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.

Engine adjustment screw holder | Beta 521, 512 (A8027)
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

21334

Engine adjustment screw holder | Beta 521, 512 (A8027)

Manufacturer: Pony · Thread type: M5x0.8 (standard thread) · Thread type: M8x1.25 (standard thread)

CHF 9.60

swiing® revival decorative lever hole mount right white (Magura)
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo

19575

swiing® revival decorative lever hole mount right white (Magura)

Manufacturer: swiing® revival parts · Color: white · Place of use: right

CHF 29.90

Not so nice Not so nice
Fortune 2.75 x 17" tires F911 whitewall
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Bye Bike

25706

Fortune 2.75 x 17" tires F911 whitewall

Inventory-managed: No · Manufacturer: Fortune · Tire width: 2.75 " · Color: black and white · Tire width [mm]: 69.85 · Width: 2 3/4 " · Speed index: N = 140 km/h · Load capacity index: 45 = 165 kg · Profile type: F911 · Tire type: Allround · Old designation: 21 x 2.75 " · White wall: Yes · Wheel size: 17 " · Tubeless (yes/no): Tubetype TT (requires hose)

CHF 39.90

Sliding tube left fork | Pony GTX (P8228)
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

21513

Sliding tube left fork | Pony GTX (P8228)

Manufacturer: Pony · Color: silver · Surface: varnished

CHF 83.90

swiing® ingenious fan wheel chrome (EVO, HPI, Bosch, Ducati) | Puch X30 Velux, Sachs 503, Belmondo
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For: Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo

27577

swiing® ingenious fan wheel chrome (EVO, HPI, Bosch, Ducati) | Puch X30 Velux, Sachs 503, Belmondo

Ø inside: 39 mm · Manufacturer: swiing® ingenious parts · Material: Aluminum · Color: Chrome · Surface: chrome-plated · Height: 13.5 mm · Ø outside: 120 mm · Number of fixing points: 10 pcs · Ø mounting hole: 6 mm · Ø bolt circle: 48 mm · Ø bolt circle: 70 mm · Ø bolt circle: 100 mm · Weight: 87 g

CHF 68.90

Tank cap 30 mm bayonet black

For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Tomos · Alpa Chopper / Turbo · Hercules · Kreidler · KTM

22667

Tank cap 30 mm bayonet black

Material: Steel · Color: black · Surface: galvanized (yellow) · Surface: varnished · Fuel filler cap: Bayonet 30 mm · Height: 20 mm · Lockable: No · Vented: No · Ø External head: 53.4 mm

CHF 8.90

Luggage carrier spring right | Pony GTX 503 & 521 (P0228)
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For: Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

20692

Luggage carrier spring right | Pony GTX 503 & 521 (P0228)

Manufacturer: Pony · Material: Steel · Surface: galvanized (blue) · Place of use: right · Pony OEM number: P0228

CHF 19.90

- 27 %
Buzzetti sprocket puller M24x1.5
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For: Universal · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

20102

Buzzetti sprocket puller M24x1.5

Manufacturer: Buzzetti · Thread type: MF24x1.5 (fine pitch thread) · Area of application: (Dis)assembly tool

CHF 37.90

CHF 27.50

Airsal 40 mm piston kit | Beta 521 & 512
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

20232

Airsal 40 mm piston kit | Beta 521 & 512

Manufacturer: Airsal · Number of piston rings (F): 2 pcs · Nominal diameter: 40 mm · Weight piston kit: 87 g

CHF 59.90

Exhaust replica without catalytic converter | Pony / Cilo Beta 521

For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

19742

Exhaust replica without catalytic converter | Pony / Cilo Beta 521

Material: Steel · Color: black · Surface: varnished · Total length: 820 mm · Ø Silencer: 76 mm · Mounting type: Welded lug · Ø outside: 9.5 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Ø Flame tube outside: 19 mm · Exhaust type: Cylindrical · Ø Internal connection: 16 mm · Flame tube attachment: Flange

CHF 299.90

swiing® ingenious assembly tool clasp brake shoe
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For: Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo · Cilo

25161

swiing® ingenious assembly tool clasp brake shoe

Manufacturer: swiing® ingenious parts · Material: Steel · Surface: galvanized (blue) · Thread type: M6x1 (standard thread) · Total length: 41.1 - 65 mm · Ø outside: 10 mm · Width across flats: 8 mm · Area of application: Special tool · Thread length: 30 mm · Number of components: 3 pcs

CHF 16.50

Continental 2.50 x 16" tires KKS
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Tomos · Alpa Chopper / Turbo · Cilo

18334

Continental 2.50 x 16" tires KKS

Inventory-managed: No · Manufacturer: Continental · Tire width: 2.5 " · Color: black · Tire width [mm]: 63.5 · Width: 2 1/2 " · Speed index: B = 50 km/h · Load capacity index: 42 = 150 kg · Profile type: KKS 10 · Tire type: Allround · Old designation: 20 x 2.5 " · White wall: No · Wheel size: 16 " · Tubeless (yes/no): Tubetype TT (requires hose)

CHF 56.90

Wippermann Cranked link 1/2 x 3/16" Standard (No.17)
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Zündapp Belmondo · Tomos · Bye Bike

26033

Wippermann Cranked link 1/2 x 3/16" Standard (No.17)

Chain type: 415H · Manufacturer: Wippermann · Material: Steel · Surface: raw · Number of chain links: 1 pcs · Chain pitch: 1/2" x 3/16" · Chain lock type: Cranked link · Ø bore: 4.15 mm · Ø Pin: 4 mm

CHF 6.50

O-ring clutch lever engine Beta 521 & 512 (A8005)
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For: Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

21337

O-ring clutch lever engine Beta 521 & 512 (A8005)

Ø inside: 8 mm · Manufacturer: Pony · Ø outside: 11 mm · Cord thickness: 1.5 mm · Place of use: Clutch

CHF 1.20

Black brake lever (automatic)

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

17106

Black brake lever (automatic)

Housing material: Aluminum · Color: black · Color: silver · Surface: varnished · Material lever: Sheet metal (steel)

CHF 51.90

Tank cap plastic tank black | Pony Cross
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For: Universal · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512)

27799

Tank cap plastic tank black | Pony Cross

Manufacturer: Pony · Material: Plastic · Color: black · Fuel filler cap: M50 x 4 · Lockable: No · Vented: Yes · Pony OEM number: P8076

CHF 26.90

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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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