Someday certain parts for our beloved Pentons will not be available. Motoplat ignitions have gone by the wayside and certain exhaust pipes are hard to come by. When will case halves, layshafts, selector keys and other parts be gone? With the above in mind is it within the realm of possibility for a group of investors to gear up and manufacture Pentons again? Could or would Fitchel and Sachs produce engines? How about KTM, Ceriani, CEV and any of the other companies responsible for Penton components? How many motorcycles would have to be sold to turn a profit? Would the motorcycle be a replica of a steel tanker or a frame breather? A 100cc or 125cc?
I'm not a businessman (obviously) but it sure would be nice to purchase a "new" Berkshire or Six Days. Quick! Somebody bring me back to reality!
Craig Wilson
It never fails. I write some masterpiece post and my computer explodes! Anyhoo Craig, I think it's a bit of a dream to expect those old bikes to be manufactured just like nobody is going to make a new '63 Vette (but you knew that). I think what IS possible is to continue to push the envelope and get new repro stuff made. We need to continue to post needs/desires on this site but also communicate with Al B. and Karl, etc... about what we need and what can be done. A good example is the earlier discussion about getting fork stop caps made. Thanks for listening. Thoughts from the group?
Mike Husted (rd400pi)
Proud owner of 2 Six Day bombs (73&74)
Thanks for your reply Mike. Reproductions of the old Honda 50 minitrail and trail 70 are available as well as, I think, the Royal Enfield motorcyle. Why can't the same thing happen with Pentons? You are probably right...it's just wishful thinking.
Craig Wilson
I don't think that if is all that wishful. Maico has begun to make bikes again from parts made in the late 70's if there is a market for late 70's maicos I would thing that there is a market for Pentons. I would think that most of the cost to produce a bike is the R&D. If the original dies are still around then that would be of savings as well. And if not it is alot easier to make a retro product that a new original one. It is media like this message board that makes the past live. There is a bunch of us that wish we could go back to when we were young and things were alot simpler than they are now.
Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.
Don't forget, Greeves is making the pre-65 Anglican trials bike again.
Rick Terry
Really, I did not know that. being in the great Northwest is sometime like being a mushroom, they keep you in the dark and feed you ....., well you know what I mean. That would be neat to see one of those. the bike that is.
Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.
They have been making AJS Stormers, Greeves Anglians and Cotton scrambles and trials bikes again in the UK but wise souls saved a lot of the tooling used to make these bikes. These bikes were in short supply in the UK as 90% of these bikes came to the USA. It should not be too hard to start something like remanufacturing these motors. The big hurdle will be that there are so many bikes still available and more restored bikes will be coming up for sale as our knees, shoulders and backs give way to old age. Economically it probably will not make sense.
Craig and All,
While it might not be possible to get a new steel tanker, it is becoming easier to keep it running. I just received a parts shipment from Al Beuhner, and enclosed in the order was his new parts list for 2003. The really exciting thing is all the new parts being reproduced and services being offered. Keep the faith, 'cuz unlike the economy, this thing doesn't show signs of slowing down!
Mick Milakovic
Delphi, IN
765-268-2570