The MZ 125 was the motorcycle with which the Zschopau works in Saxony restarted production after the Second World War. A further development of the pre-war DKW RT 125, it stayed in production under changing names from 1950 to 1965, and 324,561 machines of the IFA-DKW/IFA/MZ 125 series were built in that time.
MZ 125 at a glance
| Maker | IFA-Motorradwerk Zschopau, later VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau |
|---|---|
| Production | 1950–1965 |
| Series total | 324,561 machines |
| Based on | DKW RT 125 of 1940 |
| Engine | air-cooled two-stroke single, Schnürle reverse scavenging |
| Displacement | 123 cc, 52 × 58 mm |
| Power | 4.75 to 6.5 hp, depending on model |
| Gearbox | three or four speeds, foot shift |
| Top speed | 75–85 km/h |
| Frame | closed monotube |
| Fuel tank | 8 litres (RT 125/0), 12 litres (RT 125/1) |
| Electrics | 6-volt alternator |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the MZ 125, which covers the whole IFA-DKW/IFA/MZ 125 series of 1950–1965.
History of the MZ 125
The modern production facilities of the DKW main plant in Zschopau were dismantled after the war and taken to Moscow as reparations, where the M1A „Moskva“ was built as a copy of the DKW RT 125. By order of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany the plant was renamed IFA DKW from 1 July 1946. The first model made in Zschopau after the war was a further development of the 1940 RT 125, the IFA-DKW RT 125.
RT 125/0
The machine, later renamed RT 125/0 after the arrival of the RT 125/1, was first shown at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1949. Unlike the pre-war model and the first DKW RT 125 W built in Ingolstadt, it already had a telescopic fork, rear wheel suspension and quick-release axles. Its tank, with a recess for a tool compartment, held 8 litres. Test samples were made in 1949 in Wilischthal, a few kilometres from Zschopau; series production in Zschopau began in 1950, with only about 1,700 machines in the first year. From 1 October 1951 the name DKW could no longer be used, and the machine was offered as the IFA RT 125. It had been put into production without sufficient testing, which is why it still had defects such as an insufficiently durable chain, an immature telescopic fork and a clutch that tended to slip.
RT 125/1
In 1954 came the extensively developed IFA RT 125/1. The changes were not visible from outside: the engine received a redesigned cylinder and cylinder head, the connecting rod bearings of the IFA BK 350 and a new carburettor, and with engine speed raised to 5200 rpm its output rose to 5.5 hp. On the drive side the gearbox, clutch and hubs were improved, and above all the secondary chain was widened and enclosed in patented rubber „chain tubes“ with a chain case on the rear hub. The frame joints were no longer welded but socketed, soldered and reinforced, the wheelbase grew by 30 mm for the comfort of a pillion passenger, and a stronger kickstand was fitted. A new telescopic fork with 150 mm of travel, the rear suspension of the IFA BK 350 and a new saddle completed the chassis changes; the tank grew to 12 litres and the tool compartment was dropped.
MZ 125/2 and 125/3
In 1953 the factory was renamed VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau, and from 1956 all models were called MZ, so the abbreviation RT disappeared from the official name. The machine was now simply the 125/2, available in four colours – black, maroon, hammer-paint green and blue – with alloy rims and a chrome fuel tank. In 1958 full-hub brakes, derived from the then successful RT racing models, were introduced for better heat dissipation and braking, and the wheel guidance and spokes were improved. The final development of the motorcycle was the MZ 125/3.
Design and features
- DKW lineage: a further development of the pre-war RT 125 whose design had become free of protection.
- Modern chassis for 1949: telescopic fork, rear wheel suspension and quick-release axles.
- Enclosed chain: from 1954 the secondary chain ran in patented rubber tubes and a rear chain case.
- Practical tanks: 8 litres with a tool recess on the RT 125/0, 12 litres on the RT 125/1.
- Full-hub brakes: adopted in 1958 from the RT racing machines.
MZ 125 versions
- IFA-DKW RT 125 / RT 125/0 (1949–): the first post-war model, with telescopic fork and rear suspension.
- IFA RT 125 (from 1951): the same machine under the new factory name.
- IFA RT 125/1 (1954): 5.5 hp, enclosed chain, stronger frame and a 12-litre tank.
- MZ 125/2 (from 1956): four colours, alloy rims and a chrome tank.
- MZ 125/3: the final development of the series.
The 125 was the first post-war Zschopau model; the later two-stroke MZ ETZ and the four-stroke MZ Skorpion continue the story. More in the Muz collection.
Sources
- MZ 125, English Wikipedia: history, technical details, production figures
