Does anyone else remember Hodaka dirt bikes? I actually had an Hodaka Dirt Squirt 100 as a teenager around 1980 that I bought used. I sometimes think back to those fun days of riding dirt bikes with my friends. Them on their Hondas and Kawasakis and me on my Hodaka. I even wore a Hodaka T-Shirt that made me feel like a real pro.
We all used to laugh at the name of my bike, the Dirt Squirt, but that wasn’t the funniest model name Hodaka used, nor was it the strangest. What dirt bike rider wouldn’t aspire to own a Combat Wombat? When your riding a Dirt Squirt, believe me, the Combat Wombat sounded pretty darn exciting, and maybe a little weird too. But, I have to give the prize to the marketing geniuses that actually approved the Hodaka model name Road Toad. They sure picked a name that would get attention, but what in the world were they thinking? It’s almost like they said, let’s face it, this thing is a real piece of junk, so let’s just give it a name that tells it like it is! Well, these are actually collectible now.
A brief history of Hodaka motorcycles is a story of a company that was part American and part Japanese and started out in 1964. Shell Oil was involved with Hodaka via their trading company, Pabatco. Pabatco was behind Hodaka until 1978 when things really fell apart. Hodaka eventually went bankrupt and shut down production in 1980.
You might not be surprised about this, but Hodaka motorcycles are now somewhat collectible and they have a following of enthusiasts that restore them. There are some repair manuals still out there, like the Hodaka service-repair handbook, 90-125cc singles, 1964-1975, and the Hodaka 90 and 100cc Singles 1964-1972. I sure could have used one of those back when I had my Dirt Squirt. Eventually, 3rd and 4th gear did now work anymore, so I ended up selling it because I had no money to fix it and parts were not easy to find, even back then.
I thought my Hodaka was pretty cool. I actually liked the chrome fenders and shiny aluminum gas tank that it had. It was old when I got it, but it looked even older. I think Husqvarna was about the only other dirt bike that still had the chrome fenders and tank combo. When I used to go to the motocross races at Unadilla around 1980 or so, I always rooted for the Husqvarna team with their metal tanks and dual shocks. I suppose if Hodaka didn’t go out of business, which also happened at about 1980, I would have rooted for them too!
Does anyone remember, or better yet, do any readers of Motorcycle Info have an Ace, Dirt Squirt, Wombat, Combat Wombat, Super Combat, Super Rat, or Road Toad? These were not the best motorcycles ever made, but they were fun, and fun is what dirt bikes and trail bikes are all about.
Related Articles
11 users responded in this post
I started out on a Hodaka Ace 100B+. The B+ meant that it had a raised front fender. I had an orange Bell Star and Hooker expanson chamber on the bike and thought I was “bad to the bone!” It was a great bike and lots of fun! I’d love to find another one.
I currently have a 1965 Hodaka Ace 90 that is in great shape, and will be out terrorizing Reno, NV soon.
If anyone wants more info on Hodakas, strictlyhodaka.com is a great place to start.
The Hodaka Days event looks like a blast, and is put on in the town they were distributed from…Athena, OR. Info on this event is also on the site listed above. Maybe one of these days!!
Take care, Rich
Rich, thanks for sharing your Hodaka memories with us and the tip about strictyhodaka.com. They have a great site. Send us a photo of your Ace, we’d love to see it!
JD
I am the original owner of a 1975 (purchased new in ’79) Road Toad 02 – the model with the green, “coffin” gastank. Supposedly there are only seven known existing examples, including mine. Thanks to Strictly Hodaka / “Hodaka Dave” it has been restored to the boltwith some minor upgrades. Had some fantastic times with that bike as a kid, plan on racing it in vintage MX this year. Hodaka Days is a blast I highly recommnd for and fan of the marque.
I to had an ace as a teenager with expansion chamber . I lost my ace to a garage fire maybe about 78 . I live within 15 minutes unadilla valley and have always wanted to go there and cheer on the HODAKAS . Alot of time in the dirt of my hodaka , maybe I’ll get another someday .
just recently we had bulk trash pick up here on town and i found a road toad it is the first time i had even heard hodaka it is all locked up and was wondering if any one could tell me what it would be worth in less then adiquit condition
thanks ray
From 1970 thru 72 I race MX in Florida on a highly modified Hodaka Super Rat. It took me to my first state championship where the grand prize was a brand new Hodaka Super Rat. Mom had a Combat Wombat and so did Dad. My sister also raced Hodaka Super Rats in the early 70′s and was also state champ in the powder puff class. Finding this site has brought back some almost forgotten memories, Thanks Ronnie Elrod #2
Hodaka….they just sort of grow on you. The name actually means “to grow higher”. My dad had a ’77 SL250 (white tank) as I was growing up. Didn’t appreciate it much back then, took alot of ribbing from my friends who had never heard of them. “What’s that thing, a Hondaka?” LOL That bike was too heavy, big and powerful for me so I sold it on Ebay (stupid!) and found me a dirt squirt 100, years later. What a fun little bike! Not the fastest, or best at anything really, but a good overall just fun bike. Now I’ve got the bug, buying any old Hodaka’s I can come across. I would love to make it to Hodaka Days someday. Just owning one makes me feel like part of a special “Hodaka cult”, some of the nicest bike owners around. You’re not going to find that with the run of the mill Honda’s, Yami’s, etc.
My son has a Road Toad that we got used about 10 years ago. We aren’t sure what year it is but I think they said it was a 125cc. He would like to restore it but I am having problems find manuals and parts. Does anyone out there know where to get parts and such?
Around 1972-74, as kids we went fishing down to this creek, followed it about 3 miles further than we ever did. In the woods lining the creek we heard motorcycles. We went into the woods to check out what was going on. Super Rats flying back and forth on the trails, man they were cool!! Looked like so much fun. I was only around 14, so as copy cats, we tore thru the trails on our big 26″ tire bicycles pretending to be on motocross trail bikes. We had a blast, till the bikes started breaking down. About a year later I could afford a used G5 100cc Kawasaki, had some friends that had them too. Met more friends that owned Suzuki TM125′s. I wanted to race Motocross, I was too big for the 100cc Super Rats that were tearing up the 100cc Class, so I opted for a brand new 125cc Combat Wombat. Wanted to be different. Tricked it out with a plastic gas tank, new air cleaner box, plastic fenders and under the frame expansion chamber and new shocks, etc.
After about 2 months I got rid of it, too slow, too heavy and it just vibrated too much, crappy engine.
Hodaka started the motorcycle craze that I didn’t know existed inside myself.
Over the next course of 8 years of dirt riding, racing motocross and hare scrambles, ended up owning a bunch of MX’ers. Suzuki’s, Honda’s, Yamaha, Maico, CZ’s. Hodaka is like remembering your first girlfriend.
Way back in the early ’60′s I bought new from PABATCO an 80cc(?) 3 speed motor. Attempted to install it into the go kart I was racing at the time. Even though transmissions of any kind were forbidden in kart racing, I just had to try it. (ind of a pre-curser to present day shifter karts) It was really quick when it wasn’t breaking motor mounts. I ended up building a mini bike around this engine. It would stand up and bark at you in all three gears. Great fun and exciting little motor.
I had a Dirt Squirt in 1975-76, my dad got it for me brand new in a little shop off of State St. in Salem, Oregon. We lived nearby and there was a very small barber shop next door to the Hodaka Shop. Well needless to say, every haircut was an adventure for me to go and drool over the bikes! My dad bought me a Brand new shiny Dirt Squirt! And I will never forget it, I grew out of it eventually and got a YZ 250 and kind of forgot about it. Moved to Hawaii for 15 years and left it at an old landlords house and thought for sure it was history, I even drove up the old driveway but never looked in the garage because I didnt know who owned the house now. I later found out through a friend that the bike was still in the garage!! But she sold the home and acerage to a developer, they tore down the house and the seperate garage and subdivided it. That bike sat there for almost 20 years for me waiting to come get it!! I think about her often, and would buy it back if I evr had the chance in a heartbeat!
Leave A Reply
Please Note: Comment moderation maybe active so there is no need to resubmit your comments