Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/962346
18 Trail Rider w Penton 50 th Anniversary Celebration By Kurt Flachbart Having been a fan of the Penton motorcycle since my early teens, anything Penton-related always grabs my full attention. When the word got out that there would be a 50 th anniversary celebration at KTM North Amer- ica in Amherst, Ohio, we booked an immediate flight since this was one event we couldn't miss! The fact that the celebration was to be held exactly 50 years to the day when the very first Pentons were to compete was pretty cool in itself. On March 10, 1968, Team Penton, consisting of six bikes and riders John Penton, Al Born, Tom Penton, Leroy Winters, Larry Maiers and Dave Mungenast, made its debut on the world of off-road racing. John Penton's vision and dream to design and build a championship winning, light-weight, off-road motorcycle had become a reali- ty. For 10 years the Penton motorcycle not only was a force to be reckoned with, it would be the bike to beat in enduro, cross-country, desert racing and motocross. Unbelievably, three of these bikes, serial numbers 1, 2 and 3 were on display next to the stage. As powerful of a force that KTM is today, they owe its place in the world of dirt riding to one man, Mr. John Penton. No question, the Penton name has always been held in high regard. In fact, I can't think of another brand in the world of vintage motorcycling that has such a loyal following. With the resurgence of vintage racing, a Pen- ton is a highly sought-after bike and commands strong money. As one who races Pentons in vintage competi- tion, the fact remains that solid engineering and design is timeless. Yes, modern bikes have much more suspen- sion, but what's cool is regardless of suspension travel, the bikes go where you point them, do not deflect, and hold their line incredibly well — in fact, in some cases, quite a bit better than some current offerings available to us today. Over the years, I've attended many gatherings and celebrations of this nature. Yeah, they're always fun and the chance to actually meet your childhood heroes is pretty cool. Typically, these events consist of a handful of folks who were part of the scene when it was hap- pening — a few insiders and a couple dozen followers and enthusiasts — 30 people at best. But the Penton 50 th built steam like a freight train. As news of the cele- bration popped up on social media, the list of "Who's- Who" grew rapidly. Of course John Penton, even at age FRANK GALLO, TOM PENTON, KEVIN LAVOIE KTM NORTH AMERICA THE FIRST THREE PENTONS, 1, 2, & 3 JOHN PENTON'S INFAMOUS BMW 250 RACER