Holy crap!!...A Combat Wombat!!

jeffro503
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jeffro503
Edited Date/Time 2/1/2014 6:59pm
So a lot of us cruise the CL ad's.....and look what I just found! For me and my group we always kid around about how our bikes handle worse then a Combat Wombat.......and I found one for sale!

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/mcy/4313783903.html

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markit
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markit 2/1/2014 1:42am
2/1/2014 1:42am
They handle better than they shift.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 2/1/2014 1:48am
2/1/2014 1:48am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
That sounds scary! I rode one when I was like 12-13yrs old?....or around there. Been a long time either way. Sure has been a lot of vintage MX for sale up this way as of late.
markit
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markit 2/1/2014 2:18am
2/1/2014 2:18am
Grew up on a Super Rat. remember it having shofting problems some, also had revurse shift.
Whitey
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Whitey 2/1/2014 2:22am
2/1/2014 2:22am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
You don't know how much that comment is true.

Here is a picture of my brothers and mine that we still race at Vintage meetings over here.

The bike



My brother

The Shop

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markit
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markit 2/1/2014 2:31am
2/1/2014 2:31am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Whitey wrote:
You don't know how much that comment is true. Here is a picture of my brothers and mine that we still race at Vintage meetings over...
You don't know how much that comment is true.

Here is a picture of my brothers and mine that we still race at Vintage meetings over here.

The bike



My brother

Oh but i do.lol i was actually trolling abit.Tongue
Tumblin
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Tumblin 2/1/2014 4:26am
2/1/2014 4:26am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the Hodigger to the top of my drive way to bump start it by reaching down and pulling the shift shaft out a cog from the middle of that counter shaft sproket, but it pulled back in and I ran my finger around the freakin sprocket!
My index digit looked like a toad in the road, but the real pain came when the doctor laid it all out on a pan of iodine and hit it with a scrub brush to get the chain lube and grit out of it.
I could go on and on with stories of this kid and his first race bike.
Hoov
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Hoov 2/1/2014 8:08am
2/1/2014 8:08am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Once the ratchet/pawl wore out, there was no shifting into an actual gear until you replaced the assembly
Tim507
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Tim507 2/1/2014 8:13am
2/1/2014 8:13am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Hoov wrote:
Once the ratchet/pawl wore out, there was no shifting into an actual gear until you replaced the assembly
or the casting/carrier broke! I worked in a bike shop in the early 70's and we kept in stock 25 plus castings all the time
mooch
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mooch 2/1/2014 9:11am
2/1/2014 9:11am
If a bushing is pressed into the the shift shaft hole in the side case to get rid of all shift shaft slop and then do just a bit of blue printing to the shifting mechanism in the side case...then shifting isn't too bad and it'll hold together pretty well.

Don't do that, then yes, shifting is ridiculously bad after stuff wears.
WhipMeister
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WhipMeister 2/1/2014 9:19am
2/1/2014 9:19am
Old man Bradshaw (he wasn't actually that old) of Big R Cycle in Richardson tried to get me to give up my Elsinore to ride one of those for his shop. A couple of test laps and I, respectfully, passed. Felt like I was riding a unicycle. He offered to sponsor me on the Honda anyway if I wore a chest protector with Big R plastered on it. Knew a couple of people that raced the toasters. They liked to seize frequently, if I remember right.

Jody Weisel raced Hodaka's for Bradshaw's Big R back then.
mooch
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mooch 2/1/2014 9:19am
2/1/2014 9:19am
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating the transmission was bad. Only problem was gobs of slop in the shaft shaft hole in side case. Drilled out and inserting a bushing fixed that.



BobbyM
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BobbyM 2/1/2014 9:33am
2/1/2014 9:33am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Tumblin wrote:
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the...
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the Hodigger to the top of my drive way to bump start it by reaching down and pulling the shift shaft out a cog from the middle of that counter shaft sproket, but it pulled back in and I ran my finger around the freakin sprocket!
My index digit looked like a toad in the road, but the real pain came when the doctor laid it all out on a pan of iodine and hit it with a scrub brush to get the chain lube and grit out of it.
I could go on and on with stories of this kid and his first race bike.
Are you as dumb as you say you are?
jeffro503
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jeffro503 2/1/2014 9:36am
2/1/2014 9:36am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Tumblin wrote:
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the...
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the Hodigger to the top of my drive way to bump start it by reaching down and pulling the shift shaft out a cog from the middle of that counter shaft sproket, but it pulled back in and I ran my finger around the freakin sprocket!
My index digit looked like a toad in the road, but the real pain came when the doctor laid it all out on a pan of iodine and hit it with a scrub brush to get the chain lube and grit out of it.
I could go on and on with stories of this kid and his first race bike.
BobbyM wrote:
Are you as dumb as you say you are?
He lost a finger......you lost a leg....and you're calling him dumb? Silly
JeepnMike
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JeepnMike 2/1/2014 9:39am
2/1/2014 9:39am
Tumblin wrote:
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the...
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the Hodigger to the top of my drive way to bump start it by reaching down and pulling the shift shaft out a cog from the middle of that counter shaft sproket, but it pulled back in and I ran my finger around the freakin sprocket!
My index digit looked like a toad in the road, but the real pain came when the doctor laid it all out on a pan of iodine and hit it with a scrub brush to get the chain lube and grit out of it.
I could go on and on with stories of this kid and his first race bike.
BobbyM wrote:
Are you as dumb as you say you are?
jeffro503 wrote:
He lost a finger......you lost a leg....and you're calling him dumb? Silly
Sorry Bobby, that was freaking hilarious though.... Laughing
Sandberm
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Sandberm 2/1/2014 10:14am
2/1/2014 10:14am
mooch wrote:
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating...
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating the transmission was bad. Only problem was gobs of slop in the shaft shaft hole in side case. Drilled out and inserting a bushing fixed that.



Whats the round canister on the rear fender for? To hold a coffee thermos while you go off into the Oregon forest to lumberjack trees?
MarkF
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MarkF 2/1/2014 10:53am
2/1/2014 10:53am
markit wrote:
They handle better than they shift.
Tumblin wrote:
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the...
I had the side case off my Rat, farting around with the points and timing, trying to figure it out at age 15. I pushed the Hodigger to the top of my drive way to bump start it by reaching down and pulling the shift shaft out a cog from the middle of that counter shaft sproket, but it pulled back in and I ran my finger around the freakin sprocket!
My index digit looked like a toad in the road, but the real pain came when the doctor laid it all out on a pan of iodine and hit it with a scrub brush to get the chain lube and grit out of it.
I could go on and on with stories of this kid and his first race bike.
"like a toad in the road" You are fishing aren't you?
Hodaka Road Toad
Ing
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Ing 2/1/2014 11:17am
2/1/2014 11:17am
A couple of sweet old Hodakas on here. The CL ad is fixable it looks like. There was a guy in Iowa that use to race all the scrambles at the time on one. It had a car rear tire on it. A big one. Like probably a 7.50 X 15. Funny thing is he won more than he lost. Dude could fly on that thing and I couldn't figure it out for the life of me.
malachi177
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malachi177 2/1/2014 11:22am
2/1/2014 11:22am
The Dirt Squirt and the Road Toads were interesting as well.

Pit Row

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Hoov
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Hoov 2/1/2014 11:30am
2/1/2014 11:30am
mooch wrote:
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating...
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating the transmission was bad. Only problem was gobs of slop in the shaft shaft hole in side case. Drilled out and inserting a bushing fixed that.



Sandberm wrote:
Whats the round canister on the rear fender for? To hold a coffee thermos while you go off into the Oregon forest to lumberjack trees?
The canister held the tool kit...and cigerettes Wink And where the heck were you guys with the bushing in the case fix when I was struggling with my Super Rat!?!? LOL :p
TBO
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TBO 2/1/2014 12:05pm
2/1/2014 12:05pm
mooch wrote:
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating...
Picked this 73 Wombat up for $500, was in great shape with original nitto tires still doing ok. Price was kept low due to seller indicating the transmission was bad. Only problem was gobs of slop in the shaft shaft hole in side case. Drilled out and inserting a bushing fixed that.



Sweet bike Mooch.
Highsider
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Highsider 2/1/2014 12:22pm
2/1/2014 12:22pm
Don't think Irv Seaver ever sold Hodaka bikes. ^^^
LoudLove
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LoudLove 2/1/2014 2:19pm
2/1/2014 2:19pm
Wait, Hodakas shift? All this time I just assumed they were single speeds.
mooch
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mooch 2/1/2014 4:01pm
2/1/2014 4:01pm
Highsider wrote:
Don't think Irv Seaver ever sold Hodaka bikes. ^^^
Good catch on that Highsider! The Irv Seaver plate frame came off a DR350 I bought in Santa Ana back in the early 90's...it seemed retro enough to put on my Ohio plated Wombat. : )

But...the little chrome stickie on the top of the brake light is the original dealer sticker from Joe's Cycle shop that sold Yams, Bultacos and Hodakas in Dayton.
The Sneak
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The Sneak 2/1/2014 5:46pm
2/1/2014 5:46pm
My neighbor had a Dirt Squirt 100 and a Wombat 125. And an Ace 100.

I seem to remember ball bearings falling out of the hole where that little plate goes. We were trying to figure out why the Wombat had no first gear. This was circa 1990 and we were 12 year old hacks who should have minded our business - we had new yz / cr 80s so why we were interested in the Hodies escapes me.

On a side note, there was a Hodaka business near me until recently. I guess he moved to Vermont. I see him in VMX all the time, nice guy. I never did make it down to check out his Hodaka museum (!)
motogrady
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motogrady 2/1/2014 6:10pm
2/1/2014 6:10pm
Shoot, Hodaka, that's the bike I started on.

Brand new, early 70's, for about 600 bucks, you could strip the lights off a 100b+, put a couple of pie plates on it,
get it to the track, and it was on.
mooch
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mooch 2/1/2014 6:59pm
2/1/2014 6:59pm
newmann wrote:
Where you been Mooch???

The Hodaka's simplicity was a thing of beauty!

http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Simple-things-the-Hodaka,…
Somehow or another, I had never seen your simple Hodaka thread before!

First motorcycle engine I ever tore down was a Hodaka and it went back together fine...thank goodness they're so simple!

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