Penton dealerships and bike shops.

[lmroberts36]

Fondly remember the Baltimore store. Bought a couple of Pentons from Dwight in the very early '70s, including one of the first yellow-tank Harescramblers on the east coast. They saved my butt on one occasion when I screwed up an engine rebuild and they didn't even rub it in my face.

Larry Roberts, Mont Alto, PA
1973 Penton 125 Six-days(Sold)
1984 Honda V65 Magna
1991 Mazda RX-7 Turbo track car
http://rotarydiagnostics.com

[Tom Penton]

Dad's original "Penton Motorcycle's" shop. (The "old" shop, off our North Ridge Rd.) Late '50's & early 60's, I'm 8 – 14 years old.

The addition had just been built, fresh new pine, before any yellowing. And that wonderful varnished smell. I'm reminded of it when I occasionally stay at a 50's ish "Northwoods" type cabin or motel room.

In the somewhat long and narrow showroom, bikes were lined up on either side of a center aisle.  Packed in quite tight.

Facing the front door, BMW's on the left (hill side) were somewhat less packed, mostly black, some white. A couple BMW Singles but mostly R-60's and the "Super" R60s.

On the right (Driveway side) were a few BSA's and Ariels, including, I'm quite certain at one time, an Ariel square four. Also there were quite a few representatives of the newly acquired line of Japanese bikes that dad ventured might catch on: Yamaha's. That's my memory, at least, that Dad had Yamaha before becoming an early Honda Dealer.

I recall I'm 13 or 14 and hanging out in the service dept (old part of the old shop, but of course the best hang-out place in any shop) and Elmer, dad's right hand man, was working on a Yamaha 125, up on the stand (pre dirt-bike era, a full street bike with deep fenders, Honda Dream look). I was curious because most of the Yamaha's at the shop there were 250 twins, and well, like, maybe if I should ever get a motorcycle someday in the far distant future, It would be one of these smaller ones! It seemed to be taking an extraordinary time to be fixed. Up on that stand a bit, down for a while, and then back up. And a couple times dad himself was working on it! (Usually I'd be watching dad work on his own bike.) I'd ask what was going on with that smaller Yamaha, but kept getting an answer something to the affect of "awaiting parts on order", or other BS.

Well, Christmas rolls around and guess what's under the Christmas Tree? (metaphorically speaking, that is, really there was a card addressed to Jeff and I saying to check the garage.) And the Yamaha was a surprise!

Although the bike was Jeff's and mine, it seems it didn't take long for Jack to have a go at it. I recall Jeff and I getting a bit of a talking to (not too stern) for  endangering our younger brother by letting him ride it. My memory was of false accusation on my part – it was Jeff's fault – (my story, and I'm sticking with it...) but it all seemed to blow over quite soon and Jack was riding quite regular.

Thus the beginning of the next generation.

Thanks you all for getting me to fondly recall those wonderful memories.

Tom Penton

[skiracer]

Hey Tom,

Thanks for the excellent post!  Very cool to hear things from your perspective....

1976 MC 5 Original Owner
1982 Suzuki PE 175
1976 Penton 175 GS
1976 Penton 250 GS

[Tom Penton]

Glad to contribute.

Just recalled that my first paying job was at the old shop. I was given the responsibility of stocking the "pop" machine ("soda", for those out of district). It was an old machine, even by early 60's standards. The bottles would slide in rails accessed by a lid from the top. My wages? A free pop ... 10 cents!

Tom

[rob w]

Mr. Tom Penton,
 I wish I could express better what it means to me, but for now I'll keep it short, and try to relate what a great pleasure it is to read your posts. I just love reading your stories of the Penton's past. On the farm, in the shop, around the world - your family is one of the greatest stories in motorcycle history. I want to thank you for sharing your memories, and taking me back there with you.
Bob

[Tom Penton]

Rob,

My Pleasure.

I'll try to keep up and contribute more ... I've had a history of being in and out of depressions and go hermit - like, but will really attempt to hang in there as a more regular POG forums visitor.

Tom

[mike scholl]

J & J Cycle Sales in Lithopolis,Ohio Motocross & Enduro Specialist. After watching the John Penton movie last night on DVD just brought back so many wonderful memories I had to post this. I felt like I was part of the movie. Many of the local photos that were shown in the movie (also located in the POG Gallery section)were riders that purchased Pentons from the business. My story was told several years ago and now I wish I would have taken more time to really tell my story.

Reading Tom's post also inspired me to tell my side of the story. I too worked for free with the exception of locking the doors on a Saturday at lunch time and walking to the local pub that served lunch and dad would by us lunch and then back to work. To me it wasn't work it was having fun hanging out at the bike shop and listening to all the bench racing stories.

I also wanted to mention that during the movie someone had mentioned that they had sold over a 100 Pentons in one year and that sparked another memory!

I am fortunate when my parents sold the business that one old wood filing cabinet was left behind and inside was a leggier from 1973 to 1976 of all the bikes sold through the business...

I can tell you that J & J Cycles sold 112 Penton/KTM motorcycles/mopeds in 1974 alone.

2-KTM Mopeds
2-Trials
13-100's
30-125's
29-175's
29-250's
7-400's  

I am so grateful for my parents and all of the opportunities they have given me and this being one of them.

Mike Scholl
Team J & J Cycle Sales
Husqvarna-Penton-Rokon
Motocross & Enduro Specialist

[Daniel P. McEntee]

Finally finding time to post to this thread! Glad to see Tom Penton adding his perspective! I rode small bore bikes (100 Berkshire and 125 Six Days) in enduros when I first started out (you wouldn't think that if you saw me today!)and Tom is one of my heroes from back then! I loved being in the first rows of enduros and breaking trail, pretending I was Tom Penton!
   I mainly dealt with three shops back in the day. I got my first bike when I was 16 (a Kawasaki 90) and we got most of our stuff from a small shop in Hazelwood, MO which was County Motorcycle Parts. It was an independent parts shop owned and operated by Jan Pott and Harry Barnes. Harry was an "A" rider back then and he and Jan rode Honda SL-125's that were tricked out for enduros. Eventually, they became a Penton dealer and they moved to Jackpiners. Along the way I moved on to a Penton 100 Berkshire steel tanker and then a '72 Six Days. County was a short ride from my house and when we had money for a big purchase like a new tire or pair of boots, we would bug them for a free Nitto Tire hat or something! I haven't seen Harry in quite a while, certainly not since I got back into this dirt bike thing in the year 2000, but Jan took over sole ownership somewhere along the way, and was still in the same location when I started back in again 15 years ago. Jan is a walking, talking encyclopedia of information on  all sorts of motorcycle related stuff. I am an aviation enthusiast and so is Jan, and we managed to bump into each other now and then at local air shows through the years to stay in touch. When I started to make annual trips to Oshkosh to volunteer for the EAA KidVenture program, Jan has been riding along with me there for the last ten years or so. About a year ago, his sight started to give him problems, along with other problems with the economy and such, and Jan finally closed the doors on his humble little shop. I think he was the end of an era here in the St. Louis area, being the last independent parts shop in the area that I know of. Now he's got the time to spend working on the hoard of bikes he's accumulated. He has always been a big help to me, along with being a good friend also.
   Another local shop I would hang out at was MPC, or Motorcycle Performance Center in Berkeley, MO. A guy named Jerry Pezek (sp?) owned and operated it for a few years. Jerry learned his mechanical expertise at the hands of guys like Don Vesco and was an excellent mechanic. He was a great help in working with me to get a Mikuni carb tuned to my '72 Six Days. He was also a good friend who let me hide my then new '75 Husky 250WR at his shop!I had just purchased it and was afraid to take it home out of fear of what my Mom would say!
   That new 250 Husky was purchased at Dave Mungenast's Dirt bike Headquarters on Gravois Ave in south St. Louis. When we discovered motorcycles as teenagers, I was an devout St.Louis Cardinals fan, and Orlando Cepeda made me want to be a major league first baseman! After discovering dirt bikes, seeing "On Any Sunday" and learning of the ISDT, I was amazed to find out we had a REAL ISDT veteran in my own back yard in Dave Mungenast. After meeting Dave and riding with him a bit at his Doe Run Cycle Park near Potosi, MO., Dave managed to unseat Orlando from his perch up on my sports hero pedestal! I got my Penton parts from the Dirt Bike Headquarters and made the long drive there sometimes just to look at the used bikes he had on hand. I decided when I graduated from high school in 1974 that I was ready  for a 250, and would bug Dave about every three days on the phone and every time I would see him at Doe Run or at an enduro that he needed to get me a 250 Penton as soon as possible! The 250 was a popular bike then as they are now and he just couldn't get any, so he made me a deal on the '75 Husky I mentioned. Dave was such a nice guy, always willing to give good advice, always a cheer leader and full of encouragement. I put bikes aside to get married and raise a family, and 25 years later I took my daughter to some flat track races at Tri-City Speedway and by chance bumped into Dave there. I had a great talk with him and that meeting was one of the circumstances that got me into the vintage dirt bike thing. It was always a treat to see him at the ISDT Reunion Rides, and at his little get togethers at his museum down the street from where his Dirt Bike Headquarters used to be on Gravois. We sure do miss him. I wish I could just take one more ride up into the woods at Doe Run Cycle Park, with me giving it all I got on my steel tanker, and following Dave really getting with it on a Honda step through 90! Dave was fast on anything!
   Merry Christmas Everybody!
   Dan McEntee

[tom2p]

resurrecting this thread


when I was around 11 or 12  yrs old / early 70's - I accompanied two neighbors to a buddy race in Grove City PA - Grove City marathon ... 4 hour buddy race I believe

I was the 'pit crew'' for my neighbors - I toted the fuel and tools etc to a check point area etc (?)

we were pitted next to Tom Penton - the famous Tom Penton of Penton motorcycles

we initially did not realize we were pitted next to Tom Penton - we pulled into an open spot next to a plain looking van if I recall correctly ... there might have been a small Penton sticker on a widow or body of the van ... not sure

when I walked near the van I spotted a note on a piece of paper that was taped to one of the van windows

can't recall the exact text on the note - but it stated it was Tom Penton and to wake him by a certain time ... apparently he was sleeping in the van

so I eagerly waited to wake Tom Penton ... can't recall if I woke him or he woke by himself - but I did get the chance to open the throttle a few times while he was finished with his gear as the bike warmed up

don't recall  too much after that  ... Tom Penton said very little


Tom Penton ran the race by himself - and I believe he won both his class and overall

[Tomoromo]

Chuck Boehler sold Pentons, Huskys, Greeves, Hodakas and others in his shop next to his house on Buffalo St Ext just outside Jamestown NY. Chuck was an A rider and rode a couple ISDT's including winning a silver at the Isle of Mann in 1971. You'll see his name often in old publications on lists of enduro winners. Around 1950 he started and was president of the Chautauqua Lake Cyclists club. Chuck set up and ran many scrambles behind the club house on Cowing road which I used to ride my lawnmower motor powered mini bike on in the 70's. He ran a few enduros also, and set up a motocross track on 28 creek road in Gerry NY which ran from 1967 - 1974. This is where I got hooked on MX. He was a hero to us kids in the area. If you google his name, the local Sports Hall Of Fame has some nice write ups about him.
Tom Anderson

[jay cohen]

My two favorite Penton shops were in PA. I was 15, it was 1973, and had a TS185 Suzuki and wanted a Penton terribly. I had recently met Craig Good and he rode a Berkshire in Enduros and got me wanting a Penton. I wanted to sell the Suzuki and my dad said if you could sell the Suzuki for what we paid for it I'll help you get the Penton. Well I did, and we bought a Jackpiner from Hermy's Tire and Cycle in Port Clinton, PA. We told Hermy we were coming down after we negotiated a price over the phone. When we got there the bike was still in the crate. Herm was the kind of guy who was never in a hurry to get anything done, especially if he liked hanging out with you in the shop. I forget what time we finally left, but it seemed like we were there for many hours. Today it's a huge BMW and Triumph dealership, still in the original location on RT.61, just a few miles north of Cabelas. The other shop I liked was Bonomo's. It was in the back of their bowling alley! They sold Huskys. I can't recall if they were Penton dealers or not. There was also a shop in Montrose, PA, but I can't recall the name now.

[Don Roth]

Bohn cycle shop on route 51 in Pittsburgh, drooled every time we drove  past it, small shop, but had a road facing front window, saw Ron and friends training in a creek along streets run road WAY back, stay safe all of yunz.

[dennis brown]

chuck was my dealer for all my bikes back then,except my sachs boondocker i got from john pentons shop when he first got them. he was a great dealer,teacher and friend!


dennis l.brown

[Rain Man]

New England Sports Cycle in Scarborough Me.  It was ran by a fellow Pogger Chuck Puriton.  He sold and repaired Pentons, Ossas and Hodakas. They also ran an Enduro race team there. I still have 2 of the Pentons that were sold there!!

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[Kip Kern]

Woodside Motors, Upland Indiana, CZ-Jawa-MZ dealer. Glen and Jayne Thornburg, mom and pop shop in their garage was the coolest place to visit growing up in the early 70's. Saw my first ISDT Banana framed Jawas there. Great people with a great little local shop. Sure miss them indeed.