Just thought I would pass along a link to a gathering of some Yamaha enduro bikes out in California - not the IT kind, but the LT-AT-CT-DT-RT kind. Scroll down the page a little bit:
http://motorcyclepictureoftheday.blogspot.com/
Actually, this website is still one of my favorite eye-candy bike sites out there.
Bob,
Thanks for the heads up on this site.
As for the early Yamaha AT,CT, DT & RT models they were the best at the time and cheap. My first one was a 69 AT-1, loved it. I recently picked up a 1973 CT-3 that is in excellant condition and everything works including the blinkers. Still has the original tires on it.
Taking it to York tomorrow to show off.
Tony
Bob,
i have seen this site before,
some really sweet bikes show up there !!
Tony,
looking forward to seeing your CT-3, knowing your bikes it will be show worthy !!
My 1st real full sized bike was a 1970 Yamaha AT-1 125,
bought it in the fall of 70, i was 13 yrs. old,
found the same bike back in 97 with 1677 origional miles on it, bought it and still have it in my collection today, it's unrestored and runs as new, brings back fond memories every time i start it up !
here is a pic., hope you enjoy !!
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss114/checkcrew/70YamahaAT1.jpg)
Mike Gallagher, NJ.
That is COOL, Tony. And nice bike, Mike! BTW - The two 1968 (69?) white DT's in one of the photos at that website just look priceless, don't they?
At 14 yrs old, my dad helped me buy an 1972 LT model (100, candy green tank). In Tennessee, you could license these for going to school. For about 6 months, my friends and I whipped around the neighborhoods on our 100/125/175 enduros and we had a few Yamaha twins in the mix too. Bad To The Bone. Relatively speaking.....:D
Well..that was all well and fine until we moved and my next door neighbor was an off-road racer and rider with an Ossa Pioneer 250. Before summer was over, I had mounted knobbies, Preston Petty fenders, a Hooker header, and the lights were removed. I TRIED to compete in two or three Enduro events with the LT, always houring out, getting lost, or stuck, or whatever. Then I showed up at the Hungry Creek 100 in 1973. And witnessed....the factory Penton team lay seige to this event. And THAT is one of the primary reasons I'm on this site today and own two of "John's" bikes.
But I still keep my eyes open for the ultimate pit bike. And I think it would be a Yamaha enduro (okay, maybe a Penton trials or Mud Lark). I actually like the pre-72 tank/style bikes the best.
Wish I could make York and see you, Tony. Hope all is well with you and yours.
My first bike was a blue 1973 AT-3. Great bike I could ride trials, enduros and MX with it. Beat my friends with Pentons on it. Ha
The Yellow Yami was the 1st Real motorcycle my Dad bought. It was so cool. We went thru a series of Honda Trail 90's. My dad loved those trail 90's "It can go thru a stream up to air intake box you know" "But dad there isn't a stream within 200 miles of here in Southern California" "You can Change the rear sprocket and take out the extra link and ride it on the street" "But dad, we don't ride on the street" Then it went to "You can flick the little lever and ride on the dirt or street in an instance" "DAD, Its a girls bike"
Then He went out and bought the Yami. I had every aftermarket add for it, but my dad always left it stock.
The good thing about the little Honda's, it was a real motovator for me to get a job, start saving up and as soon as I got $600.00, I had my 6-Day.
72 six-day
79 KTM MC80 250
My first "real" dirt bike was a 1969 AT-1. Rode my first enduros on it. Bought it used in 1971 and paid $200. Rode it about a year and traded in on a CT-2 175 Yamaha. Traded my Yamaha and my Suzuki T250II street bike in on my first Penton in 1973.
I had a yellow AT-1 also. It was pretty trick for the day. Set it up with a 21" front wheel, knobbies, Webco fork brace, Webco foot pegs, little enduro tail light, Hi Point leather tool bag and the wire mesh headlight guard. My local Yammie dealer had a special on the 175 CT-1 top end kits, saved my paper route $$ for the 175 kit and a Bassani pipe. Rocked that bike through my freshman year of HS and sold it for a new Honda MT 125 Elsinore ($499)!
Kurt
My first real motorcycle was the Yamaha HT-1 90cc. It was the pseudo-MX form of the enduro bike. It came with no lights, high mounted front fender, and no other accessories. It came equipped with trials type tires which were totally inadequate for most any type of racing in Ohio, except for those few, rare days when the clay was packed hard and dry like concrete. A large, square front number plate, and the same yellow color as in the other posted photos. It came with a stock expansion chamber and no muffler which the neighbors could hear for miles... A few visits from the local police encouraged me to purchase a JR muffler from the JC Whitney catalog, the kind that is clamped on with a radiator clamp. Those were the days....
My first was a 1971 CT-1 175. We put on a high front fender, 21" wheel, Basani Torque pipe, knobbies of course and removed all the turn signals. Nice little bike, and I would love to rebuild it like I raced it.
Mick
My first bike was a brand new 74 Suzuki TC-125 with the dual range 2 X 4 transmission. It was either in too high or too low range of 4 gears, and even with an over size Wiseco piston and Bassani pipe, it would not keep up with my friends 75 TS125 5 speed bike. No thanks, I don't want it back, but my 2nd bike that is still owned by my brother, was a 403- date Six Day Penton! Now that I would gladly like to have, but not very likely that my brother would ever let go of it. At least it's still in the family. Mike
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
75 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
74 CR250M 07 CR125R & CR150R
Yes, I agree some nice looking old Yamahas on that site. My brother Bob and I pooled our money and bought a 69 AT-1 which we shared as our first bike. If my memory is correct we bought it in 1970 from a neighbor and paid $300 for it. At that time my dad was riding a 69 DT-1 which was a great bike too.
Dave McCullough
I'm here to prove brother Dave tells no tall tales. Looking good there Dave.
Wouldn't you like to know what else I have laying around the house.
Bob
(http://users.zoominternet.net/~baxter/AT-1/DaveAT1.JPG)
What a cool pic! Priceless.