1973 250 Hare Scrambler

[Michele Tomat]

Hi guys, I'm a Penton fan from Italy and i'm curious about the history of this particular bike. I would like to ask you if there are any sort of data regarding the number of 250s bikes sold in the U.S. in 1973.
I would like to thank in advance all of you for the replies and for this amazing site.

[marsattacks]

Michelle thanks for the post!  The 73 Jurassic Penton is awesome.  If you go to the serial number link on the home page it should tell you some information.  The rugginose site as you may know has some information too.  If you use the search engine you'll see attempts to determine when the "red shift" began.  That is an astronomical term but I'm from Mars.

[Larry Perkins]

We began to get 74 red tank regular swingarm Pentons in late September early October of 73 at Odessa Sales & Rentals in West Texas.  In April of 74 we began to get the 741/2 models with the multi-position swingarm. When I came to Odessa Sales & Rentals the summer of 73 the yellow tankers were already there and we sold more of those than anyone in the Penton Central jurisdiction if I remember correctly.

Larry P

[Michele Tomat]

Thank you for your replies. I saw the frame number list and that's why i was curious about it. I notice that you have registered 10 '73 250 HS (8 truly '73 and 2 late '73 maybe already 'red tank' model?). Of course not all of the 250s sold in 1973 are in that list.
I'm a 25 years old guy so i don't have your knowledge and i may be wrong in what i'm saying but i've heard that in Italy these bikes back in 1973 were very rare (maybe 30-35 bikes sold as KTM in Italy or even less).
So, considering that the U.S market was bigger than the italian one, i would like to ask you, if any of you has an idea, how many bikes were sold in the U.S.?
I hope you understand what i'd like to know.

PS: sorry if i made some writing's mistakes.

Michele

[Andreas Piepke]

Michele, this is a very knowledgeable group. I got much good advice on my own 1973 HS from this site. Regarding the number listing: it seems to be kind of stale. I submitted my numbers some time back but they don't show up there. Maybe nobody is adding new data any more. Post some photos of your bike.

Cheers

Andreas

P.S.: Where do your language skills come from? Your post reads almost like from a native English speaker.

'73 Penton Hare Scrambler
'73 Norton Commando
'77 Maico 440 GS

[marsattacks]

I'm sorry I cannot say exactly.  I had a 12/1973 250 that had the "regular" swingarm and other elements of the yellow/gold "giallo" Penton but had a red tank.  I should say that the characteristics of the yellow bikes or very early red bikes are as follows:

Regular swingarm with single position
Short/low seat
For giallo only, a 12mm kicker and black cases
Early red (1973) had a particular clutch cover different from later red
Tubular engine supports.
Early red had small black lettering on tank whereas later red had white lettering
Maybe there are other elements. Perhaps I'm mistaken on some.

[Larry Perkins]

You are on it.  Yours was an early 74.

Larry P

[Michele Tomat]

Hi Andreas, i saw every single post about your restoring process. Quality pictures for many like me that have to restore or rebuilt the bike. At the moment my project is far from being a bike, i've just found the frame and the swingarm in a good shape and me and my dad already have some minor parts from previous bikes. We used to own a '72 125 with Sachs motor but we sold it, and many other Europeans dirt bikes from the 60's and the 70's.
Maybe you are right, no one updated that list any more but i hope they start doing it again.

Ps: Thank you, I've studied English at school and at University and than i keep on exercised it in my spare time reading articles and watching things about my passions: dirt bikes and English football.

Cheers guys

[Rocket]

From what I can tell, the biggest difference between the yellow tank 250's and the red tank one's was the exhaust pipe on the yellow tank was completely different.  Has anyone ever seen a red tank 250 with the yellow type pipe on it knowing for sure that it was original?
RCG

[Larry Perkins]

Also the yellow tankers had the small kick shaft like a 175. They were weak!

Larry P

[Toolsurfer]

I had two guys I rode with among many. One new 73 Jackpiner and his brother new 73 Harescrambler .I have 74 1/2 now , the 73 had a different yellow toaster tank,green and yellow number plates, twin outlet expansion chamber/ silencer, short low seat with trim, handlebars had no cross brace, cases were Black , I believe the chain tensior was different along with his front and rear fender.Neither were Enduro versions . I remember the tires were Metzler's front and rear 3.00 front and 4.50 rear on 250. Neither of these bikes were modified and ran very competive in the woods, Harescrambles and Motocross in 1974 were I lived.

[Michele Tomat]

Thank you for all the interesting informations. I've another question for you. I've seen somewhere on the net, can't remember where, a  picture of a '73 HS yellow tank with both front and rear fenders in aluminium. Can it be possible? Maybe the first one's?

[brian kirby]

I dont think any of the '73 250s should have had aluminum fenders since they were 73 1/2s but as with everything Penton during this time, anything is possible.

Brian

[Rocket]

I have a brochure that shows the first 250's pictured with aluminum fenders, don't know if any were ever produced.
RCG

[Larry Perkins]

The very first ones had aluminum but not for long.  I remember having to take some off for a customer and installing Pettys.  They went on a shelf with quite a few other take offs from 125 and 175s.  When we expanded our parts supply the owner had me throw them and a bunch of CEV headlights in the dumpster.  No one wanted them then as Petty was the stink.  Sad but true story.  Hate to think what those new fenders and lights would net today.  Hindsight.

Larry P