General Comments:

I bought this one on a whim: from one of those written-on-a-postcard, pre-internet adverts in Tesco.

It was being sold by an elderly gent from close by Colne. Buy locally, sell nationwide is how I like to do things.

He'd carried out one of the finest restoration jobs I've ever seen. And with 45 years as a motor mechanic, I've done a few and seen many more. Finish was literally flawless. One of my best ever is a 2CV Charleston and this little MZ knocked off the automotive equivalent of its socks; whatever that might be? Answers on a postcard.

Utterly perfect, but in a non-standard colour, or so I'd thought. It later panned out that was original too. Orange/Chrome, a pre ETZ Supa 5 1978, 21bhp @5800rpm! Which, with a higher-tech Yamaha DT250 MX with reed-valve, more ports and semblance of a proper tuned expansion chamber, putting out around 23bhp @6,800 is good in my books.

The MZ story is well known, so I won't bore you (Google 'Ernst Degner MZ' & research his work for Suzuki and their GP bikes), but they played a huge part in the development of the modern two-stroke. If only they'd have made one with water-cooled engine, rotary valve induction, fuel injection, welded alloy monocoque frame and put some brakes on it: huge drum brakes, they'd have sold one to me, at least...

There were also a few yellow ones too. The UK were limited to Blue, Red (possibly) or Black (the most common colour here in Lancashire). £499 brand new if bought from a small dealer who was stuck with one. I wish I'd have bought one new in 1981, rather than the dreadful Gilera TG1 (sic) I opted for. I feel another review coming on.

Anyway back to my MZ.

He ripped me off...

He messed up the crankshaft rebuild, losing faith, he added tons of two-stoke oil to disguise this fact and got rid.

It eventually sold - nobody wanted this stuff 40 years ago - sold to some gullible idiot: Me.

A short ride the next day and it seized. Solid.

Luckily I was only going 25mph and a complete used bottom end was only £25. A mint MZ for just £135.

After passing the MOT test, I commuted to my job on it without memorable failure, every day for months. Went camping at weekends and did all the shopping and rode to the visits to where young people once went to.

A fun bike, sound build with some really well made parts, too!

Oh, it did break down on the M65 two miles from the exit. I ran with that bike and got off that road in less than fifteen minutes flat. So broke, the potential hassle from the Police and Court fine for 'Running with Machine' would've been financial doom.

By the way, they have an amazing rubber enclosed chain which meant the final drive assy' lasts forever!

Performance was good, but the lurching caused by the joke 'Jikov' carburettor (Suzuki TS250 Mikuni one fits & cures this malady) and quite poor handling/tyres 'Pneumant' spoilt a good bike. Needed a few hundred in upgraded bits to make a winner!

My next door's son had one. He said it isn't a 'motorcycle' it's a JOKE.

*I nearly forgot to mention 'THE BRAKE' yes, the one on the front. Only BSA made better ones. Better at making sure any foreseeable warranty claim never came to be, with most riders never risking going any more than 30mph, the engine was never doing enough work to actually break anything. A brand new bike could be pushed along with ease - lever being squeezed for you by Mr T - the thing doesn't even look like an actual stopping device, with everything hidden behind the shiny dinner plate, was and is truly pathetic*

Swapping a twin-leading shoe one from a larger Honda was a common magazine article. They made it seem difficult with complex instructions; the reality was it could be done - steady pace - over a quiet weekend.

A overlong downhill run without blipping the gas saw another seizure/long push home. Wholly my fault, riding tired, I simply forgot I was riding an ancient premix two-stroke. No fuel = no engine oil. The three mile long coasting ruined another formerly good big-end bearing and I too lost The Faith.

Sold it instantly to a dealer for £150.

Overvalued nowadays, but with a loaf costing £1.68, so's everything else!

FINALLY:

Anyone visiting here a 'Bike Life' type of rider?

That is those lads & lasses as well as them-types too, street riding on pukka motocross/enduro bikes, riding without reg' plates or any other legal stuff?

I'd love to hear your stories, even though you'll eventually get motorcycles banned in the Western world. People used to pay to see Dave Taylor pull wheelies on his Yamaha TY250 like you lot can.