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. Cyclists like Josef Fischer, winning the first edition of Paris–Roubaix in 1896, popularized Styria bicycles which were even exported to England and France. By 1895, Puch already employed more than 300 workers producing about 6000 bikes a year.
source.image: classic-motorcycle.com
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.
Taking his inspiration from industrial counter-piston engines, the new engine benefited from the improved breathing of the Italian original, to which he added asymmetric port timing. 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.
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This company in its turn merged in 1934 with Steyr-Werke AG to form the Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate. This machine is an older restoration and runs fine. Model: 200.Year: 1938.Displacement: 198 cc. Cylinder: 1 – split single. Engine type: 2-stroke. Bore / Stroke: 45 x 62.8 mm. Power: 6hp @ 4.000 rpm. Weight: 102 kg. Top Speed: 75 km/h.
