speaking of hodaka

Beginnings
The company Pabatco (Pacific Basin trade company) was created 1961 in Athena, Oregon as branch of the farm chemicals OF Oregon and acted primarily with fertilizer and grain. Around exchange restrictions with the export from American wheat to Japan to go around one tried it with the import of Japanese Yamaguchi motorcycles. Thus one had large success. Until 1963 was sold already more than 5000 machines over 480 dealers. In April 1963 Yamaguchi made bankruptcy sudden and left to Pabatco a functioning dealer net without commodity. The Hodaka Engeneering CO had similar problems. in Nagoya, Japan, which manufactured the engines for Yamaguchi. With Pabatco one knew which the American customers wished and one suggested Hodaka sketching complete motorcycles building and to marked out. One did not have large alternatives with Hodaka, since still about 300 engines lay in the shelves.

Motorcycle development
Henry "„Hank "“Koepke was director/conductor of the Motrorrad department with Pabatco. Over against the numerous Mitkonkurrenten to stand out it wanted to offer a model, simply, durably, reliably, with good power ratings, for it favorably in consumption and inexpensive. The development and testing took place in Athena, the manufacturing in Japan. The first Hodaka motorcycle, which became Ace 90 1964 vorgestellt.1965 acquired Shell the farm chemicals OF Oregon and it was surprised that one possessed a motorcycle factory now. OD Miley, one of the three principal shareholders worried from now on about Hodaka. In June 1966 left the 10.000. Ace 90 the factory in Nagoya. Amazingly of a company the three years before still before from stood.

Models
Ace 90
With the development of the Ace 90 the Pabatco team tried to combine the best characteristics of the prominent competitor models in their model. The other Trialmaschinen, cribbed itself from one did not have the double loop tubing framework, something with the English Cotton. For an economic storekeeping of spare parts and for a higher resale value by the avoidance of annual model changes one decided, similarly as Henry Ford long time before, all vehicle in only one color, i.e. red, to manufacture. The model had 90 ccm a cylinder two-stroke engine with an output of 8,2 HP with 7500 rpm. Around the reliability to prove franc Wheeler drove 3800 miles by Niederkalifornien without a technical defect. The Ace 90 was used in many competitions with Moto CROSS, Trial and even when road running.

Ace 100
Due to competition successes and the customers one decided when desired to become larger 1968 the capacity of 90 to 100 ccm and to equip the transmission with five instead of four courses. Since one wanted to offer further only one model, the Ace 100 replaced the Ace 90. 1968 triumphed to Harry Taylor with the Daytona Roadrace in the class over 100 ccm and broke all records in this class. With a maximum speed of over 160 km/h it left the Zweizylinder Yamaha behind itself.

Ace 100 MX (super advice)
1969 developed the Moto CROSSes machine Ace 100 MX. In the well-known chassis a further developed engine and improved spring elements were built. The super advice was successful with competitions and obtained also large sales impacts.

125 Wombat
With a further increase in output 1972 the Wombat mit125 ccm engine developed. The competition version of the Wombat was called Combat Wombat. To the international six-day travel the 1973 in the USA took place official US crew on Hodaka were announced. In the same year franc Wheeler drove 10,000 miles in 21 days approximately around Australia. Thereupon the sales figures rose again and one brought further models on the market.

Dirt Squirt
a Moto CROSS version with 100 ccm engine.

Road Toad
with 100 ccm engine for area employment.

Super Combat
with 125 ccm engine as Moto CROSS machine.

OD 250
OD 250 was a new development for the area employment and appeared 1975 with electronic ignition and light alloy wheels

250 SL
The SL was OD 250 with road permission.

Hodaka 250
A Moto CROSS machine with 246 ccm capacity and 36 mm of Mikuni carburetors

The end
While one can discuss whether Hodaka released the tri aluminum motorcycle boom is certain that one many humans by a payable competitive vehicle. to the engine haven brought. For the fall 1979 it gave several reasons to the company. On the one hand one had missed it to use new technologies over against substantially larger competitors to exist to be able. On the other hand could subsidize the competitors by their profits with the sales of road motorcycles their off Road machines and inundate so the market. By the recession one decided to quit itself to late 70's and unfavorable rate of exchange with Shell the contract with Hodaka in Japan. The Hodaka fabrication plants was sold to Korea to the company Daelim