In sunny cornwall (minor plane content)

[jacksonracingcomau]

And got my first puncture with (new) tubeless tyre, small nail plainly visible
Rope thing took a few mins, no brainer compared to pulling tube
Am about 50 miles away now,




Can’t see it falling out but will patch inside before Italy trip next weekend, converting mate’s 750 sport duc too, no question about why, one puncture in a silly spot and I’m more sold on tubeless than ever.

Another mate has this in his workshop, doubt there are many of these in USA.?

[acogoff]

    I know there is a Messerschmitt car in Duluth, MN as it was featured on a news clip a while back.

[jacksonracingcomau]

But did you get any of these?
Saw it the other day, I had exactly this in 70’s

[acogoff]

     Looks like a CZ, but I never saw one of that particular model in person, only in pictures.

[fossil]

     Looks like a CZ, but I never saw one of that particular model in person, only in pictures.

It is not a CZ from Czechowslovakia but an MZ 250 Trophy from East Germany. Still not seldom in Germany.

[jacksonracingcomau]

Trophy sport as I remember, may have had isde written somewhere too, mz must have competed in isde back then.
We got a few here, surprising really cos cold war was at it’s height, doubt USA would have liked red imports then much as HD sales in soviets would not be popular.

But did you get 3 wheeler sachs 2 stroke Messerschmitts ?
I thought only uk had funny bobby dodger rules ( could be driven on bike license)

[Tusayan]

Trophy sport as I remember, may have had isde written somewhere too, mz must have competed in isde back then.
We got a few here, surprising really cos cold war was at it’s height, doubt USA would have liked red imports then much as HD sales in soviets would not be popular.

But did you get 3 wheeler sachs 2 stroke Messerschmitts ?
I thought only uk had funny bobby dodger rules ( could be driven on bike license)

MZ 250s were imported to the US in 1974 (possibly only that year) and for some time afterward IIRC they were advertised in the back of  motorcycle magazines, deeply discounted.  Like $300.  Also a few of the rare production ISDT bikes were sold in then US.  Of other east block brands, obviously Czech CZs were sold in the US too, it was their major market in the 1970s, selling dirt bikes.

I don’t recall Messerschmitt 3-wheelers having being sold up in the US, but I could be wrong.  Three wheelers did have the same situation with motorcycle licensing in US states, but these were just too small for US service.

[jacksonracingcomau]

Was really aiming  that at Fossil, wondered if Germans actually got their own 3 wheeler, also Isettas with 300cc bmw engines were everywhere when I was a kid here but think built for uk silly rules

[malik]

And those Gogomobiles. Still quite a few up Teesside when last there. Go-Go-Mo-bile is still pronounced with a Georgie accent, at least in my mind.

[jacksonracingcomau]

Geordie
Y I man
Blayden races
12th june 1864
But no one cares, good on ya mal

[Tusayan]

wondered if Germans actually got their own 3 wheeler, also Isettas with 300cc bmw engines were everywhere when I was a kid here but think built for uk silly rules

Yes, Messerschmitt three wheelers were sold in Germany.  Isettas were built in three and four wheeled versions.  The three wheeled versions were indeed popular in places like the UK where legal issues favored them.  Isettas were built in the UK and other places under license as well as in Germany.

[ozarquebus]

There used to be on here in Missouri backwoods in the 70s. We called it a Messerschmitt.

[Lannis]

MZ 250s were imported to the US in 1974 (possibly only that year) and for some time afterward IIRC they were advertised in the back of  motorcycle magazines, deeply discounted.  Like $300. 

I think that all of the MZs that were imported were in crates to individuals.   I don't believe that there were any actual dealers or distributors, although I could be wrong.

In that very year, a guy here in our community bought a dozen of them in crates for $295 each, assembled them, and was selling them for $350 ... this is when an RD250 was about $800, so it was tempting, but no go. 

I'd love to have one of those now.

Lannis

[Tusayan]

I think that all of the MZs that were imported were in crates to individuals.   I don't believe that there were any actual dealers or distributors, although I could be wrong.

In that very year, a guy here in our community bought a dozen of them in crates for $295 each, assembled them, and was selling them for $350 ... this is when an RD250 was about $800, so it was tempting, but no go. 

I'd love to have one of those now.

Lannis

1974 MZs were imported to the US by a distributor who was unsuccessful in selling them to dealers.  The distributor or a liquidator then sold them direct (in the crate) to consumers via small ads in the back of magazines.  These US bikes have some distinguishing characteristics like a chrome headlight.

Given the ultra low price and advertisements in magazines like Popular Mechanics, a lot of them were bought on a whim and barely ridden.  Occasionally one comes up for sale today with only a few total miles.  For example:

https://www.bike-urious.com/never-started-but-ending-soon-1974-mz-ts250/

https://www.mecum.com/lots/LJ0617-284074/1974-mz-ts250/

[Lannis]

1974 MZs were imported to the US by a distributor who was unsuccessful in selling them to dealers.  The distributor or a liquidator then sold them direct (in the crate) to consumers via small ads in the back of magazines.  These US bikes have some distinguishing characteristics like a chrome headlight.

You're right.   The full story is in the "Case Law" article here ....

https://casetext.com/case/geo-byers-sons-inc-v-east-europe-import-export

The first page gives a great summary of the issues with the importation, and why so many were left in crates.   Looks like a little over 1000 of them were actually brought into the country by the distributor that year, but that was "all she wrote" ....

Lannis

[Tusayan]

Very interesting details... it’s amazing how old records have made their way onto the internet.  I never knew of the 3 year delayed Federal compliance issue, only that I remember seeing small MZ adverts in the back of magazines as a kid.

Referencing the case law link, this was Robert Ross, principal of the MZ importer.  Must’ve been an interesting guy even if the 1974 MZ thing failed.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ross_(entrepreneur)

MZs are interesting, tough little bikes and one of the few communist era products that people in Germany preserve today.  A few years ago I visited Zschopau, the Z in MZ and the town where they (and before that pre-war NSUs) were made.  It was once a company town, like Mandello only with much higher production volume.  Nowadays the old factory buildings are mostly gone, but the residents are still aware of their history and you see MZs being ridden.  The old town castle has multiple floors dedicated to a nice MZ museum with factory race and enduro bikes as well as production bikes.

[Lannis]

MZs are interesting, tough little bikes and one of the few communist era products that people in Germany preserve today.  A few years ago I visited Zschopau, the Z in MZ and the town where they (and before that pre-war NSUs) were made.  It was once a company town, like Mandello only with much higher production volume.  Nowadays the old factory buildings are mostly gone, but the residents are still aware of their history and you see MZs being ridden.  The old town castle has multiple floors dedicated to a nice MZ museum with factory race and enduro bikes as well as production bikes.

I do know that when my son and I were touring on the Isle of Man on a pair of TS250s (during Manx GP race practice week so there were tons of Europeans there), any time we pulled up to a stop and there was a German around, he'd set down his beer stein and come running out to where we were pulled up, saying "M-Zed, M-Zed!", and regaling us with stories of his youth on an old MZ in the 60s or 70s or 80s, obviously good memories with a lot of respect for the bike.   It probably IS the only fond memory that people had of transportation behind the Iron Curtain ... !





Lannis

[Tusayan]

It probably IS the only fond memory that people had of transportation behind the Iron Curtain ... !

The other popular one in Germany is the Simson Schwalbe, because its got decent performance but was by virtue of it being a product of former DDR regs grandfathered into a current legal category that requires no motorcycle drivers license - which in Germany is a big deal.  https://www.thelocal.de/20171013/heres-a-little-known-east-german-vehicle-thats-amazing-in-more-ways-than-one