FYI - I am the new guy

[fasmith]

I joined the site yesterday.. and you guys got this website done right. The POG site is excellent.

I only started riding enduros in 1978.. first bike was a Maico coffin tank 250, and promptly traded it for 77 Penton 250 which I can still vividly remember my first ride on it at night across a field... that bike caused me to only live for motorcycles from that ride on.  For some reason, I moved on to a 1980 KTM 250 and I remember it having a "GS" decal on it.. even though I thought KTM dropped the GS label in 1979. The next year I bought a 1981 KTM WR250. I rode various Pentons - including a 1977 GS6 - at different times belonging to friends in our club, and would say to myself..amn I should have kept my Penton. I raced KTMs for many years until I switched to a KX500 in 1989 after watching Jeff Ward ride the KX500 to several victories in outdoor motocross races. I bought my KTMs from Barry Higgins at H&H in Atlanta and I would drive three hours to Atlanta to just bench race with the people there.

I did make a few correct decisions, (and don't throw too many rocks at me for this), I did keep my 1981 Suzuki RM250 air-cooled Full Floater.. which was the first year for that single shock suspension, and a few old Hondas, and the best decision I ever made, (besides marrying my wife of 28 years) was a couple of days ago, I bought the 1977 Penton GS6 400 that was on Ebay that you guys talked about earlier.

I have to say it may have been too much money, but I can say that it is worth every penny and the long drive to get it.  (BTW, I only found the forum after I got home with the bike last night) This bike is an absolute stunner - in original shape, and the pictures on Ebay did not do it justice.  Yes.. it has some rust on the swingarm, but what looked like rust on other places was red mud) and overall, this bike is is like traveling back in time to 1977.  The toolkit was in the toolbag, the labels (Made in Austria, etc) are still on it, the VDO shows 372 miles, the tires appear to original Metzlers, the fenders are original, not a scratch on the tank, and the frame still has that awesome silver paint.  I doubt this bike ever was rode in the woods.  The leather seat, the leather lever covers, and the leather tank strap..perfect, the leather tool bag, after just cleaning with son-of-a-gun, looks new.  The clutch is easy to pull, the engine has compression, the brakes are primo, the ignition has a good spark.... but the crank seals... I bet are dry.. so no, I did not try to crank it..I went over it in detail, and checking things out...  The forks are full of oil, the seals do not leak and rebound very nicely, along with the rear shocks.  I sat there in the garage until 3am just looking at it and remembering all those wonderful times I had on that first Penton.  

So, there is one thing it needs.. the right side number plate/panel is missing.  The guy who listed it did not own the bike, he is hoping the guy can find the panel, but... if he can't..  I will need to get a replacement.  So I will be posting in the wanted forum that I need a right side plate/panel..  I would love to get an original, but I would settle for a reproduction.  Other than that, this bike is complete just as it was bought in 1977, nothing was removed, and a beauty to behold now that I cleaned 20 years plus of dust and grime off of it.  

Freddie

[cubfan1968]

Welcome aboard. This group is the absolute best. Buying that Penton will be one of the best decisions you ever made.

Rod Whitman
1972 6 Day (Rider)
1972 6 Day (Project)

[Dennis Jones]

Welcome Freddie, I bought a 77 250 GS6 last fall and have been riding it in AHRMA cross county's this season. I love riding this bike
Another POG member and I were talking about how bad we both wanted to buy your bike but you can only keep up so many [V]
It sounds like this bike has found a good home.
DKWracer in the suppliers link has exellent repo covers, the origonals all break

Dennis Jones

[farmer58za]

Is that correct? You say that the 400 has a leather seat? Mine has one and I always thought that the original owner had changed to leather.


{>I have to say it may have been too much money, but I can say that it is worth every penny and the long drive to get it. (BTW, I only found the forum after I got home with the bike last night) This bike is an absolute stunner - in original shape, and the pictures on Ebay did not do it justice. Yes.. it has some rust on the swingarm, but what looked like rust on other places was red mud) and overall, this bike is is like traveling back in time to 1977. The toolkit was in the toolbag, the labels (Made in Austria, etc) are still on it, the VDO shows 372 miles, the tires appear to original Metzlers, the fenders are original, not a scratch on the tank, and the frame still has that awesome silver paint. I doubt this bike ever was rode in the woods. The leather seat, the leather lever covers, and the leather tank strap..perfect, the leather tool bag, after just cleaning with son-of-a-gun, looks new. The clutch is easy to pull, the engine has compression, the brakes are primo, the ignition has a good spark.... but the crank seals... I bet are dry.. so no, I did not try to crank it..I went over it in detail, and checking things out... The forks are full of oil, the seals do not leak and rebound very nicely, along with the rear shocks. I sat there in the garage until 3am just looking at it and remembering all those wonderful times I had on that first Penton.< }



Regards

David
'75 KTM GS250
'75 KTM GS400

[farmer58za]

Sorry
Welcome on board!

Regards

David
'75 KTM GS250
'75 KTM GS400

[fasmith]

Thanks..I appreciate the welcome..   I can assure you guys that this Penton has found a new home that will take good care of it and be forever treasured.  I took some pictures of her this afternoon posing with my current (even though it is semi-old too) woods bike, a 1992 Kevin Hines Honda CRE250 and the contrast between the two bikes is amazing and yet, I know that the Penton could carve the woods as well as the CRE in the hands of a capable tight woods rider...hmmm.. may be reaching a bit, but.. these bikes were made to be at home in the woods.

Next.. my mistake... I guess I had leather on the brain... the seat is not leather.. just the black heavy duty cloth backed vinyl that I remember as being standand fare...the seat has KTM and Penton in white letters on the back end of the seat..  also the Magura brake and clutch covers are the same material.. the toolbag is leather and the tank strap is leather...  so my mistake in saying that.. I guess I was just really excited...

I was surpised to find the toolkit in the toolbag - riders wrench, spark plug wrench, the spanner with the sockets that you stick the phillips/flat blade screwdriver into to make a screwdriver along with a sparkplug.  The warrenty disclaimer label is clear and clean..  

The other Penton on Ebay..  I talked to the guy.. and tried to make a deal for it, but could not.  It is rough in condition, but a desirable bike.  I am going to try to get it.. if I win the auction, wonderful..if I don't then I hope it finds a good home and is not parted out.  

The serial number is 701 00316  which if I think is right makes this an early production bike...  however, if you guys will, break it down to as the real production number....  I will get the numbers off the motor later tonight...  I see that there is a great link to the serial numbers and production numbers..  I will be sending mine to add to the list ya'll have.

thanks for the tip on the side panel..I will be getting that ordered ASAP.

Freddie

[fasmith]

follow up on the engine serial number...

the casting number is 1976 with the arror pointing to the number 9

the serial number is 6-5504651  which says this is a 1976 400 motor ..  

the frame number is 701 00316  


the carb is the Bing with a manual bar mounted choke ..and the old tickler button of course.  Gotta love the slobber button.  My recollection was that the Bing was a gas hog.  On a mid 80's KTM 500, I swapped a Keihin in and was amazed how much gas I would have left at the gas stops instead of just getting there on fumes.  But this Bing stays.  I am keeping the bike authentic.

Freddie

[DKWRACER]

Freddie, you might want to pull the gas tank from frame # 701 XXXX, It could be a wide alligator back high-breather frame. The back bone will be noticibly wider with elongated holes that capture the air and send it down the backbone to a snorked airbox. If so it would be a GS with a rear frame loop for the fender support. The tank may be a GS style in two fashions, 1= smaller MC5 style tank 2.x gallons or the larger 3.x gallon tank with L-shaped decals...Adios...Tom Brosius

[fasmith]

yes, this bike has the frame as you describe it.. a snorkel airbox sealed by the side cover with the foam on the side cover... the filter was in bad shape... but the rubber band around the top of the air box and the snorkel is in excellent shape and the foam on the side cover is too..  it has the 3 gallon tank with the L shaped decal - black stripes.  The rear frame loop holds the fender. all wiring is still in place.

Thanks

Freddie

PS.. I need to buy a right side panel from you..  I'll send you an email on that...  






quote]Originally posted by DKWRACER

Freddie, you might want to pull the gas tank from frame # 701 XXXX, It could be a wide alligator back high-breather frame. The back bone will be noticibly wider with elongated holes that capture the air and send it down the backbone to a snorked airbox. If so it would be a GS with a rear frame loop for the fender support. The tank may be a GS style in two fashions, 1= smaller MC5 style tank 2.x gallons or the larger 3.x gallon tank with L-shaped decals...Adios...Tom Brosius
[/quote]

[DKWRACER]

Congrats! You have found a good one, to see it's sibling, please see my website and there is a 75 orange 400 dubbed Stella, in original condition but with just a few cosmetic cleanups... If you need help on your project, do not hesitate to ask. In and amongst the group, there are parts and knowledge of the GS....Tom Brosius