From 1889 Johann Puch (1862–1914) worked as an agent for Humber vehicles and manufacturer of Styria safety bicycles in a small workshop in Graz and in 1890 he founded his first company, Johann Puch & Comp., employing 34 workers. In 1897 Puch left the company after a dispute with his business partners. Two years later he founded the First Styrian Bicycle Factory AG (Erste Steiermärkische Fahrradfabrik AG) in Graz. Puch’s company became successful through innovation and quality handicraft, rapidly expanding over time. It soon began producing motorcycles and mopeds.
source.iamge: classic-motorcycle.com
- Model: 220
- Year: 1928
- Displacement: 223 cc
- Cylinder: 2 – split single
- Engine type: 2-stroke
- Bore / Stroke: 45 x 70 mm
- Power: 4.5hp @ 3.500 rpm
- Compression Ratio: 1 : 4.8
- Weight: 83 kg
- Top Speed: 75 km/h
- Production years: 1926 – 1929
- Units: 8.700
The main production plant, later called Einser-Werk, was constructed in the south of Graz, in the district of Puntigam. Production of engines was started in 1901 and cars followed in 1904. In 1906 the production of the two-cylinder Puch Voiturette began and in 1909 a Puch car broke the world high-speed record with 130.4 km/h. In 1910, Puch is known to have produced sedans for members of the Habsburg imperial family. In 1912 Johann Puch went into retirement and became the company’s honorary president.
In 1923 the Italian engineer and FIAT agent Giovanni Marcellino is said to have been sent by the banks to wind up the Puch factory in Graz. Instead of which, within a few weeks he had settled down to live in the town, designing and then producing a new version of the split-single.
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In 1931 Puch won the German Grand Prix with a supercharged split-single, though in subsequent years the split-singles of DKW did better. In 1928 the company merged with Austro-Daimler into the new Austro-Daimler-Puchwerke. This company in its turn merged in 1934 with Steyr-Werke AG to form the Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate. This 220 is an older restoration and is equipped with a Zenith carburetor and a hub clutch + hub gearbox. The magneto has been overhaul recently and it runs fine.
