serial number question

[Dale Sonnenschein]

I found a 250 penton with the MFG date of 510. Is this bike the
74 1/2 frame design or the MC5 design? How late did the make this frame design?

73 Jackpiner
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
76 Husky WR360
78 husky cr250
82 husky wr430
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r

[454MRW]

That is the tail end of 75 production, possibly even early 76 Cross Country, depending on when they stopped 75 and started 76. 75 would still have a red tank, and although the design is the same for the 76 Cross Country, they have Orange bodywork, excepting West Coast bikes which may have used some Blue, and although the same basic design as the 75, the Orange bikes probably because of the larger tank is not as pretty in my opinion and they don't bring the same value as a red tank Hare Scrambler, even into 75. The MC5 frame #'s are all 550- for 76 & 77. 78 MC5's used 855-. 77 GS-6 bikes were Orange, but a slightly longer frame with a rear loop and 78 GS-6 also had the longer frame with white bodywork also. Both GS-6 models have a very large tunnel back hi breather frame design. Generally the 77 GS-6 used 701-7xx frame numbers and 78 801-8xx.
A bonus with the later dated 74-76 Enduro frames. 411-6xx, is that most have a reinforced bottom steering head attachment plate for strength. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1978 KTM 250'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT 250 conversion
1976-78 125-400 RM's & 79 PE250 Suzuki & 2012 DR650
2007 CR125R Honda
1977 MC250 Maico

[Larry Perkins]

Back then the year model production at KTM revolved around August vacation when the whole plant closed and then retooled.  So the 75 was produced through July of 75 and the 76 was anything August or later.  This is why,as an example, someone has a Hare Scrambler made in Sept of 73 they think they have a 73 when in reality it is a 74.  The exception was the multi-shock position 74.5 which I think we began to get in about April of 74.

Larry P

[Dale Sonnenschein]

This bike has the multi mounting holes on the swing arm. I don't have a good picture of the pipe but it looks like the 76 pipes that I have seen. The front fork leg is ribbed. The bike is in rough shape. Looks to have been outside for a long time. The pipe is rotted thru. The tank looks to be plastic, it has no paint on it and it has the watermelon shape.

73 Jackpiner
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
76 Husky WR360
78 husky cr250
82 husky wr430
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r

[brian kirby]

Europe still takes most of August off, Formula One has their Summer break at that time because factories all over Europe are closed.

As for the bike, Larry is right, I just had a discussion with a fellow on Facebook the other day that was sure he had a '71 CMF because it was built in November of '71. That bike, being October '75, is a '76 model.

Brian