Ice racing penton

[wildman]

Here in Michigan,it gets pretty boring during winter, so to get our bikes out we stud the tires and ride on the  frozen lakes. This is how I got back into Pentons.
My modus operandi was to find a cheap bike and put ice racing tires on it. In ice racing the tire pattern and the screws are the most important thing and the suspension, etc, relatively unimportant. After blowing up my 76 RM125 I was looking for a replacement bike. A coworker mentioned an old Penton in his garage that he would sell for $40. I went to look at it, not too bad! I bought it for $40 and he even had the owners manual. I passed on the old school 650 Triumph chopper he had selling cheap, Boy, do I kick myself now.
Getting the bike home, I proceded to lower the front forks and rear end, then mounted a 19" front wheel and then my ice tires.
It's possible to simply screw up knobby tires and they work OK but at the time Carlisle "grasshopper" tires were THE tire to use. Most would take a worn street bike tire, cut off the sidewalls and use as a liner inside. This enabled using 1" or longer screws that wouldn't pull out. Getting this mess on the rim without pinching a tube was the hardest part. Then came my greatest (worst) modification.
It was such a hassel workng around the through the frame exhaust pipe to get to the carb. I took the pipe and cut it into pieces, and made it into a downpipe. I only had to cut a small wedge out to make it fit, it really tucked in pretty good, but you only turn left in ice racing. I had to weld a mounting tab to the frame, and dumbs--t that I was, cut off the rear pipe mounts. I then removed the airbox and ran a K+N clampon. Fenders were constructed that covered the front and rear wheels per regulations. A couple side # plates and I was ready for  testing.
I had been riding on the ice for years just for fun, Suz--i 90, 185, 125. but really just screwed up for winter trail riding. The Penton was the first bike really set up just for the ice and I would leave it set up all year and only get it out for winter.  
I would like to say that I went out and won on it but really I just had a lot of fun. I could never get the hang of just throwing it into the corner like the flat track boys did. Go as fast as I could in the straits but keep the wheels inline and hooked up in the corners. Man, I would get passed so fast and so close it was  a little scary (but fun!).
The 1975 Penton 250 CC would always start good and ran great, I never had 1 breakdown.
So picture this: it's January in Michigan, winds blowing 20-30mph, 20 degrees out on a snow-covered lake. Its frozen solid so the vans and trucks are parked right on the ice. Wearing coveralls, longjohns and mx boots and something around the neck, Full coverage helmets almost mandatory. Volunteers are needed to snoblow the track because you need bare ice to race on. Sometime 5 bucks kicked in on gas for the old Jeep with a plow. Most times, these rides were for fun or practice but someone would usually flag starts and finishes. I could hold my own with other dirtbikers but flattrackers ruled. Sometimes the wind was so cold you would hold your breath on the back strait. Usually 3rd or 4th gear on the straits and shift down in the corners, what a blast! Jeez, I get geeked just thinking back about it.
After 2 or 3 years of bad winters and no good ice, I noticed the vintage dirtbike scene and realized my Penton was too nice to keep for iceracing and put it back to stock. I cut the pipe again and rewelded it, and had to make brackets for the frame. Luckily I hadn"t thrown away any old parts. This is the bike that started me back on Pentons and today I have 6 in various forms. Maybe someday my dream of a Kenny Roberts/Penton Special will occur and I'll get it on the ice again.Thanks for reading, Dan "Wildman" Pagel

1975 250 Cross Country, 1974 175 Jackpiner, 1975 125

[swamp fox]

Dan,
Coincedence? Not one hour ago I saw a program about ice racing on Spike TV. Jeff Fredette was racing in it.

Robert Manucy
72 Berkshire
72 Six Day

[Paul Danik]

Dan,
   Funny that you mention a KR/Penton for ice racing, the KR/Penton that I found in Walneck's a few years back is set up for ice racing. The owner would drive once a year to Mich. from Pittsburgh, PA and race it, other than that it just sat in his shop.   I have often contemplated taking it up to the local lake and buzzing the ice fishermen:D
Paul

[wildman]

One neat thing about winter lake riding is that you have a large, flat, wide open area where you can really open er' up. Use caution because ice fisherman froze-over holes will give you a nice jump when you least expect it. The snow on the lake didn't bother me but we generally only put screws on the left side of the tire. This made right turns interesting! I would always try to give the fisherman a wide pass so we could all get along. I don't think the bikes really scare the fish that much.
One trick I found was to run a little dry gas so the moisture wouldn't stick the carb slide wide open. Had that happen a few times, almost made my eyes stick wide open;). Gotta go, the lakes are freezing over. Dan

1975 250 Cross Country, 1974 175 Jackpiner, 1975 125

[firstturn]

Dan,
  You guys from Michigan always seem to have fun year round.  I had never thought of the dry gas trick even for other areas.  And I need to add for those of us in the South who never use DRY GAS it is a additive to put generally in car gas tanks to stop the moisture from freezing  in the gas lines and/or carburetors in the extreme cold climates.

Ron Carbaugh

[Dennis Jones]

Ron,

When I bought the Wassell trials you now have I was told it had been used for ice racing and was a state champ in class ( can't remember stat ). The knobes on the tires were all crosscut.

Dennis Jones

[firstturn]

Dennis,
  I guess all we need now is a sponser and we can flip a coin to see if you or I am the rider since we have the bike[].

Ron Carbaugh

[alandspeed]

Ron and Dennis,
If you need a place to practice, we usually have a nice track on the river by Joshs house.  The boys from Hobans Racing (Harleys) are usually there keeping their road race skills honed on the dirt bikes.  Its about 8 above and we are making ice.  Al

[firstturn]

Al & Josh,
  You guys are really nice to invite us up, but help me out with this Wisconsin terminolgy.  8 above?  Above what?[)]
  Seriously the ice racing that I have seen was unbelievable.  I actually saw some Russians do a demonstration in the USA back in the 70's.  These guys were good.  I would love to have a XR750 set up for ice racing....oh there I go again day dreaming again.[]
  Keep us updated on your '68 Penton Project.

Ron Carbaugh

[alandspeed]

Speaking of ice riding and restoration, I found the pefect mix for anyone who wants to restore a bike back to showroom and still ride.  Get out on the ice!  Make sure the jetting is set and some screws in the tires and your ready to ride the bike you couldn't bring yourself to run in the mud and trees.  Its great grip and if you do fall down, the ice is soft enough that nothing gets tore up (bar ends, axles, shifters) And when your done, back to the shop and ice melts away just like giving her a bath.  Summer comes and shes ready for her good shoes and the show.

The 68 is moving along and gettting the crank done and some correct paint codes together.  Cleaning everything up to see what you have is the real project.  Will keep you posted.  AL

[firstturn]

Al,
  To keep track of your Penton Projects we are going to have to give them names[)].  I want to name the one from Wausau the "Porch Penton" for obvious reasons so we need another name for the other '68.

Ron Carbaugh