in memoriam John Penton
We bid farewell to John Penton, who passed away on September 7, 2025, at the age of 100. The American enduro pioneer not only shaped off-road sports, but also laid one of the cornerstones for KTM's international success.
John Penton undoubtedly occupies an important place in the history of KTM. He had KTM build competition machines in large series and provided the impetus for the construction of the company's own sports engine.
In the 1960s, off-road racing in John Penton's native America was predominantly dominated by heavy four-stroke engines. However, Penton believed that success could also be achieved with smaller displacement engines.
During the Six Days Enduro in Poland, he became aware of KTM. He got talking to Sigi Stuhlberger, who was riding a 50cc KTM, and invited him to Mattighofen.
There, he personally presented Erich Trunkenpolz with his wish for a small-displacement, powerful, and high-quality off-road motorcycle.
The first ten production machines arrived in the USA in 1968 and were taken straight to a national enduro race, where they won several class victories without prior testing. Penton purchased 1,000 machines from KTM in 1968 alone.
In the KTM Motohall, not only is the 1969 “Penton Six Days 125” model a permanent part of the exhibition in his memory, but he is also honored with a plaque in the “Walk of Legends” in front of the building.
