[skrao]

Hi everyone. Wanted some advice on restoration.
Background
This was my first owned vehicle. Bought after a lot of financial hardships and struggles.
I was a 20 year old and wanted to stop commuting by unreliable buses as they were eating into scarce time between 2 jobs and college in 90s Bangalore. I had saved up enough to buy a vehicle but the popular new age 100cc bikes were out of reach and i didn't want any of the scooters from LML or Bajaj.
The second hand market was also unreliable and didn't really like what was on offer at my price point.
And then, Hero announced a new product ,a geared moped that was stylish, economical and powerful.
HERO PUCH
I used it for a few years before I had to shift out of Bangalore, my younger cousin used it for 7 to 8 years more. And then it sat in a semi covered garage for over 18 years.
Dilemma now
The place of storage is being cleaned out. I have a few choices that i need to decide on
1. Junk it, not worth restoring
2. Restore it , will be a fun project
3. Sell to someone who wants to restore
4. Kick the decision down the road, find another storage space

Essentially heart or head?

[Mafia]

I don't remember seeing a Hero Puch in a few years now. It must be a rare and collectible vehicle simply for emotional value.

If you are asking the question, then you may be unable to commit to the time and effort needed to restore the moped. Storing it for a few more years before restoring is another option, provided you have covered parking away from the rain.

You have to ask yourself if you will regret letting it go to junk in 5 or 10 years or it is from the past and the past is gone.

Used Hero Puch is available from 3000 to 10,000 INR on the web. Can't say anything about the condition of those mopeds. The used market pricing definitely reflects the desirability of the vehicles.

[anjan_c2007]

Glad to read that you still own a Hero Puch, once a very sought after light, two wheeler. I will not call it as a moped as a moped is a light engined two wheeler with pedals (motor with pedals). The word moped was coined by the Swedish journalist Harald Nielsen in 1952, as a combination of the Swedish words motor and pedaler.

The two wheeler make is of Austrian origin and the collaborator was "Steyr Daimler Puch" as many may be knowing. The frame was monocoque and made of aluminium if I remember. It is a tough and enduring, little machine. From their presence as plenty on the roads, these have reduced drastically in numbers and are rare to sight now.

I would suggest you to go for restoration by firstly getting connected with a mechanic who has worked on these and is reliable. Spares though a bit tough to procure should come along with lots of patience and maybe at a cost.

You can join this FB group. I find that some spares suppliers here are quite reliable.

The link:-

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2429...854/?ref=share

[GTO]

Junk it, man. There are better things to do with your time (the most valuable resource there is) & money. Considering you haven't used it for almost 2 decades shows there is little emotional attachment.

Either ways, restoring a really old vehicle makes sense only if it is special. In the 4-wheeler world, it would mean a Jeep, Gypsy, Contessa or even Padmini. In the 2-wheeler world, maybe an RD350 or RX100. But a Hero Puch? No man.

Junk it. Find a better vehicle to spend your time on.

[condor]

Just in case you do want to restore it - reach out to fellow member Karthik Makam. He has restored a few scooters. Mechanics who know these old machines are not many. Most mechanics today only know 4 strokes.

But yes, that was a fun machine back in the day.

[giri1.8]

I would say sell it to someone who finds value in restoring it. Restoring is both time and capital intensive. For bikes like puch, money spent on restoration can never be recovered by selling it.

[shancz]

Either restore or junk, I would have junked it.

Had junked my Dad's scooter which I was riding after it developed multiple issues and according to me, a safety hazard. Sold it as scrap and Dad got an Activa, no more kicking to start something which would stop after 4-5 kms. That scooter was bought new after a waiting period of 14 years in those days.
Ditto for our 1st new car except that waiting period.

Sentiments get attached but decisions shouldn't be based on that. Everything has a service life and after that it should retire after having served its purpose.
I would love to have a collection of vehicles that have served me well but neither have the resources nor intent.

Live large but light

PS : wait for the scrappage policy to take effect and scrap it. Either use the scrappage plate/certificate for another vehicle to serve you again or retain it as a memorabilia.

Cool idea, the scrappage facilities can issue a scrappage memorabilia with a framed pic and some token from the vehicle in a case and give it to customers at a price and if they agree.

Ideal would be a model of the vehicle which is made from metal/materials from that vehicle. Something what the Bajaj V15 did with the "steel from INS Vikrant" but on a scale model.
Could be good showpiece and quite popular IMHO but more business inclined folks can comment on the issues I cannot foresee.

[aim120]

Restoring it all depends on your free time and how much sentimental value it has for you. No one else will have the same sentiments as you.

In my family many years back my mother and brother wanted to get rid of our Gypsy which has been with us since 87. Me and my Dad outright refused to do so. Only now after showing other people restorations of Army gypsies and fact that people spend 2x the price on restoring did they change their mind.

At some time in the future, I will convert it to electric and continue to use it. If you can't find engine parts best thing to do is convert it to electric.

We also had a KB100 which I would have restored too. But the physical condition of it was bad, hence junked it. Where as my Gypsy soley owned by us since 1987 has not even clocked 70k km yet. Like GTO said some things are worth restoring, others not.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by skrao

This was my first owned vehicle. Bought after a lot of financial hardships and struggles.
...
And then, Hero announced a new product ,a geared moped that was stylish, economical and powerful.
HERO PUCH
...
Essentially heart or head?

Junking it is the lesser option, compared to storing or restoring it. But before you set about restoring it, consider the following:
- do you have a valid registration on it, and can you use the vehicle, even occasionally, on the road?
- is it insured / insurable?

If you cannot really take the bike out for a spin on public roads, and don't have any private open space to ride it once in a while, there's no point in restoring it fully - you might as well do it up cosmetically and decorate your drawing room with it!

[ObsessedByFIAT]

This would be a perfect runabout vehicle. Had I been in your place, I would explore the cost involved in restoring it. I am sure it won't take much to restore it. Looking at the purchase prices of new two wheelers these days, it would cost you a fraction of that cost to restore and run it.
Hero puch was known for its milage. Even if it gives you half of it, you would still be running a much cheaper transportation mode. Add to that whatever sentiment it holds in your mind.

If nothing else works for you, maybe it would be a great idea to put it up on the give it away thread for someone who can real care for it! But ensure it goes in good hands.

I would have been mighty interested in laying my hands on it had this two wheeler been somewhere in MH!

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by skrao

Dilemma now
The place of storage is being cleaned out. I have a few choices that i need to decide on
1. Junk it, not worth restoring
2. Restore it , will be a fun project
3. Sell to someone who wants to restore
4. Kick the decision down the road, find another storage space

Essentially heart or head?

I will keep it simple -- Do not restore it by yourself. The fact that you are here asking this question/suggestion is itself a good indicator of that you should not do. Restoring such old vehicles is purely a heart/passion decision and never a mathematical one. Never something that others can/should influence.


If you find someone who wants to restore it, great. Also, put it up for donation to a BHPian if there is one who want to restore it. There may be 1-2 around. Just ask.

Restoration isn't rational.

[HTC]

I had hero puch 3g(3 gear) during college days. Actually it was 2g as first gear never slotted . It was neither a moped nor a bike. And it is not cute also. I would have asked to restore if you had models like suvega or single seater Luna etc. But you can avoid the trouble of keeping or restoring hero puch. Just my thoughts though. If you have emotional attachment, then its purely your call. Sorry for adding more confusion.

[landcruiser123]

Correct me if I'm wrong - the fact that you're in two minds tells me that you're not a 100% committed. And that is okay. I'd attempt a restoration on a more special vehicle like the Yezdi, Bullet, or Vespa.

If you have the paperwork, sell it to someone like someone who is an enthusiast who'll restore it.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by funkykar

Finally, a grueling restoration came to an end. Bucket of rust to a Scooter that was built. From the beginning to the end, I was glad to be part of the restoration.

Quoting Karthik aka @funkykar to weigh in on this thread and query. @skrao (IMO) more than anyone else, Karthik might be able to give you a decent idea wrt to restoration costs and efforts and support system in Bangalore for it (or help answer the Q if this is really worth it).

[funkykar]

Firstly thanks to @Condor & @ninjatalli for quoting me to weigh my opinions in.

As some of them rightly said, you really have to make a strong decision here. Such a vehicle unused for 2 decades means a complete overhaul. This would mean a lot of money. The costs of tinkering, painting, wheels, tires, etc are comparable to any similar bike. The mechanicals, mainly engine-related spares, cosmetic items, and the mechanic labor itself would be the core part of the restoration.

I have got several scooters restored and a Suvega restored very recently. Fortunately, I know some good mechanics, tinkers, and painters. I know several online sellers of parts too as part of my experience sourcing parts for my vehicles.

Remember one thing, you will have to consider the money you spend on restoration as if you never had that money. For any reason you have to sell it later, you may not be able to recover even half the money.

Go for it only if your heart strongly wants it. I will connect with you and help you in whatever way I can over PM.


If you could post some pictures, it would be great!