Mystery Penton

[Wesley Plunkett]

Hello Poggers,

I have a Penton that I bought as a parts or project bike awhile back. It  is frame #510 86632 indicating a production date of October '75? but the frame has the round rear downtubes, no forward shock mount, no rear fender mount tabs and a non high breather backbone. It had a '73 250 motor in it #3-5462238. It has a "banana" swingarm with the 6 shock mount holes, 200mm ribbed Ceriani forks, and a red "watermelon" tank.

I haven't been able to get on the frame or engine # page to check that. Does anyone have an idea what model this is?[?]

Wes Plunkett

'72 Sixday 125 AHRMA racer
'74 1/2 Harescrambler 250 AHRMA racer
'74 Harescrambler 250 restored ex racer
'74 Mint 400 project
'73 Jackpiner 175 project
'75 [?][?]

[Mickey Sergeant]

It's about time you joined the POG. Your buddies were talking smack at Crooked River about you for not being there saying you had to do house work.Missed a perfect track with the light on off showers. Don't know the answer to your question[:0]

Mickey Sergeant
74 Berkie
73 Six Days?

[tofriedel]

Sounds like you have a 1976 250.  The rear fender is mounted to the rear frame loop with a "U" shaped bracket and 2 small bolts.  There are no tabs on the rear loop.

Tony

[Wesley Plunkett]

Tony, I would agree by the frame # and other carachteristics it's a '76. What's weird is it doesn't have the oval rear downtubes with forward shock mounts, that part of the frame looks like a '73 or '74 with the small round tubing. It appears factory, it hasn't been cut or modified. So if KTM built this bike in '76, what model was it?

Wes
Oh yeah, "76 KTM 400 MC5 carcass

[Wesley Plunkett]

Hey Mickey,

I know, what was I thinking? I mixed up some Blendzall/VP110 for the weedwacker so at least it smelled like I was racing. I tried a couple of times before to register for the message board but it didn't work, I figured you warned them about me. I won't be at Bodnar either but I'll be at Big K for sure!

Wes

[Mickey Sergeant]

I'm the only penton left, Dick Mann built Brachmier a bike think he's loosing interest in the smaller bores. Maybe someday LG will get back out there;)

[Daniel P. McEntee]

I was going to guess that it's a '76 250 MC-5 that someone changed the swing arm on to have some more adjustability in the rear suspension, if that is possible. There were two different frames in '76 and '77. You say no rear fender tabs, but does it have a rear frame or fender loop? I think the Cerianis are correct for it.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[454MRW]

Dan, mc5's serial #'s start with 550-.
I have heard of other late 75-76 HS/Cross Country KTM frames without the laid down position frame configuration before without hi-breather backbones, but no definite explanation. Possibly started life as 125 KTMs. 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

[Doug Knight]

Considered 75 1/2, I have one that has a production date of 6-75 without the high breather frame. You said round down tube? Does it have the two position upper shock mounts? The 75 1/2 was half way to the 76.

[Wesley Plunkett]

Doug,

It doesn't have the 2 position upper shock mounts, that's what got me wondering about the origin of this frame. After reading "The Last 5 Digits" again in the production year section of this site, it occurred to me that it could be a replacement frame? That's the only thing that seems to make any sense.

It would be nice if we could get the serial number lists back, those were really helpful.

Wes

[tofriedel]

If my information is correct, the KTM model year changes in August(508).  With a frame number of (510), the bike was produced in October making it a 1976 model.

Tony

[clayman]

Whatever happened to LG?
Clay

[Wesley Plunkett]

Hi Clay, I saw him up at the Burrows Ranch race, he sold me a Penton banner and Mickey bailed me out of a jam with his spare clutch cable. Haven't talked to him since. I agree with Mickey, we need to get him back out on the track! I would like to see him bust out a Monark- what do you say LG?

There are still some cool Pentons running around AHRMA Northwest. At Hollister there was a friend of Milo's racing a nice steel tanker and a '72 Berkie. As for Milo he scored a very original survivor Mint 400 that he raced at Burrows, but didn't race his Sixday. There was also an interesting Berkie there with an aftermarket reed valve, cylinder and head. I don't think he raced it but it was cool.

[Wesley Plunkett]

Hi Mike, So- that frame could have come with a KTM 125 motor in it. Too bad I didn't end up with that motor![:0]

[454MRW]

Just one possible theory with no real evidence to back it up. 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