Welcome to another awesome edition of Reader’s Rides—where readers like you send me your pics and I post ’em on my site! Beats seeing them vanish into the ether on some Facebook forum, right?
Today, we’re checking out Klunkers.ca‘s very first Kona Klunker! This sweet ride was sent in by Mike H., hailing from parts unknown (because I didn’t ask). Like myself, Mike’s not a big fan of social media—but he still wants to show off his bike.
That’s where I come in. I’m always happy to post a quality Reader’s Ride–especially this slick, minimalist Kona. Let’s check out what we’re looking for at here. In Mike’s own words, of course…
(‘Cause that’s how we do things in RR.)
My first bike was a 20″ Huffy with a coaster brake, back in the late 80s—it was blue. In the early ’90s, Santa brought me a Schwinn Frontier mountain bike. I got a Gary Fisher Cleo Moto BMX bike in the later ’90s and purchased a WeThePeople BMX frame in 2001, which I had to return for cash as I was in a bind at the time.
I didn’t purchase another bike until 2011—a Kona Kahuna 29er. That bike was sadly stolen a few years later….and sometime in 2021, I found myself looking at bikes again. I’ve never been good on a bike, I just cruise around and have fun. I had my eye on a Reeb Hooptie, and while I’m sure it’s great, I could not spend the money.
Also, I was on the lookout for a WeThePeople Avenger, but ultimately life got extremely busy and a bike purchase went on hold until recently… I remembered hearing of a Haro Klunkerson and upon researching… your site had come to fruition!
My motivation spiked, I went searching again for a bike. Facebook marketplace led me to an ’06 Kona Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (also known as a Huma Huma if you can’t mouth Hawaii’s state fish). The seller had put new Merritt tires, Odyssey pedals and S&M grips on it.
I made the 40-minute drive and got the bike for a great deal. It came with cruiser-style bars. I promptly ordered Surly Sunset handlebars and a shim to work with the Kona. I found a sprung Huffy seat used on eBay and ordered Terrible One grips.
I got this to enjoy rides with my kids and dad and just cruise around. I love this thing.
We love it too, Mike. And we’re flattered to have had a small part in your reinvigorated Klunker journey.
Klunk on!
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This Kona has been haunting me since the early 2000’s as I had test road the same model bike but the one I road had V brakes and the rear wheel had of course a free wheel cassette hub. It also came with a killer set of handle bars like motorcycle enduro bend style and a bmx stem the color was orange. My test ride was limited due too it was a rainy Saturday but in front of Mount Tam Cyclery had an over hang in front of the building for a good distance that was dry to test ride. Also a bit off history of this bike shop for many years it’s prior name was the Mill Valley Bike Shop that was one of the big players of the Klunker movement. They stocked wheels laced with drum brakes Crook Brothers forks extra thick walled seat post you name it the Klunker candy store in southern Marin County in the late 70’s. Anyway back to the Humu bike. As I remember the test ride. This is one of those bikes you don’t want to stop riding. It had a good feel to it. The perfect thrasher to take on anything and do it in style. Just look at the loop back tail on this frame how bmx can you get. Not common on a larger bike. As I remember on the test ride doo to the gearing and the frame geometry the Humu was very comfortable to wheelie strait out of the box. Fun fun fun 🤩 I could have spent the whole day riding under the store front. I should have bought it right then and there but I didn’t like the crank and made plans to put a Race Face crank on it. So I past on it that day. Then later things came up as always and the money wasn’t there to buy this awesome ride. As the introduction of this bike reads awesome says it all. Mike your lucky to score this bike and for it’s age your ride is a rare find in the shape it’s in. Probably a collector so don’t leave it laying around. Later on Kona made this model with the 29” wheels and disc brakes I test rode and almost pulled the trigger on that one also but it just did not capture the feel of the 26”er like this example. Thanks for the post. The great memory of the test ride of the 26” wheeled model will always haunt me for letting it get away. The perfect Klunker thrasher to shred any trail or town. Fun Fun Fun .
I had one question about the handle bar stem set up. Mike made mention that he used a shim to mate the two together. You get a lot of leverage with those handle bars. My question is as I have never had great luck with the handle bars staying in place using shims as that can become a weak link and can become a safety problem if you decide to get a little wild on this fine ride. If they move around on you and if your handle bars are the standard 7/8 dia. BMX motorcycle size than you may want to try the DK BMX stem 11/8×7/8 or for the handle dia. they may post it as 22.5, same thing. I have had fantastic luck with the DK Bike company stem. Hefty clamping rock solid high quality a no fool -in around part that is available in many colors to suit. Look up Dans Competition web site if you feel it’s needed to properly run those bars for the DK stems. That’s been my sores and their delivery time is not bad. Hope that’s the answer if you run into that issue. The clamping power is massive.
Hi Gordon S – thank you much for your comments here – I love hearing about your past experience with the Kona Humu humu. Honestly, my bike ownership experience since the 80s was as indicated in the post. Once I find something I am fond of, I generally hold on to it and use it as long as I can. The search for the right bike was a years long process. No doubt this was the right choice. Your experience mimics mine – as soon as I got the parts on the bike (to make it feel my own), all I could think is how *joyful it felt to ride. All I’ve been doing is cruising up and down the street with my kids and it feels like an adventure – maybe in someway like the fun they are experiencing cruising for the first time. It just feels like a big BMX bike with a bit more seat comfort for my adult self, and I love the style. Regarding the shim for the handlebars – I can already see that being a weak link. I got the shim(s) as a quick fix to get the bike together, though I know that I don’t feel terribly confident pulling hard on the bars. Thank you for the DK stem recommendation – I plan on running this bike for the long term and will likely end up making that the next mod. *cheers*
It’s a keeper. Yep the DK stems clamp so well you do not need a knurl on the handle bars to keep em anchored. The top piece with the four bolts is thicker than the average and the bolts sport over size heads compared to its competitors that really works well. The DK stems I’m running are top loaders that give a touch more height than what you’re running however if you are happy with the height they are than check out the Thompson stem with the six bolt clamp the same stem those two guy’s are running in the Klunker video State Bike Company post in they’re Klunker bike selection called NEW SKIDS ON THE BLOCK. Those two bikes are using Mone handle bars that have no knurl. The Thompson stem fits your bars and is a front loader like the stem you’re using only as I said before clamps with six bolts. This is just my opinion but I’d go with the DK stem with the red finish and get a nice quality red seat post clamp to complement those red rims to tie things together in the looks department. Yep this one’s a keeper and must be spoiled. Anyway when done the way you are happy with it you’ll feel like a million bucks on your next stroll😎🚴 . If this was my bike I’d spoil it rotten. Please post it again if you do so.
Mike I forgot to mention one little tip when you install new accessories that I posted on this site in the the Little Things section. Hope that’s a help.
Hope there is a new ride posted perhaps in a different color I hope. I like black bikes I have a few but this is getting ridiculous however I’ll take this Kona in any color. Every time I go back to this site and see this bike I get Ramped up because I know what it is (fun fun, fun). 🤠. Just a simple bike you cannot put down. If mostly kept on the asphalt a set of Hookworms would knock the experiences of riding this one out of the park.⚾️