Puch - Legendary gems and reliable powerhouses

This phase of market consolidation was followed by a phase characterised by advancement and growth. A two-wheeler with a two-stroke engine played a major role in the success of this period: the Puch500 model. This motorbike became a real bestseller, as it was considered robust and economical, and the two-stroke twin-piston engine and its 14 hp were also impressive on steep routes, of which there are naturally quite a few in Austria. The Puch Styriette model, which is often referred to as the original moped, although the single-piston two-stroke vehicle looks more like a bicycle with an auxiliary engine, was also created during this period.

Unfortunately, the terrible Second World War interrupted these successful and pleasing developments and innovations. During the following years of the war, the Austrian manufacturer concentrated mainly on the production of weapons and armaments. But when the war finally came to an end in 1945, the two-wheeler manufacturer was able to build on its success story and finally develop and manufacture two-wheeled motorised vehicles again. One of the reasons why Puch took off in the post-war years was certainly that the design gap between the Styriette, i.e. a bicycle with an auxiliary motor, and motorbikes such as the Puch500 was closed. From then on, the moped category was to fill this gap and did so in the form of the MS 50.

Over the years, numerous other models were developed in Graz, all of which still have their fans to this day. Just think of the models VS 50, MV 50, X 50 or the Pionier moped. However, two models stand out in particular: the legendary Puch Maxi-Moped and the X-30 moped. Both mopeds played a major role during the Swiss moped boom in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

When developing the Maxi model, the Graz-based company broke new ground in terms of both technology and design. None other than the designer Louis Lucien Lepoix, known for his futuristic styling, was commissioned to design the moped. LLL, as Louis Lucien Lepoix was known, delivered what was expected of him when the plane was launched in 1969. A two-wheeler that set new standards with a futuristic design language for the time. Visually, the first Maxi models stood out at first glance thanks to the tank integrated into the frame, a novelty at the time. But of course - and this is particularly true of mopeds - it's not just the looks that matter, the inner values are much more interesting. The first models with 1-speed automatic transmission were equipped with Puch's all-purpose weapon in the 2-stroke range: the E50 engine, which had a displacement of 48.8 cm³ and an output of 0.8 kW or 1.2 hp. The 2-speed versions, i.e. the Maxi N2 and Maxi S2 models, were motorised with a ZA50 engine. The planer was certainly also particularly popular because it came onto the market at a particularly favourable price. It was therefore not long before enthusiasts discovered the bike as an affordable basis for conversion, tuning and customising projects. When the Austrian manufacturer sold its two-wheeler division to Piaggio in 1987, the maxi-moped continued to be built by the Italians until 1995. Thanks to the long period in which the model was produced, it is still comparatively easy to obtain spare parts and NOS parts even today.