Early Pen/KTM Fame

[Big Mac]

In perusing old cycle mags, it's always interesting to me to discover new connections between famous hotshoes and Petons or early KTMs. A couple I found recently:

Danny "Magoo" Chandler: Of early '80s Factory Honda fame...per '76 Cycle Magazine, at 16 years old in first national at Hangtown, was far out front in his heat on his KTM 250 before a crash took him out. Before big factory money, nice bike choice for a privateer.

Malcolm Smith: Per a 5/76 Modern Cycle, "rode a box-stock KTM 250 GS to first overall in the Roof of Africa 3-day race....Malcolm liked the bike so much he decided to become a KTM dealer". An ad in the same mag says he and his KTM beat all bikes and cars by almost 2 hours. The ad headline--- "Why am I a KTM dealer? I rode it!"

Who woulda known? Maybe there should be a separate page here on the site with a list of all the famous riders who started on or chose Pentons/early KTMs, and significant events won by the brand through '77.

Mac