Hodaka
Starting to manufacture complete motorcycles in 1964, Hodaka/PABATCO is credited by some with starting the trail bike craze in the United States. This was due mainly to the design by the off-road motorcycle enthusiasts at PABATCO. On the second year of production Hodaka experimented with reed valves and almost brought them to market. But for some unknown reason they dropped the idea. And subsequently Yamaha is credited with being the first to produce this power enhancing feature.[1] Hodaka models are listed below.
In the late 1970s, a combination of events led to the demise of Hodaka. Falling US dollar exchange rates against the Japanese yen, a shift in demand from dirt bikes to larger road bikes, and general economic weakness fatally wounded the company. Shell attempted to purchase the Hodaka company at one point but the offer was rebuffed by Hodaka in Japan. Some of the tooling was later sold to the Korean company Daelim after Hodaka closed in 1978. In 2014, a complete history including in house notes, blueprints, photos etc. was published. The book is called "Hodaka: The Complete Story of America's Favorite Trailbike". The book is authored by Ken Smith from Australia and has the most comprehensive history of the Hodaka motorcycle brand ever written.
Every year the town of Athena, Oregon, holds an event in June entitled Hodaka Days which includes a parade of Hodaka motorcycles, a bike show, observed trials and motocross competition.[2]
List of Hodaka motorcycles
- Hodaka Ace 90 model 90
- Hodaka Ace 100 model 92
- Hodaka Ace 100 model 92A
- Hodaka Ace 100B model 92B
- Hodaka Ace 100B+ Model 92B+
- Hodaka Ace 100 Super Rat model 93,93A and 93B
- Hodaka 100 Dirt Squirt chrome tank model 96
- Hodaka 100 Road Toad model 99
- Hodaka 100 Super Rat model 98
- Hodaka 125 Super Combat model 97
- Hodaka 125 Combat Wombat model 95
- Hodaka 125 Wombat chrome tank model 94 and 94A
- Hodaka 175SL model 61
- Hodaka Road Toad model 02
- Hodaka Dirt Squirt model 01
- Hodaka 250SL model 70 and 70A
- Hodaka Thunderdog 250ED model 71
- Hodaka Dirt Squirt 80 model 82