Over the years the question has often come up as to how many 1968 Pentons were brought to the states, with numbers over 1,000 often being mentioned.
The very first Penton I ever saw was being ridden at the Kupec Cycle Sales of Butler, PA service managers home. A number of years ago I mentioned to that gentleman, Tony John, that I would love to know what the serial number on that bike was, to my astonishment, Tony replied, " it was number 200 and I still have the paperwork for it here somewhere". In short order, Tony called and said he found the MSO ( Manufacture's Statement Of Origin) for the bike and would mail it to me.
The MSO states that on June 25 of 1968 Penton V-0200 was assigned to Penton Imports from KTM. About a month later, on July 31, 1968 Penton Imports assigned V-0200 to Kupec Cycle Sales Butler, PA.
That being said, if Penton Imports assigned V-0200 to Kupec Cycle Sales on July 31st, and given that the first 10 Pentons had only arrived by airfreight to Penton Imports on March 7th of "68", I ask if it is reasonable to think that over 1,000 Steel Tankers did indeed reach the US in 1968?
If I am correct, about 200 Pentons fit into a container. If Penton Imports did indeed receive a container per month for August, September, October, November and December, then indeed the 1,300 that has been said to have made it to the states surely could be correct. I asked at a POG meeting a few years back if KTM could have produced that many bikes, the folks in the know stated that indeed, KTM had the capacity to have made that many bikes in that amount of time.
Possibly some of you have some MSO's or other information that might shed some light on this subject.
By the way, I have always been on the lookout for V - 200, if one of you has it, or even just the frame, please let me know as I think the MSO and that bike should once again reside together.