I’ve always been a sucker for old Hodakas. They’re simple and good-looking machines that have everything you need for a fun day on two wheels, and nothing you don’t. With a 100cc two-stroke engine it has just enough power to get you into trouble and back out of it again. You have to respect these little machines, because they were literally built to have the shit kicked out of them day in and day out on the trails and harsh roads.
Designed and engineered by Pacific Basin Trading Company in Washington — PaBaTCo, a subsidiary of Shell Oil — and Hodaka bikes of Japan, the 100 Ace was one of the company’s best sellers. With Hodaka’s signature chrome tanks and red-orange frames, these are easy to spot from a mile away. Iconic, you might almost say.
I mean, just look at this guy. He’s having so much fun riding this thing. That could be you. I mean, it could be me, too, but I really want you to buy this instead of me. For reasons.
Here’s what the seller has to say about the Ace:
Scrambler-style motorcycle in a very original condition; designed and engineered in the United States, manufactured in Japan
Hodaka motorcycles were produced from 1964 until 1978 through a joint venture between Japanese engine manufacturer Hodaka and Oregan-based PABATCO, which served as the worldwide distributor
Powered by a Hodaka 100-cc single-cylinder engine paired with a manual transmission
Features a twin-down-tube, gusseted frame finished in orange with a chrome gas tank and a black seat
Equipped with front and rear drum brakes, kick-starter, full metal fenders, luggage rack, and raised exhaust
Rides on 17-inch wire wheels with recently replaced knobby tires
Recently Serviced
Ready for the street or trail
So what do you say? What’s twenty-five hundred bucks between friends? I could buy this and ride the hell out of it for the next decade and have a ton of fun, but I’ve already got too many bikes, too many projects, too many cars, and nowhere to put them! Why don’t you get like me and buy yourself a new bike to ring in the new year? You can find it right here on eBay. Right where you left it.