Puch Swap Meet

In 2009, as I was cleaning out my garage, I decided to unload some extra Puch parts I had lying around.  So I posted an ad on Craigslist to see if there were any demand for these parts.  It was also a good excuse to find out if there were other "Puch Heads" still left on the island.  I knew a few people that still had their mopeds.  Curtis (aka GotRigid?*) still had his mopeds but was on indefinite hiatus from the scene.  I knew Gene (aka geners b*) recently bought my friend's rigid Maxi and Brian (aka butnut*) was working on his first Maxi customization.  Other than them, I felt like I was the only one keeping the Puch scene alive.  I was wrong.  I got a flood of inquires for the parts from people all over the island.  This got me excited to find out that there were still some Puch tuners out there.  So I figured, if there was such a high demand for these parts, why not get all of us together and we can have a Puch swap meet.  I posted a message to bring your parts and bikes on the various moped forums.  And the rest is history: (*Moped Army user names)



The first Puch Swap Meet was born.  The first meeting was held in Patsy Mink Park in Waipio, Oahu:

Let's see some of the line up:

Gene's Maxi

Gene's Rigid

Brian's retro Maxi

Brian's custom Maxi

Marcus's Maxi

Crazy Smurf's Maxi

My Magnum

My Maxi

Even some Honda scooters showed up:

Dio from Aiealien

Another fast looking Dio

(Official Moped Army thread)


The first meet was such a success, I organized another one in the spring:

New to the line up but not the tuning game:

Bruzah's Maxi

Scotty's Maxi

Kenny's Maxi

Aiealien's Yamaha YSR

Even Got Rigid? showed up!!

 (Official Moped Army thread)

With all this momentum going, the Puch community looked like it was making a comeback.  Unfortunately, I had to leave for Japan for work for a couple of years.  But I'm glad brothers Jay (aka BigBoi*) and Gene (aka Geners B) kept the meetings going a least for one more go around.

(Official Moped Army thread)

Hawaii's Puch community appear to be holding strong.  I might not see Puchs on the roads too often but its good to know that they are out there.  When I return home, I hope to organize more meetings.  Maybe even a moped rally around the island.  So hold down the fort and keep the Puch spirit alive until I get back.

 

** If anybody got more pictures or videos of these events, email me so I can add it to this post.