Preview: the Combat Wombat

PREVIEW: THE COMBAT WOMBAT

More Hodakability For The Competition Oriented Buyer

WHAT'S THE best Hodaka ever made? One month ago, we would have said the Wombat. And for good reasons. A 100-mile ride in the Blue Mountains of Oregon over all types of terrain proved the bike’s worth. Beyond doubt.

Now there is a better Wombat for the competition oriented dirt rider. It’s called the Combat Wombat and, more than any other Hodaka ever made, this one is ready for heavy off-road useright out of the crate. Suggested retail price is $695, p.o.e West Coast.

Basically, the Combat version is a stock Wombat without lights and speedometer. The frame, forks, rear shocks, hubs, gas tank and fenders are the same.

The engine, however, has received considerable attention. Pabatco, you see, was listening when the horsepower freaks began crying for more.

Both cylinder barrel and head are completely new. The barrel is particularly interesting. The new one is aluminum (instead of cast iron), and does not have a conventional pressed in iron liner. Instead, Hodaka uses a process called alumiferric fusion to unite mechanite iron with the aluminum in the cylinder and ports.

The process offers several advantages. For one thing, gas flow through the ports is increased because the alumiferric process eliminates the production problem of perfectly matching up the ports in the liner with those in the barrel. And, unlike bikes with chromeplated barrels, the Hodaka can be rebored to 0.0040 over stock or ported with no problem whatsoever.

Also, the barrel has been five ported. The additional V-shaped port is on the

intake side and operates through a special window in the back of the piston. It’s V-shaped to swirl the intake charge for better, more complete combustion. The Combat piston, incidentally, features a single Dykes ring as opposed to the two-ring component found on the Wombat.

Complimenting the new cylinder is a 28mm Mikuni (4mm larger than on the Wombat) and an aluminum head with enough fin area to keep things cool.

The connecting rod, crankshaft, and gear primary drive are stock Wombat, but a new clutch, with five plates instead of four, was fitted to cope with the increased power.

Final drive ratios have also been lowered slightly for more acceleration. Top speed, however, has not changed appreciably from that of the Wombat because of a 900 rpm increase to the rev range. Maximum power is now developed at 8400 rpm. Maximum torque is at 8100 rpm. As usual, Pabatco decided against disclosing the actual power figures for its 192-lb. bomb.

Although the Combat version was designed primarily for competition, the exhaust note shouldn’t be any louder than most street bikes, thanks to a large spark arrester/muffler welded to the end of a new crossover exhaust. Besides being tucked well out of the way, the pipe is spring mounted for quick removal.

Add to this appropriate 3.00-21 and 3.50-18 Nitto knobbies mounted on Akront-style rims; a larger wet polyurethane foam air cleaner system, which intakes under the seat; and a seat with firmer padding; and you can see that this one has it all.