Vintage KTM Engine Deliveries

[Skip Miller]

Response to a disgrunteled Penton racer disapointed in the promised delivery of a Bob Lucas motor rebuild...
I will gladly pass on your reply to Bob. If it sheds any light on this you are not alone. I can give you a list of things I should have finished by now. Most projects he gets are those that others won't or can't do and he must make chicken soup. It is no longer just disassemble clean and reassemble. I have the same advise for all vintage bikers. Don't pay too much for your first bike. It won't be your only one. Buy one you can work on because you will be. If you want anything done on your own schedule I hope you can do it yourself. I'm glad I don't need to build anything right now. I have a 1800 foot shop and I still haven't washed the last 2 bikes I rode Dec 12. No offense but a month in spare time goes buy in a wink. How much spare time did you have in December? With a wife and two teenagers at home and a 50 hour a week Job he's up a 5 am every day and you're motor is in there somewhere. Believe me as a life long friend of Bob he has no bad or dishonest intensions. I don't know what the holdup is exactly but there are no shortcuts taken. Bob has an immeasurable passion and skill for Penton KTM. When he gets through and he will it will be a motor beyond compare. I still have the first 3 we built starting in 1994 and now I have 6 KTM race bikes. I'm replying to this at 2 am while making Penton/KTM graphics. Happy Trails Skip Miller [mailto:[email protected]]
620 W Westchester Pkwy # 2107
Grand Prairie Texas 75052
PCS 817-798-5861

[bigdanracer]

Thanks, Skip, for the information. Anyone who has talked to Bobby knows he is a busy man and has a passion and wealth of experience and you can't help not liking the guy.
 Most people are looking for that competitive edge Bob builds into his engines. That's why I sent him my engine.
 I know he has had a very rough year with health problems both himself and members of his family. I think he has a problem in being too nice and wanting to help everyone with their engine problems. He needs to say, "Sorry, I have too much on my plate. Call back in 6 months and let's see where I am."  None of us are getting any younger and our competitive drive may still be there but our time is limited. We get impatient and want to ride while we still can.
 There needs to be a reasonable turnaround on the service he provides. He must determine if he can fulfill the request and be honest to the best of his ability and if necessary ask if the customer would like his engine back.
 State it will take a year to do an engine and let the customer decide. It is a disservice to state he can do it in 4 months and then take more than a year. People spend time and $$ restoring and racing these great bikes and if you race, you're on a schedule.
 He needs to call the customer when convenient. Everyone has a message machine.  Keeping people in the dark is not cool.
 Thanks for the reply. A frustrated, wanting to ride his Penton POG member.
Sorry my Email didn't work. Sorry to get you involved. [8D]

Posting 07/2002
Yucaipa CA.
Age 50, maintenance mechanic, two 77 Pentons, 250,400 MC-5s.

[DKWRACER]

Hey Big Dan Racer, seems to me that the words "passion" and "patience" come into play, Impressive on your part to wait for so long. Didn't I send you some side panels some + 1yrs. ago? You are obviously a very patient person...I have only met Bobby on one ocassion, it was at Albuquerque for the Nats. I sensed something in the man, he treated me very friendly and Jim Pomeroy, his bud, actually helped me push my trailor into their pits. Balancing life and it's commitments is very hard, for one with so much talent like his....I hope I get to meet him again.

[Tony Price]

Bobby is a true gentleman, and a great friend to all things Vintage.

His tireless work with the Texas Vintage Racing Club and it's race series is impressive.  I'm not sure how many different tracks other series run on, but Bobby keeps the variety for the TVRC guys uear in and year out.  This quite impressive when you consider that the season runs almost year round.

If you are ever at a race and need help, he is always there in the pits.  He is often the very last to leave at the end of a long day.

I can't really claim to know him well, but we see each other several times a year and he has a way of making you feel like you have known each other forever.  I do know that the last year has been especially difficult for him on several fronts, but you would never know it while in his company.  

If you have a motor with Bobby and have expereinced a delay, I can say that there has been good reason.  I do know that you will be more than pleased with the results when you do get to bolt it into your frame.

.....and if you have the time to hear some great bench racing and stories from back in the day, there is no one better to share an adult beverage with at the end of a good Sunday.

Oh yea, nice to hear from you Skip!

Regards,


Tony

[James]

I have known Bobby for 14 yrs. I consider him a very dear friend.

   What is funny is how there is a Maico tuner on the left coast who goes missing for months at a time,does not work a day job, having this as his primary business, and often can not be contacted.Sometimes tell people to get bent and just see if they can get the parts or work done elsewhere...and yet
people call him "the reverend of Maico" anyway

  I did not send my Maico engine to Bobby because it was the most rusted up crunched POS I had seen.He gets most of this from others and did not need to be sent junk from a friend. I did though find Lynn Shoup of Rage Racing and waited longer than I thought since Lynn works a day job. When I got it going, it was like 1993 when I got my 250 Penton engine from Bobby-the best work I could hope for. I now consider Lynn a friend as well.

I really hope Bobby does not work himself into illness, but I know he works hard. He is one of largest reasons for the continuance of not only Penton/KTM but also vintage racing in Texas and elsewhere.
 My friends have doen much for me and I will defend whenever I think it is needed, even Skip..and we have traded at least ten sets of handlebars. James

You dont stop racing because you get old..you get old because you have children

[Mike Lenz]

Thanks to Bobby for all he has done. My local KTM dealer, RTR Cycles, is also now rebuilding vintage KTM motors. He has a mechanic who has experance on Rotax motors which are built similarly and I have the KTM motor tools. He has done a couple engines for me with good results and is looking for some winter work. $300 to 400 labor for a total lower end job, including replacing all bearings. If anyone is interested let me know here or email me. This is a dirt bike only shop. Lets support them!