I'm so happy I found you! I was just given a Super Rat that belonged to my dad, who died in 1975 at the young age of 27. I was 7 years old. Now comes the joy of learning all about it and restoring it! I'm so excited!
I bought myself a Super Rat, and my wife a Steens in 1972. I loved riding it at California City. After my wife got comfortable with riding, I bought her a Combat Wombat, but it was too much for her (she was a very small woman). I've had a Penton 125 and a couple of Husky 250s, but the Rat was by far the most fun.
I grew up on Athena and test rode Hodsks motorcycles for 2 yrs what awesome bikes all thanks to Mr Harry Taylor and his son Brett I was given the opportunity to ride
My first dirt bike when I was 14 was a dirt squirt 100 I loved it & got a few permanent scars fr om it but it was a tough durable bike that I learned a lot from!!!
Had a 71 Rat. I could wheelie that bike going through all 5 gears starting in 2nd. Quarter mile. Mine would beat my friends first year 125 Combat Wombat. That Super Rat was practically indestructible. Loved it.
I grew up on 2 wheels in Brevard county (right next to Cape Canaveral) in the 60's/70's. I was winning the first local mini bike races on my dept store bought modified 3.5 HP Tecumseh engined minibike back in the race what you brung days. Then the Honda mini 50's and mini 70's started showing up with more HP and transmissions and suspension. I was probably one of the best riders in the county at that time and could usually beat who showed up but it was very difficult against superior equipment. I showed my Dad an article in Minibike/Minicycle Magazine about the new Bonanza minicycle, looked pretty much like a minibike but had suspension with a rear swing arm and telescopic forks and a hodaka 100cc engine with 5 speed transmission an expansion chamber (interestingly I saw the last SR model came with a down swept expansion chamber, my dad built custom down swept expansion chambers for all my motocross race bikes saying they were more efficient in managing the sound waves required of 2 stroke exhaust systems, the first down swept expansion chamber he built we tested in the bonanza when it was just our pit bike mostly) and foam air cleaner. I didn't even suggest to my Dad that he buy one but next thing I know one shows up from Oregon in a big box. I drove it for a couple weeks and my Dad (ever the Rocket Engineer) tore the engine down to inspect it and ended up giving it a slight port job and put a bigger carburetor on it and seeing I had already bent the jackshaft, he machined a new jackshaft and gears that were a much better quality and went to a bigger gauge roller chain (later the rear hub cracked/failed as it had become the weak link in the power train but that was months later). Long story short, we show up at the next mini bike race and I am pulling power wheelies thru the pits at 40 mph. My Dad told me to cool it but it was too late, a bunch of the dad's went to the race sponsor and complained that my scooter should be banned. The sponsor agreed and told us we were banned in a rider meeting but my Dad, who was an Engineer at The Cape for GE, stepped forward and gave a very eloquent defense, saying we had been racing against the Hondas with full suspension, bigger tires and transmissions for months on a self modified store bought lawn mower engined mini bike and that there were no by laws regarding what was allowable other than an age limit of 14. So the sponsor relented and let me race. The Bonanza would do 55+ mph and would pull wheelies at 50 mph. I lapped the field four or five times and it was a real man against boy race. They quickly banned transmissions with clutches and went to a 70cc engine limit...so basically that was the end of my mini bike racing days. I moved on to a YZ100 motocrosser and then a YZ125, earning an AMA Expert license in 125cc motocross my sr. year in HS ('75).
Hey that’s my dad at 1:43 ! his first race at the ponderosa in 1971. i uploaded that picture to the Internet like 15 years ago. He still loves Hodakas!
I was a Hodaka dealer in the early 70’s and raced a Super Rat. The factory people showed me how to install a reed valve and I did a lot of them on race bikes. It was a wonderful time.
Excellent intro, Kelly. I'm looking forward to watching this insanely cool bike come alive. Your video presentations are first-rate, informative, and very well produced. If I can make one suggestion, it would to MAKE MORE OF THEM! Best, Matt
Ya, my Father bought my brother and me Super Rats I 1972. They were $585 each. In a drag race, I would blow my friend's Yamaha 175 into the weeds, as they used to say. Ours didn't have a spark arrester or a silencer - straight pipe loud.
@Socalhodaka that is outstanding. I did not know the still had it. We lived there in 65 66 then moved to Walla Walla! I am going to go next year. Thanks for letting me know that it is still going on.
Piston shattered. Transmission lock up twice. Got rid of it. Got a 77 Husqvarna 125. Let's see the Wombat was a 125 and the Combat Wombat was the 250. I think. The 70s are kind of a blur now.
@@Incharge7734 Nope. Both were 125. The Combat wombat & later Super Combat were 125. The Thunderdog was 250, & i am in the UK & we never got Hodaka's!!
As a young lad. I had two Honda’s before I got my hands on a hodaka from there I had 5 of them in total. When I see one now the memories are good
I'm so happy I found you! I was just given a Super Rat that belonged to my dad, who died in 1975 at the young age of 27. I was 7 years old. Now comes the joy of learning all about it and restoring it! I'm so excited!
Hi Maria, Any updates? Have you been bitten by the Hodaka bug? Any resto projects going on?
I bought myself a Super Rat, and my wife a Steens in 1972. I loved riding it at California City. After my wife got comfortable with riding, I bought her a Combat Wombat, but it was too much for her (she was a very small woman). I've had a Penton 125 and a couple of Husky 250s, but the Rat was by far the most fun.
I grew up on Athena and test rode Hodsks motorcycles for 2 yrs what awesome bikes all thanks to Mr Harry Taylor and his son Brett I was given the opportunity to ride
My first dirt bike when I was 14 was a dirt squirt 100 I loved it & got a few permanent scars fr om it but it was a tough durable bike that I learned a lot from!!!
Hope you can get back into the Hodaka world, it’s a strong as ever.
Had a 71 Rat. I could wheelie that bike going through all 5 gears starting in 2nd. Quarter mile. Mine would beat my friends first year 125 Combat Wombat. That Super Rat was practically indestructible. Loved it.
I grew up on 2 wheels in Brevard county (right next to Cape Canaveral) in the 60's/70's. I was winning the first local mini bike races on my dept store bought modified 3.5 HP Tecumseh engined minibike back in the race what you brung days. Then the Honda mini 50's and mini 70's started showing up with more HP and transmissions and suspension. I was probably one of the best riders in the county at that time and could usually beat who showed up but it was very difficult against superior equipment. I showed my Dad an article in Minibike/Minicycle Magazine about the new Bonanza minicycle, looked pretty much like a minibike but had suspension with a rear swing arm and telescopic forks and a hodaka 100cc engine with 5 speed transmission an expansion chamber (interestingly I saw the last SR model came with a down swept expansion chamber, my dad built custom down swept expansion chambers for all my motocross race bikes saying they were more efficient in managing the sound waves required of 2 stroke exhaust systems, the first down swept expansion chamber he built we tested in the bonanza when it was just our pit bike mostly) and foam air cleaner. I didn't even suggest to my Dad that he buy one but next thing I know one shows up from Oregon in a big box. I drove it for a couple weeks and my Dad (ever the Rocket Engineer) tore the engine down to inspect it and ended up giving it a slight port job and put a bigger carburetor on it and seeing I had already bent the jackshaft, he machined a new jackshaft and gears that were a much better quality and went to a bigger gauge roller chain (later the rear hub cracked/failed as it had become the weak link in the power train but that was months later). Long story short, we show up at the next mini bike race and I am pulling power wheelies thru the pits at 40 mph. My Dad told me to cool it but it was too late, a bunch of the dad's went to the race sponsor and complained that my scooter should be banned. The sponsor agreed and told us we were banned in a rider meeting but my Dad, who was an Engineer at The Cape for GE, stepped forward and gave a very eloquent defense, saying we had been racing against the Hondas with full suspension, bigger tires and transmissions for months on a self modified store bought lawn mower engined mini bike and that there were no by laws regarding what was allowable other than an age limit of 14. So the sponsor relented and let me race. The Bonanza would do 55+ mph and would pull wheelies at 50 mph. I lapped the field four or five times and it was a real man against boy race. They quickly banned transmissions with clutches and went to a 70cc engine limit...so basically that was the end of my mini bike racing days. I moved on to a YZ100 motocrosser and then a YZ125, earning an AMA Expert license in 125cc motocross my sr. year in HS ('75).
@@stevefowler2112 great story, are you still into anything vintage? Of course Hodaka’s are very available and make great projects.
Hey that’s my dad at 1:43 ! his first race at the ponderosa in 1971. i uploaded that picture to the Internet like 15 years ago. He still loves Hodakas!
That’s awesome, hope you don’t mind I used the photo.
I was a Hodaka dealer in the early 70’s and raced a Super Rat. The factory people showed me how to install a reed valve and I did a lot of them on race bikes. It was a wonderful time.
Very cool, what was the name and where the shop was? Do you have any bikes now? Been to Hodaka Days?
So it was a "Dirt Squirt". Put a reed valve in there and you have a super rat.
Excellent intro, Kelly. I'm looking forward to watching this insanely cool bike come alive. Your video presentations are first-rate, informative, and very well produced. If I can make one suggestion, it would to MAKE MORE OF THEM!
Best,
Matt
I had a Steen's with the Linkage front end!!
Such a great video, lots of info. Thanks!
Good job Kelly !!
First real dirt bike I ever rode was a Super Rat....a good friend of mine got one, I got a Suzuki TS 125......we rode the wheels off those things
Love these bikes
had one of those it was great
Ya, my Father bought my brother and me Super Rats I 1972. They were $585 each. In a drag race, I would blow my friend's Yamaha 175 into the weeds, as they used to say. Ours didn't have a spark arrester or a silencer - straight pipe loud.
I started on a ACE 100 , way back in 1976, I should kept it , nice , thanks BigAl
i want to hear that sound again
My cousin had a steins 100 , mine wheels , loll nice thanks BigAl California.
Thank you Al, what part of California are you from? I’m in San Diego.
I use 2 go riding at the ponderosa 71-72
Love them
my first bike was a 71 super rat
Dirt squrt super rat combat wombat. The distributor was in my little town called Athena Or.
Was just there in June for Hodaka Days.
@Socalhodaka that is outstanding. I did not know the still had it. We lived there in 65 66 then moved to Walla Walla! I am going to go next year. Thanks for letting me know that it is still going on.
This year was the 23rd year of Hodaka Days. Next year we will be celebrating the 60th year anniversary of Hodaka
Top videos
Thanks.
Who made the spark aresster??.I know
I’m not sure the brand and it’s just a silencer, no spark arrester in it.
Who rembers Hodaka last 2 attempt s to stay alive..the Road Toad 175 and the Thunderdog 250
Beautiful super 🐀 rat😊.
These things were junk. Taught me basic mechanics in the mid 70s. I spent more time working on it than riding it. Absolute pieces of shit.
Sorry to hear you had spent so much time broke. What type of issues did you encounter?
My Wombat (no combat) ran great. With a Hooker exhaust.
Piston shattered. Transmission lock up twice. Got rid of it. Got a 77 Husqvarna 125. Let's see the Wombat was a 125 and the Combat Wombat was the 250. I think. The 70s are kind of a blur now.
@@Incharge7734 Nope. Both were 125. The Combat wombat & later Super Combat were 125. The Thunderdog was 250, & i am in the UK & we never got Hodaka's!!