PONY

Pony mopeds - Swiss cultural heritage on two wheels

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The mopeds from Feuerthalen with the emblem of the lively little horse have been part of the typical Swiss street scene since the 1960s. Even if the two-wheelers have become somewhat rarer in recent years, Pony mopeds are still being built today, while Puch, Piaggio and other renowned manufacturers have long since ceased production. Let us take a closer look at this somewhat different and unusual manufacturer.

Seat
flag_swissSwitzerland, Feuerthalen
Status
Active
Foundation1961
logo_pony-mk1

Swissness at its best

Swiss knives, Swiss watches and Swiss tools are synonymous worldwide with unique quality, maximum precision and indestructible durability. The last point in particular also applies to the Swiss moped manufacturer Amsler & Co. From 1961 to the present day, mopeds have been built at the company headquarters in Feuerthalen using genuine craftsmanship. A specific calmness and impressive continuity are also reflected in the model range. The mopeds sold under the Pony Motos brand have only been available in two model variants since the start of production: the Pony Cross moped and the Pony GTX moped. These models have been built in almost unchanged form since the start of production. But for all its tranquillity, the moped manufacturer Amsler & Co has a long and rather eventful company history, which tells a lot about iron willpower, Swiss engineering skills and the little guy standing up to the big guy.

Meteor piston rings 40 x 1.5 mm (IS) (pair) | Pony Beta 521
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

29682

Meteor piston rings 40 x 1.5 mm (IS) (pair) | Pony Beta 521

Manufacturer: Meteor · Nominal diameter: 40 mm · Thick piston ring: 1.65 mm · Piston ring mold: Rectangular ring · Piston ring impact: Internal fuse (IS) · Height: 1.5 mm

CHF 22.90

Meteor piston rings 41 x 1.5 mm (IS) (pair) | Pony Beta 521
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

29683

Meteor piston rings 41 x 1.5 mm (IS) (pair) | Pony Beta 521

Manufacturer: Meteor · Nominal diameter: 41 mm · Thick piston ring: 1.7 mm · Piston ring mold: Rectangular ring · Piston ring impact: Internal fuse (IS) · Height: 1.5 mm

CHF 22.90

Threaded insert spark plug thread M14x1.25 (17.5 mm)

For: Universal · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

30067

Threaded insert spark plug thread M14x1.25 (17.5 mm)

Material: Steel · Surface: burnished · Thread type: MF14x1.25 (fine pitch thread) · Total length: 17.5 mm

CHF 4.40

66HEROES speedometer 60 km/h Ø 60 mm "66HEROES"
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo · Tomos · Kreidler · Zündapp

30077

66HEROES speedometer 60 km/h Ø 60 mm "66HEROES"

Manufacturer: 66HEROES · Material: Metal · Material: Plastic · Color: black · Color: red · Color: white · Maximum speed: 60 Km/h · Ø outside: 65 mm · Lighting: without · Signal type Tacho: analog · 4-edge speedometer cable: 1.8 mm · Thread type: MF10x1 (fine pitch thread) · Ø Receptacle: 60 mm · Depth: 50 mm · Total height: 72.3 mm

CHF 89.90

Inox
Exhaust (Cat.) Original Stainless Steel | Pony & Cilo Beta 521
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

30078

Exhaust (Cat.) Original Stainless Steel | Pony & Cilo Beta 521

Manufacturer: Pony · Material: Chrome steel (colloquially known as stainless steel) · Total length: 810 mm · Ø Flame tube outside: 20 mm · Mounting type: Welded lug · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Flame tube attachment: Flange

CHF 539.90

Clutch cable / brake cable Ø 1.5 mm x 225 cm (pear-shaped nipple)
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo · Solex · Cilo · Hercules

11959

Clutch cable / brake cable Ø 1.5 mm x 225 cm (pear-shaped nipple)

Ø Stranded wire: 1.5 mm · Ø nipple: 3.5 mm · Ø nipple: 6 mm · Nipple length: 10 mm · Manufacturer: Made in Germany · Material: Steel · Surface: galvanized (blue) · Cable length: 2250 mm · Nipple shape: Pears · Area of application: Standard · Number of components: 1 pcs · Piaggio OEM number: 270460

CHF 2.40

Hot Hot
swiing® revival nozzle set M5 (50 - 70) Dell'Orto SHA, PHBG
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For: Universal · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio

12179

swiing® revival nozzle set M5 (50 - 70) Dell'Orto SHA, PHBG

Manufacturer: swiing® revival parts · Material: Brass · Component group Carburetor: Spraying · Quantity: 10 pcs · Carburetor type: PHBG · Carburetor type: SHA · Carburetor type: SHA (Piaggio) · Nozzle type: Main nozzle · Drive: Slot · Total length: 8 mm · Nozzle thread: M5x0.8 (standard thread) · Nozzle size: 50 · Nozzle size: 52 · Nozzle size: 55 · Nozzle size: 58 · Nozzle size: 60 · Nozzle size: 62 · Nozzle size: 64 · Nozzle size: 66 · Nozzle size: 68 · Nozzle size: 70

CHF 20.90

66HEROES speedometer bracket Ø 48 mm black
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo

23986

66HEROES speedometer bracket Ø 48 mm black

Manufacturer: 66HEROES · Material: Aluminum · Surface: anodized · Color: black · Ø mounting hole: 8.5 mm · Ø inside: 48.3 mm · Ø outside: 52 mm · Total height: 52 mm · Depth: 50 mm

CHF 37.90

Plastic license plate holder (CH version)
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo · Solex · Tomos · Bye Bike · Alpa Chopper / Turbo · Cilo · DKW · Fantic · Garelli · Honda · Hercules · ILO / JLO · Kreidler · Malaguti · MBK / Motobécane · Miele · Suzuki · Monark · Peugeot · Victoria · Yamaha · Zündapp · Franco Morini · KTM

10227

Plastic license plate holder (CH version)

Manufacturer: Made in Switzerland · Material: Brass · Material: Plastic · Color: black · Thread type: M5x0.8 (standard thread) · Total length: 175 mm · Width: 108 mm · Height: 11 mm · Ø mounting hole: 6 mm · Number of fixing points: 9 pcs · Mounting type: Nuts & bolts · Thread length: 6 mm · Hole spacing: 50 mm

CHF 7.90

Inox
swiing® revival spacer ring head tube 5 mm Inox
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo

18053

swiing® revival spacer ring head tube 5 mm Inox

Nominal diameter inside: 26 mm · Manufacturer: swiing® revival parts · Material: Chrome steel (colloquially known as stainless steel) · Ø inside: 26.2 mm · Ø outside: 32 mm · Total length: 5 mm

CHF 8.90

Hot Hot
HPI ignition box programmable (two ignition curves)
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo

23997

HPI ignition box programmable (two ignition curves)

Manufacturer: HPI · Material: Plastic · Color: red · Total length: 63 mm · Width: 100 mm · Height: 28 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Ø mounting hole: 7.5 mm · Hole spacing: 80 mm · Area of application: High End · Area of application: Performance · Area of application: Racing · Area of application: Tuning

CHF 304.90

HPI hardware for programming
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo

23999

HPI hardware for programming

Manufacturer: HPI · Area of application: High End

CHF 239.90

For: Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo

23994

66HEROES speedometer set 17"

Manufacturer: 66HEROES · Surface: chrome-plated · Color: Chrome · Color: black · Color: white · Maximum speed: 60 Km/h · Signal type Tacho: analog · Thread type: MF10x1 (fine pitch thread) · Ø axle: 11 mm · Ø Receptacle: 48 mm · Depth: 50 mm

CHF 129.90

Taillight original | Pony & Cilo Cross / Alpa Turbo (P8977)
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For: Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

22887

Taillight original | Pony & Cilo Cross / Alpa Turbo (P8977)

Height: 77 mm · Manufacturer: Pony · Test mark: E9 · Material: Plastic · Tension: 12 V · Bulb holder: BA15s · Bulb holder: BA9s · Color: black · Color: red · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Width: 130 mm · Battery operated: No · Mounting type: Screws · Brake light: Yes · Reflectors: Yes · Depth: 72 mm

CHF 54.90

Michelin 2.25 - 2.50 x 17" tube
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo · Bye Bike

22612

Michelin 2.25 - 2.50 x 17" tube

Valve type: TR4 Auto valve · Manufacturer: Michelin · Tire width: 2.25 - 2.5 " · Tire width: 2.5 " · Tire width [mm]: 57.15 - 63.5 · Width: 2 1/4 " · Width: 2 1/2 " · Tire height [%]: 100 · Wheel size: 17 " · Old designation: 21 x 2.25 " · Old designation: 21 x 2.5 "

CHF 16.50

Heidenau 2.25 x 16" tires M4 Allround
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Tomos · Alpa Chopper / Turbo · Cilo

15045

Heidenau 2.25 x 16" tires M4 Allround

Inventory-managed: No · Manufacturer: Heidenau · Tire width: 2.25 " · Width: 2 1/4 " · Old designation: 20 x 2.25 " · Speed index: J = 100 km/h · Load capacity index: 38 = 132 kg · Profile type: M4 · Tire type: Allround · White wall: No · Wheel size: 16 " · Tubeless (yes/no): Tubetype TT (requires hose) · Color: black

CHF 42.90

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Wayward company foundation

The former company founder Carl Theodor Amsler was born in 1825 as the son of a doctor in the Swiss town of Schinznach. After finishing school, the young Carl Theodor emigrated to America and founded his first company there, which manufactured optical and mathematical instruments. His company is successful and expands, and it seems as if Carl Theodor Amsler is experiencing the proverbial American Dream. But fate had a different plan in store for him and struck mercilessly. His factory in Philadelphia is completely destroyed in a devastating fire, Carl Theodor Amsler loses almost his entire fortune trying to rebuild it and returns to his old home almost penniless. But even though his first factory was destroyed in the flames, his entrepreneurial spirit and proverbial Swiss tenacity remained unbroken.

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New start and entry into the bicycle business

In 1865, he embarked on a new endeavour and founded a factory for fire extinguishers on the site of today's moped forge in Feuerthalen. Business was good again. Amsler & Co therefore begins to look for new business areas and expands its product range. As a result, Amsler was already travelling on two wheels by 1890, when the company entered the bicycle component business. Around 1900, the first contact was made with a German entrepreneur whose name is certainly recognised by every moped enthusiast: Ernst Sachs. The connection between Sachs and Amsler & Co, which began here, lasted for many years. It was not for nothing that the Pony-Cross mopeds and Pony-GTX mopeds were fitted with Sachs 503 engines at the factory in the 1960s. But more on that later. The company negotiated skilfully in 1903 and secured exclusive distribution for the ‘Torpedo freewheel hub’, a Sachs patent, for Switzerland. This rear wheel hub was a real bestseller and a veritable goldmine for the company from Feuerthalen. As a result of this first co-operation with Sachs, Amsler focused exclusively on the production and sale of bicycle components. However, business success did not always favour the company in the difficult 1930s and 1940s. In the period up to the end of the Second World War, Swiss bicycle manufacturers also had to overcome hard times. However, it is clear from the company's history that consistency, perseverance and tenacity were part of the DNA of the later moped manufacturer. This is how the company survived even these economically difficult decades.

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Mopeds are finally being built

From the 1950s onwards, the manufacturer returned to calmer waters and prospered. When the moped was about to start its triumphal march on Swiss roads, the future moped manufacturer reacted with lightning speed. In 1961, as soon as the motorbike class was officially approved in Swiss road traffic law, Feuerthalen was also at the starting line with pony mopeds. This early launch of the Pony mopeds proved to be a decisive advantage over the tough and actually overpowering competition from foreign moped manufacturers such as Piaggio, Puch and Tomos. The Swiss market was highly competitive during the onset of the moped boom in the 1960s, but as the Pony mopeds were there right from the start, a regular clientele quickly formed. The Pony-Cross and Pony-GTX mopeds, which were somewhat more simply equipped than the competitor models, also won over customers with their robustness and favourable price.

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What's under the Pony saddle?

The technical specifications of the two models have only changed marginally over the years; even the first Pony mopeds were powered by a fan-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engine with 49 cm3 and an output of 1.2 hp or 0.88 kW. Initially, Sachs engines were used for Pony mopeds. Since the end of small engine production in Schweinfurt, the mopeds have been fitted as standard with an engine from the Italian company Betamotor. Then, as now, a Dell'Orto SHA 13.11 carburettor provided the ignitable mixture. Both models have identical engines and differ technically only in a few minor details such as the chain sprocket or tyres. Although the small but powerful steeds are no longer quite as affordable as they were when they were launched in 1961, they are still just as robust, frugal and endearing.

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The Ponys are still there!

Although a small moped manufacturer like Amsler could not and cannot completely do without suppliers from abroad when building its mopeds, Amsler mopeds still stand for the proverbial Swiss quality. To this day, no cheap parts from the Far East are used. As already mentioned, the 503 engine of the mopeds came from Sachs in Schweinfurt and numerous add-on parts and speedometers came from the Austrian vehicle manufacturer KTM. For a while, the Cross and GTX motorbikes were even completely assembled in the KTM factories in Austria. However, the assembly of the two-wheelers now takes place entirely in Feuerthalen again and many of the former co-operation partners are long gone or have given up the moped division. Only in Feuerthalen are mopeds still assembled. The supposedly small Swiss moped manufacturer obviously has the staying power and is keeping a wonderful piece of Swiss history alive.

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Popular PONY themes

#MOFAKULT #LIVINGICON

Freedom has never felt greater, joy never stronger — than at 30 km/h with the breeze as your companion.

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