Comments on: Hodaka Motorcycles from Ace to Road Toad http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/ Motorcycle Information is your Motorcycle and Scooter Info site. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:19:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Darren G http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-822 Darren G Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:19:16 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-822 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! 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!

]]> By: BillB http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-616 BillB Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:16:08 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-616 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. 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.

]]> By: Sven http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-613 Sven Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:38:34 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-613 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. 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.

]]> By: Bubbles http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-608 Bubbles Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:40:48 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-608 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? 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?

]]> By: PLCracing http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-604 PLCracing Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:05:08 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-604 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. 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.

]]> By: Ronnie Elrod http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-588 Ronnie Elrod Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:40:17 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-588 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 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

]]> By: ray http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-549 ray Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:33:32 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-549 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 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

]]> By: ratsrod http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-511 ratsrod Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:56:45 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-511 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 . 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 .

]]> By: Gerry"The Toad" Mac http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-450 Gerry"The Toad" Mac Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:34:15 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-450 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 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.

]]> By: JD http://motorcycleinfo.org/2009/02/hodaka-motorcycles/comment-page-1/#comment-383 JD Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:02:11 +0000 http://motorcycleinfo.org/?p=1071#comment-383 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 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

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