The Important Serial Number

Frames & Engines

 Last 5 Numbers

To understand more about the great PENTON motorcycle is to discover more about the serial numbers that were used on the frames and the engines. PENTON used 2 types of numbers on the frames. The number can be found on the steering head tube on each Chrome Moly Frame bike. (CMF). The first type of serial number on the frame has 8 numbers. These were mostly the PENTON motorcycles that used the Sachs motors. History shows that some PENTON motorcycles with KTM engines also used the same 8 numbers. As I described in the other pages the first number is always the year and the next 2 numbers are the month of production in the KTM plant over in Austria.

Then their is the second type of serial number. It used the same 8 numbers but added 1 or 2 numbers ahead of them. They were 7 or 51 or 54. Many refer to these as production codes. These extra numbers were only put on PENTON motorcycles that had the KTM motor on them. The 7 in front  means the new 1972 175cc Jackpiner starting in June 72 to June 73. then the 51 & the 54 numbers start after the 7 number ends which is June 73 to September 76. This is the time frame of the conical hub and many changes in the design. Also their has been numerous reports about frames that have no numbers on them at all. This is considered to be a replacement frame. Always remember to find the proper serial number , just disregaed the 7 or 51 or the 54 and use the 8 number system.

So we have already talked about the assembly line production codes on the PENTON. It is very important to remember the last 5 numbers are the main serial numbers and they consist of a lot of PENTON information. And having this information helps find out who may have some of the oldest PENTON motorcycles. Around the United States and maybe even around the world. The early steel tanker PENTOn's started with the V001 and does work on up to higher numbers to show the the bikes as time went by. The Chrome Moly Frame  (CMF) also is known to have an exact order based on their serial numbers starting in June 1971 and ending in September 1976. Their have been some errors found that were made on the motor cases and have been corrected in the information so people can find out their proper PENTON information. The production during those years could have been a total of over 40,000 motorcycles. A lot for that time period.

Starting in 1976 a new frame appeared on the scene known as the MC5 model. 125cc through 400cc and the frame numbers started with 550 and used this in 1977 also.

The GS6 model appeared in 1977 with all the engine sizes available, 125-175-250-400 and this frame number started with 701.

KTM Motor serial Numbers

Each KTM motor size started with 00000 and went forward from there. They did not run consecutively year after year like the frame serial numbers were shown to do. It is thought to be known that 2 different size KTM motors could even have the same serial numbers.

Once again this information is very useful and powerful for PENTON owners or anyone interested in the great history of the KTM/PENTON years.