The History of Puch
THE HISTORY OF PUCH
GEOFFREY WOOD
ONE MARQUE about which little is known in America is the Puchan Austrian concern that has never courted the American market with the fervor displayed by other manufacturers around the world. Instead, Puch has chosen to concentrate on an eastern European market, where its philosophy of producing unspectacular but sound machines has met with great success. The company also has an unspectacular but significant sporting history, and this story is virtually unknown to American motorcyclists.
The story of Puch began a very long time ago when Johann Puch set himself up as a bicycle mechanic in 1889. In 1891 Johann began the actual production of bicycles, but in 1897 he sold out and retired. However, Johann’s restlessness demanded an outlet, and in 1899 he again entered the bicycle production field. Next came a motorized tricycle, and in 1903 the production of a true motorcycle began. This business prospered so much that in 1910 Johann had the necessary capital to allow the designing of a small automobile.
This first Puch was, naturally, a rather primitive device compared to modern machines, but it did follow accepted design principles of those days and proved to be as reliable as any of the undependable motorcycles that were produced then. The powerplant was the then common inlet-over-exhaust valve type of engine, which was a single-cylinder model that developed 2 3/4 hp. Larger 3‘4-hp and 3‘/2-hp models were also available, all of which had the engine mounted centrally in the frame. These early Singles used a magneto for ignition, and lubrication was provided by a hand-operated pump.
Transmission of power was accomplished by a belt on these 1903 Puchs, and pedals were used for starting and on hills. Only one brake was fitted, which was a band type on a dummy rim on the rear wheel. In two years Johann produced 750 of these Singles, which helped get the tiny company on a sound financial basis.
In 1905 and 1906 Puch produced his first Twins—3Vi-, 5-, and 6-bhp models that were otherwise quite similar to the Singles. The engine was an 1.0.E. VTwin, and 1900 of these models were soon on the Austrian roads. Puch also began production of automobiles then, and all of this activity made him a leader of the early motoring industry in Austria.
The next few years Puch expanded his production and improved his machines, sticking with the four-stroke design and making it more reliable. Most of these models were Singles, but a few Twins were produced that had up to 6 hp. A few of these Twins were ultradeluxe mounts for the connoisseur of fine motorcycles; however, they were a rarity, as only 50 of the model II and ten of the model MM were ever produced. Then came World War I, and the Puch Werke was forced to halt all production from 1917 through 1923.
After the war, some new brainpower was brought to Puch in the person of lng. G. Marcellino (Johann had died in 1914), and under this man’s guidance the Puch Werke was destined to become a major European producer of motorcycles. The first of Marcellino's new designs appeared in 1924. This unique model featured a split-single, two-stroke engine in which two pistons used a common combustion chamber. Both pistons worked from a common split connecting rod. but the transfer ports were located in the rear cylinder and the exhaust port was located in the front cylinder. The idea was to obtain a cleaner running engine with less loss of the fresh fuel charge out the exhaust port, since those were the days before loop scavenging when a raised edge on the piston crown was used to prevent the incoming fuel charge from traveling out the exhaust port.
Another peculiarity was the crankshaft placed parallel to the frame. This required that the transmission convert the power from parallel to a right angle with the rear axle, since chain drive was used. The two-speed gearbox was contained in the rear hub, and the pedal gear was dispensed with. This new model, called the LM, had a 122-cc engine that pumped out 2 hp, and internal expanding brakes were used for the first time.
By this time European motorcycle manufacturers were producing variations of their basic models to suit different needs, with Puch producing the LM model in the man’s, woman’s and sports model. The sports model featured a lower set of bars, a central plug head, and an open exhaust, just in case an owner wanted to go racing. A few of these sports models were even produced with an outside flywheel. The top speed of this Puch was about 35 mph, and the split-single design went a long way toward improving the spark plug fouling that was so common then on two-strokes.
The LM model was followed in 1925 by a 175-cc version which pumped out 3 hp. In 1926 the 220-cc model made its debut with a 4.5-hp output. This last Puch was a tremendous success; 12,000 of these 220s were sold during a threeyear period. This split Single, a three speed, would do about 48 mph. Puch’s next model was a big 10-hp, 500-cc Single, which used the side-valve JAP engine produced in England. This model didn’t sell well, so the company dropped it after one year to concentrate on developing their split-single design.
In 1929 the marque introduced the 250-cc model T, and by 1932 no less than 13,200 units were on the roads. This 6-hp (at 3000 rpm) model was followed by the 8-hp 250 Special in 1931. and by the 500-cc Z model in late 1931. The Z, a 14-hp vertical Twin, never sold as well as the smaller 250s, which had a bore and stroke of 45 by 7 8 mm and gear ratios of 15.73:1, 7.69:1 and 5.16:1.
In 1933 the Puch had a more modern appearance with its fuel tank mounted over the top frame tubes instead of between them, but it still looked about 10 years behind the British bikes which were setting the style and sales pace in those days. Two of the most popular Puchs then were the 250-cc Tourenmodell and the 250-cc Sportmodell, both of which had the split-single engine and the crankshaft set parallel with the frame.
The parallel crankshaft created a few power transmission problems, and consequently these Puch models of the early 1930s had some very unique design features. Foremost of these peculiarities was the location of the clutch in the rear hub. The three-speed gearbox was mounted directly behind the engine, and it had a right-angle output shaft so that chain drive could be used. The gearbox was shifted by hand and there was a hand clutch lever, which was common continental practice then. These 7-hp models sold reasonably well, due to such features as internal expanding brakes on both wheels and improved reliability. The frame was rigid on these Puchs and the front fork was the girder type, so rider comfort was still questionable.
In 1934 Puch introduced a vastly improved S4 model that had a more modern appearance. The S4 was a 10.5-hp. 250 split Single, and a cleaning up of the external bits and fittings gave it a more purposeful appearance. I’he basic design was much the same as the earlier models, but a four-speed gearbox provided a more spirited performance. Perhaps the most surprising thing about the S4 was the new lubrication system, which consisted of a mechanical pump and oil tank system that delivered oil under pressure to the intake port. This dispensed with the messy gas/oil mix, and it also shows us that a lot of our “modern” designs aren’t quite as new as we think they are.
I'he next milestone in the Pueh's history occurred in 1938 with the introduction of the 350-cc Grand Sport. This 1 2-hp split Single was designed to satisfy the needs of the growing number of sporting minded riders during the late 1930s. It was intended as a fast roadster or an off-road machine. I'he frame was a tubular twin-loop cradle type that featured a coil-spring rear suspension. The travel was rather limited on this swivellink suspension, but then these were the days when spring frames were in their experimental stage. I'he new Puch also featured, for the first time, a foot gearshift.
The Puch 350-cc GS also had a raised exhaust system and a substantial ground clearance. Deeply valanced fenders and a nicely shaped fuel tank gave it a more modern appearance. These GS models became very popular with Austrian riders, and they proceeded to perform creditably in the enduro type trials that were held then in continental Europe.
During the late 1930s Europe had recovered from the economic depression of the early '30s to such an extent that a market existed for a luxurious roadster. Puch attempted to satisfy this demand in 1936 with a beautiful 800-cc opposed Four. Not much technical data is available today on the fabulous 800, mainly because of the damage done to the factory during World War II, but it is known that only 550 of these prestigious machines were ever built. The Puch Four was not an exceptionally brilliant design, though, and it was dropped after 1 938.
The last Puch to be designed before the war was the 125-cc T, a clean looking split Single that pumped out 5.2 hp. The T model was also available with a two-carburetor cylinder that had “sports” timing on all the ports. This bomb churned out a very respectable
7.5 hp. The Puch was equipped with a unit-construction engine-gearbox design, and the gearbox had three speeds. The frame was rigid and had pressed girder front forks. Dual exhaust ports and pipes were used on the T model, but the clutch was finally moved to the gearbox mainshaft end.
This new T model, produced from 1939 to 1952, established an excellent reputation as an attractive, peppy and reliable lightweight. Indeed, historians now consider the Puch T to be a classic in design evolution, as it well represents the excellence of small motorcycle design during the late 1930s.
There are several other interesting items about the pre-war Puch history that are notable, one being the merger with the giant Daimler corporation in 1928. After that came the amalgamation with Steyr in 1934, thus merging the motorcycle end of the business into a huge steel factory, armament and automobile industry. Then came the war, and 960 bombs rained out of the sky onto the main works at Steyr. After the war it naturally took a few years to rebuild from the rubble, but by 1949 the factory was humming and some totally new models were produced.
The first of these new Puchs was the 250-cc TF model, a superb machine that was as modern as anything on the continent. The TF model was available in either standard or sports tune, which was the one or two carburetor option that allowed 12 or 15 hp to be produced. The engine was still the by then classical split Single, and it featured two exhaust ports and pipes. The powerplant also had unit construction and a four-speed gearbox.
The frame was new on the TF' model, featuring a plunger rear suspension that contained coil springs but no hydraulic dampening. The front fork was a hydraulically dampened telescopic type, and the rest of the bike had exceptionally clean lines. The TF proved to be a good bike as well as pretty; even today it would seem to be a modern design.
In 1951 Puch made another great stride forward when they produced the 125-cc SL model and the 1 50-cc TL model, both of which had the modern swinging arm rear suspension. The 125 had a bore and stroke of 38 by 5 5mm, while the I 50 had a 40-mm bore. The 1 25 used two carbsand pumped out 7.5 hp at 5500 rpm on a 6.5:1 compression ratio, while the 150 developed 6.5 hp at 5000 rpm on the same ratio. The maximum speed of the two models was 65 and 60 mph respectively, and both had four-speed boxes.
Perhaps the most significant thing about these new lightweights was the styling, which was ultra-modern and included a sleek pressed-steel frame. The accent on styling, comfort and protection from the elements made Puch a leader in Europe.
The next improvement came in 1953 when the 125-cc SV and SVS models came out with full-width hubs cast in alloy. The one or two carb theme was carried out on these two models as well, with 6.5 or 7.6 hp being produced. These Puchs had deeply valanced fenders and a spring loaded and hinged seat, which went a long way toward improved riding comfort.
During the late 1950s Puch became interested in entering a works team in such rugged classics as the International Six Days Trial and other endurance trials popular in Europe. This, of course, required a suitable machine, so the factory organized a competition shop to build a good comp model.
One of the first of these new works competition machines was the 1960 250-cc Gelandesport. The 20-hp, twocarb bike performed in an exceptionally good manner in the ISDT that year. It featured a special frame that provided 10 inches of ground clearance, knobby tires and an upswept exhaust pipe. These cobby looking enduro models with a split-single engine proved to be both reliable and rugged. A modest number were also produced for the private owner.
Another interesting Puch about which little is known is the 1951 speed record model that set a 250-cc, 24-hour mark of 74.7 mph. The bike, a 250 split Single, was ridden by the French father and son team of Georges and Pierre Monneret and two men known only as Moury and Weingartmann. Its fine record is still standing in the FIM record book.
By 1961 Puch had a good range of models that were selling well in Eastern Europe, and they decided to court the American market by contracting with the huge Sears Roebuck Co. to sell their wares under the Allstate brand name. The models then were the 125 SV (6.5 hp at 5800 rpm). 125 SVS (8 hp at 6100 rpm). 175 SV (10 hp at 5800 rpm), 175 SVS (12.3 hp at 6200 rpm), 250 SG (14 hp at 5400 rpm). and 250 SGS (16.5 hp at 5800 rpm). All of these models had the split-single design laid down by Ing. Marcellino 40 years earlier. The 250-cc models had the oil injection system that dispensed with the gas/oil mixing.
These Puchs were very strong and reliable, virtues that the east Europeans dearly love in their motorcycles. The performance was not spectacular, but it was certainly adequate for a day-to-day transportation machine. The maximum speeds for the 125-cc models were 50 and 55 mph, while the 175-cc models would clock 62 and 69 mph. The big 250s would run 65 and 76 mph, and fuel consumption was about 75 mpg. The dry weights of the 125-, 175-, and 250-cc models were listed as 242, 245, and 306 lb., which certainly indicated how ruggedly these bikes were built.
During the early 1960s Puch continued to market these venerable old designs, but by 1965 the company realized that some new designs were needed, especially for the smaller sized bikes. In response to this demand for a true lightweight, the company designed a 50-cc, two-stroke engine that had an orthodox single cylinder and a bore and stroke of 38 by 43mm. This engine was then mounted in a wide variety of frames, from scooters to roadsters and scramblers. The accent was on a low initial cost plus a modest maintenance and operating expense. Today these tiny buzz bombs can be seen scampering all over the Austrian roads.
The new design trend soon resulted in a larger 1 25-cc Single with a bore and stroke of 55 by 52mm. The power output is a solid 12 hp at 7000 rpm on an 11.5:1 compression ratio, and a 1.03-in. bore Bing Carburetor is used. This new Puch, called the M-125, was introduced in 1966. The chassis is orthodox but rather racy looking, and the new engine has an unusual radially finned head. A four-speed gearbox is used on the 125, which has a dry weight of 211 lb. The top speed is 70 mph. Since the M-125, the factory has produced the new 100, 175, and 250 models all of which are Singles except the 250, which is a Twin.
In recent years Puch’s interest in the trials and enduros that are held all over Europe has inspired it to produce many special works models for these events. The marque has been highly successful, too, and the factory museum now holds hundreds of trophies, gold medals, and silver medals that have been won in these events.
This competition activity naturally led to the marketing of some production comp models. At present a range of 50, 100, 125, and 175 bikes are produced, all superb trials or enduro machines. The 50. 100, 125, and 175 Sportmodelles pump out 9.3, 14.8,
18.1, and 20.9 hp at engine speeds of 9200, 8400, 8000. and 7300 rpm. The weight has been dropped to 1 77 lb. for the 50-cc model and 207 lb. for the larger models.
For those who like more power there are the 1 25-cc and 250-cc Rennmodelles that pump out 21 hp at 10,000 rpm and 40 hp at 10,000 rpm respectively. The gearboxes have six and five speeds on these two bombs, and top speeds are 105 and 124 mph. These road racing bikes are currently produced only in limited numbers for selected works riders. The bore and stroke on the 125 Single is 55 by 52mm; the 250 Twin has the same measurements. The Single has one 30-mm Dell Orto carburetor, while the 250 lias a pair of 30-mm units. Not much else is known about these twostroke grand prix machines, but they are rumored to have a competitive performance. Hopefully, the factory will continue to develop this beautiful grand prix bike.
Perhaps the most interesting new Puch is the pukka trials model, a 125 that has a six-speed gearbox in 1SDT trim and a wide-ratio, four-speed box in English trials trim. The enduro version comes with lights and a 16 hp at 8800 rpm engine, while the pukka trials model is stripped to the bone and has a 12 hp at 7000 rpm powerplant. Both models have 2.75-21 front tires and 4.00-18 rear tires. The trialster weighs only 156 lb. and has ratios of 47.0:1, 28.0:1. 18.75:1. and 15.0:1, which
makes it a superb bog wheel in rugged going. These newest Puchs have performed remarkably well, as was proven by Scott Ellis who won the prestigious 1 969 Welsh Three Day Trial without the loss of a single mark.
Puch’s recent interest in competition is unique in the company’s history with but one exception, and for this chapter we must go back to the early 1920s when lng. Marcellino decided that the best way to gain some much needed prestige and publicity was to go road racing. This was a logical move for many companies then, since motorcycle sales were rapidly expanding, and a successful racing campaign helped a company obtain its share ot this market. In those days road racing also provided a tremendous amount of technical knowledge that could be immediately incorporated into improving their standard roadsters, since road racers then were normally only tuned-up roadsters.
The saga of Puch grand prix machines began in 1925, when Rupert Karner and Hugo Hobel garnered 2nd and 3rd places in the Monza 250-cc race with a pair of 125-ec LM models that had been fitted with an open exhaust and central-plug head. The company also had some 1 75-cc models to use then, one of which had a bronze cylinder and head.
That same year Puch won their first race when Karner won the 1 75-cc class of the Austrian Grand Prix with a special supercharged works model. The factory could not provide any technical data on this unique split-single twostroke. but one old photo does show that the blower was mounted in a small case on the right side of the crankcase. The supercharger appears to be a piston pump similar to those made famous by DKW. The top speed of this model was listed as 55 to 62 mph. and the output was 5 to 6 hp.
In 1926 the marque raced their standard split-single engine with its parallel crankshaft with great success, taking a 1-2-3 in the Austrian GP 175-cc race. These works models had a three-speed gearbox with the clutch in the rear hub. The roadsters were still using the twospeed rear hub.
In 19 27 Puch came out with its 220-cc model, but the company continued to use a standard 175-cc machine for racing. A new racer was designed later that year that had two exhaust pipes and ran 80 mph a fantastically fast bike then. Rudi Runtsch won the Austrian TT 175-cc race, easily outspeeding the fast 250-cc model, but the reliability was not up to the speed potential. The engine had a bronze head and produced 1 I hp.
Puch also tried an ohv four-stroke in 1928, which was a JAP V-Twin that was slotted into a Puch chassis. This model proved to be a failure, so lng. Marcellino went back to developing his two-stokes.
In 1 930 the marque decided to go all out and produce a genuine grand prix machine to trounce the fast British 250s. This model proved to be one of the most unique and, perhaps, the ugliest road racers ever built. The basic tiesign was a 250-cc, split-single two-stroke with the crankshaft parallel to the frame. The three-speed ha mishitted gearbox drove through a rear hub clutch. This racer featured a piston-type compressor that helped suck the incoming fuel charge into the crankcase on the upstroke of the piston and compressed it into the combustion chamber on the downstroke. This engine was also water cooled, and the magneto was mounted upside down on top of the gearbox. Peak power was listed as 14 at 4400 rpm. with 4800 being maximum revs.
This blown two-stroke created quite a sensation when Toricheli first appeared at the Austrian TT, which was probably due as much to its horrendous appearance as it was to its fierce performance. Elvito won his race at 81.5 kph and came home 7th behind all of the 350and 500-cc bikes entered. Siegfried C'myral performed well in the other races. Puch even got brave enough to leave its home circuits and enter the German and Dutch classics, only to discover that the British ohv Singles were much too fast for its stroker. Toricheli came home 5th in the German, and C'myral took 5th in the Dutch.
The Puch factory found some more speed before the Austrian GP, though, and C'myral and Toricheli demolished the fast DKW of Walfried Winkler and all of the British bikes. In the Swiss event Toricheli turned in the fastest lap for all classes, but he later retired with a broken water hose. The season's verdict was: fast, but not yet totally reliable.
During the winter the race shop toiled to improve its racer, with a foot gearshift and larger compressor being the main changes. The new engine developed I 8 hp at 4400 rpm, and Toricheli clocked this model at 83 mph, a fabulous speed for 1931. Cmyral rode a special speed record model to a sizzling 87.2 mph record: this really set the British factories to work! The speed model had been shorn of its large radiator and had only a small water tank. Its record run was made on the Neunkirchner Straight in Austria.
Puch got off to a great start in 1931 when Toricheli won the Hungarian GP, and in the continental national races these Puchs easily outsped the DKWs. The marque’s greatest hour came on July 5, though, when Toricheli trounced a big field at the Nurburgring in Germany to prove that the Puch was by far the fastest 250.
By then the Puch Werke was deeply involved in the racing game, so lng. Mikina designed a totally new twincylinder racer that had the crankshaft at a 90-degree angle to the frame. In this design each piston had its own crankshaft, but a common combustion chamber was still used. A different setup was also used on the compressor, so that the pressure was exerted through a diaphragm valve to charge the crankcase, the same approach that DKW used. This new racer had a 23 hp output and a four-speed gearbox, so great things were expected of it.
As it transpired, the new Puch was raced only once, and it finished 3rd. Then the race shop was closed, which was an economy move in the depression years when motorcycle sales were falling quite drastically. The exotic racer saw life again during 1937 and 1938, when a privateer named Franz Novotny used it in Austrian national races for many good “places” plus a few wins. Then came the war, and the Puch race shop was totally destroyed. This is the major reason why technical data is so scarce on these unique racing machines.
In analyzing the history of Puch, it is obvious that they have never been a real giant molding history nor have they left a museum full of great classical machines. Today their emphasis is on producing good, sound, reliable bikes; aside from that there is certainly nothing spectacular about their wares. Perhaps their greatest contribution lies in the legend of some really unique designs, and for this alone they must be accorded a position of interest in the annals of motorcycle history. .O;
