This past weekend, I hit the road with Penton Steel Tanker V-015. On Saturday I set up a little display at a state park regatta about a 1/2 hour from home in their car and motorcycle show. The response was much more than I had expected, with numerous folks taking the time to read my little storyboard and then engaging in conversation. I even ran into a few folks who raced "back in the day" at the same local tracks that I did and we compared notes on those days gone by.
On Sunday, I joined POG President Rick Bennett and his crew at the Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club Rally in Toronto, Ohio. Again, I set up V-015 and placed the storyboard next to it. In due time I pushed V-015 about 25 feet to the Bike Show that was about to commence and entered it in the COMPETITION class. In due time the bikes were judged, and an hour or so later the winners were announced. V-015 was awarded first place in the class.
Watching folks read the storyboard, and then seeing them search V-015 for its serial number, fork stops, and the overspray paint on the underside of the gas tank as they read the story, gives me great pleasure. As did the many comments of thanks expressed by these folks. I have provided the text from the storyboard below, along with a few photos from the weekend. Once again, Thank you very much, John Penton.
THE PENTON SPORTCYCLE IN FRONT OF YOU, SERIAL NUMBER V-015, WAS THE SIXTEENTH PENTON BUILT. A PROTO MODEL WAS BUILT BEFORE SERIAL PRODUCTION BEGAN AND WAS SHIPPED FROM KTM IN AUSTRIA TO JOHN PENTON IN AMHERST, OHIO FOR HIS APPROVAL. ONCE JOHN APPROVED THE PROTO MODEL, AN ORDER WAS PLACED FOR 10 PENTONS TO BE BUILT AND SHIPPED BY AIRFREIGHT TO JOHN IN OHIO, THEY ARRIVED ON MARCH 7TH 1968. A FEW DAYS LATER 6 OF THEM WERE RIDDEN IN THE STONE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL ENDURO WITH GREAT SUCCESS. THE ERA OF THE PENTON SPORTCYCLE WAS UNDERWAY!
V-015 IS PRETTY MUCH AS IT LEFT THE KTM FACTORY OVER HALF A CENTURY AGO. ONE OF THE CHANGES MADE SINCE LEAVING THE KTM FACTORY WAS THE ADDITION OF FORK STOPS. FROM THE FACTORY, THE EARLY PENTONS RELIED ON A STEERING DAMPENER TO END THE TURNING OF THE FORKS, BUT THAT SYSTEM FAILED AND THE GAS TANKS WOULD GET DENTED FROM THE FORKS. TED PENTON UNCREATED V-015 IN AMHERST,OHIO, WELDED THE FORK STOPS ON AND SPRAYED THEM WITH PAINT TO TRY TO MATCH THE FRAME, SOME OF THE OVERSPRAY PAINT CAN BE SEEN ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GAS TANK.
THE SACHS ENGINES OF THIS ERA HAD A RATHER DELICATE GEAR CHANGING SYSTEM, POSSIBLY THAT IS WHAT SAVED V-015 FROM MUCH USE AND ALLOWED IT TO BE PRESERVED IN ORIGINAL CONDITION, TIRES AND ALL. THE GEARBOX ON V-015 WILL NOT GO INTO FIRST GEAR, THE THEORY IS THAT ONCE THAT OCCURED IT WAS PUSHED ASIDE AT THE SHOP UNTIL REPAIRS COULD BE COMPLETED, AND SEEMINGLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT, PRESERVING IT FOR ALL OF THESE YEARS.
THE PLAN IS TO REMOVE THE ENGINE FROM V-015 AND HAVE SACHS ENGINE BUILDER RICK BENNETT DO THE NEEDED REPAIRS, WITHOUT REMOVING ANY OF THE MANY YEARS OF PATINA FROM THE ENGINE. AT THAT TIME, WE HOPE TO HAVE A SPECIAL GATHERING OF PENTON ENTHUSIASTS WHERE V-015 WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE AFTER SITTING DORMANT FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY.
Paul,
Thank you for all that you do. It is wonderful with you taking some time to set up those 1 man Penton bike displays at the local car and motorcycle shows. This is an example of what other Penton owners can do to show their bikes and do not want to ride them vs having them just sit around in a garage collecting dust.
It was good seeing you at the Ohio Valley BSA event on Sunday. I was not surprised with you getting the 1st place trophy in the competition class. There were some pretty looking restored bikes, however yours is totally original and in nice condition making it an extremely rare Penton.