1000s & MZ et al

[sapperk9]

In Oz, I have been waiting for 12 months for the homologation/approval by out DOT for the 1000. Our "new" distributor (Stoney Creek Motorcycles) has had the first 1000 machines with our DOT for nearly that full year. It must be frustrating for them, and it sure is frustrating for anyone interested in the machine.

What I can't work out is, if the machine meets California and CE standards, how are the half dozen that will be sold in Australia to be justified in time and effort for the distributor? What can the Oz DOT be doing? MZ sure as hell won't modify their machine for the small sales numbers in Oz. And who do they think they are anyway?

We have such a colonial cringe factor that it is embarrassing. By the time Oz DOT approve the thing, we'll all be on hydrogen power!

I wonder how other manufacturers achieve market presence, let alone penetration?

I want my 1000ST - NOW!

[DAVID THOMPSON]

probley a way to get back at the Malaysian owners of MZ in retaliation for the 110% import duty
on foreign made cars into Malaysia including the ones made in OZ

with out placeing a duty on them....... just make it too expensive to do

[sapperk9]

Too true Mate, so muchfor free trade??

[bimotabob]

The USA importer never did get the 1000SF DOT & EPA approved for the US. I waited almost a year before one of the dealers informed me that MZ was shipping the bikes back to Germany. So I bought a 1000S and am glad that I did because the US no longer has an importer. But, you would think in this day and time that there would be at least for the industrialized nations a standard for homologation it would sure save the manufacturers. But then it would put a bunch of bureaucrats out of a job.

[sapperk9]

Given that the Hong Leong Group webpage says:

"MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH ("MZ") was acquired by HLI in September 1996. The acquisition of this motorcycle company in Germany is aimed to position HLI as a leading player in the design and engineering of motorcycles and to become a global manufacturer of quality motorcycles by the year 2006 through superior engineering."

"MZ motorrad Sdn Bhd was then set up in year 2002 to assemble and distribute MZ bikes in Malaysia."


So, for no other reason than nothing better to do, this afternoon I had a look at UK retailing of the MZ, through the BSA Regal website, given that in Oz we still looking at MZ through either Europe or Malaysia.

Without decrying BSA Regal as they have ever given me wonderful, prompt, professional, and precise service, when one looks at the dealers in the UK, only three have a web presence, and that includes BSA Regal. Most of those listed do not even have an email address, and of those with an email address, I recon the bulk are what I call gammy addresses, through hotmail or yahoo, not an owned and managed dealer domain. Sort of rewriting Shakespeare, "I www, therefore I am."

This cannot inspire confidence.

I don't know how MZ expect to obtain a quality presence in the western world and "technology" when my local grocer is more aware of the nature of today's western consumer and the market. I can order hardware from my local store via the web, let alone browse an expensive vehicle purchase.

I suggest that they would have been better with fewer, but much higher quality dealers, who know today's world and the market to whom they address their product. Its somehow like selling Lexus through the local "Redneck - the five acre block, come and rip out the parts yourself" outlet.

Great machine, RIP by market ignorance? Has the USA experience reflected this?

Comments?

[DAVID THOMPSON]

the us experance is if it is less than 25 real HP at the rear wheel
it is to small to sell well unless it is made by the big 4
and unless the cost of getting a bike approved for sale here drops
the big 4 will not offer a wide selection

yamaha mt03 nice but not in usa this year
its just a nice new baggie but there not going to let mz sell it
and it may not make it here unless they think it will sell well
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2 ... -MT-03.htm

my rt125 fits my needs but it is a toy by the view of 99.9% of
usa riders

the mz bikes i love !!
what totaly disapointed me was the ordering of parts
and waiting 4 months to get them..
bike riders want to ride not look at a bike the dealer can not get a part for......

[bimotabob]

Yes the US experience is very similiar. The shops I have dealt with here in the state of Florida are what you would describe as off the beaten path. Not to belittle the shops because the people I have dealt with are great but got very little direct support from MZ. The first MZ I purchased directly from the importer because there where no dealers in central Florida that had the bike I wanted on the floor. My 1000s, I purchased from a dealer that was ending his association with MZ to carry Enfields. It is really a shame because with the right advertisement and a few good mainstream dealers the general public could find out what great motorcycles MZ manufactures. Lately I have emailed my local dealer who in turn forwards my emails directly to MZ. This cannot be a good situation in any market. It amazes me that they are still creating really neat concept bikes but it also makes you wonder what market they are intended for!

[sapperk9]

The Pom 1000sf did not meet its ebay reserve:

http://tinyurl.com/aw82n


Value?

[Gromit]

The Pom 1000sf did not meet its ebay reserve:
http://tinyurl.com/aw82n
Value?

Although it saddens me, this really doesn't surprise me...(excuse the following rant)...

Trouble is, many Brit bikers can't see past the drivel spouted by the majority of journos in the UK magazines, and still treat MZ with total derision. They'll look at a nice bike like the 1000SF and think 'Oh...poxy East German cr*p' rather than thinking 'hey...these were the guys who were kicking the Jap racebikes' *rses back in the 60s - could be interesting'. That's to say because it hasn't got Honda/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Yamaha/Ducati written on the tank folk just ain't interested. For me, MZ has as much cred, if not more, than the recently re-born bikes from MV & Benelli - and I'd bet it's a darn sight better screwed together too.

<rant mode off>

I so want to see MZ do well with the 1000, in whatever variant, as I believe it offers a fabulous alternative to what else is available in the market. I'd reckon if there's a level playing field, the 1000 (along with bikes like the Aprilia Falco) will end up being, if it isn't already, one of the best-kept secrets in motorcycling.

What seriously worries me is that the 1000 may not be around in a couple of years time - and that really would be a terrible tragedy.

[perryboy23]

lol that bike on ebay the orange MZ1000sf I actually rode that bike!! lol
Thats the demo bike that made me decide to buy the limited edition.
There the guys who have moved and left me in the shit!!!!! I bought the bike because they said compared to my Kawasaki Z750 the services would be cheaper the parts cheaper (and easier to get hold of) "and you have an MZ dealer on your doorstep" looks to me like thier selling everything they did have in the shop on ebay.....Cheers lads, if you ever read this!
I just want my pride n joy back!!!!! and your right with your comments about us brits and views on MZ. Non riders stop and stare at my bike but when they see its an MZ they dont look as impressed. I bought that bike because it ffing rocks, it looks good sounds good, feels good and makes other 1000cc bikes look like mopeds. Riders that know what they are talking about do like the bike.

I do like the look of the mz1000 fx but it does look like a few bits of plastic have been added to the 1000sf and its had a very tiny face lift.

I still want one though!!!
Its such a nice feeling knowing that I am, not only one of the only people riding a 1000sf in britain but almost 100% sure the only person with the limited edition

[whysub01]

EMAP want to do a feature on the 1000 for Bike Magazine I think (read a plea for 1000 owners to contact them)

Hopefully, they will publish the favourable owners reports.

Haven't seen a test on the Baggi/Mastiff in years. Any one have the Bike road test still?

[cat]

Given that the Hong Leong Group webpage says:

"MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH ("MZ") was acquired by HLI in September 1996. The acquisition of this motorcycle company in Germany is aimed to position HLI as a leading player in the design and engineering of motorcycles and to become a global manufacturer of quality motorcycles by the year 2006 through superior engineering."

"MZ motorrad Sdn Bhd was then set up in year 2002 to assemble and distribute MZ bikes in Malaysia."

Corporate bullshit. Stock phrase. What are they doing - what have they done? Probably nothing. In-fighting, corporate politics? Maybe they "bit off more than they could chew". Grandiose ideas.

What was it - Proton? Husqvarna / MV Agusta / Ducati ? ...that didn't work out well?

At least Husqvarna seems to be working in Australia. You're better off than us.

The MZ factory seems to be doing as well as they can; we get good reports of back-up service. But they don't have money; the money is in Malaysia, the owners - and they're playing corporate politics or something. They're the ones who have to make the plan, and do the marketing. And then they'll want to build them in Malaysia anyway. They seem to have done something with the 125's, but that's all.

So, for no other reason than nothing better to do, this afternoon I had a look at UK retailing of the MZ, through the BSA Regal website, given that in Oz we still looking at MZ through either Europe or Malaysia.

Without decrying BSA Regal as they have ever given me wonderful, prompt, professional, and precise service, when one looks at the dealers in the UK, only three have a web presence, and that includes BSA Regal. Most of those listed do not even have an email address, and of those with an email address, I recon the bulk are what I call gammy addresses, through hotmail or yahoo, not an owned and managed dealer domain. Sort of rewriting Shakespeare, "I www, therefore I am."

This cannot inspire confidence.

I don't know how MZ expect to obtain a quality presence in the western world and "technology" when my local grocer is more aware of the nature of today's western consumer and the market. I can order hardware from my local store via the web, let alone browse an expensive vehicle purchase.

Internet presence...web sites. That puts me in rant mode. I've been seeing how bad, how shoddy, most of the UK bike websites are. (Websites for buying accesories and so on.) [I need that puking emoticon here that advrider has.] Same here - worse, but then I don't often try to get anything here, I learned my lesson about that long ago. They don't have websites or the websites give their phone number, or their email addresses in the latest magazine don't work, and they ignore faxes. All that so I can tell them what I want and wait for them to order it, and pay a 100% markup instead of doing it myself and paying the shipping myself.

I have 2 UK ones at the moment that have not replied to email. One asked me on Tuesday what model I wanted the jet kit and sprocket for (although I'd given them the part numbers) and then hasn't replied since.

JT Sprockets... after searching for hours - like half the night - for some place that could get me a rear sprocket (the dealers I found only did mx and offroad bikes, or sportbikes), I sent email from the JT website, to the UK base and the USA distributor. That was Monday night, I think, and neither of them has replied. Nor has ESJOT in Czech Republic, who [apparently] make sprockets for KTM, and list MZ in their catalog.

Dynojet also, no reponse.



So it's all reinforced for me what I already pretty much knew - use US vendors and try to avoid the ones with half-assed websites.

btw, thank you for pointing me to corsemeccanica.

[sapperk9]

Cool, Cat,

Yeah, the Corse people are thoroughgoing professional. Not just terrific gear, but the only people I've ever tripped over who charge the ACTUAL postage and do not inflate it.

Another plug then, if you own a Skorp or Baggy, get parts from:

http://www.corsemeccanica.com/mz_skorpion.htm

Drool over the Ti piston eh?

Nice peoples, sooper Skorp parts.