1969 Penton 125 Six Days number plate color

[t20sl]

Does anyone know positively if any 69's came with white number plates?  I could swear my original that i got new in 69 was white not yellow.  Unfortunately the only photo I have is at the starting line of Jack Pine National and it is a black and white photo so I can't tell.

Ted Atkinson

[Kip Kern]

Yellow

[harrO]

Ted. My 69, #13XX  with  enduro kit, came with white front plate.

[t20sl]

So yellow except for front plate if cut out for headlight was white?  Maybe since mine had enduro kit I painted the rears to match  It's been 46 yrs and memory is a little hazy.

Kip, do you have a paint code for the yellow?

Thanks, Ted

[Bob Gilman]

Ted,I have a total orignal 1969 motocross model came thur with all 3 plates white and also a red tank,and its a 125. Bob

[t20sl]

Bob:
 Thanks, now I am not doubting what I remembered as much but still some!  I know all the "restored" ones I have seen are yellow but I seem to remember white and so many have been "restored" by some of the same fellows.  I have been searching for a magazine test on a 69 with color photos but can't seem to find one.  With that said however, the video from 1968 Trans AM shows Tom P and Jeff P both riding bikes with yellow plates.  Maybe 68 had yellow and 69 had white or maybe came both ways???  Since all Pentons to my knowledge came as MX and the dealer had to make them an enduro version I just don't know.  I do know the enduro kit had a white front plate if it had the big headlight because I had a NOS one I used from Dad's dealership.

Ted

[Paul Danik]

I bought this machine from the original owner and he said it was original except for the enduro items that he added. The rear plates are white.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=170&hr=1

This machine now resides in the Museum at the KTM factory in Austria as they felt it represented the machine that they built in conjunction with John Penton, and it was in original condition, not restored.

If you have an "original" machine, do yourself a favor and think long and hard about "restoring" it. Take time to ask museum curators such as Mark Mederski what they feel is the best way to proceed if you are in doubt. I constantly discuss this topic with such folks and they are always in total agreement, a machine can be restored numerous times, but they are original only once.

Paul

[t20sl]

Paul:

That boat already sailed.  It is already "restored".  If I could venture a vote I would have to disagree about original vs restored.  Yes I agree if it has special history as to who rode it or where it competed original would be more valuable.  However if it has no significant provence but is restored "correctly and accurately" I would challenge the concept that it is of lesser value than an original.  I would give more for a perfect 10 than a used 7 any day.

Thanks for all the information on the Austrian museum bike.  I have noticed both pleated and smooth seat covers on 69's,  and your bike is smooth.  Mine had original cover which was pleated.  It is so hard to determine originality with the continual updates that were done with the Pentons with no serial number history as opposed to how the Japanese documented their changes.

Thanks, Paul

[Paul Danik]

Ted,

  I respect everyone's thoughts on what is at times a delicate subject. I do admire the quality of the work that is done and appreciate the time, money and effort that is put into these labors of love.

  Personally, I tend to see us more as caretakers of these machines than owners. The future generations will inherit what we have decided was the "correct" use of these prized machines. That being said, I do apologize for bringing this subject up in your thread, just wanted to provide a little food for thought.

Paul