Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1540851
What's riding a Puch Twin Carb like, you ask? Well, I'll tell you what, this is one impressive machine, and I now understand how Harry Everts slayed the com- pe on back in 1975 aboard this uber-trick piece. The riding posi on is quite different than your typ- ical 1975 motocrosser. Whereas you sit "in" most bikes of this era, the rider sits high, above the bike on a firm, yet comfortable saddle. The ergonomics compare to a much more modern bike, with the seat, bar, and footpeg posi on being perfect for this six-foot rider. What does a Puch Twin Carb sound like? The exhaust note is nothing short of magical. Yes, it's got quite the bark but not in an offensive way, such as an early Husky with their ear-piercing crackle. For compari- son, the note is similar to that of a late 70s KTM 250 MC5. As for the power delivery, the Twin Carb configu- ra on with one carb feeding a rotary valve and the other through a piston port works amazingly well. The bike idles cleanly, much cleaner than I ever expected, without loading up even the slightest. Unlike most piston port 250 motocrossers of this era, the bike has a decent amount of good usable low-end torque. Not big bore, like mind you, but very much like a Rotax-powered Can Am of the same displacement. (also rotary valve induc on). The big surprise is when the powerband hits. The mid-range hit is explosive with the rear re ligh ng up, trying to pass the front with the front wheel in the air. The big surprise is how much it likes to rev and con nues to build power the more you twist it, similar to a hot 125. The more I rode it, the more I respected it. The bike works incredibly well. All components complement each other. It shi s cleanly, like a Japanese bike, with no false neutrals common to Euro bikes of this era, and the gear spacing seemed ideal. The clutch (surprisingly wasn't stuck) and is about as effortless as a 70s Yamaha DT, and despite the brutal power, showed zero signs of slippage. Truly impressive on so many levels. As I warmed up to the Puch Twin Carb, I'm amazed that this innova ve induc on configura on, u lizing rotary valve and piston port technology, wasn't ad- opted by other manufacturers of the day. It flat-out works, and man alive, I've got no doubts that Puch's claim of 51 hp is true, as it's one crazy fast bike. No doubt Harry Everts won the 1975 250 World Cham- pionship aboard one of these trick rides! November 2025 45