Diemazz

MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH

Type	Subsidiary
Founded	1906
Founder(s)	Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen
Headquarters	Zschopau, Germany
Industry	Motorcycle
Parent	Hong Leong Group
Website	muz.de

MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH was a motorcycle manufacturer located in Zschopau,Germany. MZ an acronym, stands for Motorradwerk Zschopau (German for motorcycle factory at Zschopau) in the Erzgebirge region of Saxony. From 1992 to 1999 the company was called MuZ an acronym for Motorrad und Zweiradwerk (German for motorcycle and two-wheeler factory), latterly MZ stands for MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH .

History

• 1906 Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen (Denmark) bought an empty cloth factory in Zschopau
• 1917 invented the Dampfkraftwagen (German for steam-powered car) also known by its trademark DKW
• 1920 motor-assisted bicycle
• 1923 renamed in DKW
• 1927 started racing activities
• 1928 DKW takes over the Audi factory at Zwickau
• 1929 60000 motorcycles leave the Zschopau factory, and DKW is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world
• 1931 introduced DKW small cars
• 1932 The Auto Union was founded, created from Audi, Horch, Wanderer and DKW.
• 1939 developed the RT 125
• 1948 renamed in IFA (a state-owned enterprise in GDR)
• 1950 The Zschopau works begins production of the RT 125 model, developed before the war, under the trademark IFA (Industrieverwaltung Fahrzeugbau). This model became patent free after the war as part of war reparations ^[1]and was further developed in Britain (BSA Bantam), USA (Harley Davidson Hummer), Japan, Italian and West Germany.
• 1952 the BK350 appears, the first two stroke shaft drive.
• 1956 The works is now called VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau, or MZ for short.
• 1962 The ES 125 / ES 150 starts manufacturing. Up to the present day (2004) it is the most-built German motorcycle. It was also the first motorcycle with an asymmetric low beam headlight pattern.
• 1970 the millionth motorcycle rolls off the conveyor belt, an MZ ETS 250 Trophy Sport
• 1972 MZ takes over manufacturing of sidecars from Stoye.
• 1983 the 2-millionth motorcycle rolls off the conveyor belt, this time an MZ ETZ 250. With disk brakes and 12 volt electrics the MZ had reached the modern standard in motorcycle design.
• 1989 MZ ceases manufacture of sidecars.
• 1990 MZ is privatised, on 1991, 18 December.
• 1993 MZ goes under receivership, and the ETZ patent sold to the Turkish firm Kanuni which continued producing models 251 and 301. The MuZ company is formed from the rest.
• 1996 MuZ was bought by the Malaysian Corporation Hong Leong Group
• 1999 the u is finally dropped from the name MuZ.
• 2008 Production of all MZ motorcycles ceased in June. The MZ factory closed it's doors for the last time on 12th December 2008.

The Zschopau works was one of the oldest motorcycle factories in the world, producing motorcycles since 1922. The most well known models were the two-stroke 125/150 and 250 series, with the variants ES, ETS, TS und ETZ. MZ was one of the few producers that made motorcycles with sidecars, though prior to 1972 sidecars were manufactured by Stoye.

Sports

Activities started in 1927

Enduro

Winner of International Six Day Trial (a form of off-road motorcycle Olympics): 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1987.

Road Racing

• 1958 first wins in 125/250 cc and an over all second championship 250 cc
• The MZ two strokes, developed by engineer Walter Kaaden have influenced motorcycle racing for decades. His 1961 125cc race engine design was the first engine to achieve an output of 200BHP/litre^[1]. His revolutionary two stroke system was copied widely in the sixties by Japanese manufacturers. Yamaha and Suzuki two-stroke engines became competitive in motor sport only after they gained possession of MZ design secrets.

Sadly, the East-German government did not exactly support the international racing aspirations of MZ. The defection to the West of grand prix rider Ernst Degner, complete with a set of secrets, started the end of the glory years of Kaadens bikes.

• The Skorpion Sport 660 cc single got its own MuZ-cup racing series in several countries at the end of the nineties. It is famous for its precise handling. It's still a popular mount for clubracing and Supermono racing. Its withdrawal from the official factory program is much mourned by fans.

The Yamaha-based engine can be reliably tuned to 150% of its original performance. At that stage, it can become competitive in Supermono racing classes and in single and twin cylinder racing classes.

Notable models

MuZ Skorpion Tour 660 (1995)

MZ RT 125

• RT 125: 1939-1962 and 2000-today
• ES250 : Utilized a pressed steel body with Earles type front suspension.
• TS125/150 / 250 : Direct descendents of the RT125, and the last MZs to use "premix" fuel and a 6 volt electrical system.
• ETZ250 : the first road going MZ to include a disk front brake and automatic oil injection. There has been a special model ETZ250A which equipped the GDR's army and has been exported in several countries of the former east block.
• 500R : MZ's first four stroke motorcycle, essentially an ETZ251 with a Rotax 500cc engine fitted.
• Skorpion :The 500cc Rotax engine used on the Seymour-Powell designed prototype was replaced with a 660cc Yamaha water cooled engine on the production vehicle.
• 1000S : MZ's biggest bike, and their first "in-house" four stroke engine.

Final models

MZ manufactured a line of 125cc 4-stroke motorcycles using an engine that was designed in-house. The MZ 125 produces 15 brake horsepower (11 kW) and almost 10 lbf·ft (14 N·m) of torque. It is a liquid-cooled, dual-overhead-cam design with four valves, high-voltage electronic ignition and an 11.000 rpm ignition cut-off. This is officially the most powerful 125cc 4-stroke engine that has been mass-produced. This engine was used in four models, all of which share a common frame. The frame is a tube-steel backbone with the engine as a stressed bottom member. Differences in the suspension, fascia, gearing, and equipment make the four models relatively distinct, despite the shared platform. All four bikes feature a 6-speed transmission and dual disc brakes.

• The RT-125 is a mini naked sport bike.

• The 125-SM is a Supermotard style bike with taller street tuned suspension, tallish gearing, and reduced weight.

• The 125-SX features the same appearance as the SM but has a suspension tuned more for off-road use, enduro-style tires, and slightly lower gear ratios.

• The 125 FunX is a minimalist light-duty moto-cross bike.

All four 125s are capable of speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h), with the fastest being the RT and SM, both of which are capable of 75 mph (120 km/h) sustained speeds.

MZ also used a Yamaha-built 660cc single in the Baghira line of mid-displacement Enduro/DualPurpose/Motard bikes.

The last new MZ model was the 1000S which featured a novel 1000cc, DOHC parallel twin designed and built by MZ. The 1000S is a sport-tourer by design. The 1000S' unique engine is exceptionally compact for its displacement. The range includes a naked (unfaired) version and a full tourer with luggage, higher handlebars, and lower footpegs for comfort. Both of these are retuned, with less outright horsepower than the 'S', but with more torque.

In addition for the 1000S, MZ also produced the naked version of the 1000S, known as the 1000SF, and the sports touring version known as MZ1000ST. MZ also produces its own lines of scooters known as MZ Moskito, powered by 2-stroke 50cc engine.

Besides scooters, MZ also produced its own line of underbone motorcycles, targeted for Southeast Asian market. Their debut underbone model was the MZ Perintis 120, launched in 2002. The Perintis was succeeded by the MZ Mantizz series, launched in 2004 - which design is based on their flagship 1000S model. The Mantizz series have 2 displacement options - 125cc and 110cc. All MZ underbone models are powered by 4-stroke engines and are manufactured in MZ's Malaysian plant in Shah Alam.

MZ also competed in the European GP-500 class with race-only models, and built several scooter and ATV models ranging in displacement from 50 to 185cc, as well as the Charlie electric scooter, the fastest stand-up electric scooter produced.

On 9 June 2008, Motor Cycle News reported that MZ is to cease operations at the end of 2008 because the company's Malaysian backers withdrew their financial support after years of continuing losses.

On 12th December 2008 the MZ factory in Zschopau closed for the final time^[2], bringing an end to motorcycle production that had lasted for 88 years in the same town. The old 'East German' factory is now a night club, called MZWerk^[3].

External links

• The company website
• The MZ Riders club

References

Further reading

MZ - the racers by Jan Leek, 650 Publications, 1991, ISBN1-872982-01-8

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: MZ motorcycles

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