Wanted, MZ motorcycle.

[fatnfast]

Anyone got one they would like to part with? I know it's not and Morini, but it does begin with M
Prefer a 70's - 80's one with the huge exhaust and petrol tank made from a quality street tin. 125 - 250.
I just need a 2-stroke in the garage and love the simplicity of them.
Max budget is £800.

[Papa Lazarou]

I have a friend who has two 125's of the right vintage. One will be for parts. If you PM me, I'll let him know. I don't see him often, maybe every few weeks.

The MZ 250 of the 70s was a good piece of kit.

[fatnfast]

Cheers Papa,
Will pm you.

[MickeyMoto]

You may wish to change your name to fatnslow!

[George 350]

From Papa L:
"The MZ 250 of the 70s was a good piece of kit"

As far as I'm concerned this is a new meaning of good!
I bought a new 1976 MZ TS250. Main bearings made with aniseed balls instead of steel ones, gear selector forks made from liquorice, electrics out of the ark, coil top cracking and finding out that my right knee was easier to jump a spark to than the spark plug(Ouch!), clutch disconnecting itself from the crank (the taper opened out!), chain shedding lots of its rollers despite being fully enclosed, front 'brake' that was less effective than bicycle brake blocks, Pneumant banana skin tyres... I could go on. At least the chrome and toolkit was good (You needed it to be! - I still have some of the spanners and the C-spanner is sill used to tighten the Morini exhaust nuts).
After 18 months/15,000 miles I traded it in, in 1978, for my 3 1/2 Sport and never looked back (apart from the wash off able chrome that is.)
In my view, despite many good design details (the enclosed chain for one) they were dirt cheap for a reason. They were awful. No amount of nostalgia would let me welcome one back.

In my view,f you need a 2-stroke in the garage, I would look out for one of the less celebrated Japanese late 70's/early 80's strokers, e.g. Yamaha RS125 single (unbelievably tunable!), a DT175 or similar off-roader, or perhaps one of the not too common Suzuki or Yamaha 185-200cc twins. Would be a better choice in almost every regard.

Regards,
George.

[Ming]

Sorry for your experience, George. I like them. ETZ250 back in the 90s would take me anywhere and I've just acquired a TS125 from the back of a barn, cleaned out the carb and fuel tank (solid, unrusted steel - unlike the filigreed 250C2), fresh fuel, a few kicks and ring a ding ding -plus spares are readily available.

Luck of the draw maybe - go for what you fancy

[Papa Lazarou]

The main bearings on the 125s especially were made of cheese. But these little things were quick. 6 volt electrics, but don't ride after dark.

[fatnfast]

I must admit I used to laugh at them in my youth, I had a Yam 250lc .
But for some strange reason I think they are so hidious that they are now rather cool. In recent years I have gone through various bikes of my youth once more:

Yam rd250lc - still great to ride today, I spent a fortune making it perfect, so perfect that I wouldn't ride it, so it had to go (it was borrowed by Practical Spotrtsbike magazine for a feature).

Triumph Tiger Cub - beautiful baby boniville, but not brilliant to ride in today's traffic.

Yamaha XJ550 - very underated bike and great to ride even today. Sold it, but should have kept it. LC looks with an engine that didn't explode.

Along with Suzuki GS750, Puch maxi, Honda mb5, BSA Bantum to name just a few

I have owned over 70 bikes throughout the years!

The MZ is an itch that needs to be scratched, plus they a relatively cheap and parts back up is superb with parts that are better then MZ originally supplied.

Mickeymoto is proberbly right though, I'm no doubt more fatnslow than fatnfast now, and proberbly why I fancy an MZ . And George, I know your right but........

[72degrees]

I can confirm that when I was circuit racing the Rotarini (SWM 250 air cooled Rotax disc valve 2T single in Morini 250 cycle parts - mostly), back in the late 80's, some of the 250 racing MZs were indecently quick at places like Three Sisters. Not sure how long they would last on the road in that state of tune though

[hombre]

the C-spanner is sill used to tighten the Morini exhaust nuts).

Was it something like this? Been using this for years but haven't got a clue where it's from.

[Papa Lazarou]

DDR is of a bit of clue.

[MickeyMoto]

Nice tool. A tyre lever, too. probably so heavy can be used to lamp any capitalist who dares enter the Utopian Socialist Republic of East Germany... or a non-believer.

[George 350]

Hi Hombre.
That is indeed an MZ C-spanner/tyre lever. Probably the best part from an MZ.
George.

[hombre]

It came with my first 3 1/2 in 1986. Maybe that one had it's first registration in the former DDR? A commiemorini?

Tyre lever is slightly bent now, tyrechanges below zero is hard work

[hombre]

Hi Hombre.
That is indeed an MZ C-spanner/tyre lever. Probably the best part from an MZ.
George.

Aha, good to know!