MZ 250 2-stroke, oh my god I want it.

[Steam]

MZ 250 2-stroke, just look at this hideously ugly yet awesome engine. A block of ugly european 250 power!
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=87978063
I want it, but I'm saving for a 500cc dual purpose bike instead.

[unhingedlizard]

Agree that is cool

[skidMark]

MZ 250 2-stroke, just look at this hideously ugly yet awesome engine. A block of ugly european 250 power!
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=87978063
I want it, but I'm saving for a 500cc dual purpose bike instead.


mommy wheres the farings, and kawasaki stickers?

[Steam]

Designed and built in East Germany! How socialist geek sheik can you get??

[Mr. Peanut]

BWaaargghhh!!!... :puke:

*urp*

[Ixion]

I always loved those cuboid barrels. They sort of looked as though they cast them en masse, in many metre long lengths , and just chopped them off, like cutting steaks off a fillet. Ah, East European bikes, I miss my Jawa. (No, actually , I dont. Though it WAS awesomely noisy)

[xwhatsit]

I came across this photo of a MZ 250RS -- thought, cripes, that looks quite a bit like my CB250RS. Even the fairing looks like the standard CB250RSZ fairing. Same tank-into-seat-into-sidecovers look -- although that was a common Honda look of the time. It's got a stroker instead of my OHC mill, and I don't have as quite cute butt as the rider of this machine.

D'ye think it was a rip-off? Even the name is the same, after all.

[Motu]

Seeing as the Japanese motorcycle industry was kick started with Eastern European technology,I think a little bit of blatant theft is well in order....

[James Deuce]

Seeing as the Japanese motorcycle industry was kick started with Eastern European technology,I think a little bit of blatant theft is well in order....

Well Suzuki was anyway (gooo Ernst Degner!) which explains the build quality thing.

[Ixion]

I think the others inherited their two smoker tech from Degner via Suzuki. Though I was never sure about Bridgestone and Kawasaki, with their rotary valves. I dont think rotary valves were an East German thing (though I could be wrong) . If not, was the rotary valve two stroke a true Japanese dead end evolutionary tree?

[Motu]

The first Yamaha was a DKW clone,like the Bantam.Rotary valves were very much an MZ thing I think - the rotary valve square four Suzuki's were blatant copies,although the MZ was a twin..

[F5 Dave]

We have a kitten named Kaaden, short for Walter Kaaden of MZ. Ground breaking technology of the time.

Their roadbikes are about as desirable as a Skoda though.

Kawasaki first got their disc valve technology from a Japanese company they bought, though there was suspicion that later tech was procured from Bridgestone.

The Bridgestone 350GTR is on my list of most desirable classics. Pity they stopped making bikes, but that’s monopolys & politics for you.

[F5 Dave]

[quick search]ok get some learnin' in ya

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/article/view/bridgestone350gtr/

[HenryDorsetCase]

at a buy now of $1400 it seems cheap enough.

I really liked those MZ Skorpion singles that were around a few years ago.

[Motu]

The Kawasaki 250/350 twins were disc valve ,made for a hell of a wide motor.Are any post 1990 2 strokes disc valve?

[Ixion]

Can't think of any. Which is why I called it an evolutionary deadend. Pity cos it always seemd a good idea to me. Rotary inlet and "powervalve" exhaust - now there's a thought.

[Two Smoker]

That looks like Posh Tourers old bike (literally) It had a power band (just) was slow, and was very tempremental...

[Motu]

I always liked the idea too - being able to make assemtrical opening and closings.I've never had a rotary valve 2 stroke....but used to look after a fleet of GP100's.....I was always tempted to just,y'know....trim one a little bit eh?

But reed valves have taken over - they owe it all to the Iron Horse...

[Skunk]

MZ 250 2-stroke, just look at this hideously ugly yet awesome engine. A block of ugly european 250 power!
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=87978063
There's a dark green one up our way. Pass it on the way to work quite often. (yes, it's in the traffic, not on the roadside).

[Skunk]

Rotary inlet and "powervalve" exhaust - now there's a thought.
Didn't Kawasaki do that with one of their engines? I have two KH100's sitting under my bench... Maybe I could do something with one. Hmmm.

[Mr. Peanut]

Ixion, my bike's got powerjets. Bet you dont know what they do do ya?

[nudemetalz]

I always liked the idea too - being able to make assemtrical opening and closings.I've never had a rotary valve 2 stroke....but used to look after a fleet of GP100's.....I was always tempted to just,y'know....trim one a little bit eh?

But reed valves have taken over - they owe it all to the Iron Horse...

I used to race a GP100 bucket. By cutting away the rotary valve a little to adjust the inlet timing you could quite a good power increase.
But like what has been said here, you get a 28mm carb on plus a pod and she get's a little too wide.

[F5 Dave]

The Kawasaki 250/350 twins were disc valve ,made for a hell of a wide motor.Are any post 1990 2 strokes disc valve?

Why certainly sir.

In the mid 90s when everyone knew that reed valves were the only modern way forward Aprillia (& later Derbi as well I think) started making their GP bikes rotary valves & largely dominated the 250 & 125 classes for over a decade. Rotax had disc valve GP engines, but they were 1980, but did struggle on to almost 90.

Sadly no spin off into the street because blah blah blah tree huggers blah blah etc. Aprilia used the RGV engine in its RS250, pity, but probably a sound economic decision.

[nudemetalz]

Weren't Bridgestone squeezed out of bike manufacturing by the "Big Four" in a blackmail politics, ie we won't buy your tyres if you keep making bikes.
I'm sure I read that somewhere.

[F5 Dave]

Weren't Bridgestone squeezed out of bike manufacturing by the "Big Four" in a blackmail politics, ie we won't buy your tyres if you keep making bikes.
I'm sure I read that somewhere.


. . .that’s monopolys & politics for you.......................

[Motu]

Suzuki and Kawasaki made disc valve bikes,but I can't remember any from Yamaha....did they make any? But Yamaha were the first to put reed valves into production bikes.I bought a CT2,the 175 trail bike in 1972,the first year of the reed valves - it had a shit load more power than the TS185 which was it's competitor.Pity the Yamaha handled so bad,my brother had the Suzuki and I much prefered to ride that as it handled sweet.

[F5 Dave]

Yes they did, again all GP bikes. the last of the parallel fours were all piston port to get more power than the reed valves of the day. Then they went square four discvalve like Suzuki, this was Roberts & Crosbys stable fare circa 1981.

[nudemetalz]

(politics etc) ......................

Yeah, but I was being a little more precise.....


Suzuki and Kawasaki made disc valve bikes,but I can't remember any from Yamaha....did they make any?

My 1963 YG-1 has a disc (rotary) valve and it has a good spread of power for the little cc it has.

[Kickaha]

Madkeenandy will be racing one of those MZ 250 thingys in the BEARs "Sound of Thunder" meeting this weekend

If I had the money I'd have one of them

[F5 Dave]

Yeah, but I was being a little more precise......

Ok here goes,

on 14th December 1971 at a 4 o’clock press briefing Bridgestone announced that they were ceasing production of motorcycles to favour their tyre business. Soichiro Honda was clearly seen to have is right hand inserted up the shirt of Mr Nagawichi, Bridgestones spokesperson, and seemed to be performing a ventriloquist act. Later he drank a glass of water whilst Mr Nagawichi sang ‘Come on Eileen’ to rapturous applause, exceptionally impressive as it would be a full 10 years before Dexys Midnight Runners would release the song, but Bridgestone were considered ahead of their time.

What? Its true. .

[nudemetalz]

Errr....thanks for clearing that up for us, F5 Dave......

[Motu]

My 1963 YG-1 has a disc (rotary) valve and it has a good spread of power for the little cc it has.

Ah yes,I was thinking about those little cuties,but couldn't remember if they had a disc valve.

[nudemetalz]

From memory, they go as far as the YB-125 with disc valve, but the AT/DT series were all piston to reed valve induction as were the twins (including the 100/125's).

[F5 Dave]

Errr....thanks for clearing that up for us, F5 Dave......

No problem at all Nudie!

When I have the time I'll explain how slip valve engines are to make a comeback.

As I went for my walk a lunch I remembered YB100, friend had one. Almost bought one built as a bucket racer with a piston port barrel on it so was running 2 carbs. Dumb idea really but seemed cool at the time, never was very fast apparently.

[nudemetalz]

Anyway, we've all strayed a little from the MZ250 thread.

I've seen that green one as well on the motorway. You certainly wouldn't call it beautiful, but then again, ain't hideous.