They are saying that there’s no substitute for displacement. By that logic, one of the simplest ways to enhance a single-cylinder Puch moped is to show it right into a five-cylinder Puch moped. No less than, that’s Uwe Oltmanns’ principle.
Based mostly in Northern Germany, Uwe is a moped fanatic with an in depth resume. He’s an expert toolmaker who’s labored at Airbus, constructed hopped-up Opel avenue vehicles, and dabbled in drag racers. Today, he spends his time constructing classic automobile engines from components that he’s machined himself—largely for pre-war BMW 328s.
He additionally messes with classic mopeds—or, as they’re recognized round these components, ‘MOFAs.’ “As a result of flat countryside close to the North Sea, automated MOFAs are a factor in Northern Germany, particularly the Puch Maxi S and N from the 70s and 80s,” says Uwe’s buddy, and the photographer who introduced us these stellar pictures, Sven Wedemeyer. “So there’s a long-standing tuning scene on this area.”
“These had been known as MOFAs (quick for ‘MOtor-FAhrrad,’ which is German for ‘motor-bicycle’), and often had bicycle pedals. The dream of each teenager again then!”
To say that Uwe is obsessed with mopeds is an understatement. To relive his youth, he organized a four-hour endurance race for traditional MOFAs, with a makeshift circuit that ran laps across the native bar. “It was an enormous success,” Sven tells us, “with 46 MOFAs and eight emergency calls to the hospital!”
The occasion turned an annual factor, rising 12 months on 12 months till a customized present turned a part of the proceedings. And that was all of the excuse that Uwe wanted to construct one thing outlandish.
Uwe kicked issues off with a 1976 Puch Maxi S moped—a humble 48.8 cc two-stroke with a one-speed transmission. However little or no of the unique bike stays. Uwe not solely introduced 4 extra Puch engines to the social gathering, however he additionally rebuilt the remainder of the bike with a smorgasbord of fascinating components.
The Puch’s major body was left intact, however the rear body was hacked off and changed with an angular handmade unit. Uwe turned to the suspension subsequent—after which stumbled upon one thing really particular.
Via sheer serendipity, Uwe managed to get his palms on a prototype rear swingarm that had been developed for Ralf Waldmann’s 1993 Aprilia RS 125 R Grand Prix racer. He labored his magic, modifying the single-sided swingarm to go well with the Puch, and hooking it as much as a hidden mountain bike shock through a handful of CNC-machined components. A 3-spoke magnesium wheel from PVM does responsibility out again.
Afterward, Uwe snagged a set of race-spec WP Suspension forks, once more from Waldmann’s 1993 Aprilia (they’re certainly one of solely 60 units made). Uwe CNC-machined a set of yokes to connect them to the bike after which fabricated his personal bar risers and grips. A set of streetfighter bars with aftermarket scooter levers sit up high.
For the entrance wheel, Uwe took a moped’s outer rim and machined a brand new interior part to match the PVM rear wheel. The brakes use Braking calipers with laser-cut stainless-steel discs. An airbrush specialist firm known as Pfeil dealt with the bike’s closely textured silver, gold, and black paint job.
The peculiar headlight is a customized half too. “Uwe had a imaginative and prescient at 5 within the morning after a protracted social gathering,” says Sven. “So he began CNC-machining instantly, utilizing BMW Z8 Prism know-how. He went to mattress after that, and was fairly stunned the following day at what he had finished.”
Sven is fairly blunt about the truth that, though Uwe’s Puch does run, it’s mainly unrideable, due to the noise and warmth that it emits. Every of the 5 two-stroke engines has been bored out to 70 cc, fitted with an upgraded round-slide carb and a fly clutch, and given a wide-open exhaust header. The underside three motors are linked by a central shaft, with two separate belt drives connecting engines 4 and 5.
To begin the bike, Uwe spins the rear wheel to get the primary engine going. As soon as that’s warmed up, every of the next engines is unleashed one by one by releasing their fly clutches with a wrench (see it in motion right here). With all 5 motors purring, the 350 cc Puch registers 127.5 decibels—and the one technique to shut it off is to drag all 5 spark plugs.
This form of madness is nothing out of the bizarre for Uwe. He’s additionally constructed a 70 cc Puch moped with a crank-driven supercharger, and he’s at present engaged on a V10 Puch with a longitudinal crank. We are able to’t wait.
Photos and construct information equipped by Sven Wedemeyer / Wheels of Stil
