The MZ ETZ range rolled off the line at Zschopau between 1981 and 1991. The letters stand for Einheits-Typ Zschopau, a standardised type from Zschopau, and the bikes came in 125, 150, 250 and 300 cc — the last big two-stroke series the factory built.
MZ ETZ at a glance
| Maker | VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau, from 1990 Motorradwerk Zschopau GmbH |
|---|---|
| Production | 1981–1991 |
| Name | ETZ = Einheits-Typ Zschopau |
| Capacities | 125, 150, 250 and 300 cc |
| Engine | air-cooled two-stroke single |
| Front brake | single disc, standard on the 250 from 1984 |
| Electrics | 12 V, 180 W alternator |
| Lubrication | separate lubrication for export, mixture at home |
| Sidecar | available ex works, easily removable |
| Continued by | MuZ as Saxon models from 1992 |
| Successor abroad | MZ Kanuni in Istanbul |
Based on one source: the German Wikipedia article on the ETZ range.
History of the MZ ETZ
The ETZ models were made between 1981 and 1991. They were offered in 125, 150, 250 and 300 cc, though not all at the same time, and differed from each other in their chassis layout. What they shared was a character the factory was proud of: elastic two-stroke engines, a very good chassis and high economy, which made the range popular well beyond the GDR — in Britain among other places.
For the first time in the firm’s history a separate lubrication system was offered as standard for export markets, while machines for the home market still ran on premixed fuel. Other novelties were a single disc brake at the front and 12-volt electrics. As with most of the big MZ models, an ETZ could be ordered from the factory with a sidecar, which even an unskilled owner could remove with little effort, so the same machine served as an outfit or a solo.
After 1991 the successor company MuZ carried the range on, with 123, 243 and 291 cc and a cosmetic update that brought plastic bodywork and a plastic tank. The 123 cc models were sold as the Saxon Roadstar and Saxon Sportstar and stayed in production until 1994 and 1998 respectively. The 243 and 291 cc models were built at Zschopau until the whole two-stroke tooling was sold to Kuralkan of Turkey in 1994, and were marketed as the Saxon Tour and Saxon Fun.
In Istanbul the Classic, Tour and Fun variants were then made for a few more years, probably until 2001, under the name MZ Kanuni. The ETZ chassis also served one more project: as early as 1990 MZ decided to keep the proven running gear with only small changes and fit a 494 cc four-stroke Rotax engine, which produced the Saxon 500 R of 1991. The affection for the range lasted: in summer 2007 a poll by the broadcaster NDR chose the ETZ 250 as the most popular motorcycle of northern Germany, ahead of machines such as the Münch Mammut, Horex Regina, Honda Gold Wing and Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.
Design and features
- Elastic two-stroke: smooth, torquey engines that made the ETZ easy to live with and cheap to run.
- Modern equipment for the GDR: a front disc brake, 12-volt electrics and, for export, separate lubrication.
- Good chassis: a reputation for handling that carried the design into the Saxon models of the 1990s.
- Sidecar option: a factory outfit whose chair could be removed without special skills.
MZ ETZ versions
- ETZ 250, 251 and 301: the big models, built from 1981.
- ETZ 125 and 150: added in 1985 to replace the TS 125 and TS 150.
- Saxon Roadstar and Sportstar (123 cc): MuZ versions with plastic bodywork, built until 1994 and 1998.
- Saxon Tour and Fun (243 and 291 cc): built at Zschopau until 1994, then in Turkey as MZ Kanuni.
- Saxon 500 R: the ETZ chassis with a 494 cc Rotax four-stroke from 1991.
The ETZ replaced the MZ TS and MZ ES ranges; the 250 series has its own page, and the 125 and 150 models are described in the small ETZ article. More are in the MZ collection.
Video: Reviving an MZ ETZ 125/150, kick-start sound
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- MZ ETZ, German Wikipedia: production years, models, equipment, Saxon successors
.jpg){kind=link}
