Local motorcycle legend marks Christmas with Penton owners

AMHERST — In the course of his 99 years, John Penton has seen plenty. There have been great times: Winning world motorcycle championships here and abroad. Setting records, like the time he drove from New York City to Los Angeles in a little over 52 hours in 1959. Revolutionizing off-road motorcycling and creating his own brand of bikes that became the elite standard for motorcross and racing enthusiasts. He — and several members of his family — are in the American Motorcycle Association Hall of Fame. There's a book written about him, and a documentary about his life. He's a normal sort of legend. "And for all that, Dad traveling around the world and doing all of that, he never lived further than 300 yards from where he was born," his son, Jack Penton, said. "Probably not even 100. Heck, I myself lived less than a year in California but I don't even count that. To this day, I live maybe a mile and two-tenths from the farm. This is home." It can be deceiving, how well-known the Penton name is outside Lorain County. But those gathered Thursday night at the Sandstone Village know it only too well. It was the Christmas party and membership meeting of the Penton Ownership Group, a 500-plus member club of enthusiasts, employees, and some former racers who meet monthly in Amherst. One of its founders, Paul Danick, said the group has members everywhere, including Europe. Penton sport motorcycles were manufactured by KTM from 1968 to 1977, and the name was sold to KTM. Penton also created and sold Hi-Point line of off-road motorcycle accessories, boots and trailers until before selling it in 1988. "I've always said I 'bleed Penton green,'" Danick, who was sold on the brand early, said. "We all started this group to keep the Penton name alive. "I bought a very early Penton and it had a weakness in the transmission. I abused it and the local dealer wasn't able to repair it. I was only 16 at the time. I called them back here (in Ohio) and John Penton himself took it apart and I watched him." "He showed me everything while he was doing it and he said 'Paul, I want you to go back and help me with these. I tell you, it was sort of like watching Noah repair the ark." Danick ended up on Penton's race teams, racing in California and Oregon. In 1973 he was on Penton's team in the International Six Days Trial, the "Olympics of motorcycling," when it was held here in America and again the next year when it was held in Italy. "John treated everyone so well. He wouldn't just show you motorcycling, he showed you how to live, to do all you can. When the going gets tough, keep going. He was just that type of man," Danick said. In his dad's era, men that came back from World War II with a bravado borne of the times, said Jack Penton, who was also inducted into the American Motorcycle Association Hall of Fame. "When they came home - if they came home, if they survived - they were kind of bulletproof. They took a lot of chances in business, in life, in sports. They were tough," he said. Penton had a lot to keep going through: his father died young, leaving his mom to raise seven kids on the family's North Ridge Road farm. His first wife died unexpectedly, leaving him to raise their three young boys. In later years, a nephew was killed in a car accident near the family's dealership. He went on to have another son and stepchildren from his second, long-term marriage. In attendance at standing-room-only party Thursday was Todd Huffman, the director of "The John Penton Story," and dozens of friends, peers and colleagues, and some who shared his last name. Penton himself held court at the foot of the Christmas tree in the former one-room schoolhouse, a tiny man with a huge shadow, sitting in a folding chair and smiling at all who approached to say hello. "God has been so good to me. He has put me through his testing, too. I'd say if you follow him, that's the way to have a good life," he said, pausing to think about his words. He grinned. "And in the end, I've had a hell of a lot of fun." Contact Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com.