You are correct Mr. Aplman, John Penton told KTM what to build, specified the materials to be used, and how to improve the KTM proprietary parts that were being utilized in the final product. You could make a case for John Penton being the early reason for KTM success.
You are correct Mr. Aplman, John Penton told KTM what to build, specified the...
You are correct Mr. Aplman, John Penton told KTM what to build, specified the materials to be used, and how to improve the KTM proprietary parts that were being utilized in the final product. You could make a case for John Penton being the early reason for KTM success.
I was pretty sure that I was fairly close on those points. A dad of one of my closest friends growing up sold Pentons out of his garage for several years, and then KTMs when they stopped making Pentons. I bought an older Penton and a couple of KTMs that were sold through that garage, although never an actual brand new one from them.
We also had a local guy who sold Maicos out of his garage pretty much right up until Maico disappeared. Ironically, the only bike that I ever bought from him was an 85 Honda CR250 that was incredibly modified, in 87. I wish that he had had a few of those Maico 490s still laying around back then, but like so many of those Euro bikes at the time, their allotments of 5-10 bikes were pretty much all spoken for long before they actually showed up to their garages.
I don't know all about the ripping on new bikes being made by different makers. Perhaps the quality, performance, or place of origin may not be for you, on the other hand it might work for someone else not involved in the sport now? Perhaps bring new dealers, enthusiasts, and users that will graduate to the brands that do not get shit on by critics?
I don't know all about the ripping on new bikes being made by different makers. Perhaps the quality, performance, or place of origin may not be...
I don't know all about the ripping on new bikes being made by different makers. Perhaps the quality, performance, or place of origin may not be for you, on the other hand it might work for someone else not involved in the sport now? Perhaps bring new dealers, enthusiasts, and users that will graduate to the brands that do not get shit on by critics?
I’ve got nothing against anyone who wants to build options for the marketplace. It’s just slimy to leverage a legendary name to sell cookie cutter knock offs.
When is a duck not a duck? Probably when someone snags the rights to "duck" and slaps it on a Chinese knock-off rubber chicken...
The legendary motorcycling family of off-road pioneer John Penton are in a really weird situation regarding the trademark of their name. From 1968 through ’78 John Penton worked with KTM in Austria to build light, fast off-road motorcycles that revolutionized the sport. What is now KTM basically did not even get into the off-road motorcycle business until Mr. Penton went searching for someone to make the bikes he had in mind. After ’78 Penton Motorcycles stopped being produced, and instead the bikes imported into the U.S. were labeled KTM. Penton Products continued for many years though, and the family has stayed in motorcycling—John Penton is now 98 years old.
The problem now is someone is putting the “Penton” name on cheap Chinese motorcycles (in this case a Koshine KE-320 two-stroke) by slapping Penton stickers on it and some aftermarket parts and then selling them as "Penton" motorcycles. The man is named Terry Everett and his is from New Philadelphia, Ohio (not far from the Penton family home in Amherst). Everett, said to be a longtime Penton enthusiast, picked up the lapsed trademark rights to the name Penton back in 2010, several years after Penton Products closed its doors. He then sat on it for some time, though Jack Penton, one of John’s sons and a fellow AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, asked to get the rights to their own name back, but was declined. Everett then decided to find a Chinese motorcycle-maker like Koshine on Alibaba and just came out with a knock-off "Penton Blackwater" 320cc motorcycle. The Penton family is understandably upset about this turn of events. Everett is selling the bike through a dealership called Race Ready Cycle in Dover, Ohio, which makes it sting even more (and "Ready to Race" KTM can't be happy with that shop's very similar title.)
On the Race Ready Cycle Facebook page they describe the bike this way:
"NEW PENTON 320 BLACKWATER EDITION!!!!!!!!! FIRST NEW PENTON SINCE 1978 STOP BY AND CHECK IT OUT"
Here's what they did to the Koshine to customize it:
“KKE hubs, excel rims, aluminum case saver, oversized front brake disc, brake away levers, full skid plate with linkage guard, anodized fork tubes, aluminum radiator braces, ODI handlebars, electric start with kick start backup, Rekluse clutch cover, chrome moly steel frame. 2.5 gal tank. Base model 8595.00 Pro Circuit exhaust system and Ohlins suspension can be added as an upgrade…”
As far as the concerns raced by the Penton family and the Penton Owners Group, here's what Race Ready Cycle posted:
We would like to Thank everyone for their positive feedback on the new Penton bike we are excited to see this take place. I also see the concerns, it is great to see the loyalty to the Penton name. So many know the Penton name around the world and yet we have lots of people say they have never heard of it. We in no way intended to devalue the Penton name. What the Penton family has accomplished in the 2 wheel off road sport will never be matched. That being said, the Penton name will continue on in a new generation. The Penton name is a Registered Trademark. At the end of the day, we are all two wheel enthusiast's. Thank you for your support and comments. Thank a Veteran today they gave us the opportunity to have these conversations God Bless
Slimy as hell....the fact that you guys have the gall to talk about honoring the Penton name tells me all I need to know about you and your shitty dealership. And the outright theft of KTM intellectual property is just as bad...eff the Chinese (the world's worst IP thieves) and your crappy bottom dweller business....I hope this fails in epic fashion.....
One has to wonder if the Pro Circuit and the Ohlins add-ons are knockoffs as well…….
Would be interesting to find out if Pro Circuit remembers...
One has to wonder if the Pro Circuit and the Ohlins add-ons are knockoffs as well…….
Would be interesting to find out if Pro Circuit remembers developing an exhaust for a new ‘Penton’.
I suspect the reverse-engineered engine/chassis/body work is "close enough" to a KTM that their Pro Circuit/Ohlins/Rekluse part numbers work...there is no chance that this abomination caught those legitimate companies' interest enough to actual build parts for it...
The fact that Terry hasn’t been back in this thread says everything you need to know.
The fact that Terry hasn’t been back in this thread says everything you need to know.
I would guess he lacks self-awareness at a pretty substantial level...
I mean, hell - if I wanted to make a "Penton" (and I somehow weaseled the trademark rights to it), I'd at least do something cool like putting blue plastic on it and call it a Jackpiner edition. These clowns didn't even try....
I would guess he lacks self-awareness at a pretty substantial level...
I mean, hell - if I wanted to make a "Penton" (and I somehow weaseled...
I would guess he lacks self-awareness at a pretty substantial level...
I mean, hell - if I wanted to make a "Penton" (and I somehow weaseled the trademark rights to it), I'd at least do something cool like putting blue plastic on it and call it a Jackpiner edition. These clowns didn't even try....
I think he knows exactly what he’s doing. Trying to make a buck off the penton name.
The fact that Terry hasn’t been back in this thread says everything you need to know.
The fact that Terry hasn’t been back in this thread says everything you need to know.
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who remembers Penton is pretty hardcore and sees through the BS marketing of knockoffs, and to anyone else the Penton name is meaningless. It’ll be interesting to see if it works well enough to get through the first batch of knockoff bikes and make a second batch. At $8500 I’m betting no.
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who...
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who remembers Penton is pretty hardcore and sees through the BS marketing of knockoffs, and to anyone else the Penton name is meaningless. It’ll be interesting to see if it works well enough to get through the first batch of knockoff bikes and make a second batch. At $8500 I’m betting no.
Oh I’m sure he has. I’m also sure he’s spineless. He knows this is knock-off bs and doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who...
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who remembers Penton is pretty hardcore and sees through the BS marketing of knockoffs, and to anyone else the Penton name is meaningless. It’ll be interesting to see if it works well enough to get through the first batch of knockoff bikes and make a second batch. At $8500 I’m betting no.
Can you imagine paying $700 MORE than a YZ250FX for this thing?
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who...
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who remembers Penton is pretty hardcore and sees through the BS marketing of knockoffs, and to anyone else the Penton name is meaningless. It’ll be interesting to see if it works well enough to get through the first batch of knockoff bikes and make a second batch. At $8500 I’m betting no.
You are correct Mr. Aplman, John Penton told KTM what to build, specified the materials to be used, and how to improve the KTM proprietary parts that were being utilized in the final product. You could make a case for John Penton being the early reason for KTM success.
I was pretty sure that I was fairly close on those points. A dad of one of my closest friends growing up sold Pentons out of his garage for several years, and then KTMs when they stopped making Pentons. I bought an older Penton and a couple of KTMs that were sold through that garage, although never an actual brand new one from them.
We also had a local guy who sold Maicos out of his garage pretty much right up until Maico disappeared. Ironically, the only bike that I ever bought from him was an 85 Honda CR250 that was incredibly modified, in 87. I wish that he had had a few of those Maico 490s still laying around back then, but like so many of those Euro bikes at the time, their allotments of 5-10 bikes were pretty much all spoken for long before they actually showed up to their garages.
I don't know all about the ripping on new bikes being made by different makers. Perhaps the quality, performance, or place of origin may not be for you, on the other hand it might work for someone else not involved in the sport now? Perhaps bring new dealers, enthusiasts, and users that will graduate to the brands that do not get shit on by critics?
I’ve got nothing against anyone who wants to build options for the marketplace. It’s just slimy to leverage a legendary name to sell cookie cutter knock offs.
The Shop
From DC in Racerhead this week:
THE UN-PENTON
When is a duck not a duck? Probably when someone snags the rights to "duck" and slaps it on a Chinese knock-off rubber chicken...
The legendary motorcycling family of off-road pioneer John Penton are in a really weird situation regarding the trademark of their name. From 1968 through ’78 John Penton worked with KTM in Austria to build light, fast off-road motorcycles that revolutionized the sport. What is now KTM basically did not even get into the off-road motorcycle business until Mr. Penton went searching for someone to make the bikes he had in mind. After ’78 Penton Motorcycles stopped being produced, and instead the bikes imported into the U.S. were labeled KTM. Penton Products continued for many years though, and the family has stayed in motorcycling—John Penton is now 98 years old.
The problem now is someone is putting the “Penton” name on cheap Chinese motorcycles (in this case a Koshine KE-320 two-stroke) by slapping Penton stickers on it and some aftermarket parts and then selling them as "Penton" motorcycles. The man is named Terry Everett and his is from New Philadelphia, Ohio (not far from the Penton family home in Amherst). Everett, said to be a longtime Penton enthusiast, picked up the lapsed trademark rights to the name Penton back in 2010, several years after Penton Products closed its doors. He then sat on it for some time, though Jack Penton, one of John’s sons and a fellow AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, asked to get the rights to their own name back, but was declined. Everett then decided to find a Chinese motorcycle-maker like Koshine on Alibaba and just came out with a knock-off "Penton Blackwater" 320cc motorcycle. The Penton family is understandably upset about this turn of events. Everett is selling the bike through a dealership called Race Ready Cycle in Dover, Ohio, which makes it sting even more (and "Ready to Race" KTM can't be happy with that shop's very similar title.)
On the Race Ready Cycle Facebook page they describe the bike this way:
"NEW PENTON 320 BLACKWATER EDITION!!!!!!!!! FIRST NEW PENTON SINCE 1978 STOP BY AND CHECK IT OUT"
Here's what they did to the Koshine to customize it:
“KKE hubs, excel rims, aluminum case saver, oversized front brake disc, brake away levers, full skid plate with linkage guard, anodized fork tubes, aluminum radiator braces, ODI handlebars, electric start with kick start backup, Rekluse clutch cover, chrome moly steel frame. 2.5 gal tank. Base model 8595.00 Pro Circuit exhaust system and Ohlins suspension can be added as an upgrade…”
As far as the concerns raced by the Penton family and the Penton Owners Group, here's what Race Ready Cycle posted:
We would like to Thank everyone for their positive feedback on the new Penton bike we are excited to see this take place. I also see the concerns, it is great to see the loyalty to the Penton name. So many know the Penton name around the world and yet we have lots of people say they have never heard of it. We in no way intended to devalue the Penton name. What the Penton family has accomplished in the 2 wheel off road sport will never be matched. That being said, the Penton name will continue on in a new generation. The Penton name is a Registered Trademark. At the end of the day, we are all two wheel enthusiast's. Thank you for your support and comments. Thank a Veteran today they gave us the opportunity to have these conversations God Bless
Watch this space...
Non-Penton
Another Penton—let's call this a resto mod.
I'd clean out anyone that rides this
Do the Pentons know about this. Hope you like getting your ass kicked.
It’s April 1st right!
Slimy as hell....the fact that you guys have the gall to talk about honoring the Penton name tells me all I need to know about you and your shitty dealership. And the outright theft of KTM intellectual property is just as bad...eff the Chinese (the world's worst IP thieves) and your crappy bottom dweller business....I hope this fails in epic fashion.....
$8600!
Jeez. Basically same price as a Beta 300RX for an Alibaba mail order bike.
"First new Penton since 1978"... Pffft.
Some mighty slimy marketing.
My condolences to the Penton family for having to see this happening to their name.
that is one ugly bike.
Terry Everett reminds me of Terry Good
fuck terry.
Never understood commenting without reading.
I live in New Philadelphia, Oh. Where are these being made? I never seen one around here.
China.
With stolen IP, shitty Chinese materials, and slave labor. And a Penton sticker on the shrouds...
They used to be or still are a Beta dealer.
Pit Row
One has to wonder if the Pro Circuit and the Ohlins add-ons are knockoffs as well…….
Would be interesting to find out if Pro Circuit remembers developing an exhaust for a new ‘Penton’.
I suspect the reverse-engineered engine/chassis/body work is "close enough" to a KTM that their Pro Circuit/Ohlins/Rekluse part numbers work...there is no chance that this abomination caught those legitimate companies' interest enough to actual build parts for it...
Similar to this one:
https://www.gpxmoto.com/tse300l
Boy, I can't wait for the NEW 2024 Bultaco Pursang !!!!
The fact that Terry hasn’t been back in this thread says everything you need to know.
I would guess he lacks self-awareness at a pretty substantial level...
I mean, hell - if I wanted to make a "Penton" (and I somehow weaseled the trademark rights to it), I'd at least do something cool like putting blue plastic on it and call it a Jackpiner edition. These clowns didn't even try....
I think he knows exactly what he’s doing. Trying to make a buck off the penton name.
I assume he’s read it and doesn’t want to engage in any virtual brawls.
Where the “new Penton” thing goes wrong is that the crowd who remembers Penton is pretty hardcore and sees through the BS marketing of knockoffs, and to anyone else the Penton name is meaningless. It’ll be interesting to see if it works well enough to get through the first batch of knockoff bikes and make a second batch. At $8500 I’m betting no.
Oh I’m sure he has. I’m also sure he’s spineless. He knows this is knock-off bs and doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
Can you imagine paying $700 MORE than a YZ250FX for this thing?
Nope, no way I’d pay more than a Yamaha for this afterbirth thing. Super low price is the only advantage it could offer, and it doesn’t have that.
Which actually looks waaaaay better and is quite cheaper.
Post a reply to: 2024 PENTON 320cc Electric Start with Kick Backup. Race Ready Cycle in Dover, Ohio now on sale. Forst new PENTON since 1978.