Yes cheap. Old fashioned. But a proven design dating back to prewar DKW. Actually really innovative in GP racing and Enduro, until Suzuki stole the technology. But I'm a Honda man really. I loved the XL range. I could never afford one back then. 👍👍
My first bike was a 1986 ts125, also the only brand new vehicle I have ever owned. The thing was wonderful, apart from the odd spark plug and my hamfisted attempts at maintenance it was faultless for three years. Owned various others through the years, ts250, etz251 and a saxon countryman rotax 500, all good bikes.
6V electrics are fine if cleaned, the 60w generator is capable and reliable, 2t's idle fine when properly adjusted, i've never shaken my tanks after filling up. Nice bike! Sounds great! recently got one myself as a project. But, still have my ES250/2, etz250 and etz251.
Commuted long distance on MZs for years. It was what one did. The front drum brake wasn't up to much, and owners swapped that and the main bearing for Honda units. That apart, they were pretty reliable. The 250s were probably second only to the CX500 as a London courier mount, which says a lot. Also handling was excellent for the era, much better than a typical Japanese bike.
Definitely under-rated. Probably due to styling and ‘communist’ origin during Cold War. The engineering, use of aluminium etc. was deceptively well done, for the price. I have to admit I appreciate it more now than I did, when I bought it as a skint youngster, 40 years ago. 👍👍
Hi interesting video takes me back years ago when I steered riding bikes on the road I was use to 2 strokes through mx bikes I started my road riding in 1977 at 17 yrs old with a dt 175 Yamaha great little bike Japanese bikes as today are so reliable aren’t they but nice to see these old bikes still on the road today I’ve got a 1987 Honda cruiser so only 3 yrs to go and will be mot exempt I expect you’ll be doing a round the world trip on the max now 😂😂 take care ride safe
Yes it's a taste of a totally different world. No internet. No PCP. I hit the road in 79. I had all the brochures for Yamaha Enduro range, but ended up on a series of bikes out of the local paper for whatever cash I could scrape together. Somehow this one survived. Thanks for watching 👍
That seemed/looked like quite a lot of oil. I use 50:1 in my ETZ 250 which is 100ml for every 5 litres. Maybe it’s the camera not showing scale but that looked like a lot more than 100ml. What ratio does the fuel cap measure provide?
From memory the internal cap holds 90ml at the line for UK market. Which is 50:1 near as can be for a UK gallon of fuel, we didn’t have litres back then in UK market. I ran it right through the 80s daily ride like that. The manual is very clear that 50:1 is the perfect amount, any more will make no difference, in didactic East German (translation) fashion. Like many MZ ideas it is very practical to have that built into the cap. Ensures no short measures from inept forecourt dispensers. 👍
Bike looks like it's running great, running in is a right pain but well worth it :) To cancel the indicator I just use my right thumb however I may have an abnormally long one heavens knows.
It's survived this long. It'll outlive me. I never got the hang of the indicators on that side, after 1000s of miles. But, as you say, we find a way. 👍
I remember these from the seventies and eighties. They looked old then. After watching this video, it makes my 80’s Honda XL125 look space age 😆
Yes cheap. Old fashioned. But a proven design dating back to prewar DKW. Actually really innovative in GP racing and Enduro, until Suzuki stole the technology. But I'm a Honda man really. I loved the XL range. I could never afford one back then. 👍👍
My first bike was a 1986 ts125, also the only brand new vehicle I have ever owned.
The thing was wonderful, apart from the odd spark plug and my hamfisted attempts at maintenance it was faultless for three years.
Owned various others through the years, ts250, etz251 and a saxon countryman rotax 500, all good bikes.
Definitely under-rated in their day. I appreciate it more now than I did back then. 👍
Brilliant, this is so nice to see. I look forward to Eliot`s summer outings👌Got the horn, ha ha. Cue Beethoven`s Moonlight Sonata👌💪.
Yeah he's got it. He's got the horn alright! 🤣💪👌❤🎹🎹🎹
6V electrics are fine if cleaned, the 60w generator is capable and reliable, 2t's idle fine when properly adjusted, i've never shaken my tanks after filling up. Nice bike! Sounds great! recently got one myself as a project. But, still have my ES250/2, etz250 and etz251.
I’ve had the bike 40 years, made only minor changes. It is what it is, and all the better for it. 👍
Commuted long distance on MZs for years. It was what one did. The front drum brake wasn't up to much, and owners swapped that and the main bearing for Honda units. That apart, they were pretty reliable. The 250s were probably second only to the CX500 as a London courier mount, which says a lot. Also handling was excellent for the era, much better than a typical Japanese bike.
Definitely under-rated. Probably due to styling and ‘communist’ origin during Cold War. The engineering, use of aluminium etc. was deceptively well done, for the price. I have to admit I appreciate it more now than I did, when I bought it as a skint youngster, 40 years ago. 👍👍
Hi interesting video takes me back years ago when I steered riding bikes on the road I was use to 2 strokes through mx bikes I started my road riding in 1977 at 17 yrs old with a dt 175 Yamaha great little bike Japanese bikes as today are so reliable aren’t they but nice to see these old bikes still on the road today I’ve got a 1987 Honda cruiser so only 3 yrs to go and will be mot exempt I expect you’ll be doing a round the world trip on the max now 😂😂 take care ride safe
Yes it's a taste of a totally different world. No internet. No PCP. I hit the road in 79. I had all the brochures for Yamaha Enduro range, but ended up on a series of bikes out of the local paper for whatever cash I could scrape together. Somehow this one survived. Thanks for watching 👍
Congratulations 🎉well done ❤
Thank you! ❤❤
That seemed/looked like quite a lot of oil. I use 50:1 in my ETZ 250 which is 100ml for every 5 litres. Maybe it’s the camera not showing scale but that looked like a lot more than 100ml. What ratio does the fuel cap measure provide?
From memory the internal cap holds 90ml at the line for UK market. Which is 50:1 near as can be for a UK gallon of fuel, we didn’t have litres back then in UK market. I ran it right through the 80s daily ride like that. The manual is very clear that 50:1 is the perfect amount, any more will make no difference, in didactic East German (translation) fashion. Like many MZ ideas it is very practical to have that built into the cap. Ensures no short measures from inept forecourt dispensers. 👍
@@CodgerBiker Thanks for the reply, that’s interesting and reassuring!!
No problem. I just watched it back and I agree, the camera angle makes it look huge! 🙂👍
Bike looks like it's running great, running in is a right pain but well worth it :) To cancel the indicator I just use my right thumb however I may have an abnormally long one heavens knows.
It's survived this long. It'll outlive me. I never got the hang of the indicators on that side, after 1000s of miles. But, as you say, we find a way. 👍
Just applied for historc status on mine too 😁
Good luck. It's a crazy system but we should use it while we can. 👍👍