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.

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.

2010 ISDE (International Six Day Enduro).

For those that follow the ISDE every year the 2010 event will be held in Morelia, Mexico.  This is one of the premier events for off road motorcycle races.  The great actor Steve McQueen qualified in 1964 to represent the US that year.  It was first held in 1913 in Carlisle, England and has been going strong since.  Back then they called in "trials" and was later changed to "enduro".  Having been a former enduro racer and our club for many years were one of the qualifying enduros; I have always had an interest in this event.

This years event starts Oct 12 -17 in Figueria da Foz, Portugal.

Read
Steve McQueen, Motorcycles and the ISDE.

It used to be a man's world.

I do have to say that when I started riding a motorcycle out in the California desert there weren't many female riders.  When I started racing there were even fewer.  I remember sitting on my bike during a rest stop in an enduro race and looking over there was a guy taking a pee.  I couldn't see much  but wondered doesn't he know there is a 9 year old girl here.  After  a few races the guys kept a lookout for the girl.  I do remeber one time some guy was about to take a leak by a pucker bush and another guy said hey there's a girl here.  For the most part I didn't get much grief for riding a dirt bike but I did here somethings that for a young kid was kind of mind boggling.  One guy said if God had wanted women to ride motorcycles the would have been born with handlebars.  I thought what a jerk and were are his handlebars.  My Grandmother used to ask wouldn't you rather have ballet lessons.  I used to think is she nuts why would I want to do that, it is much more fun riding.  My other Grandmother loved motorcycles and even helped me by a dirt bike later on.  We used to call it our dirt bike.  Too bad I never got to take her for a ride on it she would have enjoyed it.

Times have slowly changed.  By the time I was 16 I had the number one plate for women riders.  I would do this a few more times during my racing days.  I even had one that for sure cheated to try and beat me.  another was suspected of it but never caught red handed.  It was a shame because that year that rider beat me out of first and stopped my streak.  I often wonder if she ever felt guilty.  See, in enduros you went by a roll chart, set up with mileage and speed.  It's hard for me to exclaim but you were on a schedule.  This particular rider didn't know squat about staying on time.  I am now 48 and there is a lot of water under that perverbial bridge.  Many that came after me got a lot of glory.  For me I will never forget the few women I know that raced.  Bonnie is one that always comes to mind and so does Celeste.  Bonnie was racing when I was 8 years old and how long she had been doing it I am not sure.  Celeste was the first female that I know of to try and ride the Greenhorn Enduro which is 2 days long.  I tried but my poor 125 just had an awful time with some of the hills.  I was tired of wrestling the damn thing up and down the hills.

I have not been out to the California desert to ride in about 14 years but there isn't a week that goes by that I do not think about it.  There were great rides, and friends that will in my memory always be with me.

This is dedicated to those that have gone on to the desert in the sky.  And to Bandit the dog that loved to camp and be out in the desert with his friends.