The restoration express has brought a Peugeot Sportif to our notice. The moped comes from the garage of R Deena from Mysore who also owns some of the rarest motorcycles in the country. The Peugeot Sportif is a unique moped, being the first to come with an electric starter in India. Chamundi mopeds, in collaboration with the French company, made the Sportif in India.
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Everything you see on the moped in the photograph is in factory specification. The Sportif came standard with five-spoke mag-wheels and indicators – features that were rare when the vehicle retailed in the market. The fascia features a square-ish headlight that accompanies round blinkers with orange covers. A black panel surrounds the headlamp while fork covers retain the stealthy look. Adding some contrast to the front is the chrome front fender. A single-pod instrument console occupies the cockpit area.
The fuel tank gets a dual-tone finish, featuring a chrome finish to the centre. The Sportif branding can be seen on the engine and on the panel above it while the section below the rider’s saddle gets the “Licensee Peugeot” and “Electric Start” tags. Unlike some of the mopeds of the time, the seat on the Sportif was made for the rider as well as a passenger. A belt that runs through the centre of the seat divides the space between the rider and the pillion. The rear of the moped is finished with fender-mounted tail light and blinkers.
The vehicle is over three decades old, and R Deena paid around INR 20,000 to purchase and another INR 5,000 to restore it. R Deena’s garage continues to surprise us, and we wish him many happy miles with his prized possessions.
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Before the Peugeot Sportif, R Deena shared the story about his Luna TFR Plus with Indian Autos Blog. Make sure you check that post out too. Owners of such rare two-wheelers can connect with us at suvil@indianautosblog.com to feature their ride on IAB.