
Puma Giaguaro 544 UT
Years: 2013 – 2013
Argentina’s Puma motorcycles were a nation-building project: state-produced light bikes designed to be affordable, serviceable, and rugged. Early two-stroke singles featured simple carburetion, enclosed chains, and frames that tolerated rough roads and heavy loads. The bikes taught generations to ride and wrench; parts supply and manuals ensured village mechanics could keep them alive. Culturally, the Puma became a symbol of accessible progress—students, workers, and small businesses expanded their range of opportunity. Production shifted with politics and economics, but the badge remains beloved, with restorations honoring both utility and design. Historically, Puma shows how industrial policy and practical engineering can transform daily life: a low-cost machine that multiplied time, income, and connection across a vast country.