Any Advice for "Vintage bike" wanna be?

[KTM Mike]

I am thinking about adding some sort of vintage bike the stable. I find i am drawn to the Euro bikes for some odd reason - particularily Huskys, old Pentons or KTMs and Maicos - once in a while an old bultaco seems interesting. What i need is some advice in general, about the pit falls of going down this "old path"!

As far as how old - sometimes its the early to mid 70s bikes that seem of interest - other times its much newer stuff, far from current, but not ancient - like mid 80s. there are a few jap bikes that draw my attention largely because I remember dreaming about them when I was a kid - like that PE175 i almost bought back in 1979, and others.

Rather open ended question I realize - but any suggestions on where to start, what to watch out for etc?

 

[OldMaiconut]

You might try to decide what you want to do with it. If you want to ride it much, think about being able to keep it going. I prefer Maicos because that's what I raced back in the early 70's. I have a couple of old square barrels, but ride the later bikes more because of better suspension. My best advice would be to go for what moves you. From your name, maybe a 74 or so Penton would be the ticket!

 

[CanAm1]

Look at what wins,look for what parts around the more unknown brand you may find your self curse the day you bought it.Funny thing there are alot of good bikes it depends on how big your back pockit is.Before I cleaned out my shop I had over 25 different types of CanAms and the only one I should have never got rid of was a 87 ASE 200 best play bike next to my WR200 I ever rode.I raced Cross Country Evo twin shock CanAms and Huskys and did well just with reworked shocks and forks.The whole ideal is to have fun but also collection of bikes can cause you hunt for parts bikes deal and barter for partsand live at swap meets knowing some day you will find that darn part so you get that bike running

 

[Oregon Trail]

The way I got into the 'vintage' scene was getting a bike I always dreamed about, a Husky. My dad would only buy us Japanese bike back in the day, but I dreamed of the Euro bikes. You'll have to decide what you want to do with the bike; race, play or show. It's tough to play around on a 4" suspension bike, but an Evo bike still works well for trail riding . One other thing, vintage bikes are addictive! One becomes two, becomes three, next thing you know your renting a storage until.

 

[KTM Mike]

You guys are right...gotta decide what i wanna do with an old scooter!

I dont expect to race, though i might do a "family type enduro" on an older bike for grins. I would mostly play around just for the nostalgia - i have my 300 EXC for the real riding! I might once a year take a bike to a vintage ride/show our Michigan Cycle Conservation Club puts on. And to appease the wife, if I am justifying this as an "investment" in a "vintage" bike, need to be able to feel I am not throwing my $ away (she says I do enough of that on the 3 bikes and 2 quads already in the garage!). I dont mind a bike in need of reasonable (read: not to costly!) work...I can wrench on about anything. I like the idea of attempting an basic "restoration" actually. (within reason of course!)

the only real source of whats availabel i have looked at is what is on Ebay. Appears decent amount for stuff for the Pentons, though very few if any bikes. Maico much more limited but some, husky a fair bit of parts and bikes. Bultaco has an amazing (to me at least) amount of stuff listed! Right now i guess I lean to the Penton/Maico/Husky line. When it comes to the Jap bikes would be more due to some age old lust factor from when I was 15 and reading the mags write up about some specific model I just had to have!

Any suggestions for online resources for the old bikes? Any other comments? Anyone with an old bike you want to sell that meets all of the above criteria?

 

[Oregon Trail]

KTM Mike and whoever else, alot of parts are still available from your local parts dealer so you don't need to go to a 'vintage' shop all the time. Sometimes it takes a little computer work, but the saving are usually worth it. KTM Mike, a nice clean Hodaka Wombat is always an eye catcher, plus you can ride it on the street to pick up parts!

 

[Smit-Dog]

Originally posted by KTM Mike
... There are a few jap bikes that draw my attention largely because I remember dreaming about them when I was a kid - like that PE175 i almost bought back in 1979, and others.

Mike -

I had a 1979 Suzuki PE-175 as a teenager. Rode the piss out of in the state land about 10 miles east of Grayling. Bought it at Terry's Suzuki off M-72 near Lake Marquethe. Spent every weekend riding around the Stephan's Bridge Road / North Down River / M-612 area.

I saw a beat up 1979 PE-175 at a motorcycle swap meet last winter. The thing was in pretty bad shape, and looked ancient! Still great memories though!
.

 

[KTM Mike]

Oregon - yep a Hodaka might be the ticket actually. I saw a couple of spotless like new restored ones at a vintage trail ride this fall (these bikes were not being ridden...show only!) ...all that chrome sure looked nice. I will add Hodaka to my list of possibles!

Smit Dog - that pic brings back the memories all right! I need a bike just like that one! I know that area west of Grayling fairly well - I used to frequent Terry's all the time in the late 70's early 80's (particularily when I had a RM125 - pistons were a rather common purchase for me)! Last time I rode around there was oh...about 1982 or 1983 on a '79 RM400 I had. A few weeks back there was a real nice looking PE on Ebay i toyed with bidding on actually - i kinda wish I had now!

 

[Oregon Trail]

KTM Mike, I know where a 78 KTM400 MC5 is. :p

 

[Smit-Dog]

Originally posted by KTM Mike
... Smit Dog - that pic brings back the memories all right! I need a bike just like that one! I know that area west of Grayling fairly well - I used to frequent Terry's all the time in the late 70's early 80's (particularily when I had a RM125 - pistons were a rather common purchase for me)! Last time I rode around there was oh...about 1982 or 1983 on a '79 RM400 I had. A few weeks back there was a real nice looking PE on Ebay i toyed with bidding on actually - i kinda wish I had now!

Mike - Here are few shots from my personal "PE-175" vintage scrapbook! I got the bike when I was 15. Do you like all the protective gear I'm wearing? Jeans, ankle boots, and gardening gloves!

I have a lot of great memories riding all the state land and sneaking into the bombing range and watching the jets take out the targets down in the valley.
.

 

[Smit-Dog]

That's a Red Wings jersey I'm wearing, circa 1980.
.

 

[KTM Mike]

Smit Dog

I love the PE pics! :thumb: You were one stylin biker in the day ....just about like me back then!

I just came across a pic of me on a 1977 Kaw KE175 i had ...of course as I did not buy that PE I wanted so bad, i had to make my Kaw more "enduro ready" with a preston petty head light and a small tail light on a rubber flap thing - i becha those two mods added at least 10 hp!...if not 10 style points! the only enduro I ever did with it was the Pine Cone in 1979. I didnt have my real PE...but I had my aftermarket goodies!

I think I am starting to see why guys get into vintage bikes ...its the free trips down memory lane that comes along with the bikes!

Oregon - check your PM...i wanted to follow up on that old KTM.

 

[nickw]

My first "real" dirt bike was a 1972 DKW 125 Hornet, and as a result I started collecting the things. I now am the proud owner of 6 DKW's in various states of repair. I have completly restored a 125 enduro, and fixed up a 125 MX with the Betor forks to race in vintage MX. I've been a desert racer since the early 70s, but the vintage MX scene seems like a lot of fun. I tried one on the Deek last year, the stupid thing broke down. (Get used to that!) The other thing to do is get used to the wife looking at you with narrow eyes when you haul another one home. At this point, I can always say that this one here in the truck is one I have had for a while now........

 

[frenfroe]

KTM Mike, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it.....aw go ahead and do it, and do it some more. I know from experience it's addicting. One will never be enough. The Hodie idea is nice...been searching for a CombatWombat myself. I suggest the Penton. Parts are very available and reasonably priced compared to Maico, Husqvarna and Bultaco. The suppliers listed in the "parts" link are a wealth of knowledge too. The KTM powered ones are very reliable in my experience. Go to www.pentonusa.org , one of the members has a late 400 for sale now, put on a post and you'll get replies. Also I suggest http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vinduro/ The Vinduro group is a bunch of "enthusists" of vintage enduro/ISDT bikes.

Have fun, I do with my 2 Jackpiners and various vintage trials bikes.

 

[Oregon Trail]

frenfroe, I have a Combat Wombat I'd be willing to part with, it's a low serial number bike. :ugg:

 

[Myke]

Got a 1980 ktm 250 im selling. hit me up for details if you like

mike_bale57@hotmail.com

 

[TooTall]

Smit-Dog
I enjoyed your post about riding in the Grayling area because I've been on those trails quite a bit in the last 15 years or so. Most of it was on snowmobiles, but I know exactly where you are talking about. My in-laws had a cabin (just sold it) off of M-72 just East of Stephan Bridge. I did get to ride around up there a bit in 2000 when my brother & two buddies did the Six Days of Michigan......but that's a whole other story!!

TT

 

[Smit-Dog]

TT - Another kindered soul! :thumb:

I haven't ridden there since 1983-ish, but would really like to find out what areas there are still considered "open" and ridable.

Back in the day (1975-1982) the entire area north of M-72, up past 612, and a good 10 miles on either side of Stephan's Bridge road was wide-open. Hundreds of miles of two-track that we'd ride year-round (sleds in the winter).

Our cabin was off Pine Road, which runs south off M-72 about 3/4 of a mile east of Stephan's Bridge road. We used to stay at Gates motel and Bud's cabins in Lovells before we bought the cabin. Our cabin was actually on Fiddlewood/Turkey Run which horseshoed off of Pine Road.

A big fire came through around 1990 that burned most of the cabins around us. Our toy garage was burned to the ground, but the main cabin make it out with only a few scorch marks. Completely leveled all the Jack Pines around us, and turned the area into a blackened field. I didn't even recognize the place when I stopped by shortly after the fire.

I think Pine Road has been renamed though. I stopped by again this past September, and the road sign had been changed.

Anyway, I knew that whole area like the back of my hand. Kyle Lake, Frog Lakes, fire tower hill, the sand pit hill, etc. The army kept us out or very restricted a few weeks out of the year, but a few times we snuck in past the guards, road up on the ridge north of 612, and watched the jets bomb in the valley below. One time we were coming back out, and noticed holes the size of basketballs smoking all around the field we were riding through. We high-tailed it out of there! I still have a large bullet/small missile casing that I found in the bombing range. It weights about 50lbs, and is about 16" long and 6" in diameter.

Please let me know what areas there are still open and accessible. I would love to be able to go back there and ride!

:aj:

 

[TooTall]

I remember that fire. We were up there shortly after and that area looked like the surface of the moon. So sad!

I don't know of any areas that are closed specifically, but you could probablycheck the Michigan DNR website for more info. We did most of our playing on the South side of M72 towards Roscommon and along the Blue Trail. It was always a nice trip on the sleds to the Mason Tract. There was an old gravel pit out there somewhere that was pretty fun. We'd even get some air on those poor sleds there.

If you are really interested in doing some quality Michigan trail riding, why not check out the Six Days of Michigan? We've done it in 1997 and again in 2000. It's THE BOMB! We'll definitely be going back again. More info is available here:
http://www.cycleconservationclub.org/ccc.html

It's tough to beat the trails of Michigan!

TT

 

[KTM Mike]

Well I went and did it...bought a 1976 Suzuki RM370. I had a 77 RM years ago...something about that 370 just said "buy me" so I did. This is going to b interesting. Just a few hours of surfing and i have found at least $500 worth of stuff for it i just HAVE to have!

 

[Smit-Dog]

Congrats Mike on your new, er... investment! What kind of shape is the bike in? Original or restored? Post some pics when you get a chance.

 

[KTM Mike]

SmitDog

I attempted to attach a pic here But cant figure out how!. Later on i will post one in the gallery and post a link to it here. (unless someone wants to coach me through how the heck to post the pic in this thread!)

It is an "original". In decent shape actually. The "warning" stickers even intact on the tank, original grips (in good...but hard shape) on the original bars, original levers, perches, lever covers etc. Bike has never even had the top end off of it! In need of paint on Head and clyinder, frame of course and exhaust rusty. It is even on its first set of brake shoes - i looked and it is original suzuki shoes, no evidence of them ever being out of the bike, and they dont appear to be more than 1/2 way worn. Peering into the cylinder through intake and exhaust ports - cylinder appears great, so does piston. Ample compression when you kick it over. This bike clearly spent tons of time just sitting...very little time riding!


I will get that pic into the gallery later on tonight or tomorrow! And in a handful of weeks...I will post some "after" pics!

Here is the link for the pic in the gallery.

http://www.dirtrider.net/teamdrn/showphoto.php?photo=4144&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

 

[Smit-Dog]

Mike -

Looks sweet! Doesn't seem like it needs much in the restoration department, aside from some cosmetics. You'll have to bring it to the next TF. How'd you find it, and what's the story behind it? Did it sit in someone's basement for 20 years, or was part of someone's vintage collection?

 

[fatherandson]

Smit Dog,

We tried to run Jack Pine up near the "bombing valley", the National Guard ran us out at the last minute.  I could take you on a dual sport ride to this area - great riding.

KTM Mike,

Please let us know the nickname of the new bike.

Mike

 

 

[Smit-Dog]

Originally posted by fatherandson
... We tried to run Jack Pine up near the "bombing valley", the National Guard ran us out at the last minute.  I could take you on a dual sport ride to this area - great riding.

F&S - Are you talking about the same bombing range north of M-612? And you guys tried to run the JP from the LMC grounds to all the way up there? Wow - I guess if the JP was 300 miles, you'd have to lay out a pretty wide trail system!

I am going to go back and ride around that area next season and try to see what's still open. It's all two-track, so let me know if you'd be game.

There were a number of times where we'd be flying down the trail and suddendly come across a platoon of tanks, jeeps, and armored vehicles. They always had the right-of-way! :scream: