John Penton, Japanese Factory Rider...

[Tom Penton]

So...  under the thread below "need to purchase bike for ISDT RR", Rob posted  the above photo, adorably captioned. I'm not sure it is well known, but dad did indeed race Japanese iron, at least a few times.

One was a specially built Honda 160. About 1965, I think. This project came about because of the problem of racing the BMW single and not promoting a vehicle that was sold. (BMW dirt bike!)  The Honda Scrambler had just come out, and dad was suitably unimpressed, the weight being a factor. He felt he might be able to put together something better with a custom built 160. As I recall he raced it a couple times, maybe went back to the BMW for a couple more races, but then the Husky came along.

I was quite certain I had a photo somewhere of the white Honda 160, but can't find it.



The above photo will have to do. I rode a Honda 160 (street) all around Southern California while stationed at George AFB. (16,000 mi as I recall.) It, however, didn't have the "accessories" as shown in the photo!



The second Japanese bike was the Suzuki RH67. Doing some googling, I was delighted to find a lot of info on this bike as I would have guessed it was lost in the dustbin of history. (Note to collectors: very rare and expensive) Some links: AIM-expousa--Suzuki RH67--Preston Petty ,  Super Hunky--Matt Cuddy --Suzuki RH67  (Love Preston's development efforts!) , Tom White's Museum

Suzuki was dad's third retail Japanese brand, after Yamaha and Honda. Dad either 1. Asked for and received an RH67, or 2. Was offered and accepted one. In any case, there was an understanding from Suzuki that in receiving one of these rare birds, Dad would in fact race it!  So he did... a couple times. Then back to the Husky that he'd recently acquired. Suzuki wasn't too happy about it. However, another Penton family member also raced it a couple times (in hare scrambles)... me! My first experience on a "Big Bike" 250. Those who know me might guess my discomfort with this brute, and back to the small bores I went!

(Note: shortly after the Suzuki RH67 ride, I tried another 250: a Husky. What a disaster: shifting and braking on the opposite sides! Jack and I marvel at how brother Jeff was able to transition so well between the two.)

Getting back to Dad's photo: perhaps these Japanese dirt bike experiences would be "just cause" for the caption!

Oh, by the way ... Boo hoo  we didn't hang on to it!

Tom

[BrianTaylor]

Wow these are the stories  Ive been waiting to here ... thks Tom keep them coming .. Brian T

Brian Taylor