PUCH bikes - the other side of the tracks?

[tooclose racing]

Hey guys - there's a pretty decent 175 for sale at vintagemx.us. Does anybody know what year this bike might be? I thought that a few of you swung legs over these back in the day.  The side panels, conical front hub and sorta-forward shock mounting suggests post-75, but I thought they went to downpipe on the later years.

http://www.vintagemx.us/cgi-bin/largephoto.cgi?C=N2vq12w7vrGJntcw&w=2

When I first started in enduros (yes, on a 72 Yamaha LT100 w/LOTs of Duct tape around the air cleaner), another guy in our group ran a blue 125 PUCH, faster than stink, handled like a dream.  But whereas I simply struggled to not hour-out, he struggled to keep it going to the finish.

Happy Holidays!

TooClose

[Steve Minor]

I believe Dwight is the resident Puch guy...maybe he'll chime in.

Steve Minor
Wilmington, NC

[sixdazed]

Too Close,It looks like the Puch has had an early xl250 honda front end(fork legs and frt.wheel) and shocks installed-not a great choice of suspension-imho.
                                              Ric

ric emmal

[Kip Kern]

Looks like a "73" 175cc MX.   I have one just like it, except mine has the chrome "pickle" on the end of the exhaust.  Nice bikes, very reasonable parts prices (Motors West, WI)  Doug Wilford and Dwight both speak Puch!;)  Leroy Winters rode a Puch in the Six Days.

[Kip Kern]

I checked it out again and it may possibly be later than "73" but it looks darn close to my "73"[?]  Happy Holidays

[Dwight Rudder]

72-73 model.

[tooclose racing]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.

Interesting...I guess I would agree with Kip that it is a 73-ish looking bike and I agree with Ric that the front end (and shocks?) are not original.  the upper shock mount still looks funny, but lord knows we all played with shock locations back in the day. My 74 YZ125 will never forgive me...

I went to an official "Six Day" history site that has kind of a Puch history pictorial - I'm sure you guys have seen this link:

http://www.six-days.org/pages/archivio_it/archit/it_a/puc_it/puc_ph/57.html

If you thumb forward, you can see that PUCH did adopt a conical hub later on (at least they are on the 74 and later Six Day entries), but I can't tell right off hand if this is the same one.  I'll go with Ric's theory.

BTW - do those GS 75s look like a hoot, or what?  Anyway...

Anyway...that just leaves the side panels as looking very non-original vs. the PUCH "wrap" or "pouch".  

Oh well...it actually looks like a pretty-well sorted CC/trail mount, with its Gasser throttle and updated levers, the exception possibly being that XL-250 handling.

[t20sl]

Front wheel is XL/MT250 as are forks as mentioned.  Top shock mount is supposed to be that tab just in front of seat bolt.  This bike has had it lowered onto downtube and moved forward.  Probably could not run in vintage class unless shocks have less travel.

[Merlin]

For sure a 72/3 type (the good one), the later ones had down pipes and the tapered fuel tanks with ape hangers(parts bikes when produced, read junk).

Quote: Thomas Jefferson, We are all born ignorant, some work to remain that way.
 Quote:Peter Villacaro, "it is impossible to teach those that wish not to be taught".

[brian kirby]

No question that is a Honda XL250 front hub and forks.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[Mark P]

The very first Puch dirt bike I ever remember seeing was at the first Blackwater 100 and I believe the rider leading when the loop came back into the outskirts of town(it was muddy...)The rider was ripping and I recall none of my friends knew how to pronounce the name or what it was.

[tooclose racing]

quote:Originally posted by Mark P

The very first Puch dirt bike I ever remember seeing was at the first Blackwater 100 and I believe the rider leading when the loop came back into the outskirts of town(it was muddy...)The rider was ripping and I recall none of my friends knew how to pronounce the name or what it was.

Now what year would THAT be, and - given the Legends that watch this board, WHO might that have been?  Not just anyone can lead the Blackwater...[^]

[SouthRider]

You know if you ride a Puch....

eventually they puke....

then you have to poosh.....

[Mark P]

The very first Puch dirt bike I ever remember seeing was at the first Blackwater 100 and I believe the rider leading when the loop came back into the outskirts of town(it was muddy...)The rider was ripping and I recall none of my friends knew how to pronounce the name or what it was.

[tooclose racing]

quote:Originally posted by Mark P

The very first Puch dirt bike I ever remember seeing was at the first Blackwater 100 and I believe the rider leading when the loop came back into the outskirts of town(it was muddy...)The rider was ripping and I recall none of my friends knew how to pronounce the name or what it was.

Now what year would THAT be, and - given the Legends that watch this board, WHO might that have been?  Not just anyone can lead the Blackwater...[^]