Can't get to the picture(s)

 

Yeah, seems photobucket is a little disappointing...what is the best way to post photo links here? I did make the album public, but I thought it was already...

 

I am in now. on the left top of each picture you will see 3 lines. Put your mouse there and it will open a menu. Select share links, then image. Copy that code and paste it here. Like this:



Okay went back and looked at the rest of the pictures. Finished product looks very nice. A lot of work went into it. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Cool, thanks! Let me try this again...

 

 

Yeap, looking great

 

MZ

Some MZ info.

Before WW2 the DKW factory was based in Zschopau. After the war it was in East Germany. DKW relocated to the West but its old factory continued to produce motorcycles to original DKW designs, using after 1956 the title MZ
( Motorrad Zschopau )
Chief designer for MZ was Walter Kaaden a brilliant engineer. He developed a 125 engine capable of making 200 hp per liter. He likely was the first to invent an expansion chamber.They made race bikes for the 125 and 250 classes of road racing.
A sporting two stroke version of the trophy model was introduced in 1969. The ETS250. An 18 inch front wheel replaced the 16 inch. A 22 liter tank was used as well as the distinctive long muffler and enclosed chain.

The photos look like this bike, but a new model was introduced in 1973.

The above courtesy of The Encyclopedia of Motorcycles by Hugh Wilson.

Unkle Crusty*

 

Thanks, Unkle Do you know if there are any MZ enthusiast groups in the US? All I can find is a racing club in Cuba. I know these are not the most popular or valuable of motorcycles, but this had sentimental value to me. I have to admire the simplicity of the design: Almost every bolt is either a 13 or 10 mm. A top end rebuild can be done without removing the engine, and again, with only a 10 and 13 mm socket. There are no domestic parts sources, as far as I can tell, but in Europe, MZ parts are relatively plentiful. I am trying to get another, almost had a blue 150, but the guy had already sold it.

 

MZ

I do not know about the US. I knew about the race bikes. My father, born 1911 in London, was a road race fan, and gave me the scoop on the riders and bikes. NSU, Gilera and so on.
There are some MZ in NZ, where I lived from 48 to 68. Many in Cuba, and many 250 and 400cc Jawa. They make a lot of their own parts to keep them running. I was in Cuba in early 014.

Unkle Crusty*

 

I thought the black bike in the photobucket was the one you restored... after reading the post, then wondering why a guy would rebuild a motorbike in the living room, I would way that for an amature, you appear to have done a great job on making an enjoyable and probably ridable two wheeler!
restoration is a thing not best attempted by amatures...trust me, it takes alot more than a few thousand to redo something to completeness.I(and even after you are finished you realize there are idiots out there who have a complete original that they won't even touch without wearing kit gloves.) great work, what a job. hope it gets you laid.

 

Thanks! Sadly, it hasn't gotten me laid. I would like to explain that the room is not actually a living room, it is a room that used to be the garage, and I am remodeling it to be a den/bar/lounge. I stopped that work for the winter, and since the floors are still concrete and the real garage is right through the door, what an ideal opportunity to work on it in comfort and convenience. I did do all the stripping and painting in the garage, however. The little black bike is next, and since I STILL haven't finished the floors, it may be a "living room" restoration as well

 

Oh, and she is rideable. Got over 60 miles on her now, and have been over 60 mph, which is about as much as can be expected from such a bike. Unfortunately, a defective tube has her laid up on one wheel, but that should be remedied shortly. Starts on half choke on the second kick every time. One important note in the unlikely chance that somebody else is trying to revive one of these: If it's been sitting for a few years, just ditch the old BVF carb, it's worthless and not really rebuildable, though they do sell kits. I got a Mikuni VM30-83, had to grind just a bit off the inside of the inlet and jet it to 170/47.5, and the air hose was a stretch, but it fit and the stock clamp worked fine. Just be sure that the output side of the carb goes into the intake pipe PAST the pinch bolt slots, or it will diesel and you will be in deep doo-doo. It looks very stock, works great, and only a rare MZ purist will know the difference. Also, I upgraded to a powerdynamo 12v ignition, but hid the aftermarket coil in the battery box and routed the plug cable through the old coil to maintain stock 6v appearance.

 

That's a killer job you did. Man, if my first project comes out half as nice I'll be happy.

 

Final update on this: Since the bike had been garaged for 30+ years, and my Grandfather passed 22 years ago, I had no title or registration for it. Some states are friendly about this, Ohio is NOT one of them. In short, getting one requires one visit to the title bureau, one to the license bureau, and three to the courthouse. Also costs at least $300, with no guarantee of winning your case. I began the process about 7 months ago, and was due in court tomorrow morning to plead my case before a judge. Basically, you have to file a case against the clerk of courts, and they have more lawyers than me. But today, I got a call from the prosecutor's office to inform me that, after looking at my case, they have decided to forego the hearing and issue me a title! There will be much celebrating this evening, and all I have left now is to decide on a vanity plate: I'm thinking "MINE" or "BENSMZ"

 

That's insane! What a waste of everyone's time (by the state of OH) for a stupid antique title!

NH is one of the really easy states. I just have to have a form filled out by the local PD, then head to the town hall. Easy.

Glad you got it done, and really nice work~!

 

Thanks, it's been quite a ride (pun intended). I'll never buy a non-titled bike again, unless I move to NH.

I learned quite a bit of MZ history while working on this, and it's quite fascinating. To add to Uncle Krusty's bit: MZ's best rider was a guy named Ernst Denger, who was also an engineer. He was covertly courted by Suzuki, who convinced him to defect to the west and race for them. Whenever the MZ team raced abroad, Denger's family was forced to stay in East Germany to make sure Denger wouldn't try to run off, so he actually arranged to have his children drugged and slipped over the border by some diplomat in a large car with a secret compartment built in. Once this was done, he (allegedly) packed up a disassembled MZ engine and some blue prints, and escaped to japan the night after a race in Sweden. The next year, Suzuki did very well with a bike that looked quite a bit like an MZ, and with Kaaden's expansion chamber exhaust...

 

:thumbsup:Fine job on that MZ, I also have a '74 two stroke project to start.

 

Great Job!! Looks like a lot of fun!!