MOPED ARMY

When I first started looking , I had much that same questions .

My answer was very simple : None compare to Japanese .

I bought a 1984 Suzuki FA50 with close to 5,000 miles on the clock , about 10 years ago . Gave it the once over . Replaced a couple things like tires , a coil and fenders . Adapted a tail light I had and been riding worry free since . That , until the mud daubers totally filled the exhaust outlet and had me stumped for an hour or so .

Oh , I had a major expense recently : I had to buy a new inner tube because I could not get the old one to hold air for long . That cost me a whole 10 bucks , but , I did buy the heavy duty version . (edited)

Both great answers.

Thanks both for taking the time.

I have one Hobbit, a Maxi and 2 magnums. The puchs are all easier to tune than a hobbit when you try to make them faster than stock. Magnums are the most comfortable. If i sell a bike, it's going to be the hobbit. Get an E50 Puch.

I disagree with the above testimonials. Both Puchs (Maxi) and Honda Hobbits are fine but both have drawbacks too.

The Maxi’s interval tank is mighty inconvenient to clean out if it’s rusty but the hobbit tank is a horrible design to do the same. Pinto/Swinger or Free Spirit have removable tanks that are super easy to maintain.

Puchs are stupid simple. There’s only a dozen or so moving parts/components in an E50 and they are probably to most reliable, durable and forgiving engines I’ve ever worked on. Parts are cheap and available everywhere. The PA engine and drive system is a far more advanced design but It never liked having to drop the engine to get to the carburetor - which you’d have to do (repeatedly) when it gets dirty, and that Kehlin carb is bloody awful.

The Honda PAII is dual variated, which is great for rapid acceleration and climbing hills. It’s a system capable of amazing performance potential. Avoid the single variated PAI though.

Hobbit electrics are a dumb, fucked up mess. Just remove the headlight lamp and take a look at the rat’s nest behind it. I could go on nit picking the Hobbit but their engine is outstanding; everything else bolted onto it is way overrated in my honest opinion.

No Maxi's have turn signals stock, a cat-eye kit can be added or make your own, but you don't need them. I would say if in good condition go with the Hobbit, I have had mine since '98, never left me, great take off and great on hills. If In poor condition opt for the Puch, easier to bring back, but inspect the fuel tank very carefully. Never had one, but if I had room for another bike Vespa is right up there.

dont compare hobbits to their cars. although both great, mopeds are a different game entirely. hobbits are fantastic though, highly recommend. plus variated for hills is awesome. TLDR but some maxi's are only single speeds and you might need to peddle a little to get going

get a hobbit

get the honda hobbit habbit. dont look back

real facts:

PUCH:

pros:

tanks are easy af to clean, and you only have to do it once, if at all.

all the parts for them are dirt cheap and practically everything is available

they are so common that even the stuff treats doesnt sell you can get online easily

great bang for buck ratio

easy for beginners

the best designed and well built moped motors ever

overall, no matter the model, the design is fantastic and rider comfort is A+

bullet proof

easy to make go fast

cons:

cant really think of any

HOBBIT:

pros:

bolt on parts add more power than they should for a moped

has potential to be insanely fast

every day more options become available for them

strong community of followers

dual variation cant be beat

cons:

pa50 I needs all of the pa50 II stuff to be worth a damn

stock carbs are garbage

simple jobs like a carb cleaning are a chore and a half

horrible tank design

fork rake is stout and less than ideal

harder to start

both are great options and IMO the honda can be made stupid fast more easily BUT the puchs are better designed and cheaper to maintain and have a much bigger community behind them. you really cant go wrong either way.

LOL.

Of course I'm gonna favor a Puch. Easy to work on, can be made to go fast, parts easily available to get, good following, very reliable. Make Puch Great Again!

I have wrenched and owned both Puch and Honda, neither are my principal choice of bikes but choice comes down to personal taste as well as other factors. So maybe my opinions are less biased as they are not my main ride(s).

Sorry Puch folks, I would suggest the Honda as the better ride and wrenchability over the Puch.

Based on some of the above comments...

Folks complain about the Honda's carb quality and placement issue, just get a different intake set up so it has a right angle and that issue is done, the quality issue is just needing to clean it properly.

If you had other Honda bikes before the wiring will be no problem because it follows the Honda Common Wiring scheme.

If properly tuned, Hondas, even after sitting long time, will start one kick to prime one to start, while standing beside the bike (and not using it as a stationary exercise bicycle). Puchs... actually will start exactly the same when in good tune. So I dont know about some of the other comments.

Monocoque bikes have an issue with frames rusting from the inside out, this pertains to all of them not just Puch. Staying on topic though, I have scrapped 3 Puch bikes from tank rust through, zero Hondas scrapped for same reason because you can just hunt down a new tank (or add a upper stress bar and substitut a small top tank).

But final choice comes down to personal taste, neither are hugely more difficult that the other, both have their own appeals.

both are great options, i dont think you'd regret either. Probably the best move is to judge on the condition of the bikes. also if the hobbit is a pa50-i slow model, hard pass - derestricting the slow hobbits is a pain, but derestricting a slow maxi is negligible. the only thing making hobbits harder to work on really is the carb is a bitch to get to, but on puch it's stupid easy. But either one I could rebuild in an afternoon, great parts availability, community know-how, great bikes and good beginner bikes too, easier than other makes.

also, as a new rider, i'll save you some trouble and note that rebel moby's posts, including the above (which echos the sentiment of my post), are often very good advice. and anything posted by don ohio is proably best ignored ;)

again I'll reiterate, both great options, and best bet is to judge on personal attraction and cost/condition of the actual bikes in question

I see that I am considering 2 very good models of mopeds.

I am leaning towards the Hobbit.

Turn signals

The CVT for hills

The amazing performance potential

Thanks everyone!

I missed Tomos earlier!

Thank you and yes, i will keep away from rust, both inside the tank and out.

Hello Jeffrey, showing your age ''era'' there right along with me!

Thanks Thomas, Puch guy I see with your Maxi Luxe, nice I'm sure. I appreciate it.

Thanks Nick, now I have to decide if i want my moped's carb is to be the hard to clean Keihin or a Bing that leaks?

Lol

Rebel, thanks for taking time to respond, with all that info.

There's a word ya don't hear very often....monocoque.

All one piece hollow frame?

So the Puch is monocoque but not the Hobbit, correct?

Or are all mopeds monocoque?

Will, thanks also for taking the time to chime in with your opinions.

Graham, great explanations and comparisons with lots of super info!

Much appreciate your time and knowledge.

Thanks again and I hope I didn't miss anyone.

I'm a hobbit boi, but go for whatever is decent for a good price. With wall of text from your initial comment it seems that you'll be fine with whatever you end up with.

i think theyre both great but honestly the forks on a hobbit are just the worst. the work fine but the angle is awful and its a deal breaker for me, otherwise id own a dozen of them

Thanks Alex and Avery.

Alex I see has a super bad Honda cafe racer. With a sword it appears. Whoa. Jacket and all. Thumbs up.

Avery is diehard with a sweet blue Maxi, in the snow with snow tires on i bet.

Guessing Josh is gonna say the forks are too straight up and down for his liking.