I've always admired MZ for the build quality, alloy wheel rims, enclosed chaincase, rubber mounted engine and a simple clean design

I've got three 1000cc Moto Guzzis and I love them very much. But also I have a TS 250/0 in originally yellow colour, upgradet with 12V and electronic ignitition, a TS 250/1 as a combo and a TS 150 as a lightweight scrambler. And they are heartwarming. Those tough little bikes, which do thousends of miles with much load in winter and summer allways full throttle nearly without breakdowns. The /0 gets 50 years old next year and nowadays people realize ehich good reliable bikes they are. When I started riding MZ, people laughed about me. In those days you rode an MZ when you couldn't afford another bike ore you were a freak. I live in the northern Black Forrest in Germany and on the small winding roads I prefere the lightweight MZ more than.my LM 4 for example. Thanks for cheering those marvellous little bikes!

This takes me back! All the way back to 1977 and my first 250. On the very rare occasions I see one these days I know what it is well before I see it just, from the unique 'ring-ding-ding' of the MZ exhaust. Oddly, while watching the video, I could smell it! I was 17 again!

@tc4755

2 ай бұрын

Me to John we rode one two up from Scotland to Heidelberg Germany and back 1976 never missed a beat

Brilliant machines (as were the ES 250 and ETZ 250 and 251)! I bought two second-hand 1977 TS250s for 110 pounds and covered over 50,000 miles on them over the course of 4 years.

@supersmudge59

Жыл бұрын

In one of those TS 250s I mentioned, I not only toured around the Republic of Ireland twice but rode it as despatch rider in London for a year. The only problem I had in 45,000 miles was the gear lever return spring break (a common fault). When I swapped out the motor for the spare I had, I replaced a part-worn chain that eventually went on to over 50,000 miles before it needed replacing! That’s how good the MZ enclosed chain system is.

@supersmudge59

Жыл бұрын

Christga100…dispatching in London on an MZ was a doddle - you didn’t go fast enough most of the time to have to worry about suspect handling on the TS250 (which could I’m any event by cured by fitting stiffer Hagon springs in the shocks)! True enough, the TS’s drum brakes were limited - which is why I went over to the ETZ, which had the opposite problem of being almost over-braked…

@dave20thmay

Жыл бұрын

@@christga100 Wonder what dog you rode. All 4 of the MZ's I owned were brilliant. The best fit-for-purpose bike out there. I used to ride mine till around 100K and sell onto a mate and start again. None let me down, but did do away with the points and get an infrared triggered system fitted. Still got my fuel books with all the miles given by a gallon.

@markthomasson5077

Жыл бұрын

Every thing good, except the foot pegs, need moving back

@DomRivers67

Жыл бұрын

I had an ETS250 Which was a very odd beast indeed, somewhere between your ES and the TS

My uncle which was 10 years senior and his friends in our village rode mz 250 and jawa 350 2 stroke bikes back in the days in Poland :P MZ was a proper offroad bike if you would ask them :P

This took me back to being 18 when I had a red one of these in 1980 and I agree with all of your observations of it. I went all over Yorkshire including dales, moors and coast regularly as well as to work and never failed me. It was economical and easy to work on and could get by with a kit of screwdriver, pliers, adjustable spanner, plug socket and hammer to fix most things. It was quicker than you'd think and front brake was not good but it was cheap and quality made so overall a good practical choice. It had more character than my Suzuki GT185 but not an electric starter like it sadly. I'd passed my full motorcycle licence in 1980 and it expires in 2032 which seemed like forever away at the time but is now only 9 years and less than 1 month away.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the interesting insights David. I'm in the same boat as you re driving license. The expiry not so long ago seemed a lifetime away, now it's fast approaching!😬 Cheers Richard

Nostalgia! My first bike and sole means of transport for my first four years of work. 120 miles journey every weekend through the ice & snow. Never let me down!

@user-hn9de2mj6y

Жыл бұрын

كيف يمكن شراء دراجة من دولتك رجاء

Dieses Motorrad mit 5 Gang Getriebe war zu DDR Zeiten ein Traum auf Rädern...ich habe geliebt, damit auf Tour zu gehen und heute ein Oldtimer Traum geworden ! ! !

a honda cb250 / 350 drum conversion was the order of the day back then

@captainklutz3427

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that was the 'standard owner's club approved' modification. :)

Enjoyed the video; a fan of MZ from way back The quality of paint and general finish was excellent and my TS150 was a reliable and easy to ride commuter bike. It has always made me think that if smallish British 2 strokes had developed along these lines they would have prospered for more years

I have a Supa 5 that I restored last year. It’s a great bike. Mine has electronic ignition and a Mikuni carb conversion which makes it run very nicely and easy to start. It has 61000 miles on the original bore. Great Video chaps.

@mr.145

Жыл бұрын

Hi i have an MZ etz 251 can you advise on the Mikuni carb model you fitted.?.I fitted a Mikuni to a XT250 I have ,and its much much better for it.

@yogiguitar1

Жыл бұрын

it was like the skoda of 250's in the late '70's man. it looks horrid man! totally awful !

@mr.145

Жыл бұрын

@@yogiguitar1 So awful infact that Suzuki, through Walter Kaden ,stole Mz 's technology

@yogiguitar1

Жыл бұрын

@@mr.145 yes that is true, but maybe suzuki did more with it then mz did eh for whatever reason and there were a few , look at suzuki 2 strokes , look at the rg500 and mr sheene who got away clean!

@bruceparr1678

Жыл бұрын

@@yogiguitar1 Suzuki never figured out how to make a two stroke economical.

True story: Many years back (decades) I watched one of those bikes win a motorcycle race. The circuit back then was called Langbaurgh - today it's Teesside Autodrome. The race was on a shorter circuit more suited to gokarts. The competition was mostly Yamaha 250lc's and plonked in the middle was this black MZ 250. The crowd roared with laughter when the MZ appeared for a warm-up lap. Heck, it didn't even have a sports exhaust on it. The race began and sure those lc's were faster but the MZ won using something else - torque. Those lc's struggled to get to the power exiting each corner but the MZ ploughed on. I smiled as I chomped a burger as that weird MZ destroyed the competition in the race. At the end, a few people clapped and the rest stood there open mouthed. I've no idea who was racing that black MZ but if they're here - well done! Would I have an MZ? Possibly. What appeals is the basic nature of them and how easily repairs can be done. Their appeal continues because that basic 'get you from A to B' nature of them is liked. Parts availability might be a struggle but given how basic they are, I reckon parts could be fabricated by either myself or a mate with some tooling.

Oh you can go touring on them! In the 80s I rode from Ireland to Italy on my ETZ 250. I think it was truly a super touring motorcycle. I also owned two TS 250s. I loved these bikes. They are very simple to maintain because they were simple, but also, very importantly as you mention, they were beautifully designed. They weren't as fast as the Japanese bikes but they did handle very nicely indeed. Riding it I always felt like it would just keep going and going, it was so reliable and kind of determined. They were very well built as well, the factory did a great job. They were about half the price of the Japanese bikes but there was nothing cheap about them!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Spot on! Cheers Richard

@duellingscarguevara

Жыл бұрын

How was the vibration (numb hands were a side effect of a day on z500’s and z1r, back in the day for me).

Just found this channel, I am a 69 year old Yamaha Super Tenere owner and I've been riding since I was 12. I wouldn't have looked twice at an MZ but now I want one!

Bought one new in 1978. In red. I even remember the number XEA 308S. For around half the price of a Japanese 250 I thought OK it's old technology but what the hell Had some good times on it. The thing I remember most about it was the way it smoked when I opened it up after a spell in town. That smoke must have been smelt half a mile away! Oh yes, and the slippery tyres!

The "blue smoke": There is no need for marihuana when you have a 2-stroke! 😉

My Bonney needed surgery back in the day and I needed a cheap bike. Guy I knew at work told me about an MZ250 at a dealers nearby . The bike had been taken in as part of a Honda sale deal and was spray painted very roughly in black everywhere , seemingly without parts being removed first even ! Dealer wanted 50 quid and gave me a brand new mot ! The bike did its purpose and I kept it maybe 18 months before a mate needed a cheap bike too . 50 quid deal done . I had a driver insurance so the bike cost me the fuel I had used . I found the thing handled like a plank , someone might have fitted a rear tyre on the front lol , and had a virtual front brake ; but I would not completely put someone skint and vehicleless off from buying one . If you want a decent two stroke buy a Yam or Suzzy ! Ringdindding to you

Lovely little bikes. Popular with London despatch riders back in the '80s. I had its little bruvver for a while...

Back in the seventies, I had a 250 Ducati, my first street legal bike, and I rode it everywhere for a couple years. This MZ reminds me of that bike, the way it appears to ride and move out. I barely remember them from back in those days, not commonly seen in my own neck of the woods. Thanks for showcasing a very nice old bike!

Hallo MZ Tester In Ostdeutschland gab es an den Tankstellen Zapfsäulen für 1: 25 und 1: 50 Zweitackt Gemisch. Die wurden auch von den Trabant und Wartburg Autos benutzt. Ich selber habe auch eine MZ 250 ETS von 1972. Bie uns in Westdeutschland gab es keine Gemisch Zapfsäulen, deshalb bin ich immer mit einer Shampoo Flasche mit Zweitacktöl herumgefahren und habe beim tanken beigemischt. Die 5 Gang Motoren waren besser zu schalten, aber die älteren Motoren waren genauso schell und hatten ein besseres Design. Habe auch noch eine RD 250 von 1974. Gleiche Größe aber eine ganz andere Filosophie. Tolles gemütliches Video. Viel Spaß beim Übersetzen.......

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Hi Michael, I struggled a bit with my rudimentary secondary school German (which was a long long time ago!), fortunately Google Translate helped! Yes, there's no 2stroke oil dispensers now on garage forecourts unlike back in the day, so a small bottle of oil is kept behind the side panel for mixing. Thanks Richard

@achimrotard901

Жыл бұрын

Auch im Westen gab es Gemischzapfsäulen. Die mußtest du mit Wertmarken füttern, die du in der Tanke erwerben konntest. Als die kleinen Tankstellen in den Ortschaften ausstarben und nur noch die großen SB Tanken übrig blieben, verschwanden die leider. Zu der Zeit wurden die Zweitakter ohne Getrenntschmierung auch immer weniger.

@michaelludwig298

Жыл бұрын

@@achimrotard901 Heute hat jeder China Roller eine Getrenntmischung. In den 70er Jahren, zu meiner Mopedzeit, gab es Gemisch Säulen mit einer Handpumpe. Man konnte an einem Hebel die Zweitaktölmenge einstellen. Dieses Gemisch war aber teurer wie Normalbenzin. Bei meiner MZ mit 22 Liter Tank habe ich Normal Benzin getankt und mit der Flasche nachgetankt. Die West Export Modelle waren ab ETZ mit einer Getrenntschmierung ausgestattet. Weil die aber nicht so zuverlässig war, haben viele die Ölpumpe stillgelegt und sind Hand Beimischung gefahren. In der DDR gab es überall die normalen Zapfsäulen mit Gemisch. Dort war die umständliche Ölpanscherei nicht notwendig.

@achimrotard901

Жыл бұрын

@@michaelludwig298 Von genau solchen Säulen schrieb ich😉 Die gab es im Westen genauso bis Anfang der 80er Jahre. Ab da hielt flächendeckend Getrenntschmierung Einzug und die kleinen Dorftankstellen starben aus. Ich glaube altersmäßig sind wir nicht sehr weit auseinander.😄

Bought a Supa 5 back in the 70's when I was a 17 year old spring chicken on L plates. I used it to commute to work and travel all over the British Isles to motorcycle rallies, covering up to 800 miles some weekends fully loaded with camping gear. It was an absolute joy and probably the best fun I've had on a motorcycle in the 50 years I've been riding them. Like you say, the only problems I had was the spark plugs fouling. Carrying spares was a must. Only a couple of minutes to change it and you were mobile again. I remember a bloke who had on telling me to ditch the original Pneumant tyres and get Michelin M38s. It totally transformed the bike and made the twisties great fun. Thanks for the memories lads.

Another great video. Re that running on 'dun dun dun dun' sound on the overrun, they all do that Sir. Simple, practical, well made, reliable and cheap - great bikes. AND ---I wish someone would GIVE me motorbikes !!!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks👍. Yes I'm very lucky to have such great brothers.🙂 Best wishes Richard

Being from the US I have only seen MZs in books and the net. Never had the chance to see one in person. I am 61yrs.old and remember when two strikers were quite common on American roads . I enjoy your Channel very much ! Good luck from Tennessee.

Hi guys, greetings from Denmark, and nice to have you back. I am about your age, and find your channel very amusing, and can relate to many things. Back in the day, in the ´70es, MZ was about the lowest one could get, and beeing seen on one, could ruin ones reputation for ages.. We did use some spare engines to put into moped-frames, it was a lot of fun, but the large jump from 2. to 3. gear took some of the fun out. Later in life money got scares, and I got a ES 150, with the headlight always shining strait ahead, no matter where the handlebars went. But I rearly grew to like the litle thing, it served me faithfully for some years. Later in life, I got an Yamaha TR 1 XV 1000, with a similar inclosed chaincase, and I drove almost 70.000 km on one chain, and I couldn´t see the sprockets had been used at all. Ah, these memories...

@Volker_GR

Жыл бұрын

In West Germany, the MZ was a typical motorcycle among students when there was not enough money for a Citroen 2CV 🙂 And for some, riding a motorcycle from the Eastern bloc is said to have been a political statement - times were turbulent in the 1970s. The rest of the drivers were hardened year-round drivers who didn't need a status symbol. At that time there were no longer any small bread-and-butter daily driver bikes from West German production 'below' BMW. The only motorcycles that still existed were too expensive for what they offered technically (Zündapp KS 175, Maico MD 250 WK), or technically immature (Hercules W2000 Wankel / rotary engine).

I rode one of these in the Czech Republic in 2018. Looked like it didn't have anything done to it since it left the factory in the 80's. It looked like a load of nearly broken parts in close formation. But it started first kick and it was reliable and not bad to ride!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes they will keep on going with even just a little bit if tlc.👍

1978 and a 4 week road trip across the Alps. My friend Tony on his MZ TS250 and me on a Yamaha RD200. Tony had a puncture a few days before we set off and patched the inner tube (tight arse). We spent half the trip taking the rear wheel off and re-patching the tube as it kept going flat. Eventually unknown to me, Tony's tyre walls which had been run on several times blew out while we were filtering either side of some roadworks in Lyon and we didn't see each other again until we were both back home. Despite our plans to meet at the nearest railway station if we got split up, Lyon has several stations and we went to different ones at different times. It was at that point that I realised that sharing a tent and sharing a map wasn't a great idea. I had half a tent and no map of France and had no idea what happened to Tony. Great trip though and great memories.

@LemonDrizzleGang

Жыл бұрын

+ttblade fantastic story, we all had a tightarse mate. Bloody long way to go on an RD200 great work Are you still in touch with Tony ?

The first bike I ever had in 82.More good memory’s than the time and tens of thousands of pounds spent since☹️

Having owned one many years ago I'd agree with all your comments - and the enclosed chain was a piece of genius. Loved the pre-mix as well - less to go wrong! One I didn't like (apart from the front brake - there was a mod for that using I think a Honda drum) was the left-hand kickstart - I never got on with that being right-handed. As for touring there was an article in one of the mags in the 80s about a guy who took one from the Arctic Circle to South Africa - and I know several people who toured the continent with one. Oddly enough I've been scanning the ads for 6 months for a decent condition Supa5!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

I think that trip you refer to in the 80s is the one I mentioned in the video, it was from a time when men were men and they didn't huge adventure bikes with all sorts of electronic gadgets to make them rideable or sat navs! Cheers Richard

Learnt on an Mz ETZ 125, Then went up to an ETZ 300 - huh ! Now your impressed ! Rock n roll !

I spent 20 years riding MZ's {1980-2000} ....I had a TS150,TS125, 250 Supafive & an ES 250Trophy...but alas... I had to sell them on, because as I accumulated more bikes, my garage just was'nt big enough to house them all.....I did a few Rallies with the MZRC, and I found them a great bunch of guys .....happy days.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like they were happy days indeed!

I had two MZ ETZ251s between 1989-1994. I fondly remember having "Zedcred" and I loved the inverted snobbery of MZ enthusiasts - at meetings the "grotbike" award, usually a cause of shame in normal bike meetings, was the most coveted prize among MZ riders.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes I love the idea of Zedcred inverted snobbery! 🙂 Thanks Richard

@bewildered5444

Жыл бұрын

Grotbike award lol

Gre at touring bikes toured in Australia on ETZ 250 even all over Tasmania two up with panniers and gear easy to cruise 100 110 km a hour up hill down dale , great memories

One of my sons had one and I used to borrow it too as it was such fun to ride if you screwed its neck! One one ride my son went to Wellington (495km), stopped for an hour and rode back home again. He did say to me that it was smelling a bit funny!

Great video guys. I had an ETZ which was the successor to the Supa 5 and it never let me down. You said at 19:57 that the ES 250 Trophy was strange looking. For me this is the best -looking motorcycle I have ever seen (and would love to own), which just shows that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Keep us the great work with these videos....

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

It's funny how our tastes change as we get older Mark, like you I think the ES250 looks incredible (in a good way) now! Cheers Richard

@markbudd5250

Жыл бұрын

@@richardayton3556 Glad I'm not the only one! 😀

MZ's brilliant bikes ask any retired ex-despatch rider or anyone else that's owned one and you will always get positive feedback. My brother had an MZ S 50 B Simpson and all his mates took the rise but then changed their minds. When he got it brand new it came with a puncher repair kit a small pump for the tyres and an ace light bulb pack with a brilliant tool kit. An ace little bike mega reliable and kept up with other Japanese peds.

@taxus750

Жыл бұрын

I was a despatch rider in London in the 80s and the MZ was a quirky but logical choice cos it was cheap to maintain compared to the 4-stroke bikes most ran (Super Dream, CX500, GT550 if you were flash, and 250RS like me).

One of the earlier commenter mentioned the smell, and that was what put me off these MZ two-strokes when I was in the market for a bike back in 1978. I ended up with a Kwaka Z200 instead.

I used to sell these new at Baldwins in Rochester, Kent. We had many customers that commuted 70 miles each way to London. Incredibly reliable...

I had 3 of these when I was a lot younger, had 2 ts, 125s a ts150 and a etr z 125 with front disc brake , have fond memory’s of cleaning carbs changing plugs , and once one fell over on the stand when I was working on it sideways and I went backwards through the wall on my aspestos garage , I’d love a go on one , fond memory’s , passed my bike test worked through the ranks of blackbirds , hyabusa , fireblades , zx10r etc etc , then 6 yrs ago heart attack , so have limited myself to a 125 now , cheers for the memory’s shane uk 🇬🇧

I used to repair motorcycles in the 1970s and 80s and I formed the opinion that this was one of the best motorcycles ever made. Apart from the rubber bellows on the chain that gave it several times the life of most motorcycle chains it had bellows on the front forks and also it had the brake cam bearings entirely inside the drums so that water didn't get into them and make the brakes stick on. This bike and also the smaller MZs had an excellent electrical system with everything running from DC generated by a dynamo with electro-mechanical voltage regulator. MZs had 45 watt headlights (you could also fit a 60 watt halogen bulb made by Narva) that stayed bright down to low engine revs, at a time when most 125 to 250cc Japanese and West European bikes had a 25 or 35 watt bulb that would go very dim at low revs.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your interesting insights Cedric. Cheers Richard

When I was at high school my tech drawing teacher had a TS250, V reg I think? We ripped the piss out of him mercilessly. Now 40 years later I want one, never mind your RD250s and your X7s, the MZ TS250 was possibly the best 250 2 stroke on the market at that time, definitely the most reliable. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I would ride to Scotland on it, although I'm sure it would be more than capable, I have a thunderace for those sort of trips, but I would love one for just riding to the local bike meet and watching everyone looking at probably thinking how crap they thought they were back in the day but actually now.............

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

You're absolutely right in what you say - no point in getting older if you don't get wiser! Cheers Richard

Another excellent blog on a bike I didn't think would ever be covered so thanks for a nice surprise.I had the 301cc MZ version and it was built like a tank,totally different from the Japanese two stroke fare available at the time.(I Had a gt380 with Allspeeds which sounded awesome !)but not to my neighbours!!The MZ is the mechanical engineers dream!Welll made ,simple and fixable!People cherished them back in the day and they were toured around the UK and Europe.One ideosyncracy with my 301 was it would kick you back if the timing was slightly out and boy it would smart and that was unusual for a 2stroke to do this but these bikes had a large flywheel mass and you knew about it from time to time very much like a single pot 4 stroke would do!!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes Paul, they can give a bit of a kickback at times, and have even been known to fire up backwards occasionally as testified by my older brother who gave me the Supa5 and also as mentioned in one of the other replies above! Cheers Richard

The MZ was born from the Demise of DKW post ww2, they were v sussesfull race bikes too, so much so that Suzuki has industrial spies selling their secrets, quite a cult following these days , prices have rocketed, I remember the MZ Simpson having the gear lever as the kick-start also, and a 2 piece rear spindle that unscrewed and each half way removed the each respective side.

YT? recommends a channel I want...will wonders ever cease..keep it up guys..🇬🇧

I ran an MZ TS250250\1 Supa5 for about 5 years from 1980 mainly for commuting in al weather conditions. The paintwork was pretty good but the chrome plating was terrible, wheel spokes rusted in no time. I thought that the quality of the alloy wasn’t up to the standard of the 1950s bikes of my youth. Polished up ok but lost it’s gloss when exposed to the elements. One problem I experienced was with the petroil mix, ran out of fuel twice and before I could switch on the reserve tap, the engine seized. The first time at 80 mph in the outside lane of the M5. Scary. The carburettor was rubbish, no way would it tick over, a local dealer did some mods to the carb, slight improvement but not cured. I eventually disposed of it in 1985 when the gear lever centralising spring broke, not a major problem with the old British bikes, but on the MZ it needs the crankcase to be split.

INTERESTING HISTORY UPDATE. MY FIRST COURIER BIKE . A very reliable work horse ...

I've had TS125, ETZ250 and disc brake version was very good. Loved the way rear shock preload adjustment was a lever rather than messing with a C spanner. The 250 was £420 new i remember in the mid 80s working out ideal as getting to work & saving on running my Japanese sports bike during winter. How i best described the MZ power was a little bottom end loads of mid range & falling off at the top end. Silencer from a Jawa 350 twin slips straight on & peps it up a little.

I had a new one in 1980 used it for touring my mates had Honda super dreams they couldn’t keep up with the super five. The Hondas cost £870 and the MZ was £508 what a bargain at the time . I’m 66 years of Age now and just rebuilt another one just as l remembered it’s brilliant . I enjoyed your video thank you ❤😊

@muckle8

Жыл бұрын

2stroke power - nuff said!

The sound is the thing that brings back memories for me. I can remember the buzz of the engine at sixty and the smell when you First start the thing. Happy days.

Great bikes. I had an older 4 speed TS 250/1 bought for £30! Far nicer bike than the CB250 G5 that I bought almost new. The Supa 5 had a smaller front wheel than the older model which I remember handling brilliantly once I replaced the Pneumat tyres with Continentals.

I remember these. They were around during most of my rallying years. ( 1980 to well into the early 2,000s ) I used my CX all year round. Some of the chaps rode fancy bikes but the MZ would come out in the winter. When I would sometimes pass them while heading to or from a rally. I would see them loaded to the gills as they ching chinged along at about 55/60 mph.

Hi all I remember the mz 250 and the oil master . We used to take the piss out of then in the day .Never own a mz in the day but would love to own one today ! Brings back memories.

In terms of low cost motorcycling MZs were the way to go in the 70s and for most of the 80s. Often derided and the butt of lots of jokes, anyone who had any real experience of them was usually very impressed. The downsides were the 6V electrics that were dated in design, and allegedly, prone to failing, (WD 40 in the switches and regular contact cleaning solves this) but nonetheless, the MZ had one of the best headlights available straight from the showroom - contrast that with the healthy aftermarket sales of replacement Cibie headlights for Japanese motorcycles. The low state of tune meant that the MZ was an ideal candidate for tuning, and even blueprinting made a significant difference to performance. Even the infamous Kawasaki KH 250 wasn't immune to being taken on by MZ and in the early 80s Burwins, working with the engineering department of a university I've forgotten the name of, developed a ported barrel and expansion chamber that allowed the humble MZ Supa 5 to blow KH 250s into the weeds! (No doubt with much better handling to boot!) Despite the opinions expressed in the video that MZ 250s weren't tourer machines, there is much evidence to refute that, and anyone who read the motorcycling press in the late 70s and early 80s would have been familiar with stories of long distance touring on MZ. Cycle Magazine in the USA had a series of articles describing David Baynham's epic journey from Tierra del Feugo to Alaska on an MZ 250 Supa 5. A version of this account also appeared in the GDR Two Wheeler Industry brochure for 1982, along with an account of long distance test touring by GDR motorcycle manufacturers themselves. Spares availability was always good, but not all spares were particularly cheap: I remember baulking somewhat when charged something like £21 for a complete kickstart lever in1982, and tool box covers, minus lock, were also rather pricey, though for some reason, the locks themselves were remarkably cheap! It has to be said that the brakes were something else, but fortunately the previous owner of my Supa 5 had done a conversion using the TLS drum brake from a Honda CB 250 K5, which was a phenomenally good stopper, though needed to be used with extreme caution at low speeds. The rear brake was prone to locking, as I discovered on numerous occasions, not helped by the long brake lever that gave little feedback. I enjoyed the video very much and agreed with a lot of what was said, and just listening to the sound of the engine brought back lots of very pleasant memories. Handling under power was always good, not so much on the overrun, and not too good at very low speed either. Having the Honda TLS front brake and the wheels shod with Contis, (300x18 front and 350 x 16 rear) made a big difference, and the bike proved itself of being able to use all the tread - I used to regularly take it to the limit of lean in my attempts to beat my own record of riding between Cynwyl Elfed and Carmarthen, which I could do in a little over seven minutes, but I was then quite a young man and a bit of a speed merchant. I doubt I'd be able to anything like match that nowadays, and more to the point, wouldn't want to.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the interesting insights and glad you enjoyed the video.👍 Cheers Richard

Thankyou for your honest appraisal of the omz I never owned one but I used to know plenty of BMW owners that used to put their BMWS away for winter and use an mz as it was cheap and cheerful I enjoyed your comments well done I ride a Bonville now can't fault it would you test one of these bikes one day see what you think !

@LemonDrizzleGang

Жыл бұрын

+Ian Gilmour we have done a classic Bonneville and currently negotiating with dealers so yes indeed

The first MZ I owned was a TS 250 and I went everywhere on it. I was also a member of the MZ Owners Club and went to their rallies all over the country so you absolutely can tour on a TS250. I remember doing Nottingham to Cornwall on just one tank of petrol and at motorway speeds as well. Mind you, you get some funny looks at petrol stations when you fill up, add the 2 stroke oil and then stand there shaking the bike about to mix the petrol and oil together!!!

I brought an MZ TS150 back in 1978 for £278 New I rode this everywhere covering just over 10,000miles in 1 year it never went wrong. My mates all took the mick at first but after a few goes on it themselves they appreciated how good it was especial the handling. A couple of features I liked was you could remove the back wheel without having to release the chain (don't know about the 250's) there was a bump start position on the ignition switch so even if your battery was totally dead you could still start it. The side stand being on the rear wheel meant if you accidentally left it down the suspension would absorb most the shock of it hitting the ground and flipping back up so you didn't crash, unlike the conventional position and why they are now fitted with a cut off switch. I won't go into detail but it's sad end involved a car and a high speed impact writing it and the car off but thankfully not me my injuries were relatively minor and I got a lesson in how important wear a crash helmet is as I most certainly wouldn't be still here if I hadn't been.

I had an ETZ250 for a while when i was a despatch rider in the early 90's and if there was a fault with it (ap[art from its awful looks!) it was the gearbox which gave out regularly at 45,000 miles due to worn selecter forks . I replaced the entire engine as it was cheaper than the parts to repair the gearbox and ran that until it too suffered the same gearbox failure at 45,000 miles! It could do 85 MPH (indicated) two-up, loaded with luggage and pulling uphill!... It had so much torque for a small capacity machine!.. it was also very rudimantary in the suspension department which meant it was a bit of a bone shaker when it passenger mode ( just two settings at the rear, hard or harder!) but that stiffness gave it supprisingly good handling and an excellent turning circle which was superb for commuting through London Traffic. One advancement it had over the TS250 was the seperate oil tank which had a sight glass to keep an eye on the level, and pump system for cylinder and main bearing lubrication which meant the petroil mix was no longer needed and increased the tank range slightly. Another advancment was a disc brake on the front wheel which worked well and was a vast improvement over the drum on the TS's

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes the ETZ made life a bit easier and safer! Thanks Richard

I had many wet dreams about MZ and others same style bikes back then. I got Kawasaki which was same scrambler type and even better. Very reliable.

In one of the side views of the bike, it looks as if one of the engine mount bolts at the rear of the engine has come loose. I had a TS 250 as my first real bike, when a teenager living in Germany, ca 1976. The bike was distributed in Germany by Neckermann, the mail order company. Mine was similar your one, but yellow, 19hp, no rev counter, and four gears. After a few years, both wheels needed replacing, as the steel inner lining of the drum was not a circular piece, but a strip bent into a ring to fit the hub: corrosion made it lose it's shape and the joint in the steel used to eat brake pads. There were a few other niggles, but once sorted, it was a great reliable bike, with what I thought was superb road holding at the time. With the torquey engine, acceleration was crazy and it used to go through the tiny 16" rear tire every 3000km, at a time when only Metzelers fitted and which I thought were dear, but worth it for their good roadholding (and I had no other options). I once raced my neighbour, a lad with an RD250. I was ahead up to about 50kmh/30mph, the reason being the great torque and that I only had to change once into second, whereas my mate was frantically going through the gears. But after that, I was left behind in a trail of blue smoke: unlike my MZ, the Yammie was terribly smokey.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Well spotted re the loose engine mounting. I noticed that too when I got home after filming. It feels even better now! Thanks Richard

We used to laugh at riders who had them in the late 70's 80's. I rode a Suzuki GT 250X7 at the time and would never consider riding one but at 61 now I'll love to have a ride..funny old world

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes, similar to you, I had a Kawasaki KH250 triple as a 17 year old - chalk and cheese! Being completely objective though, and with the benefit of hindsight (and older age wisdom!) should we have sneered at MZs? Probably in real world terms, the MZ had 90% of the performance of a Japanese 2 stroke (80mph against 90mph ish) but wouldn't need rebuilding every 20k miles and would use half the fuel! Cheers Richard

Glad you're back ! Great video.

After watching your video, I fondly remember my youth (from 1979) when me and my friends could each ride a new MZ TS250/1 - what else? We didn't appreciate them back then, but instead looked at the much more interesting Japanese motorcycles that we couldn't get our hands on. We were stupid and inexperienced... Today I still have my red TS in the garage and would be happy if the developers of this beautiful motorcycle could see and hear the respect for their work - despite all the weaknesses that of course there were. Because we enjoy driving, we have long since forgiven the weaknesses. I've had a Kawasaki Zephyr 1100 for a long time - a classic beauty, but with chassis problems (shutter, kickback, high-speed swing) that we simply didn't experience on the MZ.

I always found the front brake fierce on mine (original P plate). A better carb would have been a good thing though. I'd buy another one now - loved it. Love 2 strokes and the MZ was brilliant.

The MZ-B generator is regulated 12v and electronic ignition in one unit. The later disc brake is very good but needs a smaller master cylinder for best results. Hagon rear shocks help the ride & handling no-end.

Commuted in and out of london on of these for 2 years, 75 mpg and very well built. The rear wheel removal leaves the chain and sprocket in situ, the castings are high quality and I never adjusted the chain.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

You can't say any fairer than that! Great, honest bikes. Cheers Richard

Gotta love that ring-a-ding-ding. Had a Supa 5 and ETZ back in the (London dispatch) day. Still have a massive soft spot for them.

Had an MZ TS150, huge fun in a small package.

Great stuff. I bought a new ETZ 251 in 1996, it was my sole transport for the next nine years. The MZ never let me down and was a comfortable and economical ride. Later I bought a secondhand one a few years older, but the best MZ I owned was a Mastiff. Yamaha 660cc single, five valves, twin carbs and very good quality.

In my biking life i've had three MZs, first one was a 70s Supa 5, I gave £100 for it as a get to work hack, I used it for about 5 years but I also had some good runs out on it, the only problem was it kept puncturing the front tyre, I changed tyre, tube, and rim tape, and even checked the front wheel for and pointy bits! it punctured about three times on me, after the last event at Weaverham, just leaving from Oulton Park it had to go, I bought a MZ 251 for my daily trip to work on the outskirts of Manchester, The bike was a bit on the rough side but ran very well, their seemed to be a problem with bike theft at the time, so I thought no one will want to pinch this! I ran it for over two years with never a problem with it, then I had to retire due to health problems, I now have a fully restored ETS 250 Trophy Sport! I saw one at a bike show and admired it, saw this one on Ebay and bought it! yes nothing much wrong with MZs for & cheap reliable motorcycling.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I have grown to love the ETS Trophy Sport and the wacky styling too. I sometimes wonder what the stylists were on back in the day! 👍

Nice video! Everyone needs at least one two-stroke bike in their garage! 😂 I don't have an MZ, but I do have a little 1984 Suzuki GP100 and it's an absolute hoot to ride. It sits alongside my Royal Enfield Interceptor and gets taken out for a ride at least once a month (only covers a few hundred miles a year) but I'll never sell it. Every time I ride it, it makes me feel like I'm 17 again. Myself and a couple of friends of mine did a day trip to the coast last summer on our little two-strokes (a Suzuki GP125, Yamaha RS200 and my GP100) and we raised quite a few smiles from other people along the way. 81 mile round trip. It was hard work on a little 100cc, but soooo much fun 🙂

@stewartthomas9827

Жыл бұрын

I have changed my route at times to follow a 2 stroke just to get the smell in my nostrils.

@stevew9810

Жыл бұрын

@@stewartthomas9827 Can't beat the smell! When we finally reached the Dorset coast, we stopped and a chap riding a big Indian pulled up, got off his bike and walked over to us. All he said was "I was following you guys into town and that smell took me back years! Love it!" and then he walked off again 😂

@sambrooks7862

Жыл бұрын

I had a suzuki hustler (250t) when I was 17 and one of my mates had a GP100, they were surprisingly quick for a 100 cc bike.

@stevew9810

Жыл бұрын

@@sambrooks7862 Yeah they were. Back when I was 17 and weighed at least 3stone less than I do now 😂😭 Nowadays, with 33 more years of good living under my belt, I'm lucky if I can see much over 50 on the flat - but at least it's not my only form of transport now! 😉

My dad had one. I loved being a pillion on it, until it broke down and we ended up pushing it for miles and miles to get home! That aside, I have many fond memories.

I have a Black 1978 Supa 5, excellent bikes. I also despatched for years in London on one - they are built to be easily repairable and survive the apocolypse.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes the only thing left after a nuclear acopalypse will probably be cockroaches and old MZs! Cheers Richard

This was the bike I always wanted and never got round to owning....mainly due to Bantam mania... Thank you for revisiting this!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Have you ever been able to compare a Bantam with an MZ? It would be an interesting comparison. I must admit I would love a Bantam Bushman but they are silly money due to rarity. Thanks Richard 👍

@chrispomphrett4283

Жыл бұрын

@@richardayton3556 No, I've only ever been on one MZ, an old TS150. It seemed marginally faster than the last D14/4 175cc Bantam. Yes, the Bushman is always sold at a premium due to the relative rarity. But, stick some off-road tyres on a Bantam, lose a tooth on the sprocket and try not to bash the low slung exhaust and you can off road nearly as well!

Great video and very interesting history of the company which I knew almost nothing about. Well done

Greetings from sunny Malaysia🇲🇾 Brilliant video; I had an ES250 in the early 70' followed by a Supa 5 in 77 after leaving Uni. Eventually got an ETZ 251 and was appreciative of the front disc brake👍. Also has an TS150 as a runaround in the 80'. Loved em all; reliable, go anywhere bikes and ok with a passenger on the back and for touring. Moved out to this part of the world in the early noughties but haven't seen any out here. Back on 2 wheels again now with a Benelli Leoncino 500 but will always have a soft spot for my MZs. Great channel btw and have subscribed. ATVB and ride safe

Oh, wow - really great vid. I had one of these bulletproof MZs back in the day, brings back so many memories. Consider me subscribed.

I really appreciate you guys for introducing this beautiful machine to your audience, since I was born and raised in the GDR... Anyway, keep going riding all these very different bikes. 👍🏻

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.👍 I'm planning on racking up a few more miles on the Supa5 and the little ETZ150 trail bike I've got which is no hardship as they're great fun!

4:48 What a nice example. I used to appreciate my the enclosed chain on my ETZ301. More to come when I've watched the rest of the video. Got to pop out. Back again. I rode my 1991 301 from early 1993 for almost precisely three years. A superb ride. And you are right. Torquey. Nice setting for a beer.

Ah memories! My first bike after the moped phase. Brand new in '79 and same colour. Loved it but yes - the brakes were terrible! It hunted badly on the overrun, I seem to recall there was a modification to the carb available, but I just kept the idle down to the bare minimum which improved it a little. Had the crank rebuilt at around 15,000 miles, but it was so easy to get it out and back again. Always started it on the stand with my right foot. It was a quirky but brilliant little bike. Thank you for jogging my memory guys!

Loved that video. New sub here. I had a TS125 Sport. Me and my mate went all over the country on it doing weekend rallies. Best bike I ever owned.

I had the successor: Saxon tour 251. It was produced after the Berlin wall came down and they were able to get their hands on western components. So, it had a plastic tank, Italian switches and instruments, disc brake on the front, which I upgraded with steel braided brake hoses then it would really bite, autolube and electronic ignition. I had that bike for 9 years and it was utterly reliable, fun to ride and would actually take corners rather quickly. Once I out-cornered a Ducati 916 on it. When I immigrated to Colombia in 2018 I looked on the ebay equivalent that we have here to see if I could get a MZ but they were never sold here. What a missed opportunity. There are millions of small capacity bikes here.

@cedriclynch

Жыл бұрын

What you can get in Colombia that is rather good is the Indian made Bajaj Pulsar.

@andyworsley3908

Жыл бұрын

@@cedriclynch I tried one but I couldn't get on with the all-up gear change. I had an AKT TTR200 (a Colombian brand - google it) for some years and this year I bought an Enfield Meteor 350.

@cedriclynch

Жыл бұрын

@@andyworsley3908 I think you will love that. Royal Enfield's sales in India are really booming. Till about 10 years ago they had a rather poor reputation for quality control and only a few enthusiasts were buying them, but now the quality is among the best.

Watched this when it first aired and chanced apon it again, was just as much a hoot as before. Well done to you all and for making our generation feel relevant 👌👏👍

Oh memories,,,,,done many miles on mine

Yes, brings back memories. I had a mz ts125 luxus brand new in 1983. Great bike 😊

I had two back in the day, a Supa5 whilst I was a university student. That got me from Peterborough to Leeds and back and even to Dundee from Leeds. I remember repairing an oil leak with blue-tack on that journey! Later I had an ETZ250 with the disc brake and also separate oil tank. Both were good bikes.

I rode an MZ125 from Croydon to Chester in 1977. My then current bike, BSA A65 1972, my daily rider. A pal needed to get the MZ home. I was not looking forward to the trip; slow, uncomfortable, poorly handling machine versus my Brit Big Banger. How wrong I was! To be fair there was not a chance of my trading-in the Beezer for a small Eastern bloc two stroke, but the MZ was a fine machine👍🏽 More MZ please, and maybe CZ...

@LemonDrizzleGang

Жыл бұрын

+Veritas Omnia Vincit I used to work in Croydon and grew up in Chester, we have access to an MZ150 and a Skorpion Just need some good weather

Great bikes and a cracking club in the uk with sections in most part of the UK!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Yes David, a fantastic, passionate and supportive owners club. Cheers Richard

Friend I went to school with had a CZ125. Of course I got to try it several times before I got my license in 74 and also my first bike, which was a 100cc Kawa and of course, a two-stroke. So that engine sound was lovely to hear, would like to have a go with something like that again just to see if all those golden memories had any tech substance to them. Propably not, but it was still a very fun time and I´m happy to have those memories. We sure put some miles on those bikes, all weathers were fine for riding in those days and jeans, leather jacket and helmet was all the riding gear needed. Those were the days...

I have a lot of time for the MZ, having passed my test on an ETZ 125 and then having an extended loan on an ETZ 251 for 6 months of commuting 70 miles a day, 5 days a week. Never missed a beat.

These used to be popular as a winter hack.Dozens of them used to be at every Dragon Rally. I also remember people shaking them at the road side in order to mix the oil with the fuel. I presume they are all worn out now.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

I think there's still quite a few ring ding ringing around, that's the beauty of them, they're so easy to keep going! Cheers Richard

Did 19,000m on mine in 10 months, including Ken Craven's first Mojacar Rally on the South coast of Spain

Sporadic is ok with me. It’s all about quality not quantity and you guys always deliver the former. Keep up the good work.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind comments, we do try, especially Mike who puts a lot of work into them on top of a busy job and family commitments. Cheers Richard 🙂👍

I loved my Supa 5; the only bike I ever bought new. I used it for touring commuting and despatching. When I moved on to a BMW R 60/7 the guy I bought it from had several MZ’s. He reckoned the only difference between these two German marques was the parts quality on the MZ was better.

I had a TS 250 , bought off a workmate for my then wife , but she preferred her CZ 175 , the TS was a revolution , guide smooth and full of quality apart from the 16 inch wheels ! Wish I still had it

Me and a load of mates had MZ250s. Used them as ride-to-works and essential as winter bikes, given that we all rode all year round - no cars. Great bikes. That rubber mounted engine was incredibly smooth at road speeds. The handling was excellent. Only thing was the front brake was poor. We used to fit Honda CB250K front twin leading shoe brakes, that cheered them up no end. Michelin M38 tyres worked well. The original carb was difficult to set up for tickover. I was given a Bing from a (I think) Maico 125 which fitted straight on and just transformed the bike. It ticked over like a clock and pickup was like a different engine entirely. I was briefly King amongst the MZ mates. Sadly the carb didn’t have a choke and as winter came in, I just couldn’t start it so back to the original. If I remember correctly my last MZ cost me all of £65.

Great machine and awesome ride🎉 2023's your year, man!

Still got a blue ts 250 in the garage, cured the front brake with a Kawasaki z 250 twin leading brake. One good thing you could rebuild the engine with a new big end main beatings crank seals. Rebore and new piston for the sum of 100.00 pounds

You really are a great group! Thanks!

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks👍 Richard

MZ are not only unique, they also have the advantage of making the rider ultra-intelligent and ravishingly magnetic to humans of the opposite breed !

@LemonDrizzleGang

Жыл бұрын

+brian gould Richard has to carry a cattle prod to keep the adoring fans at bay

Great video, great bike. I run a red 1980 TS250/1 S5. Have had more fun on that in the last few years than far more current machines. Keep up the good work on the channel.

@richardayton3556

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Richard 👍

A great group to stumble into! I was on Bikes 40 odd years ago- started on a 50 cc RM6 ( the horror cross of a Raleigh cycle and a Mobylette) - it was crushingly embarrassing to be seen on it but it was all I could afford. Moved on to Honda 50s , then 90s. In Ireland at the time ( mid 70s) the holy grail as far as I was concerned was the Honda 175 twin 4 stroke.Sadly I never got there but graduated (!?) to a 1965 Austin Mini with slidey windows and a Flintstone floor. Then 'responsibilities ' put paid to any motorcycle plans- that is until now. I've recently acquired a 1984 MZ etz250 and have rediscovered the thrill of repair and restoration .Working on Machines from this time - whether they be motorcycles, Cars or Outboard motors( British Seagull especially) is therapy for me .There isn't a silicon chip in this Bike, no MAF sensor, no EGR, no CPU or dwell angle sensor etc etc there's nothing with initials to frustrate you or ( God forbid) send you to a Main dealer. It IS therapy for the soul! The MZ is a magnificent machine in its own right, exceptionally well made, no plastic to speak of with parts readily available online. Only problem is that the secret is out- after years of being sniggered at they are becoming quite sought after.Life is full of irony!