Racing history to restoration project

[Combat Tom]

I started racing motocross when I was 11. My dad bought a Wombat in 72 after my brother and I had ben playing on a 71 Suzuki Trail Hopper and he wanted us to learn to ride a traditional full size trailbike. We immediately wanted to ride more aggressively and the Wombat was not really suited to the purpose. We had purchased the Hodaka from Gene Mutter of Precision Cycle in Mt. Clemens who was a staple figure in every form of motorcycle racing from Ice to MX to Trials and supported some very successful riders. He prescribed a variety of essential modification to transform the tame but sturdy Wombat into a lighter more purposeful MX version of itself. Though somewhat underpowered, it served as a durable first step and we began to compete with it.

Our relationship with Precision Cycle developed and in 73 after some decent success with the Wombat, Gene asked my brother and I to Ride for Precision Cycle. My brother got a new Montessa 250VR and I got a new Combat Wombat! Gene had a close relationship with the guys at Pabatco and he got their support to help me campaign the bike. The engines were "works" modified versions built initially in Oregon, and the other upgrades were performed in our shop per their specification. As the relationship progressed, we set up the tooling and our own engine shop to replicate the various engine modifications. This was necessary because while the modified engines were amazingly powerful for the time, the changes rendered them somewhat fragile requiring a great deal of maintenance and constant replacement.

Engine mods included higher compression, different ported pistons and ring, major cylinder porting, reed valving, airbox mods, and a variety of other internal changes as well as carb and pipe modifications. The forks were modified to increase travel and improve dampening, the brake arms were lengthened to increase leverage, the rear shocks were relocated. A fork brace was added and the metal tank and fenders were all replaced with light weight plastic. The result was an ultra competitive lightweight machine that required a great deal of precision to ride. It had a lot of power but a powerband about as wide as your pinky. It rewarded aggressive riding but demanded your full attention to stay on the pipe. The porting ate rings like a hungry lumberjack. I loved it! Gene actually took the bike to a corporate dealer event and it outran every bike there including the other "factory works" bikes brought to the event. Competing at 13 and weighing all of 90 lbs, I also enjoyed a huge weight advantage over the other older riders which made it look like a rocket compared to every other bike.

Prior to the release of the Super Combat which incorporated many of the Modifications that were made to our CW, I routinely had the quickest 125 around.

In 74, I got the new Super Combat. The base engine now featured many of the changes that had previously been modifications. Though we still increased compression, modified the porting and mode some other changes, it was a much improved and more reliable set-up. I campaigned it for a couple seasons but the competition from other manufacturers caught and surpassed the Hodie in terms of performance. I wish I would have had a chance to ride Jodie Weisel's SC. To bad it never made it into a production form.

The CW was modified into a studded ice racing sidecar that my brother and I campaigned in the 0-305 class. Though we were always out gunned in the displacement department, the ultra light rig with the outstanding power it made kept us out front much of the time to the frustration of many seasoned duo's with larger engines gaining us a nickname of Mighty Mouse. We had a lot of fun racing that little Hodaka rig and giving the old CW an extended life of success on the ice. I'm sad to say that it unfortunately was lost to time.

On the other hand, my SC remained tucked away in my garages over the years as my racing moved on to NASCAR, IMSA, etc. and I recently decided that now I'm retired, I'm going to get it out and restore it back to its original glory. I am thankful that the parts needed are available (and that I found I still have a fair inventory of NOS and spare components stashed in boxes). I have never forgotten how much I loved my Hodaka's and how much they impacted my early years in racing. I will post some pictures of it when I get it completed and I hope to have an opportunity to take it to a Hodaka event someday and swap stories with other fans of the legendary (if underrated) Brand.

Below is a picture of the CW at Brown City Mi in 1973, and later on the ice at a district 14 race in Anchor Bay Mi in 1975.

[socalhodaka]

I dig it

[ossa95d]

Very cool story!

[matt glascock]

Just a little after dinner mint.

[Combat Tom]

That's very cool. Lot's of Hodies came out of Precision back in the day, glad to see other survivors. Do you know any of the history on this one?

[Combat Tom]

I wonder if anyone reading this might be able to help me out with the restoration of the Super Combat. I need an original style (NOS if possible) rear fender to replace the current one. The patina of the original is as raced, but I'd like to put it back to as-new and keep the original as a souvenir.

[matt glascock]

The only think I know about the bike is that it was rode hard and put up wet. My entry into this addiction started years ago after I acquired a Super Rat just to ride a few decades backwards to the time of my youth. Now addicted, one appeared like a rabbit along with all the rest.

[Combat Tom]

Matt, where are you located, I'm curious how far from home your old Rat ended up.

[matt glascock]

Regional legs at least. Northeast Iowa.

[Combat Tom]

I came across some other pics from back in the day. Note my younger brother with his Hodaka powered Bonanza (circa 75). That was a truly evil handling bike. I had blocked the bonanza from memory, it was badly damaged when my brother was practicing starts in Portland and an un-watching rider came the wrong way toward the start line and they collided head on. That was only the 3rd (and last) race for the ill fated Hodie half breed. He got a YZ 80 and moved on.

[Bullfrog]

Great story! I'm glad to hear you have dug out your personal time machine! You are going to enjoy your time-travels!
Ed