The Delta, model code RMZ 2.124, was the mokick that opened a new stage for the Riga mopeds when it appeared in 1986. It had a completely new frame, a fuel tank carrying only the word “Delta” and the V-50 family of engines, and it was offered in Sport, Tourist, Lux and Cross versions.
Delta at a glance
| Maker | Riga Motor Factory “Sarkanā zvaigzne”, Riga, Latvian SSR |
|---|---|
| Model code | RMZ 2.124 |
| Production | from 1986 |
| Engines | V-50, V-501, V-50M, V-501M |
| Gearbox | three-speed |
| Versions | Sport, Tourist, Lux, Cross |
| Price in 1989 | 275 rubles with the V-50, 280 rubles with the V-501 |
| Options | mirror for 5 rubles, luggage basket for 15 rubles |
| Headlamp | round black to 1988, large square 1988–1992, small square afterwards |
| Paint, 1986–1989 | red, brown, light blue, green |
| Paint, later | red, light blue, beige, white, red-and-white |
| Special batch | cast wheels and a Polish Dezamet three-speed engine |
The Delta has no article of its own: it is described in one section of the Russian Wikipedia article on the Riga mopeds, with some details from the English article on the same subject. Based on one source.
History of the Delta
A new start in 1986
By the mid-1980s the quality of the Riga mopeds had been deteriorating and their engines were giving trouble, so a new model was clearly needed. The answer was the Delta, introduced in 1986. Its frame was completely changed, the engine in no way resembled the previous unit, and the new fuel tank carried only the word “Delta”. The front and rear lamps and the ignition were new as well, and the mokick had a three-speed gearbox.
Trim changes through the years
From 1986 to 1989 the Deltas were fitted with the V-50 and V-501 motors. In that period the handle of the luggage rack was chromed, the knobs on the lids of the glove compartments were chromed metal, and the headlamp was round and black with a chrome rim; the mopeds were painted red, brown, light blue or green. From 1990 to 1996 the rack was painted in the colour of the machine and the knobs became black plastic. A large square headlamp was used from 1988 to 1992, and from 1992 to the end of production the mokicks received a small square lamp. Later machines used the V-50M and V-501M motors and came in red, light blue, beige, white or a red-and-white combination.
Price and small extras
A mirror, left or right, could be bought for an extra 5 rubles, and a luggage basket for 15 rubles. In 1989 a Delta with the V-50 engine cost 275 rubles, and with the V-501 it cost 280 rubles. A small batch was also built with cast wheels and the Polish Dezamet engine with a three-speed gearbox, sold in Latvia itself. The first batches suffered from a weak frame, a defect that was later cured.
The weak points in service
Owners reported that the lugs fixing the rear mudguard and the luggage rack, and the brackets of the seat, often tore away from the frame. The frame itself was stiff and well made, but cracks appeared under the steering head. On the front fork the bracket of the handlebar and the steering stop could break off, denting the front of the fuel tank on both sides. Speedometers on early machines with metal gears lasted 15,000 to 20,000 km, while the plastic gears of the last versions managed only 200 to 400 km.
Design and features
- New frame: the Delta’s chassis was completely redesigned compared with the earlier Riga mopeds.
- V-50 engines: the V-50 and V-501, later the V-50M and V-501M, with a three-speed gearbox.
- Four versions: Sport, Tourist, Lux and Cross.
- Own tank: a new fuel tank marked only with the name “Delta”.
- Changing face: round, then large square, then small square headlamp through the production run.
Delta versions
- Delta (1986–1989): chrome rack handle, chrome knobs, round black headlamp with a chrome rim.
- Delta (1990–1996): body-coloured rack and black plastic knobs.
- Delta with the large square headlamp (1988–1992): a short-lived front-end style.
- Delta with the small square headlamp (from 1992): the final production form.
- Dezamet batch: cast wheels and a Polish three-speed engine, sold in small numbers in Latvia.
- Sport, Tourist, Lux, Cross: the four equipment versions of the model.
The Delta followed the Riga-13 and the Riga-11 on the Riga line. More mopeds are in the Riga collection.
Video: MP Motors – Riga Delta RMR 24
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Рига (мопед), Russian Wikipedia: versions, trim changes, prices, faults
- Riga (moped), English Wikipedia: introduction in 1986, colours, three-speed gearbox
