New guy

[tomale]

I certainly understand the idea of keeping the bike nice looking I did the same when I built the 74 1/2 440 maico. the thought of getting it muddy was unthinkable...
I should have my MC5 ready to go pretty soon and if you feel the need to ride one, let me know. it is yours for a day... At this point all that is needed was the Fox gas shocks.. the parts are on their way and if my Mechanic gets to it, they should be ready for the Nov. "mud fest"
For that matter anyone else of my Penton brothers are welcome to race it if they are headed this way....

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[Britt Boyette]

Wow Thom, you got a deal!  These MC5's are all I'd hoped they would be and everytime I do something to this bike, I like it even more.

 It looks like this bike may be featured in the next VMX magazine too, issue #40. Ken Smith now has the story and pictures in hand so that should be ultra cool to see it in print. I have actually been able to track down everyone who owned it since 77 and got their story about the bike. It has done almost everything in it's past including ice racing in Canada. It actually wow two classes in one day with two different riders. One in Jr. class and the other in expert. It was also used for some cross country events where it got serveral second place finishes. Then it sat around in boxes for around 29 years. Doug bought it and put it back together and traded me for a Jackpiner. I finished it up and now I want to keep it nice. This bike has never been babied until now.

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[tomale]

I have to agree, I have won alot of races on my Mc 5  and very dependable... I went two seasons, two classes per season. plus a few stand alone races for a total of over 70 moto's without a DNF.
The bike is not exactly stock but the motor is... After racing it alot I finally replaced the rings, and the ignition side crank seal is new but other than that the motor is stock. The Fox shocks have been on the bikes since after the first season back in the day. They have been wonderful. I would rate them as good as WP. It is no wonder Penton's are so good in the woods.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[Britt Boyette]

Does yours have first gear blocked off or is it a six speed? It seems to me that these things have two neutrals, one between first and second and the other between second and third or maybe my trans is goofed up.
 I am getting mine ready for at least one indoor race. I just swapped out the tank for the Clarke MC5 tank and this weekend I'm going to start getting the jetting dialed in. I've heard that I should dail the Mikuni in on the slightly rich side. What your thoughts on jetting the 125's?

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[tooclose racing]

Just weighing in here as a HUGE (and recent) fan of the 76/77 MC-5 models....your 125 is a beaut!  These 125s (and the same is probably true for 175s) seem to be a very rare commodity.  I can understand your reservations about getting this dirty.  I wonder if anybody has the inventory information for "models shipped" or sold in 76 and 77.  I gotta believe the 125 numbers are - at most - several hundred.  The 250 MC-5 seems to be around in much larger numbers.  Of course, I have also read at this site the first KTM 125 engine didn't really get high marks for out-of-the-box reliability.  

Anyway - nice bike!

[Britt Boyette]

As I understand it, in 76 and 77 there were less than 200 MC5 125s' imported to North America. I have no idea what the world wide total is but there sure seems to be more NOS parts than there are bikes to put them on. I've also heard tale of Sachs 125 topends somehow being installed on KTM 125 bottom ends but that may be an urban myth for all I know. Another thing I've never seen in person until I got this bike is the 35mm Ceriani forks with the leading axle. I know they had them and I've even got the parts breakdown for them in my MC5 parts book but these are the first ones I ever seen.

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[tooclose racing]

Oh...there are a few 76 bikes around with the Cerianis....

[Britt Boyette]

What is the correct color they would have been when they were new? I'm sure it wasn't orange.

 

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[454MRW]

The majority of the 1976 leading axle Ceriani's that I have seen are black or very dark gray with bright silver bottom end caps, compared to the Marzocchi's which were greenish-gold. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[Britt Boyette]

I have a pair of 35mm Marzocchi forks that I may swap out for these forks. Is the axle, triples, and brake stay the same?

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[454MRW]

Although the offset Ceriani's are more rare and were only used in 1976, they are suppposedly slightly better and have a smoother action than the Marzocchi's, at least according to Mike Lenz and others, so why change them? Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[Britt Boyette]

The Zooks I have are a bit longer in the travel dept. but I really don't have a solid excuse as to why to change them over. I leave them in place. Where these forks found on any other bikes?

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[rob w]

Hello new guy Britt, it's always great to see new members come in.

I'm not big on disagreeing with topics here, and I don't have the records to prove anything. But I believe the 125 MC5 was not as rare of a model as you've been led to believe. I do know they did'nt sell well - just think about the competition they were up against.

The first one I ever saw was ridden by Danny Magoo Chandler at Sand Hill Ranch.

Bob W

[Britt Boyette]

I will be the first one to step up and tell you that I have no idea how many came in originally. This info was found by doing a search on this very forum. Was the poster's info correct? I can't say but I do know that if you read it on the internet, take it with a grain of salt.   The internet's always right!:D

The thing I'm interested in is how many are left? This might make a better new thread so I'll start one. It's just interesting to me.

Britt Boyette
1976 125 MC5

[tofriedel]

In 1977 and probably earlier years Ceriani's & Marzocchi's could be ordered for your new bike.  I am the 2nd owner of a 1977 GS6 250cc model with Ceriani's ordered by the original owner from Amhurst and as Mike indicated, they are black with polished aluminum bottom end caps.

Tony