The Tula TMZ-5.952 was a Soviet off-road motorcycle built by the Tula Machine-Building Plant. It was the improved version of the TMZ-5.951, produced from July 1990 with a more powerful engine and a lighter frame, and it stayed in production until 1996.
Tula 5.952 at a glance
| Maker | Tula Machine-Building Plant (TMZ), USSR / Russia |
|---|---|
| Production | 5.951 from 1984, 5.952 from July 1990, until 1996 |
| Type | off-road motorcycle |
| Engine | 199 cc single-cylinder two-stroke, forced air cooling |
| Power | 12.5 hp (5.951), 13 hp (5.952) |
| Top speed | 85 km/h (5.951), 90 km/h (5.952) |
| Dry weight | 129 kg (5.951), 126 kg (5.952) |
| Gearbox | four-speed, foot change |
| Fuel consumption | about 3.6 l/100 km |
| Fuel tank | 12 litres |
| Electrics | 12 V, dynamo-starter |
| Design | Leningrad branch of VNIITE, led by S. M. Nikolaev |
Based on one source: the Russian Wikipedia article on the Tula motorcycle.
History of the Tula 5.952
The first 100 machines were offered for sale at the end of 1984, and the model spread widely in 1986–1988. The Tula was the first Soviet off-road motorcycle and the first Soviet motorcycle with an electric starter and forced air cooling. Its 200 cc engine came from the Tulitsa scooter. Two models were built: the 5.951 from 1984 to 1990 and the 5.952 from July 1990. The later model answered many complaints about the first: it was 3 kg lighter, its top speed rose from 85 to 90 km/h and its power from 12.5 to 13 hp. It received a one-piece fuel tank instead of the two tanks of the 5.951, a new front fork and many smaller changes that improved comfort.
The motorcycle was popular with country people, hunters and fishermen, and long journeys on a Tula were known. Output was 10,000–12,000 machines a year. Build quality fell noticeably in the early 1990s, production dropped sharply after 1993 and the last motorcycles left the line in 1996. The design was created at the Leningrad branch of VNIITE by a group of designers under S. M. Nikolaev.
Several derivatives followed. A cargo module, the TMZ-9.906, with a luggage basket, chassis and reversing gearbox could be bolted to the frame to turn the motorcycle into a tricycle, known as the TMZ 5.971. In 1994–1995 the plant built the TMZ 5.952-01 Vepr with split stamped 16-inch wheels and a more powerful 160 W generator; about 100 were made. The TMZ 5.953 of 1995–1996 was designed with the Italian company Engines Engineering, but only five examples were built. A 50 cc mokick, the TMZ 2.601, was planned for 1997 but never reached the road.
Design and features
- First Soviet off-roader: the first Soviet motorcycle designed for off-road use.
- Modern electrics: the first Soviet motorcycle with an electric starter and forced air cooling.
- Practical improvements: the 5.952 gained a one-piece tank, a new fork and more power.
- Working vehicle: popular with farmers, hunters and fishermen across the USSR.
Tula 5.952 versions
- TMZ-5.951 (1984–1990): the original model with two fuel tanks and 12.5 hp.
- TMZ-5.952 (from July 1990): lighter and faster, with a one-piece tank and a new front fork.
- TMZ 5.971: tricycle made by fitting the TMZ-9.906 cargo module.
- TMZ 5.952-01 Vepr (1994–1995): version with 16-inch split wheels and a 160 W generator, about 100 built.
- TMZ 5.953 (1995–1996): Italian-assisted redesign, five examples.
The 5.952 used the engine of the Tula Turist scooter family, and its cargo tricycle version was related in spirit to the Muravey. More vehicles are in the Tula collection.
Sources
- Тула (мотоцикл), Russian Wikipedia: history, specifications, variants
