Ten things you probably didn't know about Hodaka

This year, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days played host to Hodaka Days, the annual gathering of fans of the offbeat off-road bikes of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

And on hand for this auspicious event was none other than Chuck Swanson (right), who, as an officer of the Pacific Basin Trading Company, was one of the original players in the Hodaka saga.

Here's a few interesting bits of Hodaka lore that Swanson let us in on:

1. The Pacific Basin Trading Company (PABATCO) of Athena, Oregon, the company behind Hodaka, was originally established to export agricultural chemicals to Japan.
2. PABATCO got into the motorcycle business by importing the Yamaguchi brand as a way to fill ships returning from Japan. When Yamaguchi declared bankruptcy, PABATCO contracted with Yamaguchi’s engine manufacturer, Hodaka, to make complete motorcycles.
3. PABATCO was also the U.S. importer of Avon fairings and Rickman frames.
4. The name “Hodaka” comes from a mountain in the Japanese Alps.
5. The shift mechanism in the first Hodakas was originally designed for a lathe.
6. The chrome tank on early Hodakas was inspired by the British Greeves brand. Chrome tanks were discontinued in the mid ‘70’s when the Japanese factory refused to continue manufacturing them.
7. A Hodaka road racer won the 100cc class at Daytona in 1968. It was clocked at 105mph on the straight.
8. The 1972 125cc Wombat was named by Hodaka’s Australian distributor during the firm’s annual dealer meeting.
9. A prototype 175 that was never produced and is now owned by Swanson incorporated such modern features as a cassette-style six-speed gearbox and a space-saving triangular layout for the clutch, crankshaft and gearbox.
10. The bulk of original spare Hodaka parts was lost soon after the company closed it doors in 1979 when the Pennsylvania warehouse where they were stored went up in flames.