Bucket list trip

[Chuck in Indiana]

You don't see many MZ's around any more.  I had an MZ Baghira for a few years.  (They called themselves MuZ then)  Fun bike, but when the U.S. distributor in Daytona threw in the towel, parts were hard to come by.

Yeah, it's a shame, for they were a fine motorcycle. I found this one in very poor condition, abandoned. Cheap. (Guzzi content) A company in England bought the spares, and some came from there. Fortunately, my friend LA Kevin was given one just like mine. He wanted the engine/transmission for spares for his Baghira, and asked me if Iwanted the rest. Does Raggedy Anne have cotton boobs? mine now has lots of parts from a 9K miles bike. It's a fine little canyon carver.. big Paioli forks, Yamaha race bike swing arm/monoshock, stiff chassis, etc.
It's er.. ok on a trip. We had a thread about "touring bikes" not too long ago. I said then, and still maintain that what you have will be a good touring bike.. so off we went. 

[benebob]

Near where Thelma and Louise met fate.  A bit warm though.  On a 55 day trip across country with my daughter.  My Tiger was the motorhome toad.  I did have to turn back on the trail as no one else was up that early and when I was sinking below the rear caliper I was a bit worried with tems expected in the 110 range for the day

[Tusayan]

I went to Zschopau a few years ago, the town where MZs were made.  Most of the original DKW/MZ factory that once dominated the landscape is gone but in the center of the town is the castle which now serves as a museum.  A couple of floors are related to the motorcycies and it's really a nice museum.  I was particularly interested in the 70s and 80s competition dirt bikes and of course the 1960s road racers, all competitive when the DDR was a very backwards place.  Pre-war, DKW was for a period the largest volume motorcycle producer in the world.

The MuZ name came about after the first bankruptcy but before the second and final. A new, smaller factory was built outside of town in that period and when I was there it still stood, but quietly.  You see many local people still riding MZs of all years.

[normzone]

Thank you Chuck - That's not the bike I stole the key to, is it?

That's a nice road report - I used to hitchhike up and down that coastal trail back when that was my preferred choice of travel - after that I came south out of SF with my first Guzzi in the back of a junker '64 Ford F100 - I tried to go up it on the Eldo in the early eighties but mudslides had claimed it, haven't been back since.

I'd feared it was all developed - not yet, apparently.

[kidsmoke]

this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.

[wirespokes]

this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.

Ah hah! You must be one of the Aussie/NZ contingent! It's Sunday here in the states.

[twowheeladdict]

I did 33 on this bike.



Would love to get back there with the V7!

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thank you Chuck - That's not the bike I stole the key to, is it?

That's a nice road report - I used to hitchhike up and down that coastal trail back when that was my preferred choice of travel - after that I came south out of SF with my first Guzzi in the back of a junker '64 Ford F100 - I tried to go up it on the Eldo in the early eighties but mudslides had claimed it, haven't been back since.

I'd feared it was all developed - not yet, apparently.

Well yes, Norman.. yes it is.  That was my first trip of any distance with the MZ. No worries about it being devoloped.. you will see the "occasional" house cantilevered out off the cliff face  but I would imagine any structure like that is short lived.. for sure, *I* wouldn't want to be there in a storm. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.

Hiya Kip! We'll be back home in Indiana (wrote a song about it) and share the dreary with you tomorrow.