Harescrambler, Jackpiner, Six-Days, Berk.

[peter kane]

I'll bet this question has been posed, but I can't find it in Search or back issues of Still..... keeping track:

Who gave these names to these bikes?  Mr. Penton?  Was the Berkshire named after a race in the Berkshire's in beautiful Western Mass.?

Peter Kane
V3442
Plainville, Massachusetts
[email protected]

[Doug Wilford]

Peter:  The early Pentons were all named after events.  I remember John, his brother Ted and that most of the employees at the Penton Honda dealership were in on the discussion of Model names for the Penton Motorcycle.   Whos' suggestion it was I know not,but I do know that the decision to name them after events was unanimous.   John had always talked about having a motorcycle you could take out of the box and ride and enduro, a Six Day bike that you could take out of the box and be ready to ride.    You have to remember that back then most all Six Day Bikes were special built by the factories.  For JOhn to communicate what type of bike he wanted, from KTM, the words "LIKE a SIX DAY Motorcycle"!!! were used, many, many, many times.   The 125 Six-Day was easy (named for the worlds most grueling event) at that time.  The 100 Berkshire from the 2 Day Bershire Trials in MA.  Then the "Jackpiner" named again after the 500 mile Enduro in MI.   Hare Scrambler Johns words for a rough Scrambles. "Mint" 400 a great race in the Nevada desert

[Doug Wilford]

Peter:  The early Pentons were all named after events.  I remember John, his brother Ted and that most of the employees at the Penton Honda dealership were in on the discussion of Model names for the Penton Motorcycle.   Whos' suggestion it was I know not,but I do know that the decision to name them after events was unanimous.   John had always talked about having a motorcycle you could take out of the box and ride and enduro, a Six Day bike that you could take out of the box and be ready to ride.    You have to remember that back then most all Six Day Bikes were special built by the factories.  For JOhn to communicate what type of bike he wanted, from KTM, the words "LIKE a SIX DAY Motorcycle"!!! were used, many, many, many times.   The 125 Six-Day was easy (named for the worlds most grueling event) at that time.  The 100 Berkshire from the 2 Day Bershire Trials in MA.  Then the "Jackpiner" named again after the 500 mile Enduro in MI.   Hare Scrambler Johns words for a rough Scrambles. "Mint" 400 a great race in the Nevada desert

[Rain Man]

I gave my 77 GS 400 a name too! Its called a leg breaker 400, for various reasons of course, but mostly kicking it when its a might nipply out !! I bet some guys will call it a neck breaker too

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[Doug Wilford]

Quite British sounding for sure!   Otherwise, I'm with you

[bentrims]

I started calling my 125 the Green Hornet last summer but I may change it to the Sledgehammer if things keep going as they have.