Question about US history with MZ (and other cold war bikes)

[Eomund]

As I'm starting to work on the bike, I've been doing a hell of a lot of research. I've learned a lot about the bikes, how they are built and I am really finding this bike a pleasure to work on. Something about extremely simple machines that makes it fun.

I am curious though. How did these bikes make it to the west? The MZ was made in the mountains far into communist eastern Germany. I see some info about collectors bringing in some bikes in the 90's and early 2000's. But I don't see how many of the more 'hum drum' machines (I don't mean that as an insult, just the less 'collectible' bikes) made it over. Especially in the numbers they seem to have made it into the west.

I know it's not important information. But I'm still interested.

[Blurredman]

You're right. They are simple machines, but there is a point. They are not so simple that they are unreliable if looked after.

Those two stroke Russian bikes like the Voskhod and IZH are in another world. They may be made of cast iron.. But the quality of workmanship, is just not there in comparison to the DDR bikes. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love a Voskhod 175!! Because I definately would!!


This has been mentioned before, but there is very little information concerning the MZ's in Northern America. It seems, from 1976 to barely one or two years later they sold some MZ motorcycles there. The only motorcycles I see in the states (bar Florida - I will explain in a bit), tend to be examples like yours, and the TS250. Barely used and very clean machines that must have found themselves bought and forgotten, or just stuck in random motorcycle showrooms deemed "too ugly to shift" a bit like Bridgestone motorcycles.

I have noticed that all US MZ's have different indicator stalks/lenses and brake lamps. The front lamp tends to be chromed as well- there is a lot more chrome on a US MZ. Why- I suppose they thought that was what Americans wanted?


Florida.. Lots of people own MZ's there apparently, but those are a wide range of years. My opinion is the vast majority of those have been imported from Cuba over the years.
I have been to Cuba.. The MZ (of any age) is THE Dominant motorcycle. Almost every two wheeled machine is an MZ. And for obvious reasons, Cuba has MZ's for the same reason it has many Ladas, and currently a lot of Chinese manufactured vehicles. They all share the doctrine of Communism.


Most of eastern Europe love MZ's.. Though they of course have their own 'Eastern Bloc' motorcycles. CZ, Jawa, Minsk, not to forget Romet, Pannonia, Puch etc etc.

The UK has a lot of MZ's in it.. Whenever foreign people on motorcycles talk to me, they always talk about they had one, or their father had one back in old Yugoslavia etc. It actually annoys me how frequent of an occurance this is. They ask "Did you import it?" The answer is no.


In the late 60's early 70's, a single official UK importer of MZ's was so prolific in integrating MZ's in the only Western Market I think the MZ really had true success in (the UK and a few countries of Western Europe). Not sure too much about western Europe as a continent, but for the UK... I think mainland Europe had changed their view on MZ AFTER the wall came down, but in the UK it was different.

At first it was slow, but.. there are many thousands here right now I believe- always several on e-Bay UK for example. The clocks are all MPH, the dim/dip beam is all Right hand Drive. The thing is.. The choice here was buy leaky, old fashioned and relatively expensive British bikes, those all singing and dancing Japanese bikes, or the cheap but not unreliable MZ's. The tier under that might be to buy a Russian bike- Even cheaper, and for a reason.


MZ, although still frowned upon for being foreign and weird looking, was good at the price and simple enough without endangering the reliability. They had good handling (with telecopic forks even more so) and good lights. The only downside was the brakes it seemed.


I could write an awful lot, but the above I believe to be true and not speculation.

[Puffs]

Following a biased and flawed moderator choice (someone posting aggressive personal attacks is rewarded, while my technical posts are removed - behind my back & without any justification!), I have withdrawn from this forum.

[Puffs]

Following a biased and flawed moderator choice (someone posting aggressive personal attacks is rewarded, while my technical posts are removed - behind my back & without any justification!), I have withdrawn from this forum.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

someone imported a boat load to the usa in 1974
most mz bikes here seem to be 1974 year 2 smokers

i did not know of them till 1995 some one bought a 1974 to a bmw antique rally in north west Ohio

i found the rt125 new in 2002 at a bike shop in ERIE PA and fell in love
late in 2003 bought a rotax powered Saxon tour
i have seen very few of them also have a 1995 660 traveller

i currently seem to be the only mz owner in WEST VIRGINIA with plates on one

[Puffs]

Following a biased and flawed moderator choice (someone posting aggressive personal attacks is rewarded, while my technical posts are removed - behind my back & without any justification!), I have withdrawn from this forum.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

small bikes do not sell well in my area the attitude here is.. if it Not 350 to 400cc it just a moped

i saw a tomos the other day first one i have seem in 30 years on the road guy riding it is going to get a ticket
because here its a moped and needs a plate and a drivers license plus a helmet and insurance
the tomos is too slow it will get you ran over

here its a Home built motor bicycles there are about 20 of them in town heavy bike frame 50cc to 99cc
china 2 smoker motor or weed eater motor and you follow them home to find the area you do not want to
LIVE and raise kids

in my town we call them Rick N Billy after the cuban "Riquimbili" as Ricky and Billy went to the shed and made
some thing with 2 wheels

bus service stinks no buses 1955 to 1995 and now its a mile to a bus and 2 miles to town
so its faster to walk (or hobble)
Dave

[dave47]

In all the pictures of American MZs i have seen, they have the small tank and high bars. Did the American importer specify this as standard? In my opinion Wilf Green should have done this in the UK. Its a much better look and worth sacrificing some tank range. He might even have sold more.

[Blurredman]

I think otherwise Dave to both your comments. I think it looks silly.


Big tank is better IMO. The high bars are a US thing:



Although the US bikes didn't have them that high.
We all know MZ were a bit behind their time styling wise though.. Lower bars= more sporty= more appeal.

[dave47]

It doesn't look silly to me.

Back in the 70's/80's most MZ owners got rid of the low flat bars, not just for appearance, but because it greatly improved the handling, esp on the supa5.
But I accept that I might be in a minority about the smaller tank.

[Puffs]

Following a biased and flawed moderator choice (someone posting aggressive personal attacks is rewarded, while my technical posts are removed - behind my back & without any justification!), I have withdrawn from this forum.

[Eomund]

On the tank size I'm with Blurredman. These 2 strokes are guzzlers; you need a big tank if you want to get anywhere. Just priorities.
Height of the bars is anybodies personal preference. Not too long ago I bought new bars for the MZ - standard bars, standard height.

But once again it all comes down to priorities. If it's looks & image you're after, and if you want to look like Fonda & Hopper, by all means take a humongously heavy & slow dinosaur without rear suspension, and destroy the little suspension it had at the front, as well as the steering geometry, so that you're sure you can only go straight ahead. If riding is your focus, you'll probably make different choices, depending on where you want to ride.

To each his own.

Part of me would definately like a larger tank. I haven't been able to freaking ride so I can't test it. What would you say the MPG is on the bike?

I'm considering making a jerrycan setup for the bike so I always have fuel with me.

[Puffs]

Following a biased and flawed moderator choice (someone posting aggressive personal attacks is rewarded, while my technical posts are removed - behind my back & without any justification!), I have withdrawn from this forum.

[Blurredman]

Depends largely on you, how you ride, accelerate & brake. Mine's a 250cc & I'm also testing a bigger carb.
MZ say:

Bild 7. Kraftstoff-Grundverbrauch der TS 150 und ES 150_1 im 4. Gang.png

If that is to be believed, and I see no reason why it wouldn't (though the MPG claim of any manufacturer should be put into question)... at a cruising speed of 55mph, the consumption would be around 62 UK MPG (52 US MPG).

I have managed to acheive 80 UK Mpg on the 250 at cruising speed of 55mph - which is what the manual for my bike claims. But real world mix of riding is 55-65 uk mpg as outlined below in my Fuelly entries for both my bikes...:

http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/mz/etz ... man/158285
http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/mz/etz ... man/446527


HOWEVER. It is unfair to allow the 125/150 to be reasonably economic at that speed. The true MPG figure should relate to slower speed riding. I should imagine the 125 is more economical in the city than the 250.
Being as it is a 125, it has a smaller tank not because distance between refuelling is going to be an issue- BUT it would have been unlikely that people would do hundreds upon hundreds of miles a day on a 125. Esspecially in the states where things seem.. further away.

[Eomund]

Depends largely on you, how you ride, accelerate & brake. Mine's a 250cc & I'm also testing a bigger carb.
MZ say:

Bild 7. Kraftstoff-Grundverbrauch der TS 150 und ES 150_1 im 4. Gang.png

If that is to be believed, and I see no reason why it wouldn't (though the MPG claim of any manufacturer should be put into question)... at a cruising speed of 55mph, the consumption would be around 62 UK MPG (52 US MPG).

I have managed to acheive 80 UK Mpg on the 250 at cruising speed of 55mph - which is what the manual for my bike claims. But real world mix of riding is 55-65 uk mpg as outlined below in my Fuelly entries for both my bikes...:

http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/mz/etz ... man/158285
http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/mz/etz ... man/446527


HOWEVER. It is unfair to allow the 125/150 to be reasonably economic at that speed. The true MPG figure should relate to slower speed riding. I should imagine the 125 is more economical in the city than the 250.
Being as it is a 125, it has a smaller tank not because distance between refuelling is going to be an issue- BUT it would have been unlikely that people would do hundreds upon hundreds of miles a day on a 125. Esspecially in the states where things seem.. further away.

Ya smaller motor doesn't always mean better mileage. It often requires more throttle. And I know my happy ass is throttle happy on any bike so I'm sure I'll get lett than that.