Hodaka Motorcycles 1964 T-Shirt

The plan was simple – take Yamaguchi’s lightweight trail bike, the Scrambler, and make it better. PABATCO designed and engineered the motorcycles from their Athena, Oregon headquarters, and Hodaka was responsible for the engines, manufacturing, and assembly in Japan. This resulted in Hodaka’s first model, the Ace 90, which arrived in the U.S. in 1964 and became an instant success thanks to its low cost and durability and depending on who you ask, laid the groundwork for America’s trail bike craze. Hodaka continued to improve upon their original design releasing about 18 variant models until a combination of events led to the demise of Hodaka in 1978.