About Puch
To trace the origins of Puch need to go back quite far back
in time and precision to 1891 the year that Janez Puh opens in the Austrian
city of Graz, at the number 18 of Strauchergasse, a workshop for the
manufacture of bicycles.
Janez was born in 1862 in Sakusak, a small town located in the province of Jursinci of today's Slovenia, and from an early age he acquired a good experience in manual processing of iron as found no particular difficulty in preparing and repairing motorcycles and scooters in various ways satisfying the most varied demands of its customers. In Graz, where his name became Johann Puch, founded in 1899 its "Erste Steirmarkische Fahrradfabrik AG" (The first bicycle factory of Styria), a company that will develop exponentially in the coming few years differing his production in factories located in other major European cities as Vienna, Prague and Budapest. In 1912 the company of Johann Puch in fact boast a workforce of over one thousand workers employed in the production of bicycles, motorcycles and cars, these models that will be particularly appreciated by the imperial family of Habsburg. Although the first bike brand Puch dates back to 1903 and involves the implementation of a model to 244CC four-stroke. It have to wait until the end of World War I because the Austrian company starts its real commercial success in the motorcycle sector. In 1912, after he became the company name in Johann Puch AG, Johann Puch retires from the company maintaining only the title of honorary president and delegating tasks to the most important of his most trusted collaborators. Puch died two years later in Zagreb on the eve of the First World War, during which his company will become a leading supplier of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1928, the devastating effects of war, and a great European economy in crisis Puch recommend to a first merger that is made with another major company at the time, Daimler, which is also evident difficulties. The Österreichische Daimler Motoren und Fischer Co. started its production in 1899 in Viener Neustadt dealing assembles motor vehicles on behalf of the German Daimler and then later switch to a real mechanical engineering relating to the production of cars, trucks and buses. Similarly, and for the same reasons, in 1934 the incorporation of another company will make the final corporate structure that will confirm that for years as the largest industrial company in Austria. The third entity that joins Daimler-Puch is the Steyr, an arms factory was founded in 1864 in the city of Steyr and very active during the Second World War, which for some time has also diversified its production by putting on the market a limited quantity of popular bicycles, motors for aeronautical uses and vehicles assigned to the army. Subsequently, the end of the war, failed war production, the Steyr is totally dedicated to the automotive industry, however, did not find, thanks to the economic crisis of the time, a valid commercial success, the reason that leads to a merger with Daimler-Puch. The birth of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch also involves a restructuring of production that will see the use of the renovated factory in Steyr for the manufacture of cars and exclusively to Graz for the implementation of two-wheeled vehicles. Thereafter a halt in production due to the Second World War, the Austrian company resumed its activities in full swing imposing itself on the market with the production of motorcycles and cars produced under license by Italian Fiat. Active in each market segment thanks to its large production of mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and off-road driving the displacement of various Puch impose itself on the international markets also becoming a major supplier of engines for many companies. Then the end of the eighties will see her break-up with the sale of its Indian-style Hero Puch mopeds, motorcycles branch of the Piaggio and the automotive industry to the Canadian Magna. Steyr-Daimler-Puch GmbH, now part of General Dynamics, is still active exclusively in the field of military supplies, while AB is the Swedish Cycleurope to propose yet Puch bicycle brand on a par with many other well-known brands and cycling.
Janez was born in 1862 in Sakusak, a small town located in the province of Jursinci of today's Slovenia, and from an early age he acquired a good experience in manual processing of iron as found no particular difficulty in preparing and repairing motorcycles and scooters in various ways satisfying the most varied demands of its customers. In Graz, where his name became Johann Puch, founded in 1899 its "Erste Steirmarkische Fahrradfabrik AG" (The first bicycle factory of Styria), a company that will develop exponentially in the coming few years differing his production in factories located in other major European cities as Vienna, Prague and Budapest. In 1912 the company of Johann Puch in fact boast a workforce of over one thousand workers employed in the production of bicycles, motorcycles and cars, these models that will be particularly appreciated by the imperial family of Habsburg. Although the first bike brand Puch dates back to 1903 and involves the implementation of a model to 244CC four-stroke. It have to wait until the end of World War I because the Austrian company starts its real commercial success in the motorcycle sector. In 1912, after he became the company name in Johann Puch AG, Johann Puch retires from the company maintaining only the title of honorary president and delegating tasks to the most important of his most trusted collaborators. Puch died two years later in Zagreb on the eve of the First World War, during which his company will become a leading supplier of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1928, the devastating effects of war, and a great European economy in crisis Puch recommend to a first merger that is made with another major company at the time, Daimler, which is also evident difficulties. The Österreichische Daimler Motoren und Fischer Co. started its production in 1899 in Viener Neustadt dealing assembles motor vehicles on behalf of the German Daimler and then later switch to a real mechanical engineering relating to the production of cars, trucks and buses. Similarly, and for the same reasons, in 1934 the incorporation of another company will make the final corporate structure that will confirm that for years as the largest industrial company in Austria. The third entity that joins Daimler-Puch is the Steyr, an arms factory was founded in 1864 in the city of Steyr and very active during the Second World War, which for some time has also diversified its production by putting on the market a limited quantity of popular bicycles, motors for aeronautical uses and vehicles assigned to the army. Subsequently, the end of the war, failed war production, the Steyr is totally dedicated to the automotive industry, however, did not find, thanks to the economic crisis of the time, a valid commercial success, the reason that leads to a merger with Daimler-Puch. The birth of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch also involves a restructuring of production that will see the use of the renovated factory in Steyr for the manufacture of cars and exclusively to Graz for the implementation of two-wheeled vehicles. Thereafter a halt in production due to the Second World War, the Austrian company resumed its activities in full swing imposing itself on the market with the production of motorcycles and cars produced under license by Italian Fiat. Active in each market segment thanks to its large production of mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and off-road driving the displacement of various Puch impose itself on the international markets also becoming a major supplier of engines for many companies. Then the end of the eighties will see her break-up with the sale of its Indian-style Hero Puch mopeds, motorcycles branch of the Piaggio and the automotive industry to the Canadian Magna. Steyr-Daimler-Puch GmbH, now part of General Dynamics, is still active exclusively in the field of military supplies, while AB is the Swedish Cycleurope to propose yet Puch bicycle brand on a par with many other well-known brands and cycling.
Considering the numbers of Maxi moped it is easy to assign him the role of real workhorse of the Austrian company. With more than 2,000,000 pieces products in its almost thirty years of producing the Puch Maxi has the merit of having crossed many geographical boundaries spreading like wildfire especially in the countries of Eastern Europe and India. But much larger though perhaps less known is the production of the Austrian company, made up of mopeds, scooters and motorcycles both road and off-road over the years have always a regular presence in competitions. The title of the forerunner of the production engine rightfully company founded by Johann Puch in Graz, and not by chance the name of the ingenious builder of Slovenian origin will always be marked all products to put two wheels on the track with a solid company Steyr -Daimler-Puch. The Puch engine had started its production in the early years of the 900 put on the market some models of motorcycle with three wheels that is well suited to the need of the population at the time. Later he produced a series of twin-cylinder four-stroke engines, which would have been adequately developed later also used for the operation of the car. Already in 1910 the first Puch 500cc four-stroke, rather rough in their appearance almost "cycling", stormed the streets of Vienna Austrian company bringing good reputation so that he could already show that real industrial nation. The technical breakthrough came in 1923 when the Puch began to offer motorcycles with two-stroke 250cc named for their characteristic construction Split-Single. The Split Single was a particular type of engine, already a few years earlier developed from Italian Alberto Garelli, which was characterized by the fact of having two pistons mounted on a single connecting rod to fork and two cylinders positioned perpendicular to the front-running which was combined with a single combustion chamber. The solution, supplemented by double carburetor and double muffler, guaranteeing good performance in addition to economy of use. The excellent result of the implementation, evolved from the previous Garelli thanks to the work of Italian Giovanni Marcellino, collecting a lot of commercial success so as to become a primary feature in the operator product Puch until the mid-sixties. The Split Single will then be increased by reaching the cubic capacity of 350cc engine capacity, enabling the company to offer Graz in a different market segment. The early thirties also see the bikes Austrian engage the ski speed models with two and four stroke engines of different displacement that are imposed in major competitions such as the German Grand Prix of 1931. The commitment of the company of Graz in competitions, however, continued without much success until the sixties, at the end of which the ace Finnish Saarinen also will compete in riding a Puch 125 in a Grand Prix world. After the Second World War coming on the market called TF 250cc models, which soon are also offered in capacities from 125 to 175cc. Equipped with a tubular frame, rear suspension and dual seat swing new Puch turn out to be robust and reliable means to quickly assert themselves on the market at the time. This is followed by the eve of the sixties renewed realizations of the same displacement called SGS and SG distinguished by a frame made of pressed steel fenders as well as the solutions that give the appearance almost a half of scooter. And the version of a scooter 125cc three-speed gearbox, called RL, collecting the same time a huge success and soon became half in the economy of the Austrian house, not neglecting any new market, makes his entrance in the field of mopeds proposing the M 50, half of small capacity which is evident also for the characteristic frame of pressed steel. Another technical breakthrough comes in 1967 when it introduced the new model M 125, a bike equipped with the new and traditional single-cylinder two-stroke 125cc, 175cc later also oriented off-road competitions that will give rise to a specific Puch production that will pay for several years and regularly cross lovers, getting favorable feedback in international competitions of the seventies. The Austrian company is fregerà of several European titles of enduro and a world title motocross demonstrating the validity of his accomplishments already been exported all over the world.
In Austria meanwhile takes full advantage of the production of mopeds, represented basically by the new version of the Maxi Plus now called, which is produced at a rate of over 400,000 units annually. As yet active in the production of road bikes, like the little Monza 50cc, the Austrian brand inextricably bind its name to the remaining off-road competitions in mind however, after cessation of production in many countries of the world thanks to its mopeds produced in the factory India's Hero Puch.
PUCH FRIGERIO OFF ROAD
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Remarkable is the success that the Off Road bikes have seen in Europe, although
this is almost entirely due to the realization by the factory of Graz models
dedicated to enduro racing. In the early fifties TF models, first in engine
capacity from 250cc and later with smaller volumes from 150 to 125cc, is
proposed in international competitions collecting satisfactory results. Then,
in the next decade, the Austrian motorcycle is updated by adopting a new
engine, with the generous finning, the classical conception, definitely more
suited to processing than the previous Split Single. Entry into the competition
even in the lowest category 50cc, the Puch achieved his first major success
thanks to the German Rolf Witthof that in 1968 and 1969 he won the European
Championship in the 125cc class riding the model soon named MC regularity and
better then identified as "dachshund". In Italy, the Austrian
motorcycle arriving in 1970, imported in Bergamo from Frigerio brothers who,
with their work and business will give to Graz’s factory great satisfaction. In
the early seventies, with drivers such as riding Gritti, Paganessi and Gualdi Austrian
bikes state several times in the Italian championship of enduro in 125 and
175cc class, then confirming competitive even in minor displacement from 50cc
in 1975, the year which Gino Perego winning a prestigious class victory in the
Six-Day Isle of Man. In the same year the Belgian driver Harry Everts win the
World Motocross Championship in 250cc class.The following years saw an even
greater bond between the Puch and Frigerio due not only to sports competitions
as a genuine production of off-road motorcycles. In agreement with the parent
company are in fact the Frigerio since 1976 to implement the new off-road
vehicles branded Puch, a task that will play very well giving new sporting
success Austrian company and always offering to the public motorcycles of high
technical level. The new bikes made in Italy adopt the modern Rotax engine and
are offered initially in displacements from 125, 175, 250 and 350cc later.
Along with them continues the evolution of small 50 and 75cc who continue to
reap success in the following years, the most striking of which relate to the
double wictory in the European Championship of enduro class 75cc by Osvaldo
Scaburri that stops in 1977 and 1978, the ten-year domain of Zundapp and Simson
in the category. Another Italian title came in 1977, won by Gianangelo Croci in
the 250cc class, while the motion of Frigerio evolve with the creation of a new
model 80cc liquid-cooled and models F1, F2 and F3 then proposed, as from 1982,
also powered four-stroke, Rotax always in displacements ranging from 350 to
600cc. It all comes down to 1987, the year of the Austro-Italian bike goodbye
to the world of off-road. After more than thirty years the brothers Frigerio
are still in business. They are dedicated today in their factory of Canonica
d'Adda, near Bergamo city, in restoration of vintage Puch and Gilera
motorcycles. Their workshop-museum is also home of the Historical Register
Puch, a meeting point for all lovers of Austrian motorcycle off road.
FRIGERIO TODAY
Piero Luigi Frigerio and are still in business. They were
born in Arcore (Milano), in 1941 Luigi and in 1946 Piero, and today they work
in restoration of vintage motorcycles, Gilera and Puch in particular. We asked
to Luigi Frigerio to tell the story of his success with his Puch-Frigerio.
-How did it start your passion for motorcycles?
"Dad was a driver who ran with Gilera in national and international championships sidecar with great results: three-time Italian champion and three-time World Championship runner. He was the owner of a dealership Gilera in Treviglio City, but only a year after the start of this activity he died in a racing accident on the Bern Circuit. We were not yet eighteen years old when, my brother and I, began working in the dealership. I had also started competing in enduro racing but my activity was very short. I had to work in my shop. In those years were born our first four-stroke Gilera Frigerio prepared for enduro competitions ."
-Then you start to work with the Puch?
“We had already got to know Hans Kramer, who at that time was head of the racing department of the Austrian Puch, so we started to import those bikes and we left the Gilera. We created the company Motor Racing in 1970 and given the success of the new Puch. After we moved into a new big factory were we have also created a Racing Team. We prepared Puch off road for competitions improving them greatly in performance. So we worked well until 1974, then Puch decided to eliminate the production of racing bikes for off-road. We have prepared in 1974 Puch 50 competition that in the following year won the International Six Days in Isle of Man with Gino Perego and we minded to abandon the project. That motorcycle it had prepared practically in our house and immediately we beated the famous Zundapp . But for Puch mopeds concerned the market where they sold about 170,000 units a year. So we started to produce personally off-road motorcycles, Puch gave us to use his brand and we cared for the production. In this way were born Puch Frigerio. The first models came out in 1976 with the renewed models 50 and 75cc. It were entirely new bike than in the past, new chassis, new look, and new engines Rotax rotary valve that went to equip the models 125, 175 and 250.”
“We had already got to know Hans Kramer, who at that time was head of the racing department of the Austrian Puch, so we started to import those bikes and we left the Gilera. We created the company Motor Racing in 1970 and given the success of the new Puch. After we moved into a new big factory were we have also created a Racing Team. We prepared Puch off road for competitions improving them greatly in performance. So we worked well until 1974, then Puch decided to eliminate the production of racing bikes for off-road. We have prepared in 1974 Puch 50 competition that in the following year won the International Six Days in Isle of Man with Gino Perego and we minded to abandon the project. That motorcycle it had prepared practically in our house and immediately we beated the famous Zundapp . But for Puch mopeds concerned the market where they sold about 170,000 units a year. So we started to produce personally off-road motorcycles, Puch gave us to use his brand and we cared for the production. In this way were born Puch Frigerio. The first models came out in 1976 with the renewed models 50 and 75cc. It were entirely new bike than in the past, new chassis, new look, and new engines Rotax rotary valve that went to equip the models 125, 175 and 250.”
-How and when it ends this your business?
“We made the Frigerio-Puch until 1988, until Puch was sold to Piaggio.”
-How many people were in your Puch racing team?
“Initially, we were just me, my brother and a mechanic, then we have grown in number but no so much. We were five or six people. We had many sporting satisfaction, Gritti, Perego, Scaburri, Orioli were fantastic riders in the race. Certain our sacrifices were significant, preparing the bikes for the races carried away many our of the nights. Often, to start up new engines we gave bikes to kids that all the night continued to run on the streets near our factory.”
-What is for you the Frigerio-Puch produced which you think is the best one?
“I say the F3 model and the first 50cc Gino Perego riding.”
-How begins your last restoration activities?
“We had many requests for material related to older Puch models and we had so much material in our store. When we moved from Treviglio to Canonica d'Adda, we realized we had four containers of new material for old Puch. Forks, frames, handlebars, tanks, all of which we had thought of throwing them away and then allowed us to pursue a new business. We still have the molds of the time and now we can produce many pieces of old Puch. It 's normal that over the years some things are missing. We realize all that is possible, but to realize some parts we encounter to exorbitant prices and not everyone is willing to pay several thousand euro for a motor shaft.”
To contact today Luigi and Piero Frigerio:
F.P.M srl
Via Sant’Anna 20
Canonica d’Adda (Bergamo-Italy)
Phone: 0039 0290965987
mail: luigi@fpm.191.it
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