PUCH 250 SGS

Last weekend was the 38th CVMG Paris National Rally, Paris Ontario that is.

I brought down my 750 Commando and my MZ TS 150, I had hoped on selling the bike or at least generating some interest – alas the gods conspired against me and it wasn’t to be. The kind gentleman that helped me unload the MZ summed it up “If you can get it running I might buy it.”

I had brought the MZ bike down to Brantford on Friday night and took the trailer back to Toronto to load up the Norton. It’s not a long drive to Brantford from Toronto, and only 15 min from Brantford to Paris. So why, do you ask, am I hauling my Norton Commando? Simple answer is a family doesn’t fit on a bike – unless you’re in the 3rd world.

I arrive Saturday morning to discover that the key position labeled OFF is actually taillight, OFF is a click over – dead battery. No problem I think, this is a kick start – pull the plug – give it a kick and …. nope – nothing. It’s a 6v battery, didn’t have a spare or charger.

The bike was difficult to start in the fall – but runs fine when it does.

Back home I charged the battery and worked my leg until it was flooded. I decided that it shouldn’t flood after 3 kicks and pulled the carb off. Discovered that one side of the float was cracked and contained gas. I drained the float and let it sit in the sun for a few days to gas off – then soldered it up. There are some small stress fractures on both sides of the float, I tinned the leak and one of the bigger cracks on the other side. Tested it in a bowl of hot water, no bubbles.

Got it running last night, now I just need to fettle the carb to make it a less grumpy starter – could be old gas.

ps – if you are wondering about the title of the post, a float in German is a swimmer – I rather like the image of the float swimming in gas.

update: after posting this I went out to start the bike – started on third kick . I think the cases were just bogged down from too much kicking!

Back in the summer of ‘88 I bought a Horex Regina poster at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Since then I have been staring at this poster – dreaming that one day I would have  cool vintage bike with an awesome sidecar.

Now that I have a little one and a funky old bike (the Puch Allstate 250 SGS) that’s suitable for a hack, I thought it was time to see what’s out there.

I won’t go into the history and classification of sidecars – but I  determined that I need something light weight for the small displacement PUCH, and it defiantly needs to have some style. The Puch 250 seems like a perfect sidecar rig, it has lots of low end torque, a pressed steel frame, unlike the Norton Commando isolastic system that wouldn’t tolerate a side car, finally it isn’t a  racing thoroughbred, so attaching a sidecar isn’t a travesty.

A quick look on ebay reveals that there are no end of Chinese CJ and Russian Dnepr rigs out there. A few weeks ago I took a freshly imported CJ for a spin and it was HEAVY – the bike had been rebuilt with FAG bearings, disk brake (Nissin knock off) and snazzy matte Wehrmacht gray paint, but I think I’ve driven smoother tractors.  I tried to tip/pick up the sidecar – couldn’t get it off the ground, if you are crossing the Mongolian Steppe, I suppose robust construction is the order of the day.

I really like the Indian Cozy sidecars, they are knocking-off the Watsonian zeppelin style and Steib/Stoye “canoe nose” sidecars. I contemplated a sidecar for my Vespa 125, but ultimately decided that I really like riding my scoot, and I doubt it would be strong enough to lug the extra weight of a steel sidecar even with the DR177 hop-up.

The Velorex 562, which there are plenty to choose from on the market,  looks far too similar to a Thule roof-box for my taste.

…no matter how  you try to distract me (there’s so much wrong with this photo I don’t know where to start).

This brings me to the  fun stuff. The former  Eastern block had need for cheap transport, and while there wasn’t great variety there was an attempt to make the only choice a stylish choice.

The Velorex 560 was introduced in the early 1950s and produced until 1974 when it was replaced with the 562. The 560 is a fiberglass body on a simple chassis designed for 250 and 350 Jawa motorcycles.  For the domestic market they came in a burgundy/red, export was black.

The 560 shares the same brake and wheels as the Jawa bike, and parts are available (in English) from vendors in the  Czech Republic such as Jawamarkt.cz.

I picked up mine last weekend – it’s in great shape, mostly there (missing the interior sidepadding, latch for the seat lock, Velorex logo and tonneau cover.) it was previously attached to a couple of Triumphs, before that it was owned by a former policeman, not sure what he had it on.
Here it is loaded on my little trailer – previous owners planning on what to do with their fist’o cash.

Here’s a better shot on the trailer. Haven’t had a chance to take it off yet! I have only been able to find one person (http://allstateguy.tripod.com) that has a sidecar attached to a Puch 250 SGS – if there are others out there, let me know!

Youtube: Jawa Velorex commercial

If I was really patient and resourceful I would hold out for a Hungarian Duna….

Troyce of the Sears Allstate Motorcycle Owners Club posted these photos of his PUCH scrambler. As Troyce puts it, (and I am inclined to agree) “…no doubt sold to someone with more money than sense from a Sears Auto Center or catalog (they cost much more than the standard, pressed frame bikes).”
I like what I see, high exhausts, low seat, it looks the business- especially those straps holding on the tank!
enjoy!

photos by Troyce Walls

Found a photo of this “twingle” or split-single engine. I can’t make out the manufacturer,  Puch wasn’t the only one’s to make split singles. I know split-singles they were considered leading edge technology at one time. There is SRS on the case but I can’t read the rest.

I don’t think this is Puch or a DKW Contessa, can’t be a Garelli or TWN as the pistons aren’t side by side?  If anyone knows – drop a line.

Those are crazy tall pistons!