Hodaka Q&A

[taber hodaka]

All hands on deck for this one. I seen on face book a question on a hodaka ?? snowmobile. Some one said they seen some running around?? So what color, did anyone ever ride one? any pictures, how fast were they, what era of time 19__? please give a answer or ask a better question. was it a hoax or joke, who made them, was it competitive ? If hodaka was going to sell it, who then made the motor? ------------- Clarence

[Bullfrog]

See page 153 in the Hodaka book.
Ed

[taber hodaka]

Thanks Ed it is always good to reference Ken and Paul's book, A good start. What era 1966? From japan hodaka or blacksmith shop in Walla Walla? What engine?? Were they serious. Did it have company or management support. Did the concept just die on the vine? How many were produced? Color? ---------- Clarence

[taber hodaka]

Well at the time about late late 60"s or early 70, Clarence thought he should sell snowmobiles also. There were folks back then, that were the dealers grapevine, well they indicated we were going to see 6 speed hodaka's and in there some where, we could expect a snowmobile. They indicated a for sure deal, a sled would be on the way. The word Fuji heavy industries was associated with and stamped along side hodaka as I remember. Assuch I had the highest respect for Fuji engines. As I didn't know, I made the assumption that Fuji either made the hodaka engine or did the tooling for it. Back to the story I am looking for the snowmobile that was connected to hodaka. Snowmobiles at the time were heavy on torque and low on performance in my opinion. While working for the Forest Service every day, I rode every model they bought. Engines for the sleds back then were names like koler, Herth, Sachs, they sounded like thum, thum thum heavy and stuck, stuck in the snow. Well a new snowmobile was out and sold in the same place I got my hodakas. Guess what engine they had {[( FUJI )]} They were smooth, powerful hot rods. Fire engine Red beautiful and fast, punch the small one the SS/// 292 and it would pack the skies for 75 feet. I have a picture of one, on my hodaka wall down stairs, and one standing alone out in my field. I could load it alone in my pickup without ramps. There was no thum thum thum it was Zing zing zing. They were the best machine out there stock and nothing would touch them. They also sold mini bikes and I still have several, guess what engine they all used Fuji. In late 73 the economy went south and they pulled the plug on the most promising machine out there. Oh I forgot the name Chaparral.. so out of Fiji power I bought the family car and what did I get, ah one with a Fuji engine a Subarue. When I sold the shop I invited Subarue to Kalispell to discuss a dealership, I did not get it as I did not have a ready showroom. I think Fuji heavy Industries owned Subarue?? Sorry this is long , Some forest employees still remember their ride's. ------------- Clarence

[Bullfrog]

I'm sorry Clarence, but all the snowmobile stuff happened years before I landed at PABATCO. So I have no answers for you . . . other than a brief chat with Jim Gentry some time in the dim past. I got the impression that the snowmobile which got tested wasn't destined to be the best thing since sliced bread.

Ed

[taber hodaka]

I just can't take it any more. I have seen many hodakas listed as restored with cables out of position, floating all over the place. Time to share my pet peeve, You will make you more money,when selling your hodaka if your cables are mounted correctly. when your cables are not mounted correctly, most everyone will know it, It must be correct in a museum. If you have ever raced in any long endurance race you would know it. The front steering stops on the forks work like cable cutters. So how to route your cables and how to not route your cable's. I position the throttle cable going higher than the bars not lower, catches fewer branches that way. Route it on the left side of the gas tank above where the tank fastens on the front. Under the tank route it high, so it comes down on the carburetor, consider the least kinks as possible. The clutch cable crosses to the right and is routed above the right mount for the gas tank, every thing is tucked in and not wearing the chrome off of the gas tank. The front brake cable runs along the fork tube. To me the correct position for the shift lever is how they came from the factory, in a professional picture I think it should show that way. Now when riding if you have a 24 inch shoe you may have to adjust something. I tape my wires for the kill button, horn, and lights to the bars, just to keep them from flopping. If I am wrong please help me with this. ----- Clarence

[taber hodaka]

Some time back I asked, how many ace100 flyers were in each crate? the answer was 10 I still have a few sets of ten. When I get a few hours of help from my grandson, I will catch up on my picture posting. I am trying to rebuild a ace 90 (10 days to a new hodaka)?? How to modify the ace 90 into a rat beater?? Important question to me, how is the hodaka museum doing and how many more $$ are needed. My last question, where is the best place to sell my hodaka springer front forks and old ace 90/ ace 100 expansion chambers? My last last question, on Harrys expansion chamber he had a small pipe off to the side with a cap on it, what was it's function and did it work? ---Clarence

[taber hodaka]

HODAKA READERs TEST***** WHAT COLOR IS A YELLOW DUCK ? Win a small wind chime now. Clarence

[Bullfrog]

I'm not sure I have courage to make a guess on that one.
Ed

[givergas]

Clarence is this kinda like asking who's buried in grants tomb...asking for a friend..albert

[dirty_rat]

Is it a european duck or an american duck???

[Larry S]

Most rubber ducks are yellow. Is it a rubber duck?

Larry S

[MTrat]

Not sure about ducks but the rubber chickens I have known are yellow..

[taber hodaka]

The answer, was a test, to see if, anyone of you, were reading this thing..? On the shift ratchet the ace 90 used a 902008. The ace 90 with the 5 speed used a 902001R. that ratchet was also used in the ace 100 all the 100Bs 92A, 92B, 92B+also used in the superat's 93, 93A and the 93B. The wombat, combat wombat and the early dirt squirt used ratchet 942008. I am not addressing anything newer than the first dirt squirt. Can any of you add the others. --Clarence

[dirty_rat]

The model 97 and 98 (Super Combat , late Super Rat) also used the 942008 shift ratchet. Starting with the 99 Road Toad, through the 03 Wombat, the ratchet was changed slightly; a ball bearing was inserted into it to contact the neutral light switch, which was now required on all road going motorcycles. Aside from the ball bearing being inserted into it, the shift ratchet was the same and the part number remained the same, 942008.
The 175 and both 250's used another shift ratchet, with a part number of 714808 (I don't know what changed on it). And, lastly, the Dirt Squirt 80 went back to using the 942008 shift ratchet.
Attached are a couple of photos of the shift ratchet with the ball bearing inserted and how it contacts the neutral switch.

[Bullfrog]

DirtyRat,

I downloaded your photo to do a bit of Photoshop work on it in the hope of "telling the story" a bit more clearly. I hope you don't mind.

Ed

[dirty_rat]

Nope, don't mind at all. That's what this forum is for, information exchange.

[taber hodaka]

Starting with the ace 90 what did each model weigh? ----- Clarence

[givergas]

ace 90 .... dry 155 - wet 173 / ace 100 .... dry 170 - wet 188 / ace 100B ....dry 183 - wet 201 , wet is with fuels , lubes , and tools . 93 super rat .... dry 169 , .........

[Bullfrog]

My memory set the Combat Wombat (Model 95) weighed in at 208 pounds (dry). Not sure my phone "keyboard" can handle the numbers for a "wet" 250SL.
Ed

[Bullfrog]

Um, "set" was typed in as "sez"
Ed

[givergas]

94 wombat.... dry 208 / 95 combat wombat.... dry 192 , { per Hodaka-parts .com } / 96 dirt squirt.... dry 183 - wet 201......

[givergas]

97 super combat... 191 / 98 super rat.... 190 / 99 road toad.... 228 / 01 dirt squirt ...... 199 / 02 road toad .... 224.....

[taber hodaka]

What was the difference between a EDa and a EDb. Did they produce a owners hand book for either? ---Clarence

[taber hodaka]

I will attempt to list these and know some may be in error and others I do not have owners manuals or records for them.
name model dry weight/lb
Ace 90 --- 155
Ace 100 ---170
Ace 100B 92A ---183
Ace100B 92B ---188
Ace100B 92B+ ---189
Ace100Rat 93 ---173
Ace100Rat 93A ---175
Ace100Rat 93B ---181
125Wombat 94 ---208
125Wombat 94A ---??
125CombatWombat 95 ---192
Ace100Dirt Squirt 92C,96 ---185
125SuperCombat 97 ---191.6
100Superrat 98 ---190.6
100Road toad 99 ---224/228?
250SL 70 --- ??
250SL 70A ---284.5
250ED 71 ---??
175SL 61 ---266.7
100Dirt squirt 01 ---199
100Road toad 02 ---224
125Wombat 03 ---237.4
80DirtSquirt 82 ---150.8
Clarence 00 ---181.7
Thanks to givergas and bullfrog