FYI Motorcyclist Retro Magazine!


A letter from Mitch Bohem that was posted on the Kawasaki Triples board. He’s the editor of the recently discontinued Motorcyclist Retro. He writes:

Guys and gals

Thanks so much for the kind words. Yeah, I was bummed when they put it on ice. It was doing really well. Sold nearly 25K right out of the gate (issue one). We’re waiting for issue 2 #s, but they’re gonna be as good or better.

But now I have an opportunity to do the same concept myself, privately, and I’m going to do it. My plan is to sell single copies and subs directly to readers via my website (info coming soon), and also through selected bike shops around the country. Try looking at The Surfers Journal, the mag and the website. That’s their biz model, and it works great.

So what I need is for this entire board to not only send me their email addresses (mcretro@cox.net) so I can tell you when issue one will be available, but to talk up the magazine here and tell folks to subscribe when the time comes – this coming spring. That sort of promo will be the difference between make or break.

Anyway, hope all of you had a great Christmas, and that you’re either riding or wrenching on them smokin’ triples.

Best regards,

Mitch
Motorcycle Retro
www.motorcycleretro.com
mcretro@cox.net

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging!

I know I was going to go modern for a while but I just received this outstanding reader ride from Ted Guthrie. A beautifully restored Penton 125 Six-Day. While I’ve never considered myself a true “restorer” of motorcycles (I prefer the term resto-mod) I have struggled with enough old bikes to really appreciate the level of effort that goes into a bike like this. The really great part is that it’s really done out of love of the bikes. You’d be hard pressed to ever make a good living (much less become wealthy) doing this kind of work. But I’m constantly amazed at the work that I see out there and that people send me. Keep sending them in. It’s MUCH appreciated!

Ted Writes:

Hey, great site you’ve got. Some of the best pics, of terrific variety of bikes, I’ve ever seen. Attached are some photos of my recently completed 1973 Penton 125 Six-Day. Bike started out as a total junker, which had sat outside for years. It now starts first-kick, and runs perfectly. Incidently, the Steel Tanker you have the pic of, which was taken at the AMA museum, belongs to the original owner – Al Born – and the bike is serial # 003. Yep, it is the third Penton ever built. Al is among the original group of riders, who were hand-picked by John Penton to receive (and race and win and promote) the first ten Penton motorcycles produced.
Ted Guthrie
Historian
Penton Owners Group




2009 bikes that I like!

I’m going to stick to modern 2009 release bikes that catch my eye for the next week or so. First up (and a candidate for my garage) is the Kawasaki ER-6N. The naked version of the “Bike of the Year”, the Versys. I’d love to run Deals Gap on this beauty.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

Posting will be light for the next few days as I’ll be doing the Christmas with the family thing! Wherever you are I hope you’re having a truly grand time! See you in a few days!

50cc Kreidler

This bike is tiny but engineered like a swiss watch. It’s a tue 50cc racebile with an amazing top speed of 128 mph. WOW!


Another fine Sam Simons Reader Ride!

Sam Writes:

Hi Steve,
This is the 1975 E-start Commando I owned a few years back. It was quite a looker and performer;absolutely stock,and originally purchased new by a airline pilot in Ohio. I didn’t suffer any electricalprobs as others did. I preferred the 1975 model for the shift location, and that black/gold/alloy visual combination was stunning……

It Sure is! thanks again Sam!

Nice Pair of Honda Cafe Racers.

I was looking through some old Daytona pictures and when I saw this one I realized that I’d seen them before (or later on actually) at the Riding into History show. I think I’ve posted them here individually already Link. Here they are together.

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