The MZ etz 250

BLIGHTYBRIT/SF

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Came across this cute simple bike
The MZ etz 250
The MZ etz 250
The MZ etz 250
today at cafe stop in Kent , just dawned on me how straightforward it was , check out that chain guard , & u can remove the rear wheel without disturbing the chain & sprocket , 31 years old & a great commuter bike
 
People slag them off Rich...

But back in the day...

When they were put together as the designers intended...

When they were looked after properly and maintained as they should be...

When they were cherished and pampered...

They were bloody awful...!!
 
There used to be an NZ event called the Southern Cross Rally - you had to sign in at each of East Cape, Cape Egmont, Cape Reinga and Bluff between midday and 1.00pm on set days. For us, including getting home again, this meant a 10 day trip of 6000km, with up to 800km on a day. And there was one masochist on an MZ!! Each time we stopped for a coffee or bun you would eventually here a distant zzzzzzz and then a closer ZZZZZZZZ and past he would go. Yes he made it.
 
Came across this cute simple bike View attachment 17661View attachment 17662View attachment 17663today at cafe stop in Kent , just dawned on me how straightforward it was , check out that chain guard , & u can remove the rear wheel without disturbing the chain & sprocket , 31 years old & a great commuter bike
Folks knock MZ's but they are very respectable bikes, and not to be confused with CZ, Jawa or the Russian offerings. Top quality castings, rubber mounted engine, fully enclosed chain with (as you say) drop out wheel, very good handling, decent brakes (on the disc equipped models), good lights, good economy. The styling is an acquired taste, but if you can get hold of one of the last East German MuZ Saxon versions (designed in the U.K.) they are even better.

Cheers,

cliffa.
 
Well, talking of Eastern Europes finest, I recently discovered this in dense jungle (Oxford jungle that is).
But before you get too excited, the location will remain a closely guarded secret until such times as values reach Bruff Sup levels, it will then be revealed to the astonished world in a Bonhams catalogue...

60D539E5-F78B-4E23-93D1-882439889F15.jpeg



71C98CBB-6227-4AD4-879B-AA01E267FEB2.jpeg
 
Well, talking of Eastern Europes finest, I recently discovered this in dense jungle (Oxford jungle that is).
But before you get too excited, the location will remain a closely guarded secret until such times as values reach Bruff Sup levels, it will then be revealed to the astonished world in a Bonhams catalogue...

View attachment 17980


View attachment 17981

Given what we've seen over the last few years with "barn finds" I wouldn't joke about it. I reckon you'd get more money from taking one of the unused Mk3's we see by burying it in a field and "finding" it in 10 years.
 
Supa 5 (predecessor to the ETZ) is actually a better bike imo, but both very good. My brother collects them and the design integrity shows (world leaders in two stroke technology prior to defections to Suzuki!) I still find it incredible that even now, nobody else (apart from the Norton Commander!) has copied their fully enclosed chaincase and punters are willing to put up with chain lube over the rear wheel, it's like something out of the 1920s
 
Supa 5 (predecessor to the ETZ) is actually a better bike imo, but both very good. My brother collects them and the design integrity shows (world leaders in two stroke technology prior to defections to Suzuki!) I still find it incredible that even now, nobody else (apart from the Norton Commander!) has copied their fully enclosed chaincase and punters are willing to put up with chain lube over the rear wheel, it's like something out of the 1920s
Agreed, the Supa 5 was probably the best engine, as I think they shifted the powerband up on the ETZ. The front brake on the Supa 5 was a little on the feeble side though.

Actually the Yamaha TR1 (XV920 in the U.S.) had pretty much the same chain enclosure. Brilliant!! The Norton Classic and IP2 also had that setup.

If your brother has a Supa 5 for sale (or an ETZ) I'd be interested ;)

I made this a few years ago, as I couldn't afford a GS250. It started with a pair of braced handlebars believe it or not. The thick black paint (or it could have been powder coat) was all flaking off, and I started to strip it off and and they were sound. This was the culmination..

TZ125 expansion chamber, YZR forks, and XT500 front brake, and loads of other mods which I forget now..
20200503_164152[1].jpg
 
Similar, but a lot quieter as the chain runs it rubber guides so you don't get all those grinding and clanking noises you get with a tin case.

Horses for course... a Norton owner would be unlikely to hear such chaincase related grinding and clanking noises over the standard issue grinding and clanking noises ;)
 
I think a bit more respect is due to the East European marques.
In addition to the MZ GP racers...
CZ and MZ dominated the ISDT during the 1950s and 60s.
Motocross legends Dave Bickers, Joel Robert and Roger De Coster all rode CZs.
Oh and Jawa weren't bad at speedway engines.
A wider perspective is perhaps required imho.
And I owned and rode a CZ175 when hard up - I was young, married with children and the CZ kept me on a bike in hard times.
Andy
 
The picture from cliffa of PW riding the water cooled MZ remi ds me that in the early 1960s Mike Hailwood also raced one a couple of times, and also that they fitted a Norton forks - not a copy but Norton. Sorry, I can't post images.
 
Well, there didn’t seem to be much correlation between the glamour of the 60s racing days with the bikes my mates battled with in the 80s...

Two mates bought brand new CZs. Their rate of decline was astonishing, IIRC one got given away as a field bike and the other was scrapped, both by their original owners !

Maybe ‘enthusiasts’ wudda / cudda maintained them properly and prevented such decline, but not so the skint, ignorant yoof of the day !
 
I think I'm contributing to this thread from a very different perspective to some.

I start from recognising that MZ in particular, led the world in 2-stroke technology before Ernst Degner's defection and passing secrets to Suzuki et al.
These folks look to have a lot of fun racing MZs https://bmzrc.net/ (This is probably the modern equivalent of Bantam and Tiger Cub racing I watched at Snetterton in my youth. Good entry-level racing and long may it continue.)

Having actually owned and ridden a CZ175, I'm neither a fan nor enthusiast. It's just that from my perspective it wasn't a bad bike. It wasn't a great bike either.
They are a very simple design with minimal maintenance required. I had previously owned larger Brit bikes - Triumph Trophy 650, Bonneville 750.
The CZ wouldn't stand anything like as much hard use as the equivalent Japanese bike I would think. But treated with respect for its simplicity - i.e. not thrashed - it can be made to give good service. Bought mine secondhand in around 1980 and finally disposed of it in 1998.
I used to commute 8 miles into Exeter (and back!) on it all year round and made one epic trip from Devon to North Wales (best man at a mate's wedding) on to Warrington to visit friends and back to Devon - not exactly 'Ewan & Charley' but a good trip. No problems.

I have always approached motorcycling from a Zen based viewpoint - I certainly now have a Buddha-like body - with any bike ride being a good experience.
I guess the mileage of others does vary.

Ride on
Andy
 
I did an RAC / ACU course in 1974, CZs were their training bikes. push the gearlever in to kickstart it, then take your foot off and it flies up and over and into first gear and stalls the engine, so time to do it again.

One of the instructors had an 850 Commando and the other had a (bright red) A75R. At the end of our escorted road ride they would let rip on the way back to the base. Very impressive.. I got the Norton, and still lust after an A75.
 
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