Home Page Photo Quiz - November 2004

[rob w]

Dear Mr. Sherriff, May I take another shot?

Drum roll........

Gene Cannady

Yes ____  No____

[firstturn]

******************  NO  *************************
                   O.S.

Ron Carbaugh

[OUCWBOY]

Mike Lewis?

Donny Smith

[firstturn]

Big "D",
  You are CORRECT.

Donny you have to share with the people about where you grew up and who, what and where you obtained you first Penton.

Great job I will follow up with more on this months quiz after Donny tells his story.

Thanks Donny......I was wondering when you were going put the big piece of the puzzle together.

Ron Carbaugh

[OUCWBOY]

It took me a while to reconize Mike, because most of the time he had a beard.
Ron wants me to do a brief history of my first Penton, so here goes for those of you that don't know.
In about 1966, I bought my first new motorcycle, a 1966 Honda S 90 from the local Honda dealer. I rode the wheels off that bike, from flat track to scrambles to riding it back and forth to school. As we moved into late 68, motocross was the NEW motorcycle event to do. The Honda Dealer (also Bultaco, Husqvarna, Triumph, American Eagle, and some other brands as well) became the Penton Dealer. My best friend was the Dealer's brother in law, and he would always tell me about the new bikes that were in. I was in the market for a new bike to ride MX with and my friend started telling me about the new Bultacos. So, we drove down to the shop in January (for my birthday) to look at the Bultaco, well sitting on the floor was a different looking green and white Penton Six Day. I took one look at it and said that is the Bike I have to have so I bought it right then. The owner way in the back working on his Six Day. The dealer was none other than Mike Lewis. Later in that year, Mike wanted to install a 152 Kit in my Penton, since I wasn't a small guy I could use all the extra power I could get. Well, a week went by and my bike still wasn't ready. Come to find out that they were waiting for Leroy Winter to had deliver the new sunburst head for my bike. WOW! Two of my Heroes worked on MY Penton. You can't get much better than that! Mike and I continued our relationship, I bought my new Jackpiner from him in 1972, and in 73 I bought a Ford Club Wagon Van from his as well. At a MX race in the summer, my bike broke because of human error and Mike took the part off his bike to help me get the bike fixed so I could run the 2nd and 3rd Motos (yes, we ran 3 motos in those days). Oh, another thing, in October of 1969, I got hurt at a race and ended up spending 3 weeks in the Hospital. Mike Lewis came to visit me! At 17, that made a lasting impression that I will always remember.  In December or 2001, I bought a new 2002 KTM SX 125 from Mike and had it shipped to California. He really didn't remember me at the time. However, In June of this year, I stopped in to visit Mike and as soon as he saw me, he remembered me. To this day, he is still one of my all time Heroes. I can remember the hours and hours I spent in the shop after it closed working on race bikes and being visited by many great racers, like the late Freddie Nix, Gary Nixon, Leroy Winters, Danny Ware and many, many others as well. Lawton Oklahoma. If you ever go through there, stop and visit with Mike Lewis, he is still a KTM dealer and most of all A great American Racer. He even tought me how to change a shift key without splitting the cases.

Donny Smith

[firstturn]

Thanks to everyone that participated and for those that emailed me personally with wrong guess'.  One thing that I hope we all agree on is that we all learn more history about the Penton Motorcycle and thae people that put them in the Glory Days of the late 60's and 70's.
  Mike Lewis has always been one of my favorites because he was never scared to try something new in search of doing things better.  I had the honor of working with Mike while being at Honda and his input, along with his best friend LeRoy Winters, on our enduro bikes was priceless.  Mike was picked for rides like the one in this picture because I feel Mr.Penton wanted a veteran who he knew could start and finish a race while taking care of his bike.
  Speaking of this picture and the race.  Mike was leading his class after the first day and was coming into a gas stop the second day when the bike quit.  The bike had been raced in the East and by the time he got it (from Penton Central) it had too many hours on it and had a wrist pin failure.  But as Mike remembers it this was the first 250 to come into USA.
  As Donny (Smith) stated Mike is still a KTM dealer in Lawton Oklahoma and he did very well at the recent 6 Day Reunion on a 400 KTM.  Nice guy and Great Rider.
*********************************************************************
  How many 6 days did Mike ride? The mention of the stripes on the helmet was a great point...what was the last year for USA to use this design?

Ron Carbaugh

[tmc3c]

Thank You Ron for doing this !! I love learning more about Pentons !! Do you have anything on the enduro that was ran in Atlanta G.A.?[?]

Thomas Carmichael

[BrianTaylor]

Wow this thread was really fun ... I really enjoyed it .... I hope we can do more ... BT

Brian Taylor

[firstturn]

Brian & others,
  We're not finished with this months QUIZ yet!

How many 6 days did Mike ride and what year(s)? The mention of the stripes on the helmet was a great point...what was the last year for USA to use this design?

Thomas,
  On the subject of the Atlanta Enduro are you talking about Stone Mountain?
  Thanks for everyones input.
Omar Sherriff(according to Brob)


Ron Carbaugh

[tmc3c]

Yes Ron Stone Mt. I would love to learn about it because it was close to home and I have heard some stories about it. Thanks

Thomas Carmichael

[OUCWBOY]

Mike rode the ISDT in 1970, 1971 and 1972. He then rode the ISDE in 1994. AND a few Reunion Rides as well

Donny Smith

[firstturn]

Donny,
  You are correct again on the 6 day events.  Thanks for your great input.  

Anyone have the answer to the on the helmet?
O.S.

Ron Carbaugh

[jdyfletch]

The triangular sticker on the helmet is an old school A.M.A. sticker

1975 Penton 100 racer (back-in-the-saddle)

[Tennessee Vol]

Thanks!!

Bobby Stults

[firstturn]

How about the two white stipes???

Ron Carbaugh