Honda MR125

I can't tell you what year my Honda MR 125 was but had to have been a late 70's bike.  My Honda had belong to a rider by the name of Rick Munyon who was trying to qualify for the International Six Day Team representing the US.  It had a 125 frame but the engine was from a 175cc bike.  I rode that motorcycle for a few years and was a good race bike.  Even after I got another bike the Honda was in the garage for awhile before we sold it.  I have owned some fun bikes and this was one of them.

Check out my story about the Honda Elsinore.

My Penton Dirt Bike

This is one bike that I still think about.  My 1969, 125 Penton.  It had the metal gas tank with the two tone paint job of green and white.  I took that thing off of jumps, hill climbed, and raced that dirt bike all over southern California desert.  I knew of only one other at the time, early 70's and it was riden by another girl who also happened to be in the same motorcycle club as me.  After riding it for a few years it was sold to a neighbor who had a son who was getting into riding and racing.  I often wonder what happened to my Penton.  I still would like a Penton Jackpiner and maybe one day I can find me a nicely restored one that I can do some riding one. 

Those were the days!!!

Check out John Penton, Son Jack Penton and the Penton Dirt Bikes.

Old Dirt Bikes

Hodaka, Montessa, Ossa, Maico, Greeves, Bultaco, Penton, CZ, and  a few others that have faided away being memories from my childhood.  I have not lived in southern California for over 17 years and one thing is for certain I miss the days of being out in the desert.  The smell of the desrt after if rains, the sounds of bikes being started before a race to get them warmed up.  Glass of hot chocolate in your hand as you look outside hoping for the wind to stop blowing.  The smoldering fire pit early Sunday morining as the smoke slowly drifts through the camp and you have to wipe the dew off you seat.  The blueness of the sky and the stars that come out at night as you stare up into the night time.  People standing around the fire pit talking about the days ride or talking about someone or something from long ago.  The laughter and the friendship that is gathered in this spot, in the California desert.  A little breeze sends sparks from the campfire into the air and you watch as they disappear.  As with age somethings do seem to fade away while other memories are very vibrant.  I can close my eyes and for a brief moment I breath in the desert air and around me I here converstions of old.  And I smile!  The glass is almost empty of the famous punch that is served every year on the Saturday evening before the race.  Sound test being wrapped up for the evening as we settle down with our grilled steaks as the dogs watch wondering when they will get the bone.  Someone puls up that you haven't seen for years and time flies as fast as the setting sun.

It's good to be out in the California desert.
Read, Vintage Dirt Bikes

Dirt Bikes Of The Past

Someitmes I can not believe that I am amost fifty and will do so in a little over a year.  This year I will officially have been riding a motorcycle for 40 years.  It doesn't seem that long ago and sometimes it seems ages ago that I got my first dirt bike.  I am not sure what year Yamaha I had for my first bike but believe it was failry new and may have been a 67.  Yamaha are still around but many bikes that were being ridden back then have faded in the blowing desert wind.  Remember Greeves, CZ, American Eagle or how about a Hodaka?  Montessa's, Ossa, Maico, Bultaco or my favorite, the Penton motorcycle.  Thinking of these old bikes reminds me of the days of bench racing, wrench turning, carburator issues, and no suspension but they are good memories. 

I recently wrote a Hub about some of these old bikes and one that has a list of these old bikes is Vintage Dirt Bikes.  Check it out and read some of my other motorcycle Hubs on Penton, Maico and Hodaka.  Also did a piece on Steve McQeen and his racing days.  He was more than just an actor.

Dream Machines

Since I have been writing on Hubpages on some of the 2010 motorcycles that have come out it makes me wish I was able to go out and buy a new motorcycle.  Maybe buy two since I would like to have a street bike and possibly a dual sport to run on the dirt roads here in Iowa.  My dream street bike, as always would be a Ducati Monster and still undecided on what I would ride off-road.  There is a motocrosser that I like that has a seat height were I can actually get my leg over but it is a 110cc bike.  I haven't ridden anything that small since I was a kid, but seat heights were lower back them.  The Kawasaki KLX110L thumper would be a fun ride and may be something I would get once back on the west coast were I can do some desert riding.  Other than having a Ducati I really like the reviews of the Suzuki SZ650S and if I was low on money maybe the Hyosung GT650R which had mixed reviews but with a few changes could be a good bike.  The price tag on that bike is resonable.

I will still dream of owning a Duc and hopefully one day there will be one sitting in my garage.