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came of age during the 1960s and 1970s, off-road motorcycling experienced a boom in popularity. Penton sought to capitalize on this boom by providing a lightweight off-road motorcycle. After failing to convince
Husqvarna to produce an even lighter off-road machine, he decided to make his proposal to
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travel, lightweight plastic fenders and frames of high grade chrome-molybdenum steel were introduced. In 1976 two distinct models appeared for the first time differentiating between
Motocross use (MC5) and Enduro (Cross County). The MC5 MX series used longer travel leading-axle, magnesium slider
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Penton offered to put up $ 6,000 of his own money if KTM would build prototypes to his specifications which, would be sold in the United States as Penton motorcycles. The first Penton motorcycles were produced in 1968 and used a modified small-capacity
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Production, development and distribution was taken over completely by KTM Austria in 1978. By the time Penton sold the distributorship to KTM in 1978, more than 25,000 Penton motorcycles had been sold in
America. John Penton was inducted into the
195:. The most popular size was the 125cc (Six Day), but they were also made in 100 cc (Berkshire) and later, in 175 cc (Jackpiner, in 1972), 250 cc (Hare Scrambler, in 1973), and 400 cc (Mint, in 1974).
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engine with improved suspension and details. He formed a successful racing team that supported some of the top enduro racers of the era including his son, Jack Penton who competed in 12 ISDT events as well as
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motorcycle (made by
Wassell in England), the Cafe MX (a dual purpose version of the Mudlark), the Hiro 125 (the Six Day with an Italian motor), the Woodsman (an enduro version of the Mudlark) and the K-R
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motorcycle. It was built to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first Penton KTM motorcycle. It came with Penton blue plastics and John Penton's signature on a sticker attached to the front fender.
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Beginning in 1972 fiberglass gas tanks were introduced and all of the 175 cc and larger models used KTM engines. In 1974 longer travel gas forks with laid-down rear shocks for longer
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138:) between 1962 and 1970. The International Six Days Trial is a form of off-road motorcycle Olympics which is the oldest annual competition sanctioned by the
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John Penton was an accomplished
American off-road motorcycle racer. In 1950, Penton and his brothers opened a motorcycle dealership in
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forks to complement the high lever-ratio rear suspension configuration making all but the 125 a competitive
Motocross model.
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competitors in the nation, representing the United States seven times at the
International Six Days Trial (now called
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The early motorcycles made their mark in
International Six Days Trials competitions,
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The 1997 KTM Jackpiner 200 LE was a limited production run of the first
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factory in
Austria which, at the time produced bicycles and mopeds.
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Dirt Bike
Magazine article on the history of Penton motorcycles
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races like the Michigan Jack Pine Endurance Run, scrambles and
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for distribution in the United States between 1968 and 1978.
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Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1978
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Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States
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motorcycles. Penton became one of the top motorcycle
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Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1968
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301:"John Penton at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame"
206:Other, less-common models included the Mudlark
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353:"History of the International Six Day Trials"
145:After winning the 1966 Jack Pine Enduro on a
8:
404:"Penton Owners Group; Production Year Guide"
375:"Boom Time: American Motocross in the 1970s"
26:
426:"Back in the Day: Rebirth of the Jackpiner"
355:. ultimatemotorcycling.com. 25 October 2010
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501:Motorcycle marques of the United States
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377:. motorcyclemuseum.org. Archived from
303:. motorcyclemuseum.org. Archived from
270:. dirtbikemagazine.com. 12 August 2014
7:
14:
462:at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame
1:
136:International Six Days Enduro
569:Marine Turbine Technologies
16:Motorcycle brand, 1968-1978
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329:. isdt.org. Archived from
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770:Wagner Motorcycle Company
735:Riverside/Montgomery Ward
118:, Ohio, where they sold
406:. pentonmotorcycles.org
233:Motorcycle Hall of Fame
110:1974 Penton 125 Six Day
21:Penton (disambiguation)
151:baby boomer generation
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640:Cleveland (1915–1929)
142:dating back to 1913.
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564:Lightning Motorcycle
539:Cleveland CycleWerks
307:on 21 September 2011
85:and manufactured by
35:Off-road motorcycles
19:For other uses, see
700:Johnson Motor Wheel
670:Excelsior-Henderson
455:Penton Owners Group
333:on 11 December 2018
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615:American IronHorse
579:Z Electric Vehicle
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79:enduro motorcycles
74:American brand of
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584:Zero Motorcycles
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432:. 9 January 2015
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208:observed trials
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449:External links
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327:"ISDT Results"
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434:. Retrieved
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408:. Retrieved
383:. Retrieved
379:the original
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357:. Retrieved
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335:. Retrieved
331:the original
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309:. Retrieved
305:the original
272:. Retrieved
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81:designed by
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385:23 February
359:22 February
337:23 February
274:26 February
217:short-track
173:Carl Cranke
122:as well as
83:John Penton
61:KTM Austria
51:John Penton
797:Categories
635:California
436:4 February
249:References
240:200 cc KTM
223:KTM buyout
200:suspension
808:Motocross
710:Motus MST
705:MotoCzysz
685:Henderson
665:Excelsior
620:Bi-Autogo
529:Boss Hoss
514:Alligator
430:Dirt Bike
268:"Penton!"
235:in 1998.
193:motocross
177:Billy Uhl
147:Husqvarna
755:Highland
76:off-road
72:rebadged
32:Industry
775:Whizzer
765:Victory
760:Vectrix
745:Simplex
715:Mustang
660:Cyclone
655:Cushman
650:Crocker
625:Big Dog
593:Defunct
549:Fischer
544:Curtiss
507:Current
219:racer.
116:Amherst
102:Origins
97:History
91:Austria
48:Founder
40:Founded
780:Yankee
730:Ridley
720:Penton
690:Hodaka
680:Gelbke
645:Cooper
630:Brammo
559:Indian
410:4 July
311:4 July
243:enduro
189:enduro
183:Models
132:enduro
70:was a
68:Penton
57:Parent
27:Penton
740:Roehr
574:Rokon
534:Buell
164:Sachs
750:Thor
610:Alta
519:Arch
438:2016
412:2011
387:2019
361:2019
339:2019
313:2011
276:2019
175:and
154:the
126:and
43:1968
600:Ace
524:ATK
230:AMA
156:KTM
140:FIM
128:NSU
124:BMW
120:BSA
89:in
87:KTM
799::
428:.
395:^
284:^
257:^
215:)
179:.
171:,
494:e
487:t
480:v
440:.
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389:.
363:.
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211:(
23:.
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