Many of our fond memories from "back in the day" center around a certain dealership or shop. The idea behind this thread is to encourage anyone with fond memories of a shop or dealership to share their "back in the day" memories with the rest of us. Not only to share those special memories, but to also pay tribute to those establishments and the folks who ran them or worked at them.
Paul
Fran Kupec Cycle Shop was located south of Butler, PA on rt. 8, just a short distance from where Jake Fischer's shop is today. Fran's real love was Triumph motorcycles, but the shop also sold BMW, Honda and I think Rickman as well.
Fran opened a second store in a strip mall just on the outer edge of Butler, still on rt. 8 south of town. Sandie Augustine helped to run the new shop having gained experience working with her husband Bob when he sold Jawa and BMW in Slippery Rock, PA, a shop that was now closed. Kupec picked up Penton pretty much when they first became available and that is where my first Penton came from.
Many years later I got to wondering how Fran had ever decided to get the Penton dealership. Fran's former shop foreman Tony John and I still stay in touch and I asked Tony that question. His answer was that Jack Mercer, the Triumph rep for the area, had recommended to Fran that he add the Penton dealership to help round out his product line.
As a student of all things Penton the name Jack Mercer rang a bell, Jack is mentioned in the John Penton book, and apparently he carried news of the "new" Penton with him in his travels. There are many folks whom I have heard about that I sure would have loved to have met and listened to their stories, and Jack Mercer is one of them. I believe it was Dave Mungenast who is quoted as having said that Jack Mercer was one of the best dealer reps that he ever knew. Whenever I have asked John Penton or anyone else from that era about Jack Mercer they always have spoken very highly of him.
I know one thing for sure, Jack Mercer's association with John Penton and influence with Fran Kupec sure changed my life...:)
My first part time job was working at Fran's Triumph shop, doing odd jobs and occasionally setting up new Triumphs and putting them on the showroom floor. Once I had my first Penton, I usually ended up owing Fran money at the end of the work week from my parts bill...:D
Paul
Back in the early 70's, when I made the jump from minibikes to real motorcycles that shifted/clutch (big jump back then!) was on a Hodaka and it was always in need of something or another. Our local Hodie dealer was located about 20 miles away in the next town over of Beverly, Mass. Cape Ann Cycle was the place to be on a Saturday morning. My Mom soon got tired of driving me over there so I would "thumb it" to get there. Met some creepy characters during those treks too but would never mention it to my parents as I'm sure they would have put a halt to thumbing around for this kid..
It wasn't a big place but always had decent inventory of bikes and parts. In short order, I got to know the owner, Charlie Hildebrand on a first name basis. Charlie always treated me right even though I could be quite a pest with constant phone calls until I could get over there. Cape Ann sold Hodaka, Penton and Norton. The Penton's were like tooking at a brand new Porsche for this kid. I would sit in class and draw pictures of Pentons to kill the time.. Unfortunately, Cape Ann Cycle closed its doors sometime around 1980. It was a really special place during those years. Down in my shop, I've got a folder that's chock full over every receipt from buying parts there that somehow I've refrained from throwing away over the past 40 yrs. Great memories!
-I'd like to add, my Mom bought be my first pair of new boots from Cape Ann for my 15th birthday. I still have that same pair of Hi-Points to this day!
H&T cycle was about a mile from my house. Dick Heins and Morty turick were partners.Dick Heins rode many enduros and qualifiers too. I think he had one of the first triumphs around. It was an easy walk for a youngster like I was then. He was mainly open at night. A nice small shop. I would ride my bike or walk almost every night. They sold Hodaka's at first, they also sold Puch for a while. He could get suzuki from Moroneys in Newburgh if he had a buyer. I remember he also had 3 Rickmans. One with a 100cc hodaka motor, a 125cc, I think it had a zundapp or a sachs motor and a 250cc with a montesa motor.I spent many a night there. Dick put together a super rat with a B pipe and cylinder for my brother. It had a little better suspension than the B and the B motor was better for the woods which is what they mainly rode. Not long after my brother got it, he wanted something bigger and I was the lucky recipient of a slightly used Hodaka. The shop is still there but closed many years ago. It's now storage for quite a few vintage bikes.
There was another small shop about 8 miles away in the next town over. Drew Blackburns. THey were a small shop too. They sold penton and Saracen. Drew also did cylinder boring. Those were the days.
73 Jackpiner
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
76 Husky WR360
78 husky cr250
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r
If anyone on the east coast (Massachusetts) is interested in visiting an old shop that's still in business, visit Hogan Cycle in Agawam Mass. Bob Hogan was a Bultaco/Ossa/ Dalesman dealer (and several others) and still to this day has an incredible inventory of NOS Spanish parts. He's such a nice guy to do business with.
Beckley Sport Cycles-Beckley WV
I too went to the H&T shop. Richard was a great guy. I bought my first penton from him; a 1970 Six Day.... It was a great bike. I also bought my first and only pair of High Point boots from him. I still wear the boots today! In hindsight, I wish I spent more time hanging there. Maybe I would have learned how to be a better woods rider!!! haha!!! I bought my 76 MC5 from Drew Blackburn. Very small bike shop in the back of a auto body shop..... Those shops and times are long gone..... But the bikes and riders live on!!
1976 MC 5 Original Owner
1982 Suzuki PE 175
1976 Penton 175 GS
1976 Penton 250 GS
Country Sports, Spanish Fork, Utah. "Back in the day," Don Butler was the owner of this shop. He was an accomplished rider and mechanic, racing expert in Motocross, Flat Track, Desert, Hill Climbing and anything else he could find. He sold Hodaka, Husky, BMW and Kawasaki motorcycles in addition to Pentons. My first exposure to Don's shop was to repair a 1969 Super Rat that I bought as a basket case. I was 16 years old with little money. Don sold me used parts by the pound and helped me get the bike running. I think he charged me $10 bucks for all the parts. I loved that shop and spent many hours drooling over his new Pentons and Huskys. A couple of years passed and I had saved enough to purchase a new 125 Six Day. Don hired me part time while I was going to college to put new bikes together for the dealership. What a great part time job setting up and test riding all that new iron. Two years later I purchased a 1975 MC250 that I still own and just recently restored. Just last year I contacted Don to see if he had any tools, bikes or parts from his old dealership. I was able to purchase his 72 Six Day Penton and a Super Rat that he competed on back in the day. I recently finished restoring his Six Day for my personal rider and I'm currently in the process of bringing his old Super Rat back to life. Kids need hobbies as an outlet to stay out of trouble. Country Sports definitely provided that for me and to this day I'm still enjoying my hobby.
75 250 MC
73 Cafe MX
72 Six Day
72 Six Day Enduro
There was only one Penton dealership in Cleveland, Ohio. I think it was called Malone's Cycles owned by Chuck Malone. It was a small hole in the wall shop in the inner city, on the west side about 3 miles from where I was living at the time. He sold Bultaco and Penton motorcycles and he did service work on anything that people would bring into his shop. He was an observed trials rider who was involved with the Trials Incorporated club in NE Ohio. He rode a Bultoco 250 trials bike and his association with Trial Incorporated helped bring in customers for sales and service on Bultaco motorcycles. In his small parking lot, in front of his building were a pile of old railroad ties which he would practice his trials riding on during his "work breaks". If you read the book, Monkey Butt, his shop was what was described in it. Chuck was the only one that worked there and he had a big Doberman name "Taco" that kept watch over the place. When you first walked into the door, Taco would come out of the back room, put his nose into your crotch and sniff you out to make sure that you were OK to enter. If he didn't like you, he would piss on your leg. Chuck would almost always be in the back wrenching on a bike. He would come up to the counter with a serious look on his face. If he didn't know you or you looked suspiscious to him, his greeting to you would be "what the f*** do you want?"
I became a regular customer of his when I acquired my first Penton, a used 1972 Jackpiner MX in 1975. I went to his shop to purchase an enduro kit to turn it into a "street legal" bike for trail riding with my buddies. No, Taco did not piss on me, but he certainly had me holding my breath for the "sniff" test. [:0] I would purchase the parts that I needed from him along with any Hi-Point oils that I needed. He would travel to the Penton warehouse in Lorain to pick up his orders for bikes and parts once a week. In the later part of 1977 I entered his shop to purchase some parts. He informed me that Penton was going out of business and that he was going shut down his shop. It was then that he offered to sell me his Penton parts inventory. With Penton closing, I figured that I had better take him up on his offer in order to keep my Jackpiner running, so I took his offer and the rest is history. :)
Alan Buehner
Well "back in the day " Anderdon Cycle was were it was at . McGregor Ontario just out side Windsor my older brother had the Hodaka dealership . We worshipped anything enduro and raced our beloved Hodaka's to the extreme ....Well time stopped in 1968 when our first look at Leroy Winters and John Penton came to Canada at the Corduroy Enduro .... my younger brother and I drooled at what we saw... a race ready bike of our dreams ... well it started a family feud and there was no way we could give up our Hodaka's for a Penton ..... fast forward to 1974... Older brother Gord unknown to my younger brother and I brought in a 74 Penton SixDay from the importer Bjorn ( I never new what his last name was but he was a Swede and quite a character ) ... well now the bar was set and immediatly we ordered 4 more to be brought in ..... We raced with much success and many an hour was spent there in the shop just bench racing .... dont know how we ever made any money but did we ever have fun ... aaah those were the days ... Brian T
Brian Taylor
Piasecki's of Toledo.... Kept my bike there. Pretty much always hung out there. Traveled to the races countless times with Jeff and Kevin Piasecki in the shop truck known as "Big Blue" . Blessed to have them ( Jeff, Kevin, and Jim) as good friends still.
Their mom and dad.... Frank and Donna, are now like 86 years young! The cycle shop closed in the 80's but they still have an auto repair shop as well as a towing company.
Some of by best times were spent at that shop!
Jeff
My mentor into the world of motorcycling was Bob Augustine. Fortunately for me when "Augie" would visit one of his motorcycling friends he would often stop by the Nursery and invite me to go along.
One of those trips was to visit Don McClelland at his little Hodaka shop that Don ran in his detached garage near Grove City, Pa. Don worked in Grove City at a steel plant and ran the Hodaka shop "on the side" in the evenings and on Saturdays, from what I remember.
Don was a great guy and eventually built a new building and took on Penton and Husky. The shop was quite modern for its day and Don was quite proud of it and ran it very well. The Grove City Motorcycle Club ran a track nearby and they put on some fantastic events, and the area was a hotbed of off road motorcycling activity. I know Don was a great supporter of the Club, but I don't know if he was officially involved with it or not.
The Club ran their events at a local strip mine area that had just about every type of terrain and challenge you could imagine. I have always stated that if you could race and win at one of Grove City's events you could race just about anywhere and be competitive, I found a flaw in that thinking when I rode a Two Day ISDT Qualifier in Barstow,CA, but that is another story.
Sadly, Don passed away at a rather young age, and eventually his shop closed up. Any time I pass his old building I still slow and think of Don. Don's daughter married one of the local hotshoes by the name of John Ayers, surely some of you know John. At a swapmeet one time I found a Husky style aircleaner cover for a Penton with a McClelland Cycle Center decal on it and bought it. Often times when I display a Steel Tanker I will put that cover on as my personal way to honor Don. I recently bought a stack of the Penton Imports newsletters from "back in the day" titled Keeping Track, to my surprise some of those were addressed to McClelland Cycle Center :)
Paul
we use to ride the enduro in grove city it started at the shop and we rode the h.s. at the strip mine.they ran a very good 4 hr 2 man event. my friend curt powell and i won the 125 class twice on curts 125 penton. my dealer was chuck bolher jamestown,ny. isdt rider.on greeves. later sold husky and penton, a good man and dealer. sadly died young.
dennis l.brown
Buck's Cycle in Valparaiso, Indiana, owned by Buck Whalsworth. I still have the original '73 Jackpiner my brother bought new from Buck, and the '74.5 Harescrambler I ride was Rick Whalsworth's Pro MX bike.
Mick
If you were in the Baltimore area who can't remember Motorsport Center,I would drive an extra 50 some miles to go to this shop bypassing the ones in my area.The shop was run by Mom and Pop Triplett,there son Bruce was the mechanic,there son in law Dwight Gill was the sales manager.I bought many Pentons and Husky's from them.I still have a 76 250,and a 73 100 from there.I ordered the 100,Penton Imports sent a 125,Bruce converted it to to a 100 and made it street legal so I could ride the 100 class in enduros.I spent many saturday afternoons in the old and new shop they had.They were some class A people.
Fondly remember the Baltimore store. Bought a couple of Pentons from Dwight in the very early '70s, including one of the first yellow-tank Harescramblers on the east coast. They saved my butt on one occasion when I screwed up an engine rebuild and they didn't even rub it in my face.:D
Larry Roberts, Mont Alto, PA
1973 Penton 125 Six-days(Sold)
1984 Honda V65 Magna
1991 Mazda RX-7 Turbo track car
http://rotarydiagnostics.com
Dad's original "Penton Motorcycle's" shop. (The "old" shop, off our North Ridge Rd.) Late '50's & early 60's, I'm 8 – 14 years old.
The addition had just been built, fresh new pine, before any yellowing. And that wonderful varnished smell. I'm reminded of it when I occasionally stay at a 50's ish "Northwoods" type cabin or motel room.
In the somewhat long and narrow showroom, bikes were lined up on either side of a center aisle. Packed in quite tight.
Facing the front door, BMW's on the left (hill side) were somewhat less packed, mostly black, some white. A couple BMW Singles but mostly R-60's and the "Super" R60s.
On the right (Driveway side) were a few BSA's and Ariels, including, I'm quite certain at one time, an Ariel square four. Also there were quite a few representatives of the newly acquired line of Japanese bikes that dad ventured might catch on: Yamaha's. That's my memory, at least, that Dad had Yamaha before becoming an early Honda Dealer.
I recall I'm 13 or 14 and hanging out in the service dept (old part of the old shop, but of course the best hang-out place in any shop) and Elmer, dad's right hand man, was working on a Yamaha 125, up on the stand (pre dirt-bike era, a full street bike with deep fenders, Honda Dream look). I was curious because most of the Yamaha's at the shop there were 250 twins, and well, like, maybe if I should ever get a motorcycle someday in the far distant future, It would be one of these smaller ones! It seemed to be taking an extraordinary time to be fixed. Up on that stand a bit, down for a while, and then back up. And a couple times dad himself was working on it! (Usually I'd be watching dad work on his own bike.) I'd ask what was going on with that smaller Yamaha, but kept getting an answer something to the affect of "awaiting parts on order", or other BS.
Well, Christmas rolls around and guess what's under the Christmas Tree? (metaphorically speaking, that is, really there was a card addressed to Jeff and I saying to check the garage.) And the Yamaha was a surprise!
Although the bike was Jeff's and mine, it seems it didn't take long for Jack to have a go at it. I recall Jeff and I getting a bit of a talking to (not too stern) for endangering our younger brother by letting him ride it. My memory was of false accusation on my part – it was Jeff's fault – (my story, and I'm sticking with it...) but it all seemed to blow over quite soon and Jack was riding quite regular.
Thus the beginning of the next generation.
Thanks you all for getting me to fondly recall those wonderful memories.
Tom Penton
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the excellent post! Very cool to hear things from your perspective....
1976 MC 5 Original Owner
1982 Suzuki PE 175
1976 Penton 175 GS
1976 Penton 250 GS
Glad to contribute.
Just recalled that my first paying job was at the old shop. I was given the responsibility of stocking the "pop" machine ("soda", for those out of district). It was an old machine, even by early 60's standards. The bottles would slide in rails accessed by a lid from the top. My wages? A free pop ... 10 cents!
Tom
Mr. Tom Penton,
I wish I could express better what it means to me, but for now I'll keep it short, and try to relate what a great pleasure it is to read your posts. I just love reading your stories of the Penton's past. On the farm, in the shop, around the world - your family is one of the greatest stories in motorcycle history. I want to thank you for sharing your memories, and taking me back there with you.
Bob
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/BobWardlow/MISCPENTONS/pp.jpg)
Rob,
My Pleasure.
I'll try to keep up and contribute more ... I've had a history of being in and out of depressions and go hermit - like, but will really attempt to hang in there as a more regular POG forums visitor.
Tom
J & J Cycle Sales in Lithopolis,Ohio Motocross & Enduro Specialist. After watching the John Penton movie last night on DVD just brought back so many wonderful memories I had to post this. I felt like I was part of the movie. Many of the local photos that were shown in the movie (also located in the POG Gallery section)were riders that purchased Pentons from the business. My story was told several years ago and now I wish I would have taken more time to really tell my story.
Reading Tom's post also inspired me to tell my side of the story. I too worked for free with the exception of locking the doors on a Saturday at lunch time and walking to the local pub that served lunch and dad would by us lunch and then back to work. To me it wasn't work it was having fun hanging out at the bike shop and listening to all the bench racing stories.
I also wanted to mention that during the movie someone had mentioned that they had sold over a 100 Pentons in one year and that sparked another memory!
I am fortunate when my parents sold the business that one old wood filing cabinet was left behind and inside was a leggier from 1973 to 1976 of all the bikes sold through the business...
I can tell you that J & J Cycles sold 112 Penton/KTM motorcycles/mopeds in 1974 alone.
2-KTM Mopeds
2-Trials
13-100's
30-125's
29-175's
29-250's
7-400's
I am so grateful for my parents and all of the opportunities they have given me and this being one of them.
Mike Scholl
Team J & J Cycle Sales
Husqvarna-Penton-Rokon
Motocross & Enduro Specialist
Finally finding time to post to this thread! Glad to see Tom Penton adding his perspective! I rode small bore bikes (100 Berkshire and 125 Six Days) in enduros when I first started out (you wouldn't think that if you saw me today!)and Tom is one of my heroes from back then! I loved being in the first rows of enduros and breaking trail, pretending I was Tom Penton!
I mainly dealt with three shops back in the day. I got my first bike when I was 16 (a Kawasaki 90) and we got most of our stuff from a small shop in Hazelwood, MO which was County Motorcycle Parts. It was an independent parts shop owned and operated by Jan Pott and Harry Barnes. Harry was an "A" rider back then and he and Jan rode Honda SL-125's that were tricked out for enduros. Eventually, they became a Penton dealer and they moved to Jackpiners. Along the way I moved on to a Penton 100 Berkshire steel tanker and then a '72 Six Days. County was a short ride from my house and when we had money for a big purchase like a new tire or pair of boots, we would bug them for a free Nitto Tire hat or something! I haven't seen Harry in quite a while, certainly not since I got back into this dirt bike thing in the year 2000, but Jan took over sole ownership somewhere along the way, and was still in the same location when I started back in again 15 years ago. Jan is a walking, talking encyclopedia of information on all sorts of motorcycle related stuff. I am an aviation enthusiast and so is Jan, and we managed to bump into each other now and then at local air shows through the years to stay in touch. When I started to make annual trips to Oshkosh to volunteer for the EAA KidVenture program, Jan has been riding along with me there for the last ten years or so. About a year ago, his sight started to give him problems, along with other problems with the economy and such, and Jan finally closed the doors on his humble little shop. I think he was the end of an era here in the St. Louis area, being the last independent parts shop in the area that I know of. Now he's got the time to spend working on the hoard of bikes he's accumulated. He has always been a big help to me, along with being a good friend also.
Another local shop I would hang out at was MPC, or Motorcycle Performance Center in Berkeley, MO. A guy named Jerry Pezek (sp?) owned and operated it for a few years. Jerry learned his mechanical expertise at the hands of guys like Don Vesco and was an excellent mechanic. He was a great help in working with me to get a Mikuni carb tuned to my '72 Six Days. He was also a good friend who let me hide my then new '75 Husky 250WR at his shop!I had just purchased it and was afraid to take it home out of fear of what my Mom would say!
That new 250 Husky was purchased at Dave Mungenast's Dirt bike Headquarters on Gravois Ave in south St. Louis. When we discovered motorcycles as teenagers, I was an devout St.Louis Cardinals fan, and Orlando Cepeda made me want to be a major league first baseman! After discovering dirt bikes, seeing "On Any Sunday" and learning of the ISDT, I was amazed to find out we had a REAL ISDT veteran in my own back yard in Dave Mungenast. After meeting Dave and riding with him a bit at his Doe Run Cycle Park near Potosi, MO., Dave managed to unseat Orlando from his perch up on my sports hero pedestal! I got my Penton parts from the Dirt Bike Headquarters and made the long drive there sometimes just to look at the used bikes he had on hand. I decided when I graduated from high school in 1974 that I was ready for a 250, and would bug Dave about every three days on the phone and every time I would see him at Doe Run or at an enduro that he needed to get me a 250 Penton as soon as possible! The 250 was a popular bike then as they are now and he just couldn't get any, so he made me a deal on the '75 Husky I mentioned. Dave was such a nice guy, always willing to give good advice, always a cheer leader and full of encouragement. I put bikes aside to get married and raise a family, and 25 years later I took my daughter to some flat track races at Tri-City Speedway and by chance bumped into Dave there. I had a great talk with him and that meeting was one of the circumstances that got me into the vintage dirt bike thing. It was always a treat to see him at the ISDT Reunion Rides, and at his little get togethers at his museum down the street from where his Dirt Bike Headquarters used to be on Gravois. We sure do miss him. I wish I could just take one more ride up into the woods at Doe Run Cycle Park, with me giving it all I got on my steel tanker, and following Dave really getting with it on a Honda step through 90! Dave was fast on anything!
Merry Christmas Everybody!
Dan McEntee
resurrecting this thread
when I was around 11 or 12 yrs old / early 70's - I accompanied two neighbors to a buddy race in Grove City PA - Grove City marathon ... 4 hour buddy race I believe
I was the 'pit crew'' for my neighbors - I toted the fuel and tools etc to a check point area etc (?)
we were pitted next to Tom Penton - the famous Tom Penton of Penton motorcycles
we initially did not realize we were pitted next to Tom Penton - we pulled into an open spot next to a plain looking van if I recall correctly ... there might have been a small Penton sticker on a widow or body of the van ... not sure
when I walked near the van I spotted a note on a piece of paper that was taped to one of the van windows
can't recall the exact text on the note - but it stated it was Tom Penton and to wake him by a certain time ... apparently he was sleeping in the van
so I eagerly waited to wake Tom Penton ... can't recall if I woke him or he woke by himself - but I did get the chance to open the throttle a few times while he was finished with his gear as the bike warmed up
don't recall too much after that ... Tom Penton said very little
Tom Penton ran the race by himself - and I believe he won both his class and overall
Chuck Boehler sold Pentons, Huskys, Greeves, Hodakas and others in his shop next to his house on Buffalo St Ext just outside Jamestown NY. Chuck was an A rider and rode a couple ISDT's including winning a silver at the Isle of Mann in 1971. You'll see his name often in old publications on lists of enduro winners. Around 1950 he started and was president of the Chautauqua Lake Cyclists club. Chuck set up and ran many scrambles behind the club house on Cowing road which I used to ride my lawnmower motor powered mini bike on in the 70's. He ran a few enduros also, and set up a motocross track on 28 creek road in Gerry NY which ran from 1967 - 1974. This is where I got hooked on MX. He was a hero to us kids in the area. If you google his name, the local Sports Hall Of Fame has some nice write ups about him.
Tom Anderson
My two favorite Penton shops were in PA. I was 15, it was 1973, and had a TS185 Suzuki and wanted a Penton terribly. I had recently met Craig Good and he rode a Berkshire in Enduros and got me wanting a Penton. I wanted to sell the Suzuki and my dad said if you could sell the Suzuki for what we paid for it I'll help you get the Penton. Well I did, and we bought a Jackpiner from Hermy's Tire and Cycle in Port Clinton, PA. We told Hermy we were coming down after we negotiated a price over the phone. When we got there the bike was still in the crate. Herm was the kind of guy who was never in a hurry to get anything done, especially if he liked hanging out with you in the shop. I forget what time we finally left, but it seemed like we were there for many hours. Today it's a huge BMW and Triumph dealership, still in the original location on RT.61, just a few miles north of Cabelas. The other shop I liked was Bonomo's. It was in the back of their bowling alley! They sold Huskys. I can't recall if they were Penton dealers or not. There was also a shop in Montrose, PA, but I can't recall the name now.
Bohn cycle shop on route 51 in Pittsburgh, drooled every time we drove past it, small shop, but had a road facing front window, saw Ron and friends training in a creek along streets run road WAY back, stay safe all of yunz.
chuck was my dealer for all my bikes back then,except my sachs boondocker i got from john pentons shop when he first got them. he was a great dealer,teacher and friend!
dennis l.brown
New England Sports Cycle in Scarborough Me. It was ran by a fellow Pogger Chuck Puriton. He sold and repaired Pentons, Ossas and Hodakas. They also ran an Enduro race team there. I still have 2 of the Pentons that were sold there!!
Raymond
Down East Pentons
Woodside Motors, Upland Indiana, CZ-Jawa-MZ dealer. Glen and Jayne Thornburg, mom and pop shop in their garage was the coolest place to visit growing up in the early 70's. Saw my first ISDT Banana framed Jawas there. Great people with a great little local shop. Sure miss them indeed.
Does anyone have any info on Penton Dealerships in Tennessee? I'm from East TN and know there was one in Knoxville. Just curious if anyone remembers any others or that one. Interesting side note my local KTM dealer has been in business since 1985. He bought parts inventory from the guy who was the Penton/KTM dealer at the time and with was a huge lot of early Penton parts. He sold the bulk to a vintage parts dealer in Ohio in the mid 80's. He did keep a few things as souvenirs like a couple of NOS VDO's which he still has. We also don't live far from Tellico Plains where they had ISDE qualifiers. I'd love to know a bit more info on Pentons in my area. Thanks!
Pate's Harley Davidson Yamaha and Penton. Located outside of Chattanooga in Hixson Tennessee on highway 153. Pate's was a long time Harley Davidson dealer in Chattanooga before moving into a larger building in Hixson. In the time I knew of the shop, Mrs. Pate ran the front, son's Drew and Joe worked the sales and the shop. I purchased two Pentons there. The first was a '73 125, used, It was returned to the shop after the first owner broke his leg riding it. I started racing hare scrambles with it, then motocross. I rode the wheels of that bike. The next Penton was one of the first MC5s, a 250. It had sat on the show room for quite some time and Drew made me a good deal. Ha. I still have both bikes, the 125 has had almost everything replaced at one time or anther. The only thing I'm certain hasn't been replaced are the center cases, crankshaft and connecting rod. It's still ready to race! The MC5? Not so ready. It needs restoring,
Pate's was an interesting place in the 70s. Drew was a former national flat tracker and it was not unusual to find grand national racers stopping in. Gary and Hank Scott were regulars. Some kid who was campaigning a Triumph lived in the warehouse for a time. I remember Joe locking the building up and setting the alarm at closing time. The kid had to stay in the warehouse or the alarm would go off. The only problem was the bathroom wasn't in the warehouse!
Hub Yamaha & Penton Cookeville ,TN Owner Richard Winningham was Enduro rider original out of Chattanooga ,TN I lived near by .
Quotequote:Originally posted by holeshothawk3
Does anyone have any info on Penton Dealerships in Tennessee? I'm from East TN and know there was one in Knoxville. Just curious if anyone remembers any others or that one. Interesting side note my local KTM dealer has been in business since 1985. He bought parts inventory from the guy who was the Penton/KTM dealer at the time and with was a huge lot of early Penton parts. He sold the bulk to a vintage parts dealer in Ohio in the mid 80's. He did keep a few things as souvenirs like a couple of NOS VDO's which he still has. We also don't live far from Tellico Plains where they had ISDE qualifiers. I'd love to know a bit more info on Pentons in my area. Thanks!
Interested in that 250 got some pictures, would you part with it?
Quotequote:Originally posted by Richard
Pate's Harley Davidson Yamaha and Penton. Located outside of Chattanooga in Hixson Tennessee on highway 153. Pate's was a long time Harley Davidson dealer in Chattanooga before moving into a larger building in Hixson. In the time I knew of the shop, Mrs. Pate ran the front, son's Drew and Joe worked the sales and the shop. I purchased two Pentons there. The first was a '73 125, used, It was returned to the shop after the first owner broke his leg riding it. I started racing hare scrambles with it, then motocross. I rode the wheels of that bike. The next Penton was one of the first MC5s, a 250. It had sat on the show room for quite some time and Drew made me a good deal. Ha. I still have both bikes, the 125 has had almost everything replaced at one time or anther. The only thing I'm certain hasn't been replaced are the center cases, crankshaft and connecting rod. It's still ready to race! The MC5? Not so ready. It needs restoring,
Pate's was an interesting place in the 70s. Drew was a former national flat tracker and it was not unusual to find grand national racers stopping in. Gary and Hank Scott were regulars. Some kid who was campaigning a Triumph lived in the warehouse for a time. I remember Joe locking the building up and setting the alarm at closing time. The kid had to stay in the warehouse or the alarm would go off. The only problem was the bathroom wasn't in the warehouse!
Thanks for the interest, but I'm not ready to part with it yet. Needless to say, it was wore completely out when I parked it around 1982 or so.
Thomas (Tomoromo): Thanks for the Jamestown memory. As it happens, my wife Julie and I traveled through the Finger Lakes region on two separate occasions in the last 2 years, and as we skirted the west side each time I'd mention the Jamestown Harescrambles that I'd raced a few times. I imagine she's tired of hearing about it, but it's memorable to me for its beautiful hilly setting and the close racing with Chuck Boehler on his Greeves. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember his name ... so it was just "What's his Name?" Thanks for reminding me.
Tom Penton
Hi Tom!
They found Chucks old Greeves in a barn in the area and restored it. It is now in the Chautauqua Sports Hall of fame room on 3rd St. in Jamestown. I believe he rode a Dalesman (with a Sachs) at the 1971 ISDT. All he ever sold was off road bikes. It was a real treat for me to visit his shop and be around those guys when I was young. If you google his name (spelled Boehler) there are quite a few pictures, and at chautuaquasportshalloffame.org there are some nice write ups. He was a lot like your dad, being pretty humble about it all when he was nominated into the hall.
Tom Anderson
Quotequote:Originally posted by holeshothawk3
Does anyone have any info on Penton Dealerships in Tennessee? I'm from East TN and know there was one in Knoxville. Just curious if anyone remembers any others or that one. Interesting side note my local KTM dealer has been in business since 1985. He bought parts inventory from the guy who was the Penton/KTM dealer at the time and with was a huge lot of early Penton parts. He sold the bulk to a vintage parts dealer in Ohio in the mid 80's. He did keep a few things as souvenirs like a couple of NOS VDO's which he still has. We also don't live far from Tellico Plains where they had ISDE qualifiers. I'd love to know a bit more info on Pentons in my area. Thanks!
I would think the Knoxville Penton dealer was Dial Brown at Knoxville Harley Davidson. Dial sold HD, Huskies,which he rode, and KTM's which I coveted. The Jack Pine was what I wanted in "75 and is still what I want today.
Quotequote:Originally posted by holeshothawk3
Does anyone have any info on Penton Dealerships in Tennessee? I'm from East TN and know there was one in Knoxville. Just curious if anyone remembers any others or that one. Interesting side note my local KTM dealer has been in business since 1985. He bought parts inventory from the guy who was the Penton/KTM dealer at the time and with was a huge lot of early Penton parts. He sold the bulk to a vintage parts dealer in Ohio in the mid 80's. He did keep a few things as souvenirs like a couple of NOS VDO's which he still has. We also don't live far from Tellico Plains where they had ISDE qualifiers. I'd love to know a bit more info on Pentons in my area. Thanks!
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Those Qualifiers were put on by the Volunteer Riders, which was based in Knoxville. I learned of them at Knoxville Harley Davidson when my wife and I moved there in 1975. Dial Brown was the Penton, Husky dealer at that time.
Quotequote:Originally posted by Jan Henson
Quotequote:Originally posted by holeshothawk3
Does anyone have any info on Penton Dealerships in Tennessee? I'm from East TN and know there was one in Knoxville. Just curious if anyone remembers any others or that one. Interesting side note my local KTM dealer has been in business since 1985. He bought parts inventory from the guy who was the Penton/KTM dealer at the time and with was a huge lot of early Penton parts. He sold the bulk to a vintage parts dealer in Ohio in the mid 80's. He did keep a few things as souvenirs like a couple of NOS VDO's which he still has. We also don't live far from Tellico Plains where they had ISDE qualifiers. I'd love to know a bit more info on Pentons in my area. Thanks!
I just saw Thomas Anderson's (Tomoromo) comment from January about Chuck Boehler's Greeves. Thanks for posting!
Tom Penton