New to the board. . .

[el_jefe]

Greetings all! Ran across this board while searching for places to buy parts for my bike. . .  I have a 76 250 that I am finally getting around to restoring to hopefully race in the vintage class out here in AZ. A little back story on the bike, my father bought it from a guy who raced it in California in the late 70's (it still has the 78 KTM World Champion stickers on it), it was set up for open desert racing, as far as I know. My dad rode it for a while, but after breaking his collerbone and crashing it one too many times he gave it up. He let me ride it after I had worked my way up to it on smaller bikes, I spent a great deal of my high school years on that bike or working on it. Got married, joined the military, and for about 7 years it sat in my parents garage, with me firing it up every year or so when I came home on leave. Now I am out, and my parents eagerly brought it out to me here in AZ (so they could reclaim some of their garage, I am sure). The bike is in good shape for the most part, the original fenders have pretty much given up though, and need to be replaced, and if I remember correctly the seals are blown on the rear shocks. But the desert is calling, I have a ton of trails to ride right outside my door, and I hope to have her running again soon! I will get some pictures up when I can, and I hope to see some of you on the trails!

Jeff

[tmc3c]

Welcome Jeff !! Keep us up to date on your quest! I also own a 1976 250 GS that I did a complete resto on ! Now I am on my next project of a 1970 125 steel tanker. You will never find a greater group of guys willing to help than here in POG. Good Luck!!

Thomas Carmichael

[Rain Man]

Jeff, welcome to the Penton Owners Group  Sounds like your gonna have a great bike to race and ride with. []  There's plenty of parts available for your Penton with the suppliers listed. Have fun and   happy trails

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[James]

Jeff, congrats cool bike. I am in Tucson. what part of AZ are you in?
AVDRA races at Speedworld in Phoenix about every month. James

You dont stop racing because you get old..you get old because you have children

[el_jefe]

I just bought a house south east of Phoenix, near Florence. I have trails right by the house of dubious legality, but there is a track about 10 miles away off Ironwood, and a OHV Park about the same distance towards the 60.

[James]

Go to the track or OHV park, but stay away from the trails as a state prison is very near there. I hope to see you at the AHRMa national in Phoenix at Speedworld on
Feb 5 and 6.James

You dont stop racing because you get old..you get old because you have children

[firstturn]

James,
  You live in a beautiful state.  I am in Yuma checking out a Penton, but it is too far gone.  Engine missing etc.  We drove from Organ Pipe Park last Saturday and stayed in Tucson that night...nice place.  I checked out all the old haunts in Needles(Ca) and Laughlin(NV) for old bikes (pentons) but found nothing interesting. Great State and the weather was all over the map.....Snow in Flaggstaff and almost 60 in Yuma.

Ron Carbaugh

[James]

Thanks, Ron. I wish I knew you were in town. yes there is much to see in the desert.The weather is great from late Jan. to late March and again in the fall. I do miss home, though. Sometimes the smell of pine tress is right up there with the smell of castor and race gas.
 I heard much of the "goldmine" of vintage KTMs in Arizona. I remember Randy Brown bringing several of them back to Texas in the 90s. It looks to me like most of the pickings in Arizona have been picked over. I did see one 400 at a yard in...well can't remember between Phoenix and Flagstaff somewhere. anyway he wanted serious coin for any of the vintage bikes.  
 I can say that  vintage racing is huge here. boydstun runs a great club and series even though it is at Speedworld almost without exception.At least I am not in the quad cities( Iowa/ Illinois border) where there was one track that operated twice a year and nearly no vintage racers around. those guys have it tough.
  James

You dont stop racing because you get old..you get old because you have children

[Lloyd Boland]

I just looked on the SVRG (Southwest Vintage Racing Group) website and see that there is a SoCal vs Arizona race scheduled at Speed World on 11/20/05.  We'll see how many of SVRG's SoCal boys show up for the showdown at the Speed World Coral.  I won my only AHRMA national at Speed World some 3-4 years ago.  Boydston typically puts on very good events.  Everyone, have a great new year.