What Did You Do To Your PENTON Today?

[Lloyd Boland]

Kent,
I just love those tanks.
Can you, or some of the other guys give me some history on these tanks?

Where did they come from, are they still available, etc?

Do they hold up well, some of the older aluminum tanks on vintage bikes seem to crack at the seams fairly easily after all these years.

Thanks.
Lloyd

[Paul Danik]

Dennis,

   Super idea starting this thread, thanks !!!!

Last night I loaded up an early Steel Tanker along with a "72" Jackpiner and set up a little display at a local weekly car cruise that was featuring Jeep & Off Road vehicles, a Penton banner attached to a tree provided a great backdrop and drew some nice comments. This cruise features a different make, model or segment of vehicles each week, this weekly event is gigantic with thousands of attendees each week.
http://www.starlitecarcruise.com/  

It was a very rewarding evening with many stories from folks who had a Penton at one time, or had wanted one, or used to race against them....each of these folks had something in common, the smile on their face and twinkle in their eyes as they spotted the bikes, these folks kept a smile on my face all night long

A number of young kids were amazed at what a dirt bike looked like " back then", a very well dressed lady started to stare at the Steel Tanker from a distance and walked right up to it and just stared at it, as she left I asked what had caught her eye about the Penton, " the signature on the gas tank" she replied, John Penton had signed the tank awhile back.

There were some folks who had never heard of a Penton and were quite interested in it's heritage, many folks were amazed to learn that John Penton lived about 2 hours away in Amherst, one guy thought for sure that John Penton was an European...

But, the one question that was asked most frequently by folks who knew what they were looking at was, " DO YOU KNOW "CRAZY" JAKE FISCHER" ? You have to remember that in the Pittsburgh and surrounding area "Crazy" Jake has in some way touched most every off road motorcyclist of our era in some way, if only in the stories that are told of his exploits.

It was a great evening and I, like many others who were in attendance at the cruise, enjoyed being back in nineteen seventy something

Paul

[cubfan1968]

All I can tell you is I gotta get back to working on my Pentons. I thinned out the herd of bikes in my garage so this winter I'm back in the Penton business.

Rod Whitman
Omaha, Nebraska
1972 Six Day (Rider)
1972 Six Day (Project)

[brian kirby]

I removed the engine from the MC5 400 and put it in the 74.5 chassis in preparation for possibly riding it next weekend at the Michigan ISDT race. I definitely would not make the cut for the Czechoslovakian ISDT team, it took me 4 hours to get it swapped.



I still have to put petcocks on the tank, swap on the correct shocks, try the big flywheel I got and swap on the MC5 wheels.

Brian

[Knute]

Lloyd,

The tanks we use are Hi-Point accessories that were offered back in the day.  There were many different versions available and they even came in an array of colors.  Unfortunately, they are getting pretty scarce/pricey these days.

We elected to use them when we first started building race bikes because they're very durable...the added benefits are they tolerate any kind of fuel and they look good.  The only modification I make is pressing a flanged hole into the front mount area and using Husqvarna mounts with a through-bolt.  Here's a scan from an old Hi-Point catalog:



TEAM PENTOVARNA
Kent Knudson
Kevin Brown
Gary & Toni Roach
James & Adam Giddings
Dennis & Cory Buttrick

[ForrestTonkins]

This is my first post here and I can not seem to figure out how to attach pictures, maybe someone can help.

I just finished restoring a 73 Jackpiner 175 and am getting ready to restore my 72 Wassell but still having to much fun riding it from time to time. And I want to thank Al for all the parts for the resto on the Jackpiner, and also lots of the parts for the Wassell so far.

And this last weekend I just finished painting a 71 125 Six-day gas tank that is now on my shelf with some other vintage gas tanks.

Forrest

[Lloyd Boland]

Thanks Kent.
I have seen these on a couple of CZs here on the west coast, and always thought they were good looking and high quality.
Thanks again for the info.

Lloyd

[Mick Milakovic]

Rode my Harescrambler with two of my favorite POG members!  Ambr is home from C-school before shipping out to Kuwait next week.



By the way, that's a 3-pound bass head on the tree behind Jarrin (my wife hates it!)

Mick

[Dennis Jones]

Very nice family portrait

Dennis Jones

[Dale Sonnenschein]

I just bought my 75 250 penton a couple weeks ago. I've already pulled the engine, took the top end apart, took off the seat, tank and fenders.

Oh, and placed a large order with Al buehner

74 puch 175 SD
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
75 Penton 250
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r

[TedG]

I straightened and welded up the most bent and twisted swing arm I have ever seen. The right side was bent and twisted up about an inch. Which twisted the left side. And there was a giant crack on the right side just behind the cross brace. Couldn't remember at first how it could have got so bad, then I remembered that I had looped that thing at speed more than once. That explained the bent forks too.

[OUCWBOY]

Hey Mick!
Great photo!
I take it that Ambr is in the Navy?? I am guessing since you mentioned "C" school. I did over 20 years in the Navy myself. Retired in 1993.
Good luck to Ambr and my God watch over Ambr!!

Donny Smith
Paragould, AR

[Mick Milakovic]

Hey Donny, yes, she is a corpsman attached to a marine platoon.  She flies to Hawaii next week, then waits for deployment to Kuwait.  Dads a little nervous [V]

Mick

[brian kirby]

Mick,

dont worry about her, Marines LOVE their "Doc's" and they are protective of them, even the ones that are ugly dudes. They will take care of her, because its her job to take care of them, and they know it.

Brian

[rob w]

Today - sandblasted.
1) '71 125 Berkshire Special. Frame and swing arm. 1) KR Penton Short Tracker. Frame and swing arm.
1) '75 Six-Day. Frame and swing arm. 1) MC5 swing arm. 1) Sachs head.




Bob