Re-listed on eBay starting at $1,199 and hope a fellow POG member snaps it up!
Here goes...
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww268/iya0yas/DSC07882-2.jpg)
Many thanks to Michael Winter for the instructions on how to insert photos!
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/MISCPENTONS/newHiro.jpg)
1975
Stephen
Dane L. (PVL) can give you more of an idea of Hiro/Penton, he is a wealth of knowledge. I had 2 NOS engines myself and knew a few were in the Mike Mefford inventory. I built 2 of the Hiro/Penton bikes from scratch and it was quite a challenge to say the least. My hat is off to the Penton family for building these machines.[8D]
"Crazy" Jake Fischer also built one, he did his as an enduro version using some of his personal enduro time keeping and route chart equipment from back in the day.
http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=952
Paul
Thanks for the info. Paul! Do you or anyone else know if a specification sheet detailing what standard modified components are required for building a HIRO powered Penton? I'm assuming a standardized assembly/conversion process was developed by the Penton team then communicated to other teams/dealers who were given these engines for development. Perhaps there is an optimal configuration for reliability and performance?
Thanks again-
Stephen
Certainly a beautiful motor. I don't mean to hi-jack the post, but how did you post these pictures? Could you or Michael Winter give me explicit instructions on how to insert photos in a post. I would like to show a couple before pictures of my first Penton project.
Thank you, Gordon
[email protected]
Gordon,
Go to the search feature and type in, How do you post pics and there is a topic with instructions. Mike
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
Hi Gordon - Check out my thread in this forum titled '73 Berkshire project'. In it you see Michael's instructions for posting pictures. Good luck!
-Stephen
Stephen,
I am pretty sure that the Sachs to HIRO conversions were done at the Penton R&D facility with a small group of folks doing the conversions. I have never seen a spec sheet for the conversions and doubt that one exists, hopefully I will be proved wrong as that would be a neat piece of information.
I will never forget the time when Pat Mickevicius brought his HIRO powered Penton to a POG meeting a number of years ago. Pat's bike was the first one to openly surface and he graciously brought it to the meeting for us all to see. While we were in the KTM parking lot looking at the bike, Dane walked away only to return from his machine shop building with an item in his hand. He held the item up and explained that it was the original left over bar stock that the engine mounts for the HIRO engine conversions were cut from approximately 30 years before, incredible....but knowing Dane not entirely surprising.
I think the gentleman's name that supplied the HIRO engines was
Masconi or something like that. The opening ceremony for the 1974 ISDT in Camerino, Italy had just finished and as we were walking away he approached and asked about finding John Penton, unbeknownst to any
of us, or at least to me, another interesting chapter in the evolution of the Penton Sportcycle was about to begin.
There were several times when conversions were done at Penton for various reasons, the Wassell Trails, to Cafe MX, to Woodsman is a good example. A number of the KR flat trackers, if not most, were also put together inhouse. It is interesting how little tidbits of information about these projects will come out during a POG meeting while discussing some unrelated subject.
One last item, for many years I wondered what the little PENTON emblems that I had were ever made for, I think it might have been when I saw Pat's bike that the question was answered, they fit on the HIRO engine side covers where yours says HIRO. The question that I have still have is why some of the engines came branded as HIRO, such as yours, and why some others have no emblem. The two NOS engines that I have seen up close for many years have no emblems and don't look to ever have had any on them.
One more last item that just popped into my mind, I think I have the dyno charts and hand written notes that Cark Cranke wrote about his evaluation of those engines somewhere in my files. I will try to find them and see what other info might be contained in them.
Surely now you will want to keep that engine and put it to good use.....:) I have the PENTON decals for it if you need them
Paul
PS
I just looked at the tag on the engine that is on the shelf and it has the exact tag as yours with Spedito da on it. I realize it is no big deal, but I am always fascinated by the little details...
Paul,
You may have just convinced me to put this engine back on the shelf! Now I'm curious to know what number(s), if any, are stamped on your engines (as well as anyone elses HIRO engine)?
My engine is stamped with the following information:
Left Cyl. Base: 'GILARDONI'
Rear Cyl. Base: 'C'
Both Case Halves Below the Rear Mount: '126'
The little details...
Yes, I am interested in the decals as well as a copy of your Dyno Charts and Carl's notes.
Thank you!
'76 /'77 Ancillotti Italian motorcycles powered by Hiro engines
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/11crh377aq7.jpg)
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/ancillotti.jpg)
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/agrxh9.jpg)
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/r77cj6.jpg)
Stephen,
I also have one of these NOS engines.
Has the same "Spedito da, without oil " tag on it,
written in the same hand writing as yours.
Mine is number 223.
Bob
Cool beans! My question is:
Does anyone know if there Is, or was, a performance or shifting quality advantage over the known reliability of the Sachs engine, or even comparisons of the performance?
When if ever will we see one of these rare bikes in actual competetion, even if just for a laid back event like the Renunion Ride? I believe that Bawb would agree that it would be nice to see one in action! Mike
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
Here is a link to some very interesting Vintage Machinery:
http://www.vintagedirtbikeparts.net/VintageAncilottiASPESBetaDerbiFanticHauserHerculesTGMZundappPhotos.htm
Tom Brosius.....
Looks like this is back on eBay. Must not have stuck as a Sold motor. Still for sale?
Larry P
Hi Larry-
Well...never count your chickens 'till they hatch, or something like that. Turns out the winning bidder injured himself racing vintage dirt bikes on the day the eBay auction ended. Now that the medical bills are piling up he can no longer afford the engine. I'm a nice guy and we have since agreed to 'shake hands and walk away'. He also stepped up to the plate and offered to reimburse my listing fees so at this point everyone's happy, if not a bit sore (from the crash that is). So long story short...yes, I still have the engine and I hope it finds a better home than mine where it will be placed in service on a HIRO powered Penton.
-Stephen
Bummer on both accounts. I am sure it will find a good home.
Larry P
I would buy it but building 2 Hiro's was enough for me! Kinda neat though if you have lot's of time.:)
Hi Kip-
Since you've already built two of these bikes can you offer some tips as to what changes are necessary to reconfigure with the HIRO engine? Perhaps a brief summary of the steps involved and BOM (Bill of Material)??
Thanks-
Stephen
Stephen
To start with, you have to have a complete 74/75 Penton 125 to cut up and refit for the Hiro engine. The frame has to be reconfigured for the Hiro engine and both the front and rear engine mounts made from scratch. My rear mounts came from the original piece of steel that Dane used to make the Penton bikes (thanks again Dane) and I made the fronts myself. Once the engine is fitted into the frame, you can modify the stock exhaust to fit. I simply cut the pipe in one place by the front pipe mount and rotated the pipe to match the exhaust flange on the Hiro. I then made a correct Hiro to Penton pipe flange from automotive exhaust pipe material and TIG welded the finished pipe. That takes care of the engine, frame and pipe, now for the fun. You have to take the swingarm and cut all the brackets off of it and reweld them back on the other side as the Hiro drives on the right vs the left. The shock mounts stay the same but everything else goes. The rear wheel is turned around and you have to make a new brake rod and refit the brake stay. You then get to remake the brake pedal to work on the right side so I just ground down the pedal so the rod would drive out and turn it around and then the arm is on the right. I reused the same hardware and rebent the spring to work on the right. I welded a small spring holder on the frame to stay the brake spring and it looked factory and worked very well. Take everything apart and plate, paint, and polish it and reassemble it and now you have a Hiro. About 350-400 hours work and both turned out awesome! Costs include a complete 74/75 Penton 125, a NOS Hiro engine and the other needed items to fiinish a complete Pentonresto and the time required to do the project.
I won't be making anymore as they were a lot of work. For sure, I won't be building anymore Penton/Puch's either as it took an entire year to get that correct! About 2 times the work than a Hiro/Penton!
At least I know what the Penton family went through when they built theirs, my hat is off to them for sure![:p]