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Submitted by
Frederico
a Cross Country Rider
from Portugal
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | - light,comfortable and solid frame
-low gravity center therefore very easy to control at high speeds. very stable perfect for singletrack
- beautiful paint job classic kona
- brakes
| | Weaknesses: | - The standard components are not worth the frame (fork crank handlebar and saddle) if you buy a kula and you want to take the most out of it you must buy a new fork at least. | | Similar Products Used: | Scott scale 30, Gt zaskar carbon expert and kona coiler | | Bike Setup: | fox 32 rlc fork, Full shimano xt set and ritchey WCS flat handelbar. | | Bottom Line: | If you wannt to buy a bike to be fast on the mountain(uphill downhill and single track) but you can't afford a carbon fiber or scandium frame this is the choice to go forget about scott cannondales specialized etc.
And the paint job is just outstanding ;)
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Pan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Golden Balls | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath | | Strengths: | Very good nothing bad about it | | Weaknesses: | The paint is a little flaky | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8500 | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi, xt components | | Bottom Line: | Had a Cinder Cone, then a '95 Kula - frame snapped where the seat-tube meets down-tube. Kona replaced with a '98, no questions asked. Excellent for technical, fast stuff, don't jump off rocks / hack down mountains too fast if you're heavy ! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, AB
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$375.00 | | Purchased At: | Bargainfinder | | Strengths: | It's light as a feather, it handles singletrack better than your wildest dreams could, it climbs like a mountain goat, AND it's incredibly stable at any speed. Oh yeah - the bombers take all the shakin for you - trust them and they'll do wonders for you. Buy this bike. | | Weaknesses: | Thought hard about this - but I can't think of a single weakness. Buy this bike. | | Bike Setup: | Pretty much a stock '98 - I only replace parts when they need replacing. If you have to upgrade, you have the wrong bike. | | Bottom Line: | If the frame is in good shape, (don't worry about paint, I'm talking about fractures) and if you can afford it, buy it. If you can't afford it, sell some stuff, then buy it (I got mine used, at a fraction of the original price). Make sure it's tuned up properly, strap a helmet on, and get ready to rediscover mountain biking.
Trouble is, the bike is so light your friends on their posy downhill bikes won't stand a chance in keeping up to you. If big drops are what you're after, get (or just rent) a full-on downhill bike. Better yet, try bungy jumping.
Ride it hard and fast on any singletrack. Hop or ride over logs that might be in your way. Trust the Bomber shocks - they'll take up insane amounts of abuse, and keep you stable in situations you might never have thought possible (I know, trust me). Easy on the v-brakes - I did a forward flip trying to avoid an unexpected car. Somehow I managed to land on my feet though.
Steep climb ahead? Gear down, put your but in the seat, pull on the handlebar ends, and pedal steady. You'll make it if anyone can, and since the bike's so light, you'll have energy to spare at the top.
Oh yeah, if you don't like the colour, get a life. It's the ride that matters. Kona rules. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phillip sanders
a Weekend Warrior
from yorkshire, england
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | ashy banks | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | gaylord cross | | Strengths: | Light and strong, handle's like a sun of a gun, easy riding position, feels great looks even better! | | Weaknesses: | Paint! (Be carefull) | | Similar Products Used: | Zaskar | | Bike Setup: | standard with some big mamma azonics and dmr v12's. | | Bottom Line: | In my opinion this bike is the coolist thing on the plannet, especially when riding down palm beach jumping benches and pulling off 360's off of 6 foot walls! Who's yor daddy! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a Cross Country Rider
from Bucks Co Pa
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | pisgah! | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | private/used | | Strengths: | geometry, weight | | Weaknesses: | maybe the paint | | Similar Products Used: | marin IFT, specialized A1 stump | | Bike Setup: | (custom build) SID XC, avid (rim) brakes, SRAM 9 spd, 517 CK hubs | | Bottom Line: | I found this bike when I was looking for a Kona 853 frame, it was built up nice but barely used - one ride and I was sold.
This thing climbs great, and accelarates sweetly, stiff aluminum - But, it seems much more forgiving than my previous AL frames, it lets me steer through technical stuff I used to have to just bounce through.
I've had die-hard steel guys try this bike and they loved it. I'm looking for an extra frameset now so when this beats I can build another. I'd skip the SID and go back to Marzocchi though.
Light/reasonable price -and it works great, try one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jude
a Racer
from Helsinki
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Lahden tien extreme | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | 1996 | | Strengths: | lightweight, good easton ultralite frame, good ridingposition ror xc-racing and climbing hills | | Weaknesses: | Forks attachment is not ahead-kind-of-a-system, 96´Rockshock Judy XC is heavy(1,7kg), original brakes, Magura HS11, are good at wet and dirt, but not enough effective on good weather. | | Similar Products Used: | Kula´00 | | Bike Setup: | Original except Magura HS33 and some stuff , that has broken like crancks | | Bottom Line: | Good Bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Stoneham, MA
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Brass Balls | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | You name it, it does it! | | Weaknesses: | None whatsoever. | | Similar Products Used: | Klien Attitude | | Bike Setup: | Marzocci Z.2 Atom Bombs, Sugino cranks, XT F/R derailers and V-brakes, Specialized stem and tires, Lookin' seat. | | Bottom Line: | No matter what it is you enjoy most when you ride, the Kona Kula will make it feel like the very first time. This bike does it all and does it very, very well. On this bike climbing is fun, downhills are scary fast, and the most technical rocky/rooty sections are gobbled up as the awesome geometry of the Kula works for you, always. If you haven't figured it out by now, buy a Kula, or be past by one! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin Warner
a Cross Country Rider
from Newcastle, UK
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Hamsterley Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Light and strong. Decent spec, too. | | Weaknesses: | Ummm, the paint chips quite easily. Changed the bars & pedals. Cables frayed very quickly & needed replacing. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8500 | | Bike Setup: | 98 Kula, XT/XTR, Orange flat bars & bar ends, Shim 545 pedals, X517 wheels for XC, D521s for play. Avid Flakjacket cables. Use more condition specific tyres. | | Bottom Line: | Light and rigid bike. Good climber, and good downhill too.
All-round decent bike....shame Kona have downgraded the Y2K bike to LX, rather than the XT/XTR mix of the 98/99 bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary D
a Cross-Country Rider
from Grand Rapids, MI
Date Reviewed: December 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Yankee Springs | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Geometry is awesome. It took some getting used to, but once you get dialed-in it rocks. | | Weaknesses: |
Tires (Tioga XC Slicks were terrible), Stem/Headset are cheap. | | Similar Products Used: |
GT Avalanche | | Bike Setup: |
'99 Kula frame, Z2 Atom Bomb Fork (plush but heavy), SRAM grip shift 9.0SL (fantastic!) + Conti double-fighters make this one fast ride. | | Bottom Line: | Love the bike! Once I changed the tires, shifters and pedals I found my match. This bike was worth every penny. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin McGovern
a Cross-Country Rider
from Gainesville, FL
Date Reviewed: December 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Pisgah, NC | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Everything. I'm 6', 160 lbs. and I feel as if I was born on this bike. I ride a 1998 19 Kula and it feels like it's part of you when you ride. | | Weaknesses: |
I haven't had any problems yet. | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized S-works
Mongoose Tetra
Voodoo Bantu | | Bike Setup: |
1998 Kula
z3 lite
900sl carbon shifters, derailleur, and brake levers
xt components
coda risers
mavic x221's | | Bottom Line: | You can't go wrong with this bike. If any of these people ahve had problems with a Kula it's their own screw-up that caused it. The Kula is definately worth every penny. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BigAl
a Racer
from Australia
Date Reviewed: November 20, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
eVeRYTHING! | | Weaknesses: |
XT cranks creak.... not konas fault.. | | Similar Products Used: |
Zaskar, Craftworks, ATX800 | | Bike Setup: |
Z2's, XTR, KING, crossmax, etc... everything this frame deserves! | | Bottom Line: | KICKS THE ARSE OFF ALL COMPETITION! KONA WILL BLOW ALL THOSE BIG COMPANIES AWAY WITH THEIR '00 LINES!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THE DUDE BELOW ME THINKING WHEN HE PUT MONSTER T'S ON THIS FRAME? NO WONDER THE GOD DAMN HEAD TUBE SNAPPED! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nick bensley
a Racer
from melbourne australia
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
dunno | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
frame design, components, small rider compartment | | Weaknesses: |
bars are weak | | Bike Setup: |
set up as trials bike with maguras hs33 | | Bottom Line: | best bike - buy one now its kewl | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Share
a Cross-Country Rider
from Berks, UK. now Menlo Park, CA
Date Reviewed: August 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Alpine, SC Mountains | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Superb for climbing, technical single-track and downhill | | Weaknesses: |
frames tend to crack a lot | | Similar Products Used: |
Zaskar LE | | Bike Setup: |
XT, XTR, X-Vert | | Bottom Line: | Had a Cinder Cone, then a '95 Kula - frame snapped where the seat-tube meets down-tube. Kona replaced with a '98, no questions asked. Excellent for technical, fast stuff, don't jump off rocks / hack down mountains too fast if you're heavy ! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Foster
a Cross-Country Rider
from Scottsdale, AZ
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Anything on Mt. Eldon (Flagstaff, AZ) | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Light Frame, Climbs techy trails like a mtn goat, just damn fun to ride!!! | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Similar Products Used: |
Marin steel bike | | Bike Setup: |
'98 frame w/ atom bomb and XTR | | Bottom Line: | KONA BIKES KICK!!! Frame alignment is almost always spot on even with the less expensive bikes. Who wants a large main-streem company like Trek or Specialized when you can have a Kona? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Weekend Warrior
from Kuala Lumpur
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Nippy, fast, light, great for climbing and downhil, stable | | Weaknesses: |
small cockpit | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek 850 | | Bike Setup: |
XT & XTR groupset, Zokes Z2 light, Panaracer front and rear,easton seatpost,Kore handlebar and stem, Grip shift | | Bottom Line: | Great bike, makes me wanna ride it again and again. Very lively, feels aliveeeee!@@#!! Just plain Great ride. Kona Rules, bought myself another Kona (Explosif) to try, will review later. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chad gushniski
a Downhiller
from alabama
Date Reviewed: May 21, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
none what so ever | | Weaknesses: |
-head tube[broken] | | Similar Products Used: |
viagra | | Bike Setup: |
xt stx with monster-T and dual slalom kit | | Bottom Line: | broke head tube and hurt my male area | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Yeo
a Downhiller
from UK
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Down Oz's | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Good climber, strong frame, nice forks | | Weaknesses: |
None at all | | Similar Products Used: |
Chute | | Bike Setup: |
I use the PACE EVO 2 forks, i've got XTR all round, and azonic riser bars | | Bottom Line: | The Kula 98, is the best bike i have ever had, the Pace Evo 2, with a 100mm of travel work wonders, for jumping, down hill, and cross country. My friend rides for Kona, and snaped his frame, after a few months of trails, the punishment it took was great, and no other bike could of stood up to it for so long. This bike is truely a star. The pro that snaped the bike was Fletch. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ram Bo
a cross-country rider
from Netherlands
Date Reviewed: February 13, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I own a 1997 Kula and I use it as a real ALL terrain bike, off road as well as on road and the thing I like the most is that it only reacts when I want it to.
No stupid design just functionality.Kona Rules | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from Edinburgh
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Got a Kula when they first came out in '94 with the XC 500 (which snapped) fitted Mach 5 SX's in '95 (which snapped) & I'm now on '97 Judy SL's which are nice & plush.My buddy had a '96 one which cracked at the head tube & the LBS changed it for a '97 (and he didn't even buy it from them!).The only original parts on it are the saddle (comfy) seatpost (light) and Bontrager/Titec Ti bars (sexy). Its a bit of a mongrel now but really light, fast, responsive, climbs well ( I whip roadies on my local tarmac hill- you should see their faces!), and I love her to bits. The new model seems well specc'ed. And, at the risk of a grilling, I also have a '98 Zaskar for comparison, which I'm not too keen on (I feel 'on' the GT and 'in' the Kona KWIM?. Anyway what are you doing reading this drivel? Go buy one. Now. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a cross-country rider
from Berkshire, UK
Date Reviewed: December 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a Kula when they were first launched (1994) and have ridden it (hard) ever since. Its been to Colorado twice, Mount Snow and Whiteface as well as Chamonix, survived several major stacks as well as Airline baggage handlers and it's as great today as it's always been - sure, the components wear out but the frame is solid and it's got a good few years to go yet!I've just fitted some BAM Z2's - the old XC500's finally bit the dust - but not ridden yet - roll on Saturday! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a weekend warrior
from Grants Pass,Or
Date Reviewed: November 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Kula rules! This 97' is my third one. I needed a bike that would climb and single track well since most the trails in the northwest are fairly technical. The stiff frame and plush Zoke Z2 do the job. Never a problem with the components. I did change to a WTB seat for climbing comfort. Different tires,taller stem,ritchey wet weather pads and sun rims. I get excellent service from my dealer,Stan Moore of Moore's bikes in Meford,Oregon.(541-772-9253)as well as from Kona USA. Kula does what it was made for;technical,hills,high speed downhill,whatever! What are you waiting for? Go get yours now!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pato
a cross-country rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: October 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I love it: A ´96 Kula with Judy XC, but ´97 XTR rear derallieur. It´s the best thing I´ve ever had. It´s like a hornit, so direct, fast and agressive. It´s geometry at it´s best. The Easton Elite tubes are just the thing you need......, but you all know this. It is sipmply the bike for extremes !!!!!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a racer
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: August 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought my 1998 Kula about 6 months ago. Since then I have spent thousands of hours on it and love every second. It has the BEST geometry I have EVER ridden on. It is a wicked climber, it handles perfectly and kicks ass on the technical stuff and downhill. I have not had one problem with the bike I have not been able to fix myself either. If you like riding hard and fast the Kula is for you. This bad I can't put 10 peppers because the Kula sure does deserve it.KONA RULES!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a cross-country rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have recently purcased a new kula. This bike has great handeling (with help from its riser bar. its xtr rear is nice it dosent jump & its smooth through the gears.
the fork marrazocci z2 preforms exellently. On my old bike I had X-ray gripshift and I like rapid fire much much better. it I personnaly think is alot easier than most other shifters. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Devin
a cross-country rider
from Victoria BC
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Great bike... Nice n' light. Stock components (97 XT/XTR) work perf. Great agility for the technical single track and the Bombers are super plush for the old downhill fire road bouncy-bouncy tip!I've taken this bad boy through some fairly sketchy bails... the only resulting damage has been a tiny dent on the top tube (achieved after some severe head over heels action) which could have been prevented with a Roach top bar pad or something like that. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
teledog
a cross-country rider
from Cascade Mountains
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My Kula was one of the first out of the mold and is still going strong! Had problems with severe chain suck which was cured with a longer spindle. Geometry is radical Kona at it's best, definately not for some, but if you like to power up hills and negotiate just about any single track you can't go wrong. I'm going Ti next cus aluminum does wear out and these things are getting too spendy to wear out! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from DK
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I´ve ridden it for 2 years now. I have upgraded it alot so now it´s equipped with: 97 Judy SL, Chris King Headset, Ringlé / Sachs Quartz hubs, titanium spokes, syncros rims, seatpost, handlebar, stem, BB. Rockstrong cranks, Sachs DiRT Plasma rear deraliur, sachs PG extreme shifters, Avid levers and XTR brakes.It´s muchs lighter and faster than before, but it still rides perfect its the fastest hardtail i ever have ridden. and the Sachs Plasma / Extreme combination shifts like no other (f... shimano, my XTR brakes are for sale, i´ll by magura´s or avid arch supreme). Go riding!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Schmidt
a cross-country rider
from South Australia
Date Reviewed: April 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Frame geometry, material and construction make for a responsive bike that I find great
for climbing, but equally predictable and stable under fast descents, both sweeping open
track and technical twisters where the bike needs to be thrown around a bit. Bar-ends
were a necessary addition and the Z2's needed attention. Once tweaked the bike was
fantastic. At AUS$2400 it was well worth the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bluebeard
a weekend warrior
from Victoria B.C.
Date Reviewed: March 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Fast and light, the Kula thrives on narrow and fast singletrack. It's twitchy and rarin to go. Too bad it's rider has sucked so much lately. The kula comes well stocked though i had to mess with the stem angle to find a good fit. oh yeah, not that it matters but the colour scheme makes me giddy as a schoolgirl! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a cross-country rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Kula was the worst purchase I've
ever made. It has gone through 3 sets of forks seals two crowns (one
was recalled and the one they put on cracked!), I'm on my THIRD
frame they keep cracking at the steerer tube(check yours!). I don't
race this bike, I ride it often but not like a racer. The last frame
I got seemed to have different geometry. I suspect that this
is due to to new model being fitted with a different fork. I may
never know, Kona won't even respond to my correspondence. This bike
has spent more time in the shop than on the trails.
not a good purchase | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Granz
a cross-country rider
from Wenham Massachusetts
Date Reviewed: January 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
this is a nice bike and rides very nicly and is very fast with a very nice frame made of Easton and only
weighs 3.4 lbs and it has a rear XTR derailler with XT shifters and XT V-braks with Avid levers and a
marzocchi Z2 fork and still only weighs 24.4 lbs
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: May 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I´ve had it since 95, eqipped with RS Judy XC w/TypeII springs, a great improvement realy worth buying but that´s another story, XT hubs & deraliuers, Club Roost GoFast bar, theese are great allso for XC riding superb control, barends and stem (very light and strong) gripshift 800 X-ray, GoreRideon cables,
Mavic 217´s, Ritchey brakes and pads, Kona High-Command levers, Ritchey SPD´s, Syncros post and a WTB saddle & boosters. Enough technical.The bike light, even with the heavy stuff, it´s very easy to handle on the narrow singletracks and clibs like a tank, the rear end is very stiff, but there is allso a drawback of extreme stiffnes, on bumpy high speed downhill sequences it´s harder to handle than my Stevens steel frame, but it´s not a problem you will just have learn to ride it, and it improves your skills, one of the good things about the stiff rear end is that the bike react exactly as you want it to, it isn´t nervous or slow just perfect. This is one of the best aluminium frames i´ve ever tryed. If i should upgrade anything i would get some better cranks, the only reason for using Sugino is the price, and maybe a Ringlé SuperDuperBubba, not because the XT 110 is bad or weak but because the Ringlé is very sano.5 star for the frame, 4 for the equipment, im upgrading when i get the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a downhiller
from DK
Date Reviewed: January 2, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Super bike, but it´s to bad that the cables run by the downtube and not by the toptube. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: December 6, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
KONA Kula ´95I bought it used (one year) for about 1000$ ,very cheep i Denmark.
It´s eqipped with a RockShox Judy, a lot of Club Roost stuff (GoFast bar, barends and Ahead stem) XT deralieurs and hubs, richey WCS brakes, pads and levers & Gripshift X-ray.
The Easton Programm 3 frame is extremly rigid, the angles are perfect,
you realy have control.
It´s light like a dream (10,8 with a Judy and the club roost stuff)
I added some brake boosters to encrease braking (It brakes perfectly but i am a freak when it comes to that), but it didn´t help much.
I realy loves it´s ability to climbe, I can ride on a wall, and on fast downhills you still have control.
It´s i big improvement compared to my Univega Alpina S7.7
There is only a few bad things, the one is the original Kona race light seatpost, it bend after just two weeks. I replaced it with a Syncros Hardcore, this thing realy rules.
The other is that the deralieur cables runs via the downtube and under the bottombracket, i prefer that the cables goes by the upper tube, so they dont get muddy and destroy your shifting.
I allso likes the cool design, but just don´t get why Kona allways have use names that no one can pronunce.
Overall it´s a cool bike there realy want´s to get muddy. | | Overall Rating: |
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$ 1749.00
