kanur Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 this past year with picking up British kit bikes. First last fall with the Saracen, then the Sachs powered Sprite this Summer, and now with a Penton / Wassell. I first bought this bike in 1997, then restored it to a competition level and rode it a lot and like a dummy sold it. Getting it back was like a time warp. All these years it has been sitting on display in an office and it is exactly like it was when I sold it. I hope I don't make that mistake again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Nice looking bike,I bet you are glad to have it back.Wassell I'm sort of familiar with,but whats the tie up with Penton - I always thought they were US market KTM's ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanur Posted November 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Wassell I'm sort of familiar with,but whats the tie up with Penton - I always thought they were US market KTM's ? You are mostly correct, the first KTM enduro bikes were built to John Penton specs and almost all the early ones came to the US. In the early 70's the ones sold every where else where badged KTM. After 1977 even the US bikes where just KTM's. As for the trials bikes, the Wassell factory built around 1000 of these with almost all of them going to the US through Penton Imports. They were John Penton's biggest failure. Trials never really caught on in the US in the 70's and even where it did the bikes were not competitive with the Bultacos and Montesas of the day. Penton had a hard time getting rid of them and for a time even required new dealers to take one as part of their start up package. By the last ones they were buggering them up all kinds of ways to clear them out. Now the little trials bike is one of the most sought after Pentons out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Thanks for explaining,thought it would be something like that.This is why we need more decent books on the subject of trials - bikes,riders and event history etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Hi Guy's. Hi Jon. We could do a lot more on this site about the History of "Classic" trials bikes. But for some reason, that I can-not understand? or the people using this site have gotten younger? and are not interested in bikes form the fifties to the seventies!!! But there now seems to be a lack of interest in the older Classic bikes, even compeared with a couple of years ago? Just take a look at the thread "GOV is Lost". and you will see what I mean. just look at the amount of veiwings that subject had. Now even though people (a few hundred) have reveiwed it no one seems interested in the subject anymore. The same with interest for the Classic Trials Show. The guy's who came to the event have mailed me to say that they are interested in me restaging this event> But the responce has been poor. Perhaps it is, has I have said, that the vast majority of Classic Trials Bike owners do not veiw this site or any other, related to Classic trials. Do you think that is the case Andy? Should we have Bike History Forum on here??? Rant Over!! :icon_salut: Regards Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old trials fanatic Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Hi Guy's. Hi Jon. We could do a lot more on this site about the History of "Classic" trials bikes. But for some reason, that I can-not understand? or the people using this site have gotten younger? and are not interested in bikes form the fifties to the seventies!!! But there now seems to be a lack of interest in the older Classic bikes, even compeared with a couple of years ago? Just take a look at the thread "GOV is Lost". and you will see what I mean. just look at the amount of veiwings that subject had. Now even though people (a few hundred) have reveiwed it no one seems interested in the subject anymore. The same with interest for the Classic Trials Show. The guy's who came to the event have mailed me to say that they are interested in me restaging this event> But the responce has been poor. Perhaps it is, has I have said, that the vast majority of Classic Trials Bike owners do not veiw this site or any other, related to Classic trials. Do you think that is the case Andy? Should we have Bike History Forum on here??? Rant Over!! :icon_salut: Regards Charlie. Sadly Charlie those of us who rode in the 60's and fondly remember the bikes we lusted for in those far off days are a dying breed. A good arguement for a historical tome if ever there was one but i think most riders of "modern Pre65 bikes" would'nt recognise an original never mind want to own one as they view them as uncompetitive in "modern classic trials" so are uninteresting, to them at least. Sad really but there are people out there who dont know what GOV 132 is or even appreciate why it was created. History isnt what it was mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Sadly Charlie those of us who rode in the 60's and fondly remember the bikes we lusted for in those far off days are a dying breed. A good arguement for a historical tome if ever there was one but i think most riders of "modern Pre65 bikes" would'nt recognise an original never mind want to own one as they view them as uncompetitive in "modern classic trials" so are uninteresting, to them at least. Sad really but there are people out there who dont know what GOV 132 is or even appreciate why it was created. History isnt what it was mate I like the "un-competitive" pre-65's, it's the "modern Pre65 bikes" I have issue with. Call them Bit twin shock if it make them any more acceptable ! From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "The word classic means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality." Doesn't say anything about Marzocchi's in Norton Roadholders or dry, belt driven clutches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.