Just read Ed Youngblood's MotoHistory article about our fearless leader and his family celebrating the acquisition of his 1974 Penton ridden at the ISDT in Italy, to go with his 1973 Penton ridden at the ISDT in Massachusetts. I'm happy Paul now has his "matched set.":D Check it out!
Congrats, could not have happened to a nicer guy. Like finding a long lost relative.
this bike couldn't be going to a more well deserved person !!
great score Paul !!
regards,
Mike Gallagher, NJ.
[email protected]
Hey Paul,This is just too cool.Bringing it to Toronto? Bill
That bike surely qualifies as the top find of the year! Nice score, Paul!
Jeff DeBell
Great story. Congratulations Paul. You deserve to have it back.:D
Lew Mayer
Very cool! How 'bout a pic or two??
Thanks for the nice comments, this is one bike I never thought I would see again. Looking back, I should have possibly known it was in the states, but I never linked the clues.
After the 1974 ISDT in Italy, Larry Maiers called and asked if I wanted to try a 250, as the future of the Sachs engine being competitive in the Six-Days was not looking to good at the time, I agreed to give the 250 a try. He said he had Don Stover's Italian Six-Day 250 sitting in the warehouse in Lorain for me to pick up when I could stop out, I was there later that day....
Don did not finish the 1974 ISDT and the bike was in very nice condition, and it still had the side covers on it with his riding number from Italy on them. I removed those side covers and hung them on a nail in the shop as I knew they were special, 29 years later when I saw that Don was going to attend the ISDTRR in Mass. on the Heinrich farm I took them along and personally handed them to Don.
As I look back, I figure that if Larry had Don Stover's Italian ISDT machine sitting at the Penton warehouse, Penton must have had all of the USA ISDT machines shipped back to the states, but for some reason that never occurred to me. I sold Don's bike many years ago and it might still be in the Pittsburgh area, and I now realize that there are most likely a number of other former ISDT machines floating around......for all of us to look for :)
I want to thank "Rocket" Rod Gorzny and Mike Gallagher for really calling my attention to this bike, both of them were curious about it and had some questions about it, in looking closely at it to answer some of their questions I realized just what it was, and they both were very gracious about backing away from trying to acquire it. I also want to thank Chris Heeter for being kind enough to pick up the bike after the auction and securing it till we could get to Florida and pick it up, it was a real pleasure meeting Chris. Thanks also to Ed Youngblood for putting the article together, Ed wanted to be on hand in Florida when we picked the bike up at Chris's place, but that didn't work out.
I would like to call attention to Marcia MacDonald's write ups from back in the day, in my opinion her's are the absolute best as far as being factual and insightful. If you get an old mag with one of her articles in it about the ISDT or any other subject, you can pretty much take to the bank what she has written.
One of my heroes as a rider, and even more so as a person, is Dane Leimbach. In Marcia's article in the Cycle Illustrated Jan. of 1975 issue, she quotes Dane as saying about the Italian ISDT, "I rode harder than I ever have in my life. I left that throttle on and never turned it off. I scared myself so many times I can't remember-and there was just no way I could do it." The quote from Dane will give some indication as to how the event was for me also, yes I was on a 125 vs Dane's 100, but his skill and experience on those small bore Sachs powered machines is legendary. I am not proud of the fact that I somehow ruined my transmission, but I am glad that it didn't let go a few miles before the end of the trail section and the last check of the event.
Sorry to ramble, but once the valve is opened it just seems to flow....
As for the pictures from Italy, I plan on getting them organized and putting them on the site, there are a good many of them and they show a number of the team members at Camerino.
Thanks,
Paul
Hey Paul, I'm very excited for you to have found this bike and was glad to have been of assistance! No tellin' how long it was sitting up the road from me?! While it was in my garage I'd go out 2 or 3 times a day (for six weeks or so) and just look it over real close. I won't let the cat out of the bag, but for those who haven't seen the bike yet, it appeared so complete and and original as if put away right after the race, including perhaps some Italian dirt! If it could only talk!!
It was also a true pleasure to have met you Paul and I hope to see the blue Six Day again someday when she's tightened up and running!
Best Regards,
Chris Heeter
Chris,
Hopefully you can make it to an ISDTRR sometime and take a spin on it once we get it ready to ride...:D
Bob,
Yes it is blue, and it has the "D" top end and D engine designation on the engine serial number tag. I have found one unique letter stamped into the top of the engine case and will be soon pulling the engine and tearing it down to see what other interesting items it might have. I might have told this story before, but.........
One time a number of years ago some of the folks on this forum started to talk about the "D" stuff, now most times I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but for some reason their discussion reminded me of something that was said back in 1974 while we were setting up our bikes in Camerino. Our work area was outside and open to visitors, and I distinctly remembered a couple of folks standing back about 20 feet and observing me set up my bike, the one guy made a comment to his buddy that my bike had the "D" cylinder on it. I didn't really pay much attention at the time as I had plenty to do, but when I read the post on this forum about the "D" cylinder and how to tell it from the "B" cylinder I remembered that comment and dug out my pictures, sure enough it was a "D" cylinder.
I need to get those slides back out and go through them as I want to see if by chance I have a slide that will show if Dane's 100 also had a "D" cylinder on it.
Paul
Paul, Might you treat the POG members to "Show and Tell" this Thurday? Joe
Paul, What number were you riding under? I have a bunch of pictures Dad took when he went and may have some of you.
Joe,
I will be glad to bring the bike along, only fitting to bring another Penton home again. I will have security as Conrad will be making the trip, when his patrol duty ends at 3 we will be heading to Amherst. It will be great to have him attending the meetings again :D
Mike,
# 45
A couple of folks have inquired about finding the article, just go to this page and scroll down.
http://www.motohistory.net/news.html
Below is a link to the homepage of Ed Youngblood's MotoHistory website. Ed posts a new update at the beginning of each month.
http://www.motohistory.net/
Paul
Paul,
I don't believe there were ever "D" 100 cylinders.
Larry P
Larry,
I have to agree as I have never seen one, and that would be a lot of fuel for that engine, but I just gotta look :D
Paul
If I am not mistaken, a 100cc liner will press into a 125cc jug. Please correct me if I am wrong. Also refer to "Sachs Porting" post. Joe
Paul, I just read Ed's article and I could sense your excitement and nervousness as the auction wound down; even the anticipation as you saw it for the first time after all those years! Congratulations, you'rs is a story we all wish we could experience, so we'll embrace your's for the moment!
Mick
Forest Stahl said 100cc liner would not press in a 125 cylinder on one Mike G. had.
Larry P
Paul that is awesome now you have a real museum. By the way, insurance companies provide special enhanced "pair and set" coverage for items that are much more valuable together than apart!!!