I mainly collect and restore Pentons motorcycles. Having worked for American Honda for 24 years, I have always been intrigued by the bikes that were built and we had high expectations, and they never sold in enough numbers to justify there continued existence in the sales line up. Of course now those bikes that were in and out of production with very few numbers manufactured are some of the most sought after bikes on the vintage scene. I guess that is why I always have looked at these orphans as had we done a better job on the sales/marketing side, would they had been sold in bigger numbers. I guess this is just the Sales side of me coming out.

   I had thought of building a 50cc Penton then I realized that this was a prototype and was never ever on the market. Mr. Penton owns the only one I have ever seen and so it is the real deal. I wanted a 50 cc and one that was built for sale to the general public and possible one that had been sold in the American Market. So the search started several years ago and I realized that Monark had such a bike, but there was only 2 or 3 of these bikes brought into the USA (or so I have been told?). I have been told that these were brought in to test the market and in doing so allowed the magazines to test the product and to see if this generated any interest. Unfortunately I feel that Honda set the pace with engine size with the XR75 and somewhat left the 50cc MX bike out in no mans land.

   Go to Magazine Articles on this site and look up Mini Cycle January 1974. You will see a test of the 50cc Monark.

   So in my travels in the USA and abroad I was invited to see private collections and motorcycle museums. The collector or curator was aware of the FIM 50cc Schoolboy MX class, but none of them had a Monark 50cc in their collection. So I tried to track down the Monark 50 that was used in the 1972 Baja 1000. This search went as far as Tennessee. Dead end so I just decided to watch and ask around. No one knew where one was or actually much about the bike. I do watch the swapmeets and I couldn't believe it when one showed up on Mark's Swapmeet. I actually knew the owner and sent him an email. He had already had a lot of interest, but no one wanted to pay his price. He is a Friend and I paid his price and both sides are happy.

   After I picked up the bike I was amazed at the condition and found out it had been in the rafters of an upholstery shop since the 1970's. Story goes, and this is just what I am told, that a rider for Monark was given the bike for his little brother to ride and develop his skills. After he grew out of it, I guess, it was put up in the rafters. I have started to round up parts for the restoration and welcome anyone who has parts to email me firsturn@hotmail.com