The MZ TS range was built at Zschopau between 1973 and 1985, in 125, 150 and 250 cc. No other MZ type was produced in such large annual numbers, and the TS 250 introduced an engine mounting taken from the factory’s off-road machines.
MZ TS at a glance
| Maker | VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau |
|---|---|
| Production | 1973–1985 |
| Name | TS = Teleskopgabel, Schwinge |
| Capacities | 125, 150 and 250 cc |
| Engine | air-cooled two-stroke single |
| Small models | developed from the ETS 125/150 |
| TS 250 frame | parallel-tube bridge frame |
| TS 250 engine | elastically mounted |
| Sidecar | available ex works and easily removable |
| Output | the highest annual output of any MZ type |
Based on one source: the German Wikipedia article on the TS range.
History of the MZ TS
The TS models ran off the line at VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau between 1973 and 1985. The letters stand for Teleskopgabel, Schwinge — telescopic fork, swingarm. The models differed from one another in their chassis layout and were partly built at the same time, and they were offered as two-strokes in 125, 150 and 250 cc.
The small models differed from their predecessor, the ETS 125/150, only in small details: engine, drive, rear swingarm and various other parts were identical, and the frame was slightly modified. The TS 250, by contrast, was a new design with a notable feature for its time: the engine was not carried in a loop frame but mounted elastically in a parallel-tube bridge frame borrowed from the off-road competition models.
No other MZ type was produced in such high annual numbers as the TS. As with most of the big MZ motorcycles, it could be ordered from the factory with a sidecar, which even a technically unskilled owner could remove with little effort, so the machine could be used as an outfit or solo. During the long production run the range was steadily updated with technical and cosmetic changes.
The TS was replaced from 1981 by the ETZ range, whose 250 model took over the bridge-frame principle and developed the engine of the TS 250 further.
Design and features
- Bridge frame on the 250: a parallel-tube design from the off-road models instead of a conventional loop frame.
- Elastic engine mounting: the TS 250’s engine was hung in the frame on rubber to cut vibration.
- Proven small models: the 125 and 150 differed only slightly from the ETS they replaced, keeping proven engines and drive.
- Mass production: the highest annual output of any MZ type, which made the TS the everyday motorcycle of the GDR.
MZ TS versions
- TS 125 and TS 150: the small models, developed from the ETS 125/150.
- TS 250: the new design with the parallel-tube bridge frame and elastic engine mounting.
- Sidecar outfits: factory-supplied combinations whose chair could be removed easily.
- Updated models: the steady programme of technical and cosmetic changes during production.
The TS followed the MZ ES range and was replaced by the ETZ, whose 250 is described on its own page. More are in the MZ collection.
Sources
- MZ TS, German Wikipedia: production years, capacities, frame, sidecar
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