1973 250 Hare Scrambler

[Paul Danik]

Does anyone know if the porting and/or compression were any different on those early machines, or was it just the pipe that gave them a reputation as far as being a bit wicked VS the later machines?

Thanks,
Paul

[firstturn]

Paul as you may remember I had one of the first 10 to come into the USA.  Mine had radical porting and in discussions over the years we felt like that KTM wanted to make a statement and probably put the same porting as they used on their race team?  Never checked the compression, but it had more than my '74.
  In talking to Mike Lewis when he was ridding one of the first  250 Pentons he stated he was clocked at over 100MPH at the Greenhorn National.  Unfortunately when they brought the bike to him for the National no one had put new piston and rings in the engine and when he stopped for gas the bike wouldn't start.
  As far as the pipe I never tried it on a '74 250 so I couldn't say what difference it would have made?  I do know that we tried different pipes on the '73 250 and it slowed it down.  Looking back maybe I should have left the slower pipe on it.
  The '73 250 had to be the most radical 250 I have ever road and the 400 was a hand full untill we detuned them with a smaller carburetor.

That is all I can remember and some may or may not agree, but the '73 was a powerful and a good handling bike, but lacked any rear travel.  Hope this helped.


Ron Carbaugh

[Michele Tomat]

Thank you Ron for posting! It's always nice to hear new things about this bike, expecially for a young fan like me!

[Larry Perkins]

The first batch were fringer ported and matched I was told by Rod Bush years ago.


Larry P

[454MRW]

The ratio between the crank gear and clutch was also different on 73 black engines which would allow them to rev quicker. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1978-1979 MX-6 175 & 250 KTM's
1976-78 125-400 RM's & 79 PE250 Suzuki & 2012 DR650
2007 CR125R Honda
1977 MC250 Maico

[Michele Tomat]

Hi everyone, i have another question for you experts about the '73 250 HS. I've seen some photos about the '73 ISDT in Dalton in which this bikes were fitted with low profile front and rear rims and not with Akront high profile ones.
So my question is, which configuration was the original one at the beginning?
Hope you understand what i mean.

[Larry Perkins]

The original 73s had the shouldered Akronts(The mud catchers).

Larry P

[Michele Tomat]

Thank you Larry, i knew that the original 73s had the shouldered Akronts but why do you think in the ISDT in some cases the shouldered were replaced by 'normal' ones? Just personal tastes? I add a picture of Jack Penton during Dalton's ISDT. I knew that he ran in the 350's class but i think the bike was the same a part from a bigger bore cylinder.
Does anyone know what type of rims are on Jack Penton's bike?

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[454MRW]

They sure like the Akront mud catchers in the pic to me. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1978-1979 MX-6 175 & 250 KTM's
1976-78 125-400 RM's & 79 PE250 Suzuki & 2012 DR650
2007 CR125R Honda
1977 MC250 Maico

[Toolsurfer]

Would agree with Mike. Just like the ones on my 250 . Akront with the shoulder , very popular in early 70's .