1974 Peugeot 50 TSA
Friday, June 17, 2011 
How do you start a story about a simple but elegant Peugeot Moped cafe racer? Do you compare it to a slender French super model? No, too shallow. Do you open by telling the amazing history of Peugeot and how they've been building motorcycles since before your great grand daddy was popping wheelies on his penny-farthing? Nah, that could seem like a history lesson. Or do you just show the beautiful photographs sent to us by the builders of this French moped and let them tell their story? Probably best. Well, this little 1974 50cc moped was built by Thomas Patouillard Demoriane, who is part of a Parisian moped gang that go by the name of 'The Children of Decadence'. Here's how Thomas describes the project:
The before shot.
"Our journey begun on September 2010 when we saw a small ad on a French website for rare Peugeot TSA 1974. Although there was no pictures and only a small description, we called the seller for more information: the moped was used but in a good condition and the engine worked! Deal!
We brought it back few days later at home and tested it in real conditions: the moped was amazing but lacked power. After cleaning and basic maintenance it did not solve the problem so we bought some new parts. Our adventure took a bad way at this point because every single modification was followed by a new issue. Several air intakes, a defective carburetor, ignition trouble, the list of mechanical problems grew day after day. We had two options: keep searching or give up and buy a brand new engine. With the help of a great mechanic (Vivien thumbs up) we rebuilt the stock engine. After 6 months of mess, everything finally worked !
The mechanical parts fixed, we had to choose the general aesthetic of the machine. Bobber or Cafe Racer? The particular shape of the TSA frame was more appropiate for a Cafe Racer base, so we tried with a fiberglass cafe seat and enjoyed it. A few last puchases like a Ninja F50 exhaust, controls and the bike departed the workshop."
"In the end it took about 40 hours to give this machine a new identity, and its renovation brought its share of surprises: the fork was actually a Paioli unit hidden under a layer of paint, the two brackets on the handlebar was made of beautiful brass and the front hub belongs to a Suzuki bike!"
What it lacks in horsepower we think it more than makes up for in style – especially for those that like a little bit more junk in their trunk. You can find more specs about the build here, and also a tasty teaser video of the bike here. Bon appétit.
Photographs by Alexander Joliet
Reader Comments (18)
While the cafe rear suits the curvature of the frame aesthetically, I have to say I groaned a little when I saw it. A more angular piece would match the tank perfectly. Otherwise I love it, it's unusual and if I could get one of these I would actually have something good to say about mopeds..
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How do you pop a wheelie on a penny-farthing?
Can you actually turn right without tearing the exhaust off?
thats a variating motor that swings up and so does the exhaust but most guys with big pipes on these bikes scrape them regularly on hard corners
i agree, a slimmer, more angular tail section would look much better. its certainly a unique build though!
I'm sorry but where did you say that motor is? Must be a step-through. I dunno but I reckon a bike on these pages should be a MOTOR-bike. Again, where's the friggin motor? It must be that thing that's got a spark plug stuck to it. Looked like a regulator/rectifier to me. Humongous tail-piece. I'd rather get off the thing and run!
Okay, I ain't finished. Lovely "brakes". Downhill, this thing must be a terror! Like my bicycle was when I was 6. Landfill. As for the back "shocks": I got bigger springs holding my reading glasses together! C;mon. Thing looks like it wants to disintegrate out of sheer embarrassment. Being what it is. Bird strike from the rear!
shore the tail end culd match the tank better. however that tank is amazing! and by copying the estetics from it, to the tail section, could make the tank less striking, so well done! and that motor is just grate, smal but grate.
I would love to see a picture where someone is riding it. I think that could tie up some loose ends.
I love it! But i'd be a little worried about the muffler scraping the ground during right handers... I'd rock the hell out of it though :-)
We all did things like this in the sixties but today it's original. He will need to register it if he wants to ride it on the road and I think he will play H.... getting it past the "control technic" thats coming. Except for the exhaust it's cool.
I'm the owner of this bike and thank you for all your comments !
@ Stats : actually, yes you have to be careful when you turn right but I ride it almost every day and I never scrape it on a corner. Sometimes on sidewalks and bumps though.
@ Paddy : It's a 50 engine (like almost all legals mopeds). The part where the spark plug is stucked is the cylinder head and it's actually the top of the engine.
If you want some info on it : Stock cylinder head / Airsal T6 50 cylinder kit / stock cases / stock piston / electronical ignition system / 15mm intake manifold / 15mm SHA Dell'orto carburetor / stock variator
Maximum speed : 55 mph. Concerning the brakes, the front hub is a Suzuki one and breaking is really efficient even at high speeds !
@ Daoud : The bike is already register (for free in France), and we don't have worries about the coming "Contrôle technique" ;-) ...
Whee! Wheeee! Mum, Can I hav sum mor Coolaid before I go ride again? Wheee!
@AlwaysOnTwo - I think I know just the type of Coolaid you are drinking.
"Contrôle technique"... Good luck with that @Alex (Owner of the TSA) - COD. Seeing what our ITV (Vehicle Technical Inspection) in Spain want to do with our bikes, things in other european countries wouldn't be better.
Let me guess: "AlwaysOnTwo" refers to "Always on two sticks that are lodged firmly in your @ss", correct?
Alwaysontwo- why don't you start your own blog so you can make fun of people instead of lurking this one and being mean... does it make you feel superior or fill any gaps in your life? Let pipeburn post up what they think is cool and leave it be for pete's sake.
Let's keep it friendly, guys. Play nice.
HoHoHo...you missed the part where I wad reminiscing about my old Tohatsu Trailmaster...of course that had a real gearbox...but there's a few similarities in the tank and looks...if you squint reeaall hard...but that's what I said when I was 10 or so and rode that little number around the block...wheeee!
Not superior at all. Just remembering when. And how old I was. And how old these guys are. Makes me laugh. Wheeee.