Well My GF and I just got back from Hodaka Days. What a trip. Best vacation I've been on in years. The event was up in Athena, Oregon, which was the home of Hodaka and its parent company, PABATCO, the Pacific Basin Trading Company. The event was attended by surviving members of the Hodaka/PABATCO clan, including Harry Taylor, head of the Racing and R&D Departments, Ed Chesnut, head of the Parts and Service Department and a factory Trials competitor, and Chuck Swanson, General Mananger of Hodaka.
It was a real treat to be able to discuss the bikes with the very men who designed and raced them. For example, my bike had transmission problems which kept me out of the scrambles, but I didn't have just any old joe look at it, no way. It was troubleshot by Ed Chesnut himself and Ed and Harry Taylor sat down with me and showed me how to fix it and what I had to do. I thought it was amazing that I was able to get that level of "care" for my machine.
They offered riding seminars and classes for Trials riding and Scrambles. The Trials class was taught by Ed, himself an accomplished Trials rider, and Jay Lael, a champion Trials and MX rider. The Scrambles seminars were taught by Ron Pomeroy, brother of the late Jim Pomeroy, and Tommy Croft, factory Hodaka rider who was snatched up by Honda when Hodaka started to founder in the late '70s. It was really surreal, a total beginner like me, being pulled aside and given advice from riders of this caliber, and for FREE! They were totally approachable too and answered any questions asked, treating me like family the whole time. Jay seemed to take a liking to me, being that it was my first time riding in the dirt, period, and there I was, entering into the trials. Ed Chesnut was also VERY helpful in offering advice.
Well since pics are worth a thousand words, here are some pics. I am receiving more every day from other photographers that were there, so as I receive better ones, I will update them before I put this out in the general area. All photo credits are the GF’s for now.
Harry Taylor's shop on the "Day Zero" BBQ at his house. All the attendees that had arrived thus far all met at Harry's for good food and interesting stories.
A group of road-legal enduros ridden up from California. Bear in mind, these are 100cc and 125cc two-strokes. There was an Ace 100, a Road Toad 100, a Wombat 125 and I THINK a 250 Thunderdog.
Rare Hodaka-powered Trike. Ed Chesnut called it an "Abomination", but most folks liked it.
The Park where all the festivities took place.
A tribute to Jim Pomeroy, who was killed in a car accident last year.
A Scrambles bike, I believe based off the Super Combat. He took the "Combat" theme rather literally. LOL!
Custom tank badge of the Hodaka Rat pitching a hand grenade.
Ed Chesnut giving a services and maintenance seminar over typical problem areas on the bikes. Topics covered included carbs, magnetos, and engine rebuild.
Ever see a two-wheel-drive motorcycle? Now you have. A Hodaka-powered "AWD" motorcycle intended for military use, never got past the prototype stage. VMO: 15 mph.
Jay Lael's custom Trials bike, the "Tree Frog". Modified Hodaka frame with a 125 Wombat engine.
Jay demonstrating a Trials maneuver called the "Jap Snap", which allows the rider to pop over obstacles. Note the tape in the picture. The "Novice" line is on the right, between the red tape and the white tape, the "Intermediate" line is from the blue tape to the second white tape, and the "Expert" line is right up the middle! The Jap Snap makes short work of such an obstacle, assuming the rider has the skill.
Jay fielding questions. At this point, he has been balancing the bike with no forward motion for about 45 seconds while lecturing and answering audience questions. His point was to develop the balance and "feel" to control the bike. Trials are about getting over and around obstacles WITHOUT putting a foot down, so bike control is paramount. I saw things done there involving precision riding that I wouldn't think was possible. It motivated me and I am now building my own trials bike.
Trials practice day on one of the Hodaka Days wesites, where I have a nice write-up and some pics:
http://www.jhmand.com/hodaka/2007photos-2.html
Later at Chuck Swanson's (General Manager of Hodaka) house, where he gave the real insider's view of the company and what it was like, plus a slideshow of his personal photos from that period. Very special evening.
The Saturday morning parade. I wasn't in it because the Trials practice the day before had fouled my plug, and even after replacing it, the bike wouldn't stay running.
The bike show. Acres and acres of chrome!
Pair of Combat Wombats, the ultimate in the Chrome-Tank Hodakas. A CW is my next purchase for a Scrambles bike.
A phalanx of Road Toads. The GF REALLY likes the Toad.
A good bike show panoramic:
http://www.hodakadays.org/HD7-4.htm
A "Round Table" discussion with Chuck, Harry and Ed about Hodaka, the bikes, tuning, maintenance, whatever. Truly an informative session!
Harry Taylor, Michelle, Ed Chesnut, Chuck Swanson and Myself.
