team - Tange Prestige Concept - electric blue
Kili Comp - Reynolds 853 - bomber orange
Kili Pro and flyer - Easton Elan Alu - polished
Kili Ultra - ti

99 Kili Team as pictured above -Tange Prestige Concept - bright red.

I don't know anything else from brochures but one thing that is now for certain is that Saracen didn't use reynolds 853 on all their steel wishbone kilis as I evident in konatime's pics above too.

As for the ride it is everything that has been described by others, I love it but have now stripped it down for custom decals and a rebuild.

 

[konatime]

Good work Dendi...are you sure the google search colour is exactly the same ....i say that cause we own that orange frame and the thing that makes it appear very close to the motorbike colour (but not exactly the same) is the fact that it's smoothered in metallic lacquer (sp)...which bizarrely non of all the other colours are ('i know' ).

Saracen seem determined to drive folk around the pictures with how they did things in this specific time frame (not that i know about any other time-frames), did you clock how they seem to have changed how they are measuring thier frames ...jumping from 17/19/21 to 15/17/19..'wad a firm'.

Glad to hear you're enjoy it..you certainly seemed destined to own one with the amount of vigour you put into your search..slip a triple butted on the front and a pair of Groovy bars and when the suns out you'll trip you bollox off

 

[dendy]

Yes bomber orange is a available as a custom powdercoat and that is what is on the motorbike frame, I have also enquired at the powdercoaters I use. The gold is part of the paint in that this particular orange is a sparkle finish it is then clear coated.. Very much the same as the silver sparkle finish on my 96 kili, which again is clear coated. Remember our frames are over 10 years old now and will be in varying condition finish wise.

 

[konatime]

Intresting what say Dendi...non of the other Kili team competition frames seem to be lacquered per factory..except this orange variant. Funny thing is there must be a further variant of this Bomber Orange cause i've bought one nos and it does'nt show the golden colour like the motorbike example but does show the sparkle effect...just like yours...me powder coater tells me it's metallic lacquer...either way they all ride lush .

 

[dendy]

Well my one shows the golden colour as a sparkle effect from within the paint..

I don't understand what you mean when you say non of the other kili team competition frames seem to be lacquered per factory. Your ones? Do you mean the kili team model or are you using it as a term to describe all variants(team/comp/pro)? I have seen a yellow one on here that seems consistent with the 97 kili comp as is mine consistent with the finish listed in brochure. Admittedly Saracen were a nightmare for chopping and changing components and making up specials out of previous left overs but generally finishes are quite consistent.

 

[konatime]

Well my one shows the golden colour as a sparkle effect from within the paint..

I don't understand what you mean when you say non of the other kili team competition frames seem to be lacquered per factory. Your ones? Do you mean the kili team model or are you using it as a term to describe all variants(team/comp/pro)? I have seen a yellow one on here that seems consistent with the 97 kili comp as is mine consistent with the finish listed in brochure. Admittedly Saracen were a nightmare for chopping and changing components and making up specials out of previous left overs but generally finishes are quite consistent.

I only own Kili Team Competitions Dendi...i'm all ears if Saracen made other different variants with this specific title.

When you say you've seen a yellow version on here...are you refering to a Kili Team Competition?

 

[dendy]

My confusion comes from there being no model known solely as the "kili team competition".. All of the kili bikes fall under Saracens competition category, just like they do a sport one.

From 97 onwards the competition range consisted of these variants:

Kili team
Kili comp
kili pro
Kili flyer
Kili ultra

The "kili team" is the cheapest variant and so on. I have seen a few on this forum and all of them have been finished as per the brochures.

 

[konatime]

My confusion comes from there being no model known solely as the "kili team competition".. All of the kili bikes fall under Saracens competition category, just like they do a sport one.

Maybe it's my terminology thats Confusing matters Dendi (bleedin Saracens).

Have you seen a wishboned/ritchey drop-out-stylised cable-guides frame by Saracen that was laquered per factory...other than the Orange lot you own. I've one close to yours (colour) but does'nt show the gold in the paint and was bought brand spanking from a shop owner...with metallic laquer. Most bizarre.

Any chance you could elaborate (highlight) this bike...
"I have seen a yellow one on here that seems consistent with the 97 kili comp"

 

[dendy]

deadrats on here i think owns the yellow 97 kili comp..

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/vi...tdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=lego&start=15

there is aan old review here:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=55430

 

[konatime]

deadrats on here i think owns the yellow 97 kili comp..

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/vi...tdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=lego&start=15

Are you sure Deadrats is a kili Comp, i know the rear wishbone alignment and differing cable guides ain't really much of a difference but it's sometimes enough to create a different model.