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Vintage Freshening Vintage Freshening 1972 Penton 125 Six Day 1972 Penton 125 Six Day By Kurt Flachbart By Kurt Flachbart 34 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com This month's feature is a piece we've enjoyed for a number of years now. Like many vintage finds, the back story of how it landed in our hands is interes ng. Most know I enjoy tooling around town on old vintage bikes. Living in Maine lends itself well to the hobby as rules and regula ons are loose. Living in a lakeside community, there are endless camp roads and even an old golf course that makes the trip into town even more fun. Well one par cular July a ernoon, I'd taken my '76 Penton 400 Cross Country for a ride to our lo- cal watering hole for a burger. While si ng at the bar, a fellow popped his head in and asked, "Who owns the Penton out front"? I raised my hand and we soon started cha ng it up. "Nice Penton", my new friend said. I looked at him and said, "I'm surprised you know what a Penton is, nobody knows what a Penton is in today's world". He beamed and said, "I raced one as a kid, a green 125". "You s ll have it," I asked. This is where it got a bit weird. He looked at me as if he was looking right through me, then looked at the sky like he was thinking deep and said. "Yes, I do s ll have it". As always in situa ons such as this, I asked, "You wanna sell it"? "Yes, I'd sell it to you". He said the price was $1500 firm. Sight un- seen, I said I'd take it. His name was Don, and I soon learned my new friend happened to be vaca oning in Maine but had grown up not far from where I lived as a kid in Massachuse s. He men- oned he raced NETRA enduros on his Pen- ton during the 1972-1974 seasons. The more we talked, the more the story unfolded. He'd purchased the Penton brand new from the same shop I dealt with when I was riding a Hodaka. Cape Ann Cycle in Beverly, MA. sold Penton, Hodaka, and Norton motorcycles. As with most motorcycle shops of the 70s, it was an interes ng place located in a block of stores amongst a pizza parlor, flower shop, and liquor store. The floors were wooden and stained with oil and gas with a smell that brings a gearhead to life. Original owner Don, with his NETRA Enduro School diploma Original owner Don, with his NETRA Enduro School diploma