My Penton.

[CWilson]

I've wanted to write this story for quite awhile now and I hope it is worthy of the Penton Racing Talk forum.  In the early seventies my friends and I rode our various Japanese motorcycles almost daily after school, weather permitting.  The only place I ever saw Pentons were pictures in the occasional motorcycle magazine I bought.  One day this changed.  We were resting under a tree near our mx track when a very strange sounding motorcycle came up the trail leading to our track.  The older (probably in his early thirties) gentleman rode up to our group, turned off his motorcycle and said hello.  The bike he was riding was a Six Days steel tanker with the cast iron cylinder.  The fins on the head went straight up instead of the radial fins I'd seen in the magazines.  His bike was very clean and well cared for.  Through our conversation we learned he lived in our neighborhood and didn't ride his bike very often.  The Penton looked like a real dirt bike compared to our stripped down Japanese enduro models.  I learned years later the same gentleman GAVE his Penton to a couple of neighbor kids who rode it for awhile.  The bike developed a fuel leak and caught fire while one of them was onboard.  The kid was unhurt, the bike burned up and it was thrown away.  

During another of our riding/racing outings two gentlemen rode up on their Six Days Pentons.  They were rather hefty individuals but the little Pentons took them where they wanted to go.  I believe they were on 1973 models.  They never stood on the pegs over the rough stuff and I don't think they ever shifted beyond second gear!  In fact I don't think they ever accelerated hard enough for their bikes to "come on the pipe."  They exhibited what I refer to as a "Stop and Smell the Roses" style of riding.  To a lad of 14 trying to go as fast as possible on an underpowered TS 125 Suzuki what those guys were doing was just plain wrong!

In 1976, on a whim, I drove to a Harley shop in Belton, Missouri and was completely flabbergasted by what I saw on display in a corner of the store.  There were four brand new 1975 Pentons.  Two Berkshires and two Six Days.  All four were decked out in full enduro trim.  The 125's were priced at $995.00 each and the Berkshires were priced at $895.00 each.  They were beautiful and I could just imagine how a Penton Berkshire would look in my parent's garage.  Excitedly I drove home and told my dad about the Pentons.  I must have been somewhat persuasive as he agreed to go back with me and look at the bikes.  On the way I told him about some of the things I'd read about concerning Pentons.  He was curious about why I was interested in the 100cc bike instead of the 125.  I told him that it was quite likely the Berkshire would be able to go almost as fast as my Suzuki so I didn't need the Six Days!!!  I hope John Penton doesn't read this.  While my dad talked to a salesman I sat on one of the Berkshires twisting the throttle and squeezing the clutch and front brake levers, and dreaming of how fast I could go on the red tanked beauty.  Imagine my surprise when my dad came over and told me to pick out one of the Six Days instead!  He figured I would be happier with the 125 Penton.  The bike was serviced and we picked it up the following Saturday.  When we got it home I was informed that the new Penton was my high school graduation present. WOW!!  I still remember the "Special KTM Tuning" sticker on the right hand side case.  To this day my Penton has never been plagued with a gearbox full of neutrals.  When I shift her she goes into the next gear.  I did shear a selector key years ago, had it replaced and the bike shifts fine.

Through the years I've enjoyed the Penton at Chadwick, Missouri; Camp Gruber, Oklahoma; Greenville, Texas; and now I've come full circle back to Missouri.  I've given both my daughters rides on my Penton.  I took my motorcycle skills test on my Penton (street legal of course ) and earned my motorcycle operators license with it.  Last September 26th, I raced my Penton for the first time.  It was at Moberly, Missouri in one of the Missouri Vintage Motocross races.  I entered the Penton in the Classic 125 class and took first place in both motos.  My wife and daughters were there with me.  They had never seen me race before and they were concerned about my well being.  It was a perfect day.  My Penton ran strong (D motor), I didn't crash and all was well.  Oh yeah I gave my youngest daughter rides between practices and motos.  Only on a Penton...  When I returned home I put the light, license, a mirror and horn back on my bike and rode her to the car wash.  As I type this I am getting the urge to remove the lights and slap a number plate where the headlight was and race her again this spring.  Only on a Penton...



Craig Wilson

[firstturn]

Craig,
  Thanks for the great story and it is wonderful to know another person still is the original owner of his or her Penton.  Man if I could just find mine.[8D]

Ron Carbaugh

[Mick Milakovic]

Great story Craig, I hope I get to meet you and your six-days, some day!

[bentrims]

Very, Very nice, well put together story. Makes me wonder what memorable thing I can give my son when he graduates.

[tomale]

Great story, Glad you were able to share it with all of us.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
78' 400 MC5

[bentrims]

http://www.dotphoto.com/GuestViewImage.asp?AID=2190034&IID=69705322&INUM=16&ICT=29&IPP=24

[bentrims]

My Penton...man this thing is fun !

[bentrims]

Sorry guys. If that pic did not load go to AHRMA site. Events/Results then next to the Arizona race click pictures.  2005 Events/ Arizona Speedworld/ Sunday Vintage/Race 3 moto 1

Rad pic going through the air sideways on the 125