The Hodaka Club Forum

I recently was given a 1969 hodaka by a family member that has a black frame. It was stored in a barn since new. Best I can tell it has never been started. It shows 4 tenths of a mile on the odometer. it is cleaning up pretty good and seems to be all there except that the hand grips are badly split. Does anyone know where I might find an OEM set of grips ? They are gray in color and all I can find is aftermarket black ones. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. WOW just looked at the date. Maybe a bad day to post this

Wow! Time capsule. How cool is that??? Could you post a picture or two? Hodaka didn't make a black framed motorcycle until 1972 so its either a Wombat, a Combat Wombat, or perhaps one of the especially painted (black) motorcycles Hodaka made to order for the - get this - Nigerian police force. Now that would really be something if you had one of those!!

My father in-law was a dealer back then and said ( it was one of limited number that was made for an African police department and the order was canceled and they were distributed around the us). I will post a pic when I get it cleaned up.

Wow!!!! Can't wait to see it. I've read about them in Ken Smith's book, but have never seen one. Amazing!!!

I have almost one, frame and other misc parts and pieces not a complete bike and I know Clarence Tabor of Montana sold some as well. Bruce Young

I will attempt to attach some photo's of the bike. I am no computer wiz. One pic is a framed pic I received with the bike of mannix on a hodaka about the same time period. I was wondering if anyone had any background on it. I have not found anything on line. One of the other pics is a close up of the gas tank. It has alot of pits but not like rust pits it's more like a poor chrome job. Are others this way or did this one get rusty at some point and someone tried to clean it up ? appreciate any thoughts.

I think you have got a unique bike there. something great to have inherited, a piece of Hodaka history. I cant imagine there are too many original zero miles black aces like that out there.
Probably belongs in a museum (in Athena the home of Hodakas!) you should get hold of a copy of the Hodaka book by Ken smith . That has the relevant history in it. thanks for sharing the images.

I believe I have seen your bike before. Are you located (or was the bike) in Northwest PA ??
Gorgeous bike to have as part of your collection !

Incredible!! The Ace is a really sharp looking bike in black and chrome. Thanks for sharing and congratulations! BTW, the OEM-style grey grips are available at our usual Hodaka parts houses and Renthal makes a darn close facsimile.

Yes, It spent most of it's life in northwest PA. Matt can you please send me a link to the parts house that has the OEM gray grips ? All I am finding is black. Thanks

Well, I have provided bogus information. I have gotten the grey OEM grips from SH but I neglected to remember that Paul has recently sold the business to Terry (owner of HPI). That means that until this transaction is completed and the parts are inventoried, I'm not sure when they will be available. Hodaka Parts Inc has the grey Renthal grips available but I imaging with your insanely cool bike, you'll want OEM. In the meantime, I will check my parts stash and get back to you.

All good. I appreciate you taking the time to look into it for me. Yes, I was really hoping to find OEM if possible. Any thoughts on the mannix pic or the tank pits ?

Use Semichrome polish (Competition Chemicals) on the tank. The stuff is just shy of magical for these tanks and has the added benefit of leaving behind a protective yet invisible film. Great stuff. Many Harley shops sell it and it is readily available on Amazon. You might consider Contacting Hodaka Parts Inc. or Hodaka Parts Idaho directly regarding OEM grips. For a bike that cool, I'd bet they would go above and beyond to get you the grips. Also, Hodaka Dave Rozier (Hodaka Dave's Vintage Service) has an extensive parts selection and is a remarkably great guy. If he can help you, he will. I will check through my stash sometime this weekend.

I've been riding Harley's for 39 years so I am familiar with semichrome. I will give it a try. thanks for all the great info I will contact them direct. I already e-mailed Dave Rozier. Waiting for a response. If your ever in eastern North Carolina I ow ya cold one or three. Thanks again.

I'd love to take you up on that offer! Ditto if you are ever up in this neck of the woods (Northeast Iowa). I will check for those grips.

while doing some cleaning besides needing new grips some how managed to end up with two different mirrors. Bruce from hodakaparts.com was able to help me determine that the right hand mirror is not original. If anyone comes across a pair of gray grips or a right hand mirror please let me know I would really appreciate it.

I Just looked at the Mannix photo I posted and that bike only has one mirror on the left side. I had never noticed that before. I guess I don't need a mirror after all. I am learning alot here.

If you just had a pair of grips not attached to a bike.

I like the Rokon in the background.I have one just like it except mine is Hodaka powered.
Larry S

If it’s an original mirror they can be used on either side. So there really not a left or right mirror, just a mirror.

$0.02

Roger

appreciate the $.02 . I'm kinda slow but I managed to figure that out before someone talked me into buying two Ti-knockoffs. Live and learn.

I am beginning to my Nigerian bike together, If my bike has frame number A-36644, and so few where produced aprox 200, what is their frame numbers, starting point and ending point, if you have a orginal black bike from the Nigerian group what is the frame number of the bike you have. Please send info in and I will start a list of them to put on this site and my web site, Bruce Young e-mail; [email protected] Thanks

Bruce to my memory they produced about 1,000?? my receipt shows I sold one with frame number 39338 and I will have to look at the other one. I thought the majority were sold out of state. ------------Clarence

I don't have my Hodaka Book to turn to right now, but I thought it was 100 or 200 bikes produced for Nigeria.
Ed