The Hodaka Club Forum

Many yrs ago I had a 100B+ that I dearly loved. Many more powerful dirt bikes have come and gone since then. Now I'm in the market for another Hodaka. A street legal Wombat would be nice but how about a B+ frame with a 125 motor? Is that an easy swap?

Engine will bolt right in. You need a wombat exhaust but its direct fit. You may need a Wombat throttle cable and some fiddling with the air boot but i cant remember. The 125 for the makes a great transplant for the B+ which in my opinion is the best looking of the chrome tank bikes. That red frame and chrome tank just POP!

As noted it would be an easy swap, but I think the Wombat handles better for most conditions (longer wheelbase, etc.) I know Rick Mott made a trials bike with an Ace frame and a Wombat engine, but it trials it relatively slow speeds and tight turning.

I would probably just take a Wombat and paint the frame and accessories Hodaka red and have a Wombat that looks like an Ace.

I think you'll find that a 125 engine in the Ace series frame will tend (slightly) to be a "wheelie king" (queen?). That would have been wayeeeeee fun at age 17 . . . perhaps not so much at your current spot in the progression of life. The Wombat chassis would certainly be my choice between the two.

Ed

If you have a handle on an Ace frame and know (or are) a good welder, extending the swinging arm a couple inches will cool out the wheelieishness. Hodaka Dave performs this operation perfectly, and if you are going to race the bike, he can also reinforce them. Craftsman level work by a real pro.

I really liked my 100B+ and appreciated it's short wheelbase. MY woods riding here in NW Fl is usually on tight trails and old jeep-only roads so the average speed is usually quite low but I would appreciate a little more hp when I get in some loose sand.

Hey man, if wheelin' and dealin' ain't your thing, the 125 would give you more oomph in sand. It would be prone to looping out, but there is absolutely no doubt the bone stock Ace frame is born, bred, and perfected as a trail bike platform - period.