This Pursang Mk.9 is a local one owner example found languishing by my friend Chris' ACE Vintage shop (https://ace-vmcs.com/). It laid around his shop for a while, then he learned I had a 360 Frontera. A deal was reached for the 360 which included my taking the Pursang in part trade. It is an M170, a fairly rare 200cc model that combines parts from the more usual 125 and 250 Pursangs. 

It took about a year, and presented some unique challenges, but it was finished in early 2019. It was shown for the first time in January, 2020 at the Dania Beach Vintage Bike Show where it was adjudged the Best Offroad Competition motorcycle.

The story of the restoration begins below.

While it was rough and weathered, the Pursang was 100% original and it ran. The bike had been raced for a couple of seasons, then sat for decades, sometimes outside.

The frame was quite rusty, the bodywork in poor shape, but otherwise  a pretty decent example. 

The 200cc M170 is a fairly rare variant of the Mk.9 being only a one year model for a briefly run class in the US, thus very worthy of restoration.

Seen here with my Mazda MX5 Club, the Pursang sat for a while until I finished refurbishing the Metisse. 
Progress is being made on the Pursang.

The engine has been test run off a bottle and all is well. By all appearances this seems to be a low hours bike that suffered through many years of tough storage conditions.

It's been a difficult disassembly with many rusty, tight fasteners. For the moment it is stalled by a frozen swingarm pivot bolt which thus far has resisted all attempts at removal.

Update: After a 20 ton press failed to budge the offending bolt, we were forced to assault it with a hacksaw. It required about five cuts to reduce it to a size the press could deal with. Strangely, there was no rust; it appeared that someone might have used a chemical locking agent. The bushings were frozen to the bolt, as was the motor mount. Fortunately, Hugh's was able to provide a new bolt.

Now that the bike has been completely disassembled, the aluminum bits are going off to the vapor blaster, while we bead and sand blast the frame and other steel pieces.

February, 2019.

The Pursang restoration is finished.

The frame has been painted in the correct matte silver finish. The wheels are rebuilt and new rubber mounted. Strangely, there were no springs in the forks, so a pair of new ones were sourced. New Betor gas shocks have been installed.

The motor has been serviced, polished and painted, the Bing Carburetor rebuilt. All the original hardware has been replated in the correct zinc finish, and a handful of parts chromed. The exhaust has been ceramic coated. A correct handlebar was sourced. Lots of other new parts; fenders, bearings, seals, etc.

Ed Teller came through again with a killer paint job for the tank and side covers. He exactly recreated the tank design unique to this model as well as the perfect number circles on the side covers.

All in all, very pleased with the final product.