The Hodaka Club Forum

Any of the Ace 100 model 92s I see online have orange frames but the one I’ve got is black. Is that a standard color or is that some after market tomfoolery? Thanks again!

The Ace 100 was a model 92 but not a B model. The ace 100B was made after the model 92,s and had three models 92A, 92B that turned into a 92B+. there were some early hodaka's made that were black but very few. ----------- Clarence

There are several posts here on the forum that talk about the black framed Ace 100s from the factory. Here is a link to one such post. You can also find information on these bikes in the book, "Hodaka, The Complete Story of America's Favorite Trail Bike" by Ken Smith.

viewtopic.php?t=1894

Thank you guys!!

Probably not a Nigerian Police Bike! But someone may have painted it black by choice. Not unusual. Changing things to make it your own, includes paint! Bet there’s red underneath that black! The Model 92’s all were red, with 17” wheels front & rear and 27mm front forks like on the Ace 90, not orange. The orange appearance comes from the fading of the red paint. Victor

Having uncrated many over 100 new hodakas in the day, my observation was they were not red. they had a tint of orange, but not a faded red. They may have faded more on the sunny side of Texas and New Mexico. I never sold a dirt squirt so can't comment on its color. I did sell about 50 super rats. I sold out after the combat wombat -------- Clarence

viclioce wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 4:56 pm Probably not a Nigerian Police Bike! But someone may have painted it black by choice. Not unusual. Changing things to make it your own, includes paint! Bet there’s red underneath that black! The Model 92’s all were red, with 17” wheels front & rear and 27mm front forks like on the Ace 90, not orange. The orange appearance comes from the fading of the red paint. Victor

If all of the Model 92's were red, then what model were the Nigerian Police Bikes?

Well Dale, the Nigerian 200 were a special order. As discussed in another thread, they were the exception. Custom ordered and then canceled, they were the only Model 92’s which weren’t red. Like Ed said (paraphrased) in the other post, “everything I know about the Nigerian bikes is what is in the Hodaka Book.” Victor

When we use the term hodakas are red that was the term often used. When you describe the color of paint on a early hodaka, red is not a term to describe the original paint for the ace 90, ace100and the 100B's. They were a red orange, no more red than max's color but not a bright red. Clarence

I am building up an Ace 100 engine in a model 94 chassis. Ace red is the choice for frame color. I took an old Ace headlight bucket to the local PPG auto paint store and matched up a color chip to the inside of the bucket. The red/orange polyurethane they mixed for me came out a little to orange. Looks like early Dirt Squirt frame color? Considering getting another pint mixed that is straight red. Does anyone have a PPG paint code or automotive color ID for the Ace red frame color?
Thanks,
Chris

All this talk about the "RED" or "ORANGE RED" color on the early Hodaka's. I can remember looking at a group of Hodakas back in the 1970's (different models and different years). While all the frames were very similar in color, there were variations among them (some might have faded a little, but this is when they were pretty much new). Some were a little more on the orange shade than others. You can also see variations on some of the painted parts, such as the Super Rat air cleaners (more on the red shade). I think that when Hodaka painted the bikes, when they used up one supply of paint, the next order might not have been an exact match (different batch - that's why they say if you have two or more containers of a certain mix of paint to mix them together to avoid two slightly different colors). Just my thoughts and I will cntinue to paint my Hodaka's the colors I like.

I base my color on the removable of hodaka's from their crates. I do not recall any difference from 1964 threw about 1972 . surely not candy apple red. But any color hodaka is cool. Clarence

Thank you for your input. I think the mistake I made is I matched a faded red. I only have a few original red parts and they may have been sitting outdoors for many years. I'll get some redder red paint and put another coat on.
Thanks,
Chris

Here’s what I use. Very close to the original! Not expensive either! Same color as the Rustoleum Safety Red but much easier to use. Second coats well with no crackling. Rub it with a 3M scuff pad on between coats! I still use a self etching primer under neath first. Victor

. . . and my own recollections are . . . early Hodakas (all "Aces" including the toaster tank Super Rat) were Red. As in purty dang Red - not orangy or pastel red - just Red. When we uncrated the first production toaster tank Dirt Squirts to arrive in Athena . . . the comment was made that the Red had changed and now it was a bit more toward "tomato soup red" (a bit of orange creeping in . . . and mayhaps a bit of white - which made it sort of milky/pastel looking). My two cents.
Ed

That is red red, hodaka motorcycles were not that red as I remember? Maxes color safety red is closer and I think ___gloss XOrust hot red paint/primer in one is even closer again?? To sell for top dollar or show it as restored, to me the paint should be as close as we can get it. Around here they sand blast and powder coat very cheap, its done cured and back in a jiff. I have a new ace 90 headlight, a new 92B headlight and a new super rat air cleaner. I never sold a Dirt squirt nor have I ridden one. I still have a gallon of hodaka red from years ago . I will have a professional shop paint the colors on metal and then we can compare them to the color of the parts. I just read Ed's response and I will never say that he is wrong nor will I say I am correct. I could say the older you get the more you forget and that's not a political statement I am 80+. ------------ Clarence

OK. Here is a test of a guy's color perception. I'm sure it well help settle this color thing once and for all. Ed

write Ed. Clarence I like it

Ed, if you don't see ANY numbers what does that mean...asking for a friend.

I'm not an optomitrist, nor a psychologist - but I am an optimist (ar least generally). So I'd say that would mean your friend is totally color-blind, annnnnnnddddd . . . your friend NEEDS another motorcycle!
Ed