Wore my Hodaka jersey to a vintage event at Barbers. Malcolm Smith was there, saw my jersey and commented that Hodakas were good motorcycles. We had a great convo about motorcycles. Good memories.
I had him sign a gas tank at one of the ladt Indy dealer shows. Cut the tank in half as the other side was smashed and turned the good side with his signature into a clock for my shop
Malcolm Smith was the mechanic at the shop where I took my 1996 Hodaka for repairs. He personally bungled a cylinder bore by not centering the cylinder, so forever after my piston ran slightly off center. So while I appreciate his riding skills, I cannot recommend his mechanic skills. He pulled his truck in where I used to ride and came out with a Husqvarna 600 (as I recall). I thought, 'COOL! I'll follow him and learn some things!' Nope! He was gone, gone, gone, in 3 seconds. Duh! Weird how my 90, with me on it, couldn't keep up with his 600 and the winner of several Baja 1000 races. Anyway I put the badly bored cylinder back on the bike and ran it for several more years. That Hodaka was bullet proof.
I remember the crazy names. My brother had a Road Toad. And my friends had a Dirt Squirt, and the Combat Wombat with the chrome gas tank. Those were the days...gone but not forgotten.
In the early 70’s I had the super rat. We used to race these on what was called TT tracks which were fast dirt tracts with a couple of small jumps in them. Put trial type tires on them and some porting on the head and they were pretty dang fast for a 14/16 year old racing handle bar to handle bar.
A Hodaka dirt squirt 100 was my first motorcycle & I loved it !! I still bear the scars on my knuckles from learning how to cut cookies hitting a pine tree across the bar when it caught traction too😮😅 A lot of good memories and education 45+yrs later❤😂
Cool Jay, you have re-proved once again you are a real moto guy by being aware of the significant role Hodaka played in so many of our backgrounds and bothering to take the time to make this video about this important marque. Btw, I bought and raced my '71 Super Rat when I was 13 and loved the heck out of that bike.
When I was 14 (Circa 1978) while on a vacation with my stepdad and a friend of mine in a motor home, we came across a garage sale in I think Montana, and they had a motorcycle. It was the 1973 Wombat full dual sport bike. All in its pristine glory of chrome. Chrome fenders, gas tank and rack. It even had a small round cubby for tools, although even back then I stored spare gas in a purex bottle in there just in case I got low. I still carry extra gas with me to this day. He bought the bike with travelers checks for $400! That was a lot in 1978 for a bike that was 5 years old, but after getting home, I rode that thing for 4 years all over the place, even before I had my license, I was riding through our one stop light town and hitting the logging roads. Fast forward to 12 years ago, I picked up brand new the 2006 Kawasaki KLX 250S dual sport, and I have 17,000 miles on it now. Most of those miles are on gravel. It's also been a great bike.
I had a Wombat, a Combat Wombat, and I picked up an Ace 100 motor modified for a road racing cart that was ported, had an aftermarket head, piston, huge carb, a hand made expansion chamber. I got it running but never used it. Watching this video makes me regret getting rid of all of it intensely!
I got a Hodaka Ace 90 for Christmas in 1965 from Bob Barker's Speed Shop (no relation to game T.V. show Host) Kannapolis, North Carolina. Was a really good dirt bike, love riding it. Thanks Jay. I was very impress you had this bike on your show.
My first bike was also an Ace 90 Hodaka - $425.00 (in Canada) Just about the best trail bike a kid could ever want in 1965. (I think it was '65 but that was so long ago and I was a bit younger then!)
When I was living in Heidelburg Germany 50+ years ago some friends of mine were going out to a military training area out side of town to play in the dirt. At the apointed time I ride up on my Honda 750 K1 for some fun. Hell what could wrong, I'm an Autobahn rider! The BSA 441refused to start. All we got were sore knees and ankles. The Yamaha 360 was a blast. Throw dirt everywhere and ungodly fast. Then got on the Hodaka and had low expectations. I thought "hell this thing is just a minibike". That thing threw me off and I sailed right into a pine tree. The last thing I remember seeing was a large piece of pine bark. Tore my left shoulder up! Great respect for that bike to this day.
Great trip down memory lane, Jay! I had a Hodaka Road Toad 100. Heavy bike for it's size but extremely reliable and well built. When I had a local college school rebore it they accidentally reversed the 2 cycle oil hose. Engine froze on the highway. However, after it cooled down I fixed the hose and the bike ran great for several more years. I kinda miss that bright green friend!
I grew up on Hodaka, Penton, Husqvarna, and Yamaha. In the 1990s Hodaka, Penton, and Husqvarna had become unknown by the new generation. But my generation of dirtbiker has never forgotten those brands.
My buddy had a hodaka 125 combat wombat. Like around 1974 -75. Awesome bike? I had a Yamaha dt 100 Enduro. We were in our favorite strip mine climbing hills and racing on a track that was cut out. He had our friend on the back and he launched off a jump. When he landed, he blew out the spokes on the back tire because of the extra weight. Had to push it home🤣. But great times and memories! Thanks Jay!
LOL the "Toaster" we called them for the big chrome gas tanks. Every one had one. I bought a brand new 125 Wombat and it was my only transportation in school. The 100cc MX class was dominated by Hodakas. One cool thing was the amount if accessories and hop-up parts they offered.
They were neat little bikes, great for the gravel pits. You didn't need a ladder to get on one, your feet would easily reach the ground from the saddle. Those were the days!
I live in a small mountain community. One day in the late 2010s while in the garage a beautiful chrome Hodaka drove by. On his way back I flagged him down. An older gentleman had restored his beloved 1960s Hodaka and trucked it up the mountain to our little community just to look it over. Just inside the garage door was a stack of vintage motorcycle magazines I purchased from Autobooks on Magnolia Ave in Burbank when they were in business. I even saw Jay there once when he visited driving a boat tailed automobile. Well, a few issues down in that large stack was a road test for his Hodaka machine. He looked at it and said he had a road test, but did not know this particular road test existed. So I gifted it to him. I remarked to him (1) What are the odds he would bring that Hodaka to my little town? (2) What are the odds I would have been in the garage just as he went by? (3) What are the odds I had that particular issue on his rare motorcycle in a large stack just near the top? Too many odds to be accidental. I think he was meant to have it because of a higher faith and told him so. He went away happy. It made me smile :)
My dad bought me a Wombat 125 back in the early 1970's........ It was cool. I rode that thing to no end. Yep, soft spot here too for good-ol Hodaka, NGK spark plugs and Torco 2 cycle oil!.... Later on started using Blendzall oil. That stuff sure smelled good when run thru a 2 stroke.
I worked all summer in 1966 and saved up my money. A guy who worked the same job had an Ace 90 he wanted to sell. I’m 16 and couldn’t believe I could buy it. Went home and begged my parents for permission to buy it. Mom said hell no! Dad pointed out that I was the only kid they had that was responsible enough to save money. They relented and my first of six motorcycles was mine. It had two sprockets for the rear end and could climb a telephone pole with that big one on her. With the small one she could do about 55. I rode that bike every day for two years. We even put her in the back of my mother’s station wagon with 5 cases of beer and three dozen hotdogs when we went to the GP at Watkins Glen October 67. Ended up on the track blasting down the back straight at all of 50 mph! What a hoot that bike was!
The way you attached the overlay sprocket was awful. I bent the inner sprocket teeth and finally welded the outer to the inner. That's the worst thing I can say about the bike. I also replaced the rear shocks with shocks from a Honda 300 Dream. That stiffened everything up, and it never bottomed out again. I rode mine every day until I flunked sophomore English. Oops!
I am going to buy this book. I had an Alsport Steen 100, which was a re-badged Hodaka, when I was a kid (1980). I got it for free from one of my dad's friends. His son had crashed it in a farmer's field, broke the throttle and then left it there. It laid in the farmer's field all winter because the kid never told his dad about it. My dad's friend was so mad when the farmer brought it to his house in the spring that he gave it to me. I had years of fun with that bike.
Hello Jay and Paul. What a great video! It is so true about ment of US owning Hodakas. I had two Ace 100's and a Wombat 125. Plus my uncle, who was over 50 at that time in 1972, bought a new Wombat like mine after I let him ride it and he loved it! The story I heard later on about their demise, was a total loss fire at the PABATCO hdq. And the fire ruined all parts in stock. I heard this from a number of dealers in my area. There were thee dealers in the R. I and nearby Mass. Thanks guys and take care.
One of the most amazing things about the Ace 90,100 and 125, was how simple the engine trans. was to work on, being a two stroke, and the ingenious design of the trans. with the parallel gear shafts, one with fixed gears, and the other with free gears on a hollow shaft with the rod passing through the center that would hole balls out to hold fast the gear chosen, with the simple ratchet system, the only weak link being the return spring mounted on the shifter shaft that let the shift return to the middle, with a nonstandard one up and four down pattern, if I remember correctly. Very simple and easy to work on. You could do a total rebuild from top to bottom in half a day!! From piston, rings, con-rod, cyl honing, clutch, main bearings, gears and shifting mech. With a file and d Dremel tool you could port the cyl. and cut the intake skirt on the piston and gain about 15-20% power, in an hours work! Try to do that with a Honda 100?
We used these bikes (Road toad - 100 & Wombat - 125) for farming ... The external shift mechanism would clog up with mud so the quick / momentary fix was to take off the external part and shift first gear with your fingers ... and bump in the slide shaft with your heal to increase gears ... Required stopping to get out of 5th gear to reset the shift shaft slider ... I ran my finger through the countershaft chain because I didn't stop to reset😮
Ah, I've wondered what happened to Yamaguchi since they sort of disappeared after '63 or so. The dealership I worked for took on Tohatsu and I had one of the Runpet Sport versions which only had a three speed, the Yama had four. It was easy to see the Yama family similarity in the Hodaka and this interview clears how that came about. They were onto some nice larger models in the '70s but faded away.
Grew up riding in a place called Elephant Hill in South Pasadena Calif. Everybody was riding Hodaka's. We even had a legendary MX'er Jim West rode there. I was riding a Sachs back then.
Love seeing the Hodaka again. I rode a 55cc Yamaha to high school in the 60's, but the Hodaka ace 90 was my dream bike. Would like to see a book of all the motoX bikes from back then. CZ, Huskavarna, Bultaco, Monteca, AJS, Ossa, Penton, etc..
Still have some bike mags from the early 70s with all of the Hodaka line and specs. Back then, a kid could mow yards for the summer and be able to buy a dirt bike in the fall. Now, they have to have fairly well off parents to afford such a hobby. Semper Fi
My second motorcycle was a Hodaka Super Rat, from '70-'74. My best friend had 2 Super Rats. They were tough little motorcycles. We burned up the woods, hare scramble races, enduros and motocross tracks. We had another friend who pronounced the Pabatco part as "Pabataco" or Hodaka Pabataco. I've been shopping for the book but they are hard to come by.
I remember hearing a story about a guy winning a Hodaka motorcycle on a game show maybe Price is Right or Lets Make A Deal and decided he wanted to drive it home. He went to the gas station and filled it up but didn't know he had to mix the gas and oil in it. He made it something like 20 miles before it froze up.
Shoulda, woulda, coulda...by the time I came to MX bikes in the mid 1970s, Hodakas were out, YZs, RMs, CRs were in. In downtown LA, I picked up a few for a collector friend Colorado, and they were cheap-as-chips then. I will find a decent 90 or 175 for AHRMA, now that the urge to ride/compete is back again...just for some weekend fun. Good to know there is such a huge following.
My cousin had a Hodaka model called a wombat combat. It looked like it had a steel or chrome gas tank. I can't remember whether it was a 90 or 100 cc? Neat bike.
These were great bikes. We motocrossed them, enduroed them, flat tracked them. I bought my first one of a few for 375.00. We had a 100cc class for motocross and there were more than a dozen of these on the line..I also bought their 250 cc version. Most bang for the buck bike I ever had. One of mine had high compression head, expansion chamber reed vale with a 32mm Amal carb and it hauled. That new one was bought in 1969 I believe. Originally sold as a trail bike. The early ones had very little suspension and 17in wheels. But for $375.00....
I owned (well I was 12 so I guess my Dad actually owned it, but it was "mine") a Bonanza mini bike (they were known as mini cycles back in the day) that I believe was a 1969 or 1970 model and it was powered by a Hodaka 100cc engine (5 speed transmission)...we even had Hodaka dealer in our town (Titusville Fl.) for a while...
I had a lot of trouble with the shifter mechanism. Rebuilt one in high school shop class. Lots of pin bearings. Great bike except always adjusting the shifter
My brother had a '71 Super Rat, we ported the heck out of it and custom installed a Reed valve and a 28mm mikuni carb and power increased dramatically until the Weisco piston blew up.😪😊
I remember no helmet shorts and to this day i have the lumps on my head and headaches. Every time i think these kids today are weak. I remember the headache's and realize they are smarter than me. Thank goodness.
Jay grew up on L.I.? I grew up in westchester county around same time and never even saw one in real life, just in ads and articles. Twas a dream machine among honda 50s, 70s, and my favorite, the Yamaha rt60. Im riding a drz400S nowadays.
I read an article in Motocross Action Magazine written by Bob Rutten that described the history of the strange marriage of Hodaka and Pabatco. I think Bob Rutten raced 125's for Hodaka back in the early 70's. They said Hodaka couldn't keep up with the technology of the Japanese bikes, kinda like how Japanese dirt bikes can't keep up with the tech on European bikes these days, lol. KTM has a 250cc 2 stroke motocrosser that weighs 211 lbs. That's crazy!
I bought about 7 of these at auction in 2005. Had 3 100's and a 250 dual sport, 2 stroke, c1970. Sold them all on ebay. There were so many parts for auction, too. They sold cheap, so don't go spending a bunch of money on one.
Bob Hershey started out on a Hodaka I knew him personally I showed him where the Stairs where...Bob Hershey became a Professional Motocross Racer in the 70's
My cousin is very similar in age to myself, so we both grew up riding similar-sized bikes. When we each got to our third upgrade, his was a 1970-something Hodaka Ace 100. Great little bike, although I never did get a chance to ride it, it was dead-reliable and plenty fast. I had a '67 Kawasaki 120 Roadrunner. Bear in mind, we were riding these old little things circa year 2000 or so. I still have the 120.
After we grew out of the two bikes above, we both moved to 250 Husqvarnas, in case anyone is interested. His is a 1980 and mine is an '82. We were about 14 when we started riding the Huskies, and we're still on them today. Keeping the vintage iron alive. I've never known any other way.
I restored a 125 Wombat looked brand new even the exhaust back in the 1980's. Project was tanked when I realized that a clutch assembly was no where to be found...should have thought about that early on...live and learn.
Give the guy a break. Any weapon of any sort is wrong. If the public cannot have them nor should the tyrants. Stop the fucking wars! Peace n Love brother Jay
The closes bike to a Hodaka at the time was a Penton. They were a lot more competitive, but totally horrible on the street. Not to mention expensive compared to a Hodaka. I remember buying my first Ace 100 for $525 brand spanking new! In 1971, the first year of the high front fender! The next year I bought another for the same price, the next year, I paid $620 for a new Wombat, then went into the Army and sold it. Later the next year while stationed at Ft Carson CO, I bought a new Penton 125 Six Day Trials Enduro, but that cost me $1,290!! Twice the price of a new Wombat, but a lot more power and handling, with its own distinctive sound, like a chainsaw with a loose baffle. Oh well take care and be safe out there.
I see your point. Freedom is for rich guys like Jay, not us lowly peasants. Go Big Brother! Big Brother is the only knows who really knows what's best for us. Those "crazy gun nuts" are evil just witches", Big Brother says 'burn the witch' so lets burn em all!!!
Crazy indeed. Fucked up and mental, just like you greenhouse gas dumping car nuts. The worlds climate change & LA smog is all your fault. AL Gore was right, internal combustion engines must be eliminated to save our planet from you batshit crazy car nuts. Message to Joe......... car nuts & gun nuts are one and the same, bad, bad, bad!!
Hi Jay, I just wanted to say that I just saw what you did for that soldier. That was one of the kindest things I have ever seen. I know you wanted that car but you gave it away. Have you ever heard that song by Rush called Red Barchetta? If you haven't I recommend you do. It is you all the way brother. I sure would like to meet you some day. You are a great man.
My first bike in 1975, was a stripped down 1971 Yamaha 360 enduro with a seized engine, I was 15, I paid $300, I had to keep it at my brother in-laws house because my parents wouldn't let me have a motorcycle. All the places we used to ride are housing developments now.
I really want to meet you someday Jay Leno. I love cars and I'm very conservative. My favorite car is the early 60s Chrysler Imperial. The only thing is I'm still unemployed but I'm still trying to look around so hopefully I can get enough money to take a trip to California someday. Also I have a friend named Daniel whose going to a Tech school in Florida. He wants to climb to the top in Rally Cross. His favorite car is the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST.
And they all had "Hodakability." yep, it was a word. Just a fun bike that wouldn't quit with easy service and inexpensive parts. Thank Joan Claybrook for killing the 2-stroke.
I wish Jay would at least someday metion the 750 Suzuki water cooled triple,in 1970 i got stoprd everywhere i went with my bike.when i bought it i didnt no that it wojld bring that much attention.but of the many many bike i own,the750 Suzuki was my favorite,next would be my cz's what a great dirt bike,it took me ten year to restore it .i understand there r cz clubs.another bike i wish mr leno would review,
I raced a Hodaka in the desert back in the day and thought I was gonna read some Hodaka comments. Instead I get a buncha bitchy little girls whining about Jay's decision not to speak at some gun nut circle jerk. Hey, I've got guns too. This is about bikes.
I never understood the attraction to Hodaka. Even as a kid, I just didn't get it. I actually rode a few of them and always came away, why do people like them so much? What am I missing? People who owned them, absolutely loved them. I just felt they didn't make much power. What power they did make, the bike had to be screaming! Maybe it was the look of the unimpressive tiny engine? I doubt it. Just didn't make power in my opinion. Seemed like it could run forever, it was so detuned. I rode 90's and 100's. I remember they came out with the super Rat and Wombat, but never rode those. Keep in mind, I was a little guy (at that time). I don't even recall the 175. The most impressive 125 I did ride at that time, was probably anything with a Sachs engine. I couldn't believe it was a 125. Had power everywhere, all the time!! Leading link front end was heavy as a bus, but no fear of ruts. I also had the Honda SL100 and 125. the SL125 moved pretty good, after cam, pipe, port and polish. Then I jumped to Husky 400 and 450's. HELLOO WORLD!!
Jay, love your videos. Its like being a kid in the candy store (everything behind glass). Have some original 1929/1930 HD posters for sale. Interested?
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Wore my Hodaka jersey to a vintage event at Barbers. Malcolm Smith was there, saw my jersey and commented that Hodakas were good motorcycles. We had a great convo about motorcycles. Good memories.
I had him sign a gas tank at one of the ladt Indy dealer shows. Cut the tank in half as the other side was smashed and turned the good side with his signature into a clock for my shop
Malcolm Smith was the mechanic at the shop where I took my 1996 Hodaka for repairs. He personally bungled a cylinder bore by not centering the cylinder, so forever after my piston ran slightly off center. So while I appreciate his riding skills, I cannot recommend his mechanic skills. He pulled his truck in where I used to ride and came out with a Husqvarna 600 (as I recall). I thought, 'COOL! I'll follow him and learn some things!' Nope! He was gone, gone, gone, in 3 seconds. Duh! Weird how my 90, with me on it, couldn't keep up with his 600 and the winner of several Baja 1000 races. Anyway I put the badly bored cylinder back on the bike and ran it for several more years. That Hodaka was bullet proof.
I remember the crazy names. My brother had a Road Toad. And my friends had a Dirt Squirt, and the Combat Wombat with the chrome gas tank. Those were the days...gone but not forgotten.
My first motorcycle was a Hodaka. I still have a tender spot in my heart for that bike. Thanks Jay.
Same, an Ace 100.
Had an ace 90
In the early 70’s I had the super rat. We used to race these on what was called TT tracks which were fast dirt tracts with a couple of small jumps in them. Put trial type tires on them and some porting on the head and they were pretty dang fast for a 14/16 year old racing handle bar to handle bar.
A Hodaka dirt squirt 100 was my first motorcycle & I loved it !! I still bear the scars on my knuckles from learning how to cut cookies hitting a pine tree across the bar when it caught traction too😮😅
A lot of good memories and education 45+yrs later❤😂
Cool Jay, you have re-proved once again you are a real moto guy by being aware of the significant role Hodaka played in so many of our backgrounds and bothering to take the time to make this video about this important marque. Btw, I bought and raced my '71 Super Rat when I was 13 and loved the heck out of that bike.
When I was 14 (Circa 1978) while on a vacation with my stepdad and a friend of mine in a motor home, we came across a garage sale in I think Montana, and they had a motorcycle. It was the 1973 Wombat full dual sport bike. All in its pristine glory of chrome. Chrome fenders, gas tank and rack. It even had a small round cubby for tools, although even back then I stored spare gas in a purex bottle in there just in case I got low. I still carry extra gas with me to this day. He bought the bike with travelers checks for $400! That was a lot in 1978 for a bike that was 5 years old, but after getting home, I rode that thing for 4 years all over the place, even before I had my license, I was riding through our one stop light town and hitting the logging roads. Fast forward to 12 years ago, I picked up brand new the 2006 Kawasaki KLX 250S dual sport, and I have 17,000 miles on it now. Most of those miles are on gravel. It's also been a great bike.
I had a Wombat, a Combat Wombat, and I picked up an Ace 100 motor modified for a road racing cart that was ported, had an aftermarket head, piston, huge carb, a hand made expansion chamber. I got it running but never used it. Watching this video makes me regret getting rid of all of it intensely!
I got a Hodaka Ace 90 for Christmas in 1965 from Bob Barker's Speed Shop (no relation to game T.V. show Host) Kannapolis, North Carolina. Was a really good dirt bike, love riding it. Thanks Jay. I was very impress you had this bike on your show.
My first bike was also an Ace 90 Hodaka - $425.00 (in Canada) Just about the best trail bike a kid could ever want in 1965. (I think it was '65 but that was so long ago and I was a bit younger then!)
When I was living in Heidelburg Germany 50+ years ago some friends of mine were going out to a military training
area out side of town to play in the dirt.
At the apointed time I ride up on my Honda 750 K1 for
some fun. Hell what could wrong, I'm an Autobahn rider!
The BSA 441refused to start. All we got were sore knees and ankles.
The Yamaha 360 was a blast. Throw dirt everywhere and ungodly fast.
Then got on the Hodaka and had low expectations. I thought "hell this thing is just a minibike". That thing threw me off and I sailed right into a pine tree. The last thing I remember seeing was a large piece of pine bark.
Tore my left shoulder up!
Great respect for that bike to this day.
I just got an Ace 90 a week ago and finally got it running today. Sounds like a machine gun and it’s still a beast!
Great trip down memory lane, Jay! I had a Hodaka Road Toad 100. Heavy bike for it's size but extremely reliable and well built. When I had a local college school rebore it they accidentally reversed the 2 cycle oil hose. Engine froze on the highway. However, after it cooled down I fixed the hose and the bike ran great for several more years. I kinda miss that bright green friend!
As a Brit biker I'd never even heard of Hodaka, I have now! Another fabulously easy watch by a true pro......cheers!
Awesome.
Maico
I grew up on Hodaka, Penton, Husqvarna, and Yamaha. In the 1990s Hodaka, Penton, and Husqvarna had become unknown by the new generation. But my generation of dirtbiker has never forgotten those brands.
My first bike was a 1962 Yamaguchi AutoPet 50. Pressed steel frame, 3 speed gearbox, 3.5 HP, 2-stroke. I was very proud of that bike.
my sons first bike was a Villa 50 with Dual Exhaust! he was 4.
My buddy had a hodaka 125 combat wombat. Like around 1974 -75. Awesome bike? I had a Yamaha dt 100 Enduro. We were in our favorite strip mine climbing hills and racing on a track that was cut out. He had our friend on the back and he launched off a jump. When he landed, he blew out the spokes on the back tire because of the extra weight. Had to push it home🤣. But great times and memories! Thanks Jay!
My first bike was a Honda Trail 90 but I remember my Uncle and cousin had Hodakas,my cousins had a chrome tank, it was awesome.
LOL the "Toaster" we called them for the big chrome gas tanks. Every one had one. I bought a brand new 125 Wombat and it was my only transportation in school. The 100cc MX class was dominated by Hodakas. One cool thing was the amount if accessories and hop-up parts they offered.
Our shop loves hodakas, and still races them in vintage motocross.
They were neat little bikes, great for the gravel pits. You didn't need a ladder to get on one, your feet would easily reach the ground from the saddle. Those were the days!
I live in a small mountain community. One day in the late 2010s while in the garage a beautiful chrome Hodaka drove by. On his way back I flagged him down. An older gentleman had restored his beloved 1960s Hodaka and trucked it up the mountain to our little community just to look it over. Just inside the garage door was a stack of vintage motorcycle magazines I purchased from Autobooks on Magnolia Ave in Burbank when they were in business. I even saw Jay there once when he visited driving a boat tailed automobile. Well, a few issues down in that large stack was a road test for his Hodaka machine. He looked at it and said he had a road test, but did not know this particular road test existed. So I gifted it to him. I remarked to him (1) What are the odds he would bring that Hodaka to my little town? (2) What are the odds I would have been in the garage just as he went by? (3) What are the odds I had that particular issue on his rare motorcycle in a large stack just near the top? Too many odds to be accidental. I think he was meant to have it because of a higher faith and told him so. He went away happy. It made me smile :)
Loved those old hodakas. Cool bikes back in early 80s.
My dad bought me a Wombat 125 back in the early 1970's........ It was cool. I rode that thing to no end. Yep, soft spot here too for good-ol Hodaka, NGK spark plugs and Torco 2 cycle oil!.... Later on started using Blendzall oil. That stuff sure smelled good when run thru a 2 stroke.
I had a Hodaka Sten, love to find another one.
When I was young hodaka,was the bike to have well built relieable ,most of all fun
I worked all summer in 1966 and saved up my money. A guy who worked the same job had an Ace 90 he wanted to sell. I’m 16 and couldn’t believe I could buy it. Went home and begged my parents for permission to buy it. Mom said hell no! Dad pointed out that I was the only kid they had that was responsible enough to save money. They relented and my first of six motorcycles was mine. It had two sprockets for the rear end and could climb a telephone pole with that big one on her. With the small one she could do about 55. I rode that bike every day for two years. We even put her in the back of my mother’s station wagon with 5 cases of beer and three dozen hotdogs when we went to the GP at Watkins Glen October 67. Ended up on the track blasting down the back straight at all of 50 mph! What a hoot that bike was!
The way you attached the overlay sprocket was awful. I bent the inner sprocket teeth and finally welded the outer to the inner. That's the worst thing I can say about the bike. I also replaced the rear shocks with shocks from a Honda 300 Dream. That stiffened everything up, and it never bottomed out again.
I rode mine every day until I flunked sophomore English. Oops!
My dad bought a 50CC Yamaguchi in 1963....I have never seen one since, fun bike
I have a Hodaka bicycle. Fantastic.
I am going to buy this book. I had an Alsport Steen 100, which was a re-badged Hodaka, when I was a kid (1980). I got it for free from one of my dad's friends. His son had crashed it in a farmer's field, broke the throttle and then left it there. It laid in the farmer's field all winter because the kid never told his dad about it. My dad's friend was so mad when the farmer brought it to his house in the spring that he gave it to me. I had years of fun with that bike.
An Allsport Steen used a Hodaka engine, nothing else in common with Hodaka.
Hello Jay and Paul. What a great video! It is so true about ment of US owning Hodakas. I had two Ace 100's and a Wombat 125. Plus my uncle, who was over 50 at that time in 1972, bought a new Wombat like mine after I let him ride it and he loved it! The story I heard later on about their demise, was a total loss fire at the PABATCO hdq. And the fire ruined all parts in stock. I heard this from a number of dealers in my area. There were thee dealers in the R. I and nearby Mass. Thanks guys and take care.
One of the most amazing things about the Ace 90,100 and 125, was how simple the engine trans. was to work on, being a two stroke, and the ingenious design of the trans. with the parallel gear shafts, one with fixed gears, and the other with free gears on a hollow shaft with the rod passing through the center that would hole balls out to hold fast the gear chosen, with the simple ratchet system, the only weak link being the return spring mounted on the shifter shaft that let the shift return to the middle, with a nonstandard one up and four down pattern, if I remember correctly. Very simple and easy to work on. You could do a total rebuild from top to bottom in half a day!! From piston, rings, con-rod, cyl honing, clutch, main bearings, gears and shifting mech. With a file and d Dremel tool you could port the cyl. and cut the intake skirt on the piston and gain about 15-20% power, in an hours work! Try to do that with a Honda 100?
We used these bikes (Road toad - 100 & Wombat - 125) for farming ... The external shift mechanism would clog up with mud so the quick / momentary fix was to take off the external part and shift first gear with your fingers ... and bump in the slide shaft with your heal to increase gears ... Required stopping to get out of 5th gear to reset the shift shaft slider ... I ran my finger through the countershaft chain because I didn't stop to reset😮
Ah, I've wondered what happened to Yamaguchi since they sort of disappeared after '63 or so. The dealership I worked for took on Tohatsu and I had one of the Runpet Sport versions which only had a three speed, the Yama had four. It was easy to see the Yama family similarity in the Hodaka and this interview clears how that came about. They were onto some nice larger models in the '70s but faded away.
Grew up riding in a place called Elephant Hill in South Pasadena Calif. Everybody was riding Hodaka's. We even had a legendary MX'er Jim West rode there. I was riding a Sachs back then.
Love seeing the Hodaka again. I rode a 55cc Yamaha to high school in the 60's, but the Hodaka ace 90 was my dream bike. Would like to see a book of all the motoX bikes from back then. CZ, Huskavarna, Bultaco, Monteca, AJS, Ossa, Penton, etc..
I had a campus 55 Yamaha would go 55 with 2 people!
Wizzzeeee could jump these in the early 70's!!.... YEA!!
Still have some bike mags from the early 70s with all of the Hodaka line and specs. Back then, a kid could mow yards for the summer and be able to buy a dirt bike in the fall. Now, they have to have fairly well off parents to afford such a hobby. Semper Fi
My second motorcycle was a Hodaka Super Rat, from '70-'74. My best friend had 2 Super Rats. They were tough little motorcycles. We burned up the woods, hare scramble races, enduros and motocross tracks. We had another friend who pronounced the Pabatco part as "Pabataco" or Hodaka Pabataco. I've been shopping for the book but they are hard to come by.
So sad Hodaka days was canceled this year. Them old loggers still love those bikes. Funnest bikes ever. Braaapppp.
I remember hearing a story about a guy winning a Hodaka motorcycle on a game show maybe Price is Right or Lets Make A Deal and decided he wanted to drive it home. He went to the gas station and filled it up but didn't know he had to mix the gas and oil in it. He made it something like 20 miles before it froze up.
Seen them at L+H Cycle shop in Brooklyn Park, MN back in the 1970s when Dirt Bikes were 500 dollars new.
So many memories! So many Hodakas! I wanted one so bad! (My first real bike was the Elsinore 125.)
Shoulda, woulda, coulda...by the time I came to MX bikes in the mid 1970s, Hodakas were out, YZs, RMs, CRs were in. In downtown LA, I picked up a few for a collector friend Colorado, and they were cheap-as-chips then. I will find a decent 90 or 175 for AHRMA, now that the urge to ride/compete is back again...just for some weekend fun. Good to know there is such a huge following.
My cousin had a Hodaka model called a wombat combat. It looked like it had a steel or chrome gas tank. I can't remember whether it was a 90 or 100 cc? Neat bike.
These were great bikes. We motocrossed them, enduroed them, flat tracked them. I bought my first one of a few for 375.00. We had a 100cc class for motocross and there were more than a dozen of these on the line..I also bought their 250 cc version. Most bang for the buck bike I ever had. One of mine had high compression head, expansion chamber reed vale with a 32mm Amal carb and it hauled. That new one was bought in 1969 I believe. Originally sold as a trail bike. The early ones had very little suspension and 17in wheels. But for $375.00....
"Expansion chamber" "reed valve" "Amal carb" - got my nostalgia synapses firing now!
I owned (well I was 12 so I guess my Dad actually owned it, but it was "mine") a Bonanza mini bike (they were known as mini cycles back in the day) that I believe was a 1969 or 1970 model and it was powered by a Hodaka 100cc engine (5 speed transmission)...we even had Hodaka dealer in our town (Titusville Fl.) for a while...
I had a lot of trouble with the shifter mechanism. Rebuilt one in high school shop class. Lots of pin bearings. Great bike except always adjusting the shifter
Paul has teamed up with the legendary Preston Petty and they are making fenders again! I have bought several and they are better than ever.
My brother had a '71 Super Rat, we ported the heck out of it and custom installed a Reed valve and a 28mm mikuni carb and power increased dramatically until the Weisco piston blew up.😪😊
I was a dealer in south Florida…they sold like cherry pie.
I remember no helmet shorts and to this day i have the lumps on my head and headaches. Every time i think these kids today are weak. I remember the headache's and realize they are smarter than me. Thank goodness.
Jay grew up on L.I.? I grew up in westchester county around same time and never even saw one in real life, just in ads and articles. Twas a dream machine among honda 50s, 70s, and my favorite, the Yamaha rt60. Im riding a drz400S nowadays.
Those Super Rats were my dream, as I was riding a Rupp 3 and a half hp mini bike..
Thanks, great memories!
The Combat Wombat.
I read an article in Motocross Action Magazine written by Bob Rutten that described the history of the strange marriage of Hodaka and Pabatco. I think Bob Rutten raced 125's for Hodaka back in the early 70's. They said Hodaka couldn't keep up with the technology of the Japanese bikes, kinda like how Japanese dirt bikes can't keep up with the tech on European bikes these days, lol. KTM has a 250cc 2 stroke motocrosser that weighs 211 lbs. That's crazy!
Ah yes, the sound of three or four Rats in the woods was like Crazy Frog or angry bees. Ring-ding-ding...
I bought about 7 of these at auction in 2005. Had 3 100's and a 250 dual sport, 2 stroke, c1970. Sold them all on ebay. There were so many parts for auction, too. They sold cheap, so don't go spending a bunch of money on one.
As a kid i dreamed of owning one of these.. or a Bultaco, Husqvarna or Maico.
Loved my Hodakas
I remember Hodaka and always wanted to get one in my teens. I was wondering what happened to them.
Back in the day, I owned a 125 Hodaka Super Rat. Fantastic Bike! And what a great two stroke sound.
125s were combat wombats..
Loved my Wombat, such fun
I had the Dirt Squirt , great little bike.
Bob Hershey started out on a Hodaka I knew him personally I showed him where the Stairs where...Bob Hershey became a Professional Motocross Racer in the 70's
My cousin is very similar in age to myself, so we both grew up riding similar-sized bikes. When we each got to our third upgrade, his was a 1970-something Hodaka Ace 100. Great little bike, although I never did get a chance to ride it, it was dead-reliable and plenty fast. I had a '67 Kawasaki 120 Roadrunner. Bear in mind, we were riding these old little things circa year 2000 or so. I still have the 120.
After we grew out of the two bikes above, we both moved to 250 Husqvarnas, in case anyone is interested. His is a 1980 and mine is an '82. We were about 14 when we started riding the Huskies, and we're still on them today. Keeping the vintage iron alive. I've never known any other way.
Nice Job Paul.
I was working for the Australian distributor back in the day. Milledge Bros.
I restored a 125 Wombat looked brand new even the exhaust back in the 1980's. Project was tanked when I realized that a clutch assembly was no where to be found...should have thought about that early on...live and learn.
Give the guy a break. Any weapon of any sort is wrong. If the public cannot have them nor should the tyrants. Stop the fucking wars! Peace n Love brother Jay
Please someone, bring Hodaka back!!!!!
Wish I kept my 1968 Ace 100 Bought new for $425 out the door with a Bell helmet. Probably worth more than my 2004 Road King!
I put Preston Petty fenders & gas tank on my Rat, along with Yamaha handlebars. It was, shall we say... unique for the time
The closes bike to a Hodaka at the time was a Penton. They were a lot more competitive, but totally horrible on the street. Not to mention expensive compared to a Hodaka. I remember buying my first Ace 100 for $525 brand spanking new! In 1971, the first year of the high front fender! The next year I bought another for the same price, the next year, I paid $620 for a new Wombat, then went into the Army and sold it. Later the next year while stationed at Ft Carson CO, I bought a new Penton 125 Six Day Trials Enduro, but that cost me $1,290!! Twice the price of a new Wombat, but a lot more power and handling, with its own distinctive sound, like a chainsaw with a loose baffle. Oh well take care and be safe out there.
Wanted one so bad
First scary test track.. was a dirt squirt.. then I got a combat wombat...!
Thank you Jay for having the courage to stand up against these crazy gun nuts. I am now subscribed to your show. Thanks!
I see your point. Freedom is for rich guys like Jay, not us lowly peasants. Go Big Brother! Big Brother is the only knows who really knows what's best for us. Those "crazy gun nuts" are evil just witches", Big Brother says 'burn the witch' so lets burn em all!!!
Crazy indeed. Fucked up and mental, just like you greenhouse gas dumping car nuts. The worlds climate change & LA smog is all your fault. AL Gore was right, internal combustion engines must be eliminated to save our planet from you batshit crazy car nuts. Message to Joe......... car nuts & gun nuts are one and the same, bad, bad, bad!!
Hi Jay, I just wanted to say that I just saw what you did for that soldier. That was one of the kindest things I have ever seen. I know you wanted that car but you gave it away. Have you ever heard that song by Rush called Red Barchetta? If you haven't I recommend you do. It is you all the way brother. I sure would like to meet you some day. You are a great man.
The ED, so cool !
Hey, what happened to the horn of the old care at the end of the video? I always wait for that sound. Sorta like "I love you, nighty night"
Hi Jay,
Can you do a show on the Zero SR motorcycle.
Regards,
Walter
Do you mean the electric Zero bikes?
My first bike in 1975, was a stripped down 1971 Yamaha 360 enduro with a seized engine, I was 15, I paid $300, I had to keep it at my brother in-laws house because my parents wouldn't let me have a motorcycle.
All the places we used to ride are housing developments now.
The ACE 100 was a fun bike to ride.
I really want to meet you someday Jay Leno. I love cars and I'm very conservative. My favorite car is the early 60s Chrysler Imperial. The only thing is I'm still unemployed but I'm still trying to look around so hopefully I can get enough money to take a trip to California someday. Also I have a friend named Daniel whose going to a Tech school in Florida. He wants to climb to the top in Rally Cross. His favorite car is the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST.
I would like to own a Hodaka
I'd love to see a video on that Buell!
There are some great motorcycles from the 1970's still around to be had on the cheap. You can find Odessa, Can Am and others.
Great Stuff
I believe you meant "Ossa."
@@harryflashman330 You're right....
I still have scars from a Bultaco. That flipped me through a ditch.
And they all had "Hodakability." yep, it was a word. Just a fun bike that wouldn't quit with easy service and inexpensive parts. Thank Joan Claybrook for killing the 2-stroke.
Why so short? those motorcycles look great, it would be nice to know more about them. Real scramblers.
That was cool... Comments say: JAY IS ANTI-GUN? WTF? JAY!
Jays hobby is better than ours. www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/11/jay-leno-newtown-gun-lobby-trade-show
When I got that the bike will go faster than the track .. I was humbled bad..!
yo, when are you going to review new mustang jay?
can u please do a video on jensen interceptor , cool car
I wish Jay would at least someday metion the 750 Suzuki water cooled triple,in 1970 i got stoprd everywhere i went with my bike.when i bought it i didnt no that it wojld bring that much attention.but of the many many bike i own,the750 Suzuki was my favorite,next would be my cz's what a great dirt bike,it took me ten year to restore it .i understand there r cz clubs.another bike i wish mr leno would review,
Waiting for a Penton coffee table book.
Can't believe you didn't get into the great names of all the Hodakas.
I raced a Hodaka in the desert back in the day and thought I was gonna read some Hodaka comments. Instead I get a buncha bitchy little girls whining about Jay's decision not to speak at some gun nut circle jerk. Hey, I've got guns too. This is about bikes.
I never understood the attraction to Hodaka. Even as a kid, I just didn't get it. I actually rode a few of them and always came away, why do people like them so much? What am I missing? People who owned them, absolutely loved them. I just felt they didn't make much power. What power they did make, the bike had to be screaming! Maybe it was the look of the unimpressive tiny engine? I doubt it. Just didn't make power in my opinion. Seemed like it could run forever, it was so detuned. I rode 90's and 100's. I remember they came out with the super Rat and Wombat, but never rode those. Keep in mind, I was a little guy (at that time). I don't even recall the 175. The most impressive 125 I did ride at that time, was probably anything with a Sachs engine. I couldn't believe it was a 125. Had power everywhere, all the time!! Leading link front end was heavy as a bus, but no fear of ruts. I also had the Honda SL100 and 125. the SL125 moved pretty good, after cam, pipe, port and polish. Then I jumped to Husky 400 and 450's. HELLOO WORLD!!
I just remember sitting and kicking it over 200 times and not getting it started!
Long live HODAKA!
There is no sound on the video from 4:45-5:00.
Hodaka, my dad loved them because they were cheap. Although I thought they were made in spain?
Jay, love your videos. Its like being a kid in the candy store (everything behind glass). Have some original 1929/1930 HD posters for sale. Interested?