KTM Frame Number Identification

[Daniel P. McEntee]

I have been in contact locally with a gentleman that had advertized a '74 Penton on our local Craig's List. Turns out he was trying to sell the bike for a friend in the Chicago area. He was to pick up the bike and bring it back to the St. Louis area this weekend and I had hoped to at least see and photograph the bike. It was supposed to be a very low time,barely ridden, almost new 400. The short story is it was sold to someone along the route who had contacted him through the add, and the bike never made it to the St. Louis area. One of those rare finds we all wish we could luck into! I have been lucky before, so no use crying over spilt milk!
   But this same gentleman also brought back a KTM project bike from the same person for himself to work on, and I am going to try and help him through his early learning stages, and have told him about the POG list and such. He told me the frame number was K5510018. I think either he or I may have left off a number, but we are trying to determine what year this bike is. I didn't write down the engine number but it began with 55 also, so I'm thinking it's for sure a 400 displacement. Orange frame with white tank. He thinks it may be a '78 model year. Hopefully in the next week or so I can see the bike in person and look a bit more carefully. Did the frame number for post-Penton KTMs carry on a similar frame numbering system? I have only found stuff on the internet that concerns later KTM stuff and other info that just confuses me. That missing digit may or may not make a difference. I believe it is in MC trim, with Mikuni carb, and has changed hands at least a few times before the current owner owned it. I'm guessing there may be a zero left off the number in the middle, so if it is K55100018, would that make sense and tell anybody anything?
   Thanks in advance,
  Dan McEntee

[454MRW]

Dan,
It probably starts with 855, which would be a 78 MC5. The 55 engine numbers makes it a 400. It would have originally came with a Bing carb. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[Daniel P. McEntee]

Hi Mike;
   He probably said "8" and I thought I heard "K". Man, I gotta get my ears fixed! He raced bikes back in the day, but was really not familiar with Penton and KTM. Not too sure of his level of enthusiasm, but he lives close on the other side of the river, and there is always room for one more vintage enthusiast. I hope to see what the bike overall shape looks like next week. I just cautioned him to take it slow and to digest info thoroughly, and put emphasis on joining the group here. In the mean time, now that the weather is breaking, time to get my own enthusiasm level up and get to work on a crappy garage and the two projects underway that winter (not you!) interrupted!
  Thanks a lot,
   Dan McEntee

[brian kirby]

Other side of the river, as in Illinois?

Brian

[Daniel P. McEntee]

Hi Brian;
   That would be correct, and Collinsville to be exact I think. The guy sounds like he may be interested in some AHRMA competition. as i told him about the cross country races at White City which is just up the road a bit from him. Time will tell. I hope to meet with him in person in the next week or so and check out the bike and see what his real feelings are. You got family in Edwardsville, correct?
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[brian kirby]

Yup, Edwardsville. No races at White City this year, it will be at the Hayes' property in Ramsey IL north of Vandalia, and it is going to rotate through White City, Little Egypt and the Hayes from what I heard.

Brian