Tom Penton says Hi!

[Tom Penton]

Thought I should say a long overdue Hi!

As it says in the sidebar, I'm a "new member", to the website, that is ... fair enough.
But I've been getting the POG newsletter regularly if not contributing (I hang my head in shame). Perhaps I can make up a bit.

I haven't been trail riding much ... about twice a decade for the last 20 years ... but my memories go on, though muddled as time passes!

I do have a road motorcycle (1984 Honda 500cc Magna (V4, electric motor smooth & quiet!) that I putt along on basically keeping it under 60mph on our Oregon backroads.
I spend more time riding with my wife our recumbent bicycles on paved (mostly) bicycle trails (many are "rails-to-trails"). Our town (Eugene/Springfield) has many we ride.  Also sometimes there are others we ride throughout the state and occasionally in other states. Our last big "Road Trip" was to Ohio summer 2006 and we took our bikes and road the Katy trail in Missouri, a Southern Illinois rail trail, the Elyria-Oberlin-Kipton rail trail in Ohio and going back found a nice trail in Bismarck, ND.

Well, thinking about it, if you get the drift here as it might relate to the "glory days", I was perhaps more "trail" oriented than having a "machinery" passion. Just a bit!

I gave an interview for the Motorcycle hall of fame and was asked if I could come up with some old photos & stuff. I warmed up the scanner and cracked open the dusty old photo albums. There weren't many, and many are already out there in the POG newsletter and such, but try  //www.thomaspenton.blogspot.com  and follow the "Thomas Penton Picasa Album" link. I wrote some info (probably too much) regarding using the Picasa Web Albums, for what it's worth. The full sized scanned files are downloadable.

I wrote a little ditty about the Corduroy Enduro: see topic in this forum.

Again, greetings!

Tom Penton

[Ernie Phillips]

Hi Tom!  Welcome! Great to have you in the POG.  Neat photos too!  Thanks-

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[ABORN]

Hi Tom---good to hear from you again.  So you are riding bicycles now, Huh????Are those the ones that you lie down on to ride?  My wife and I also ride bicycles some too she more than I.  We have ridden in Wisconsin, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia and of course the one from Elyria to Kipton as the one at Burr Oak on Ford Road. Sometimes, I think Margie is trying to wear the one out that goes to Kipton.  We just recently got back from the 6-Day reunion ride and a little R&R in Branson.  The ride will be in Tulsa next year so maybe you could make that one.  Take care and Thanks for all the fun times we had  back in the "good ol days".  Your Pal, Al Born

[tmc3c]

Tom,
  I look forward to one day meeting you and to get your autograph!Back in the 70's when I was racing Pentons in Charleston S.C. I always read my Keeping Track to keep up with you.Will you be able to make Tulsa? I had the pleasure to be in the woods this year with the "Penton Clan" in Ark. and it would be Great to have you riding in the woods again!



Thomas Carmichael


1970 125 Six Day
1976 250 Hare Scrambler

[Dwight Rudder]

TOMMY !,   Dwight Rudder here.  Haven't seen you since 2000 at VMD.  When are you going to join us at the ISDT Reunion ?  We even got Jeff there once.  Keep more in touch.  Hope you can make the Reunion next year at the Zink Ranch in Tulsa.
Take care,
Dwight

[rob w]

Greetings Tom Penton, It's an honor to have you join us. This is base camp for most of the world's biggest Penton motorcycle fanatics, so naturally it's very exciting to hear from you.
 Back in the day, and also today - you simply can't talk about Penton motorcycles long, without mentioning the family behind the motorcycle. It's an amazing story, which makes POG today, an amazing group. Being an old Penton enthusiast from the past, I can't tell you how wonderful it was seeing you together with Jeff and Jack, at the Reunion Ride in Mass., in '03.
  As usual, I've got alot more to say, than time to say it. I've been a better reader, than writer lately.
Anyway, good hearing from you Tom, please visit again soon.
Bob Wardlow
Grand Rapids, MI.

[tooclose racing]

Tom Penton.  TOM PENTON!!  Cripes..it just doesn't get any better than this.  

I really enjoyed the photo album, especially the AMA mag article about your top American finish at the 1977 Czech Six Day.  With a flat.  And a motor seizure.  And a hole in your cases.  Gawd.  

It's 30 years late, but where else would I be able to tell you this?  Congratulations.  Monumental.  Do you have any grandchildren to lay this story on?  

[Tom Penton]

Thanks for the good words, everyone! It's nice
to hear from everyone and see the forums active.

Yes, Al ... we have "sit down" type bicycles.
Sure sounds great where you've ridden!

Ill try to paste a picture.

Take care, all...

Tom Penton

[Tom Penton]

Image insert didn't seem to work. I'll try again...

Tom

[Tom Penton]

Well, don't know what I'm doing wrong. Try again later.

Tom

[Tom Penton]

One more time ...

[Tom Penton]

Sorry, I just discovered there's a "Preview" button ... like it was hard to see, right next to the "Post New Reply" button. And I got started in computers back in the keypunch era! Boy, do I feel foolish!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tompenton/InAroundEugeneSpringfieldOregon



Thanks for your patience,

Tom

[Paul Danik]

Tom,

    You need a couple of white stripes on your blue helmet

    It is great to hear from you and see your pictures.  I hope you can plan on attending some of the Penton Owners Group events that are coming up.  Kalman is coming over from Austria for our meeting on Feb. 2nd at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.  Kalman is coming in early to visit with your Dad, possibly you could swing by your Dad's place and then ride down to the meeting with him and Kalman. As I am sure you know, 2008 is the 40th anniversary of the Penton, can you believe it?

   I still tell the story about you asking if your son could ride my Penton at Vintage Days back in 2000. The story goes like this, I had my red CMF Penton that I used for running around Mid-Ohio sitting just outside the tent that we had our featured Margue display set up in. The event was wrapping up and we were packing up the display items.  Tom asked if my bike was loaded up yet, I replied that it was just outside, that is when Tom mentioned that his Son had NEVER ridden a Penton and wondered if he could ride my bike.... I told him there was gas in the tank and more gas in the can, ride it as much as you want, you can imagine how neat this was for me John Penton's Grandson taking his first ride on a Penton on my Berkie

Take care Tom, hope to see you soon.
Paul Danik

[Tom Penton]

Sorry, Paul, for not replying sooner ... I haven't checked the site till now. (I tend to go in spurts).

Thanks for the good words, and for letting my son Danny take his first Penton ride!

My two sons, Danny & Spencer, did a bit of motorcycling, some dirt but more road, getting their motorcycle licences. But not doing altogether too much riding in either case. Perhaps their first experience put a damper on it:

I was a mechanic at the local Kawasaki shop, about 1988, Danny age 8. I made a deal on a cherry Kaw KX60 that came in with junk rod, piston & cylinder (it was run without oil in the gas). Dealer cost for parts were surprisingly low, I ended up with only about $200 in the bike.

The KX60 was a full on race motocrosser with a light-switch powerband, and I well knew it. A much milder KDX80 would have made a much better beginner's bike for my boys. But, being the sucker I am for the "deal"...

Well, we had a field near our home that was being cleared for housing that had some rounded-off dirt piles. 10 minutes after having ridden a dirtbike for the first time, Danny got "on the pipe", went zipping up one of the hills at an alarming rate, and proceeded to "catch more air" than I did my whole career! (Which, for those who know my riding style, is not THAT amazing...) Luckily he wasn't hurt, and by the time my heartbeat was down and I reached where he had landed, he somehow was back riding (to my dismay). About 5 minutes later the bike & rider again launched like a rocket, this time into a barbed wire fence! Again, Danny was basically unhurt except for scratches. But that was the end of the KX60 ... for sale back at the Kawasaki store!

Well, happy New Year, all of you!

Tom Penton

[TGTech]

Tom,

They should have started out on the PW Yamaha's. That's where Paul started.

Dane