The Hodaka Club Forum

Captain, Important, detailed information required here. Inquiring minds just have to know the answers to the following questions?
1) Did you really loop out the bike?
2) Right foot a bit too far afield to tap that rear brake. Comment please.
3) Who is the chick? Did she have any balm to apply to anything bruised in the incident?
4) Eye protection, gloves - are they sitting back on the picnic blanket?

PS - Very cool ad. I came across it on the HPI library page and immediately remembered it well, although I had no idea who it was at the time!

Was it one of those “hey watch this” moments

More like a “Hold My Beer” moment! LOL!!! Victor

They probably made the Captain do about 500 takes trying to force himself to get that out of shape on a dirt bike. Pretty cool though that our own Captain Eddie was seen world-wide in virtually millions of magazines. Awesome!

come on matt he pulled it off the first time. you do know who your talking about right.....

Very good point!!

Love the small caption near the bottom of the photo.

Have been trying to find the time for an appropriate response - it's been a bit busy around here, so STAT kind of went out the window. Ennnnneywayeeee . . .

1) Did you really loop out the bike?
-- No, but there were some close calls amongst the several "takes". The ad agency guy wouldn't hear of me standing on pegs for crossing the little creek with wet round rocks and a six inch root at the exit side of the creek. So the plan was, a) stay on seat, b) get the front end high off the root, c) try not to bleed.
2) Right foot a bit too far afield to tap that rear brake. Comment please.
-- Shutting down the throttle brought it back down with no bleeding - but I think this take was probably one of the close calls.
3) Who is the chick? Did she have any balm to apply to anything bruised in the incident?
-- The chick is Wendy (Robinson) __________ (dagnabit! I can't come up with her married name). Wendy also worked at PABATCO. She was one of several of the female PABATCO employees who were along on the camp-out. (see more information below)
4) Eye protection, gloves - are they sitting back on the picnic blanket?
-- Hey! I had a helmet on and reasonably decent boots . . . whutsyerproblem?

This photo was taken during one of the famous PABATCO company camp-outs about 9-10 miles past the end of the road on the South Fork of the Walla Walla River. There were 20 or 30 of us on this camp-out, plus the ad agency guys. Those camp-outs were a HOOT! ALL of the people AND supplies were carried in on Hodakas. I'm not sure this was the year, but one of the supply loads (and rider, who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) went off the trail and wayeeeee down the bank (virtually a cliff). I think some Annie Green Springs or Strawberry Hill was lost in the incident, but the rider only had scratches and the bike was OK! (NOTE: It took several people and a stout rope to get the rider, supplies and bike back up on the trail!) Ahhhhhh, those were the days!

NOTE: "givergas" - you give me wayeeee tooooo much credit for riding skill!
QUESTION: Was the caption on the photo actually there on the printed ads in the magazines? I don't remember that. Somewhere in my archives I can probably find the answer to that question, but it may be 2025 before I get around to it. Which reminds me - Happy New Year!
Ed

Thanks Captain. That is such a great ad. I just had to have a bit of background info on it. Working at PABATCO would be a DREAM job. It is hard to imagine anything like that ever happening gain. And a very Happy New Year to you!

A dream job for sure ! Very cool story Captain and thanks for sharing the details.
I definitely meant no disrespect with my comment. It came to mind only because I had a few of those “watch this” moments before I wised up .
Hope everyone has a happy and healthy new year !

Mac, your comment was "spot on". The ad agency was after one of those "watch this" moments!

Ed