Tag Archives: two-stroke

Aussie Salt rekindles stroker era

If you thought the two-stroke motorcycle was dead, think again.

Many bespoke companies around the world are keeping the smell and light-switch power of two-stroke motorcycles alive.

The latest is a new Australian motorcycle company called Salt which has developed a cafe racer powered by the KTM 300 EXC TPI engine with a lightweight frame, exotic components and bespoke build.

Salt chief development officer is former former 500 GP racer and multiple national champion Paul (Angry Ant) Lewis who worked at Morgan & Wacker in Brisbane until recently.

“It’s everything we set out to achieve,” he says.

With 52 horsepower, just 111kg of dry weight and Austrian WP suspension and brakes the corner-carving weapon promises to be a real track-day weapon.

However, that power-to-weight recipe is going to cost quite a bit … try $39,990 for size!

Mind you, many of the other two-stroke track-only weapons being released around the world to a motorcycling public starve of traditional two-stroke fumes is not cheap, either.

For example, the Langen Two-Stroke machine will set you back £28,000 ($A57,000) plus tax!

Langen Two Stroke
Langen two-stroke motorcycle

The all-Australian, hand-built Salt allows customers to chose the suspension setup, colours and upholstery.

At the heart of the machine is a KTM 300 EXC TPI engine with a Salt expansion chamber, highcompression TSP cylinder head and ECU.Salt two-stroke motorcycle

It develops 52-horsepower at 8500rpm and 46.8Nm of torque at 7000rpm.

The expansion chamber was designed in-house and took hundreds of hours of R&D. Tyga performance manufactured the final product and combined it with a craftsman-built stainless steel exhaust system and carbon silencer. We’d love to hear that!

Power is driven through a six-speed gearbox with a Rekluse CX Torqdrive auto clutch so there is no need to select neutral when stopped at the lights. Just twist and go for maximum acceleration.Salt two-stroke motorcycle

It features fully adjustable WP suspension as used on KTM motorcycles with upside forks anda monoshock rear tweaked by Aussie MPE Suspension.It has Brembo brakes, with single 260 mm rotor and 4-piston calliper at the front and 220mm rotor with 2-piston calliper at the rear.

The Salt features a traditional 19” front wheel with Takasago Excel Rims and 110/90-19 tyre, complemented by a 130/80-18 section rear.Salt two-stroke motorcycle

Seat height is a high 830mm, combined with clip-on handlebars and mid-controls to make a cafe racer rider position.

Up front are instruments dominated by a large analogue tachometer with an LCD display inset to display speedometer, odometer and trip computer functions. An array or warning lights sit between the dial and its Molock keyless ignition.Salt two-stroke motorcycle

Bodywork and seat cowl are made of carbon fibre and the aluminium fuel tank is hand crafted in Brisbane.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Yamaha hasn’t given up on the two-stroke yet!

2022 Yamaha Two-Stroke Motocross Range

Yamaha effectively invented the modern era of four-stroke motocross machines at the beginning of this century with the YZ400F, YZ426F then YZ450F and YZ250F that heralded a quantum shift in the development direction of the motocross scene. All the other Japanese brands followed suit and all but Yamaha eventually gave up making full-size two-stroke motorcycles of any description, some still make a couple of two-stroke powered junior machines but for the big boys the cupboard is largely bare unless you want to go European.

While Yamaha have continued to produce and sell their legendary YZ125 and YZ250 two-strokes, it is fair to say that they have not put much R&D resources behind the two-bangers and over the last decade. The YZ machines have largely rolled on from year to year virtually untouched, save for a minor tweak here and there. Conversely the Europeans have continually developed their two-strokes but much of that development has been focussed on enduro racing rather than motocross, with major investments in the switch to fuel-injection for Enduro, but their motocross machines all remain carburettor fed.


2022 Yamaha YZ125

2022 Yamaha YZ125

For model year 2022 though Yamaha have come through for the big boys with an essentially all-new YZ125, the first full change in more than 15 years for the ring-dinger that got so many people first started on dirt-bikes.

The liquid-cooled 125cc two-stroke engine has been thoroughly reworked to produce more power. Every functional part of the 2022 YZ125 engine is new, including the cylinder body, cylinder head, piston, piston pin, connecting rod, crankcase and expansion chamber.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

It all adds up to increased power across the mid- to high-rpm range. Enhancing fuelling and power delivery, a new high-precision Hitachi Astemo Keihin PWK38S carburettor with throttle position sensor and 3D-map-controlled CDI unit provide clean, crisp throttle response and superior rideability. A new intake design with VForce4 carbon reed valve leads to a more efficient draw of air into the engine for an improved feeling of power in the low rpm range.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

To match increased engine performance, an updated lightweight braking system features larger front pistons, a more rigid caliper, a redesigned 270mm front rotor with a 30% increase in pad contact area and higher friction pad material, all combining to provide exceptional braking power and feel.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

A redesigned rear rotor maintains the same braking power while dropping outer diameter from 245mm to 240mm, reducing unsprung weight without compromising performance.

Taking the YZ125’s category-defining suspension and handling characteristics to a new level, front and rear suspension damping has been revised to further improve bump absorption and cornering performance. KYB suspension includes an inverted front fork, now with new fork internals for more precise damping.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

A new flatter seat and more narrow fuel tank design, along with smoothly integrated body panels and slimmer radiator shroud width all combine to enable greater freedom of movement forward and back, allowing the rider to easily shift body weight for increased control and confidence.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

YZ125 will be available in Team Yamaha Blue or Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition with premium embedded graphics to ensure outstanding durability and scratch resistance. Availability for both models are due in Q4 2021 with Ride Away Pricing – $10,799 for Team Yamaha Blue and $10,899 for Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition.

2022 Yamaha YZ125

2022 Yamaha YZ125 at a glance

• Redesigned liquid-cooled Yamaha Power Valve System (YPVS) 125cc two-stroke engine boasts more power in the mid- to high-range for increased usability over the previous model
• New high-precision Hitachi Astemo Keihin PWK38S carburettor features throttle position sensor and 3D-map-controlled CDI unit resulting in crisp throttle response and superior rideability
• New straight intake design improves feeling of power in the low rpm range
• New shorter, lighter muffler
• High performance brake setup features more rigid front caliper, larger front pistons and redesigned rotors with increased pad contact area for exceptional stopping power and feel, along with less unsprung weight
• Improved rider ergonomics with a narrower tank, flatter seat and slimmer radiator shrouds offering greater freedom of movement
• Fully adjustable KYB inverted front fork now includes a leaf spring in the mid-speed valve for increased performance and comfort
• Revised fully adjustable KYB rear shock features reduced-friction Kashima Coat internals
• Race-proven, highly developed forged aluminium semi-double cradle frame
• Removable aluminium rear subframe constructed of square-section tubing for reduced weight
• Lightweight finely tuned chassis for nimble handling, more control and less rider fatigue
• Revised six-speed, close-ratio transmission has wider transmission gear tooth width and new, optimised gear ratios for maximum performance
• New lightweight rear sprocket design
• New lightweight chain
• High-capacity radiator features a 10-row core with blacked-out louvres to deliver maximum cooling and aggressive looks
• Lightweight aluminium handlebar with two-position adjustable handlebar clamp
• Adjustable clutch lever with cable adjuster
• New premium graphics are now embedded for improved durability and scratch resistance
• Race-developed Bridgestone Battlecross X20 tyres


2022 Yamaha YZ250

While the 125 scores an all-new engine the YZ250 continues with its high-revving but reliable powerplant but that is now fed via straighter intake design, allowing a more efficient intake path to the engine for a better feeling of power in the low rpm range.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

Rider ergonomics have come in for attention, a more narrow fuel tank, flatter seat, slimmer radiator shrouds and new side covers all contribute to greater freedom of movement front to back and easier weight transfer.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

The YZ250’s already renowned suspension and handling performance takes another step forward with revised front and rear suspension damping to enhance bump absorption and cornering agility.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

An updated brake setup includes a more rigid front caliper, larger front pistons, a redesigned 270 mm front rotor with a 30% increase in pad contact area and higher friction pad material, all combining to provide exceptional braking power and feel.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

A redesigned rear rotor maintains the same braking power while dropping outer diameter from 245mm to 240mm, further reducing unsprung weight.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

Wrapping up the package, a premium new Yamaha Blue and dark blue embedded graphics scheme provides outstanding durability and scratch resistance while accentuating the YZ’s racing pedigree. The 2022 YZ250 will also be available in Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition colour scheme.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

The 2022 YZ250 retains the fast and fun liquid-cooled YPVS-equipped 249cc two-stroke powerplant, the compact chassis, highly developed lightweight aluminium frame, and the intuitive handling character and usability that’s made it a favourite among competitive motocross racers and recreational riders alike.

2022 Yamaha YZ250

Availability is August 2021 with Ride Away Pricing – $12,099 for Team Yamaha Blue and $12,199 for Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition.

2022 Yamaha YZ250 at a glance

• Improved rider ergonomics with a narrow tank, flatter seat and slimmer radiator shrouds offering greater freedom of movement
• Advanced liquid-cooled YPVS-equipped 249cc two-stroke engine is lightweight, compact and fun, with a wide, hard-hitting powerband
• New straight intake design improves feeling of power in the low rpm range
• Advanced Hitachi Astemo Keihin PWK38S carburettor with power jet and throttle position sensor provides extra-crisp throttle response
• High performance brake setup features larger front pistons, more rigid caliper and redesigned rotors with increased pad contact area for exceptional stopping power and feel, along with less unsprung weight
• Fully adjustable KYB fork features the Speed-Sensitive System for precise handling and superb shock absorption
• Revised fully adjustable KYB rear shock features reduced-friction Kashima Coat internals
• Race-proven, highly developed forged aluminium semi-double cradle frame
• Removable aluminium rear subframe constructed of square-section tubing for reduced weight
• Finely tuned lightweight chassis and advanced suspension endow the YZ250 with class-leading handling
• Smooth-shifting, five-speed, close-ratio transmission ensures confident gear changes in all conditions
• New lightweight rear sprocket design
• New lightweight chain
• High-capacity radiator features a 10-row core with blacked-out louvres to deliver maximum cooling and aggressive looks
• Lightweight aluminium handlebar with two-position adjustable handlebar clamp
• Adjustable clutch lever with works-style cable adjuster
• Premium new graphics are now embedded for improved durability and scratch resistance
• Race-developed Dunlop Geomax MX33 tyres

2022 Yamaha YZ250

Source: MCNews.com.au

Aussie 2-stroke engine attracts investor

An Australian-designed clean two-stroke motorcycle engine could soon become a reality after attracting the interest of a Melbourne-based investor group.

Sydney-Based inventor Basil van Rooyen says his Crankcase Independent Two-Stroke (CITS) engine meets tough emissions requirements as it eliminates total-loss lubrication.

Investor interest

“I have some investor interest which is at their lawyers now for an agreement, so fingers crossed,” says Basil, a former South African motorsport engineer.

“My guesstimate for agreements to be all checked, amended and signed by their lawyers then ours, is two to four weeks.

“However, with the world as it is there are more reasons than ever to be let down.

The investor group are in Melbourne and the new border closure will dash the present plans — once the contracts are signed — for one of them to drive up and collect all the bits for re-testing in Melbourne before Mk 2 V-twin is produced.”

Basil says he is confident the investor group will build the engine, although he would prefer a motorcycle or automotive company bought the company for a “pittance” with a royalty paid to CITS shareholders for each engine produced.

Two-stroke advantages

Basil says his CITS engine is more powerful, lighter, smaller, cheaper, more economical and with lower emissions than any four-stroke engine.

CITS uses direct injection, but has a by-pass valve that replaces the throttle and provides progressive cylinder deactivation ensuring minimised pumping losses.

It also uses a typical four-stroke’s oil sump and does not mix the oil with the fuel in the combustion chamber like normal two-stroke engines. CITS therefore eliminates total-loss lubrication of a typical two-stroke.

“CITS technology is applicable to any engine application from V-twins of 25 to 125kW up to V12s of over 1000kW for hospital generators etc,” he says.

2 stroke CITS engine fail investor
Aussie-designed two-stroke CITS engine

The prototype was built on an 800cc V-twin Suzuki Boulevard crankcase with adapted Rotax 800 E-TEC parallel twin-cylinder jackets and heads.

Basil says the CITS engine would be most suitable in motorcycles because it is compact, economical, lightweight, powerful and cheap to build.

Two-stroke future

Tough pollution laws have forced two-stroke motorcycles out of the market in recent years in favour of four-strokes.

However, two-stroke technology is not totally dead.

KTM has a raft of direct-injection two-strokers for enduro and motocross.

There are also several small manufacturers making exotic and expensive track-only two-stroke motorcycles such as Ronax and Suter.

Meanwhile, Honda has registered patents for direct-injection two-stroke engines and Kawasaki has applied for a patent for a two-stroke/electric hybrid leaning three-wheeler!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Kawasaki plan for two-stroke hybrid

Kawasaki has plans to develop a range-extender hybrid with a supercharged two-stroke, four-cylinder engine charging a battery that powers an electric motor driving the rear wheel.

It seems like a clever idea.

They call it a range-extender hybrid because the fossil-fuel engine doesn’t directly drive the vehicle.

It’s not an original idea, though. The cheap Chevrolet Volt and expensive Fisker Karma had similar arrangements.

Holden Volt hybrid powerChevrolet Volt

However the Volt has been discontinued and Fisker has gone broke, so it seems to suggest it was not a popular concept.

Supercharged two-stroke

Kawasaki has filed a patent in the Japanese Patent Office for a slightly different take on the range-extender hybrid with a supercharged two-stroke engine.

Two-stroke engines are very fuel efficient and powerful, but have largely been discontinued around the world because of their high emissions.

There remain only a few esoteric low-volume and expensive two-stroke motorcycles available and an Australian inventor believes there is a lot of scope left in two-strokes with his invention.

2 stroke CITS engine events fail flywheelAussie-designed two-stroke CITS engine

Kawasaki’s two-stroke cycle does not have the usual port-transfer system, but is similar to the highly efficient supercharged two-stroke diesels used on ships.

Instead of ports in the cylinder walls, it features poppet valves like a four-stroke, with double overhead camshafts. However, the cycle is two-stroke with forced injection and exhaust.

Kawasaki claims it burns cleaner because no unburnt duel escapes into the exhaust.

Given the fuel efficiency and the power such an arrangement could generate, you wouldn’t need a big engine to simply charge the battery.

It also suggests that range from the battery could be quite substantial.

And you wouldn’t need to sit around for hours charging the battery again.

When you run out of fuel, the battery would have enough charge left to get you to a servo where you could fill up wth fuel and get going again in minutes!

Another advantage would be for those stroker fans who love the sound of the high-pitched engines.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home

The owner of 20-odd Suzuki two strokes from 80cc to 500cc is seeking a new home for the collection so the public can also enjoy them.

Neil Batterham, 58, of Highfields, is hoping a cafe or shop owner in the region with good security can display the bikes. Click here to send Neil an email if you can help out.

“I don’t like them just sitting in my shed and I can’t ride them all so it would be good if someone could display them to the public,” he says.

“Suzuki two-strokes are what I learnt to ride on.”

First Suzi

Neil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home
TS90s

His first bike was a 1970 TS90. He doesn’t have that bike, but he now has two examples in his collection.

“They’re not mainstream bikes so they don’t cost ridiculous prices to buy,” he says.

“They are simple a hell of a lot of fun to ride and attract a lot of attention wherever I take them, not that l’m after that.

“You go to get fuel for your bike and you’ll be there for an hour talking to people about your bike.

“A lot of people like me learnt to ride on these types of bikes.

“It strikes a chord with people and their great memories.”

Suzuki TC100 Neil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home
TC100

Most of the bikes are restored, only five bikes are registered, but all are in good mechanical condition.

Among the bikes is a T500 he bought in 2004.

Neil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home
T500

“I searched for one for quite a while,” he says.

“A nice example was listed in the US and I wished there was one in Australia. Well literally a week later this one was advertised in Brisbane.

“It wouldn’t start but had good compression. I registered it in August of that year and have been riding it ever since.Neil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home

“It has had every seal replaced including the crank. The gearbox was rebuilt and modified. The top end, piston and rings, have not been touched. The frame has been repainted as well as the tank and side covers.

“It is a joy to ride. Contrary to popular belief it has good torque at low revs for a 50-year-old design.

“Once it hits 5000rpm she picks up her skirt really gets going. You just ride to its limits which is good as you ride slower.”

Favourite Suzi

Neil says he doesn’t have a favourite.

“Please don’t make me choose,” he says.

“The thing people don’t realise is how difficult it is to choose which one to ride for the day.

“If you ride one the others get a bit sookie so have to be careful.

“I try to to alternate them so they all go for a bit of a run.

“One of the most endearing is a Jacaranda Blue 1967 Suzuki K10 80cc road bike.Neil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home

“Whenever you ride it, you ride it full throttle and it feels like you are going as lot faster than you actually are and you can really throw it around in the corners.

“It’s not restored but it’s a delightful littler machine.

“None of them are rare or valuable. They cost around the $2000-$3000 mark. But they are worth something to me.”

New homeNeil Batterham Suzuki 2-strokers seeking new home

And they will be with a lot of sentimental value to old bikers who would love to see them on public display.

“A lot of cafes are aimed at women with crafts on display, so this would be ideal to attract some male customers,” he says.

But it would have to be nearby as Neil likes to ride a different one nearly every day.

If you can help Neil with public display or know someone who has a secure venue, please contact him via email.

Tell us about your bike collection, your resto project or your first bike! Just send us an email with details and photos.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

My first bike: 1973 Czech CZ 175

Who remembers the zzzing of an old two-stroke Czech CZ trail bike? For the holidays we are launching a series of  articles about our readers’ first bike. We start with this article about an old Czech CZ trail bike from London reader Martin Welsh, 55, who says he hasn’t owned a bike since 1986:

In 1977, when I was a 14-year-old kid in the Adelaide hills, and my next brother down was 11, all our mates had motorbikes, and we wanted one. We didn’t even want one each; we were willing to share. We had no money, and Mum and Dad were spending all their money on our schooling, so we never expected to get one. Then one day in 1977, Dad suddenly showed us this ugly thing; a 1973 CZ 175 Trail bike that he had brought home as a surprise.

He’d bought it for $100. It was a 1973 model, but looked like a 1953 model. We had no idea what it was. It was built in Communist Czechoslovakia, and apparently, was the only vehicle exported from behind the Iron Curtain for 30 years, until the Lada cars appeared from Russia in the 1980s. We didn’t know at the time, why they were exported. We were kids. There was no internet then.

The one in the photo (top of page courtesy of classic.motorbikes.net) is a 125cc. Ours was a 175cc. The 250cc and the 380cc all looked the same, and they also came out in red, but most were like ours — baby shit yellow. In fact, their nickname around the world was “the yellow tanks”.

This is not my bike. I have no photos from the 1970s. They came out in a Sport version pictured, and a Trail version. The only real difference was the exhausts and the mudguard heights. As you can see, it was ugly. Look at that friggin headlight! All our friends had Yammies and Hondas, and they were cooler, smaller, lighter, and had nice colours. Most Yammie trail bikes at the time were yellow too, but they were proper yellow; not baby shit yellow.

Czech CZ
Photo courtesy of superhunky.com 

This is the Trail version, showing exhaust and kickstart gear lever.

So Dad rode it home, pulled into the garage, showed it to us, and then it wouldn’t start again. He had wanted to take us for a ride. We spent the first night pulling the carburettor apart, and the magneto. Dad was a reluctant mechanic, but willing to have a go. However, he got angry with it and went indoors to watch telly. I started reading the extensive workshop manual that came with it, and there started my own willingness to work on machines. As a 14 year old, with the machine in pieces in my hands, I first realised a thing that has dawned on me over and over again in the 40 years since is that we shouldn’t be surprised that they break down. It’s a wonderful miracle that they actually work in the first place!

I didn’t find the solution at that time, and neither did Dad. It’s a two stroke, and they will never make sense. We cleaned everything and reassembled it and on the following weekend, we found it would start with a push, and we went for the ride with Dad, we were supposed to have a few days before. Dad said it wasn’t ours (me and my brother) but we were to share it with him. He had registered it, and intended to use it on the road. We could borrow it, but we had to look after it, as it always had to be roadworthy. We fell in love with the ugly monster.

It was a monster. At 14, I was just nudging 60kg. The CZ weighed 112kg with no fuel in it. We fell over together, a lot! It was also very fast. When we first went riding with our mates, and their much prettier looking Yammies and Hondas, we were a bit embarrassed about showing up on such an ugly duckling, but we soon found that our feelings were unwarranted. Riders of Japanese bikes knew what it was we were riding (we didn’t) and it was respected everywhere we went. People always wanted to swap rides with us. We thought this was cool, because we got to ride the motorbikes we wished we had, but only for a while.

Finally, someone showed me a Motocross magazine, and pointed out that our bike’s bigger sibling — the CZ 250 — had dominated Motocross all over the world for years. These things were famous! Ugly, heavy, communist, powerful, and famous! That’s why they were exported all over the world; they had Respect!

It taught us respect. The power was really unpredictable. At low revs, it was very much like a 4 stroke, with loads of torque, and very easy to ride and manoeuvre. With two hundred revs more, the front wheel was in the air and your were clinging to the handlebars like the streamers they used to put on the handlegrips of brand new kids bicycles, and you were thrown back so hard, you couldn’t stop the throttle! Many times, I crashed, and kind people stopped and peeled my fingers from the right hand grip, to stop the incessant “ZZZZZInger ZZZinger ZZZInger” noise screaming from the exhaust, as I clung on in fear. CZ motorbikes don’t have a pleasant exhaust note.

The thing was, this ugly beast was so strong and unbreakable, that Dad never knew how many times I crashed it. Only torn clothing and missing skin would give the game away; the CZ never got bent. Occasionally, I bent a mirror, and that was easily fixed. It was also so old fashioned that the footpegs didn’t fold up. They were these enormous old 5 inch heavy duty rigid steel things more akin to a Harley, so although we hit the ground horizontally many times, this 112kg beast never broke my ankle; not once. In fact, I found time and time again, the handlebar and footpeg would take all the force, and the side of the tank never touched the ground, so I didn’t even get my knee squashed, and Dad would never know!

There is a big industrial estate in North East Adelaide in Holden Hill, now known as Jacobson Crescent. In 1977, it was empty land. That’s where we used to go riding. Everyone did it; it was great. Even the cops were good to us, as long as we didn’t go into actual roads with the engines running. To us kids, Holden Hill was paradise in those days. One day, I was there on my own, with the baby shit yellow monster. As I said, it had taught me respect. I knew how to ride it by now, and even knew how to fix it when it stopped, which it did — a lot. I was hooning about, minding my own business, and a bloke caught up with me on a Yamaha XT 500, and waved me down. He was about 20. I was about 15. He was riding the Holy Grail of trail bikes in those days. The Yamaha XT 500 was the first big powerful (ridiculously powerful) trail bike. They were starting to win the Paris Dakar Rally at that point. His was about two years old.

He said “I used to own one of these! Mind if I have a ride?” People did that back then. Maybe they still do, but I was a skinny kid, on my own, and nervous. He saw my discomfort and laughed, and said “No, I mean, you can ride mine too!”

Czech CZ
Photo courtesy of uship.com

I did! Although still a skinny, lanky kid, I knew this was like giving me the keys to a Ferrari. This motorbike was the most powerful thing in its class, and was about two years old. It had three times the engine capacity of my CZ175, and probably twice the horsepower. He jumped on mine, and went ZZING ZZING ZZINGIN into the distance, like he’d stolen it, and I went gently VROOM VROOM VROOMING behind on this massive four stroke that weighed about the same as the CZ, but with all that extra power. (the seat was lower, and actually easier to handle) I was terrified of the front wheel coming up, so I treated it with even more respect, and found that each time we came around to the same point, my new friend wanted to disappear into the distance at speed in another cloud of Czechoslovakian communist smoke, and he seemed happy that his own XT500 was in safe hands. I loved that afternoon!

My younger brother was far more courageous than me on the CZ. When I look back now, he was a tiny 11 and 12 year old, and used to wind the hell out of that thing. Even now, he is much smaller than me, but even then, he spent more time in the air than on the ground. He didn’t seem to have learned the Respect Lesson I got from the Czech monster. It had a left side kick start, that also doubled as as the gear lever. If you didn’t gauge the compression right while kick starting, it threw you over the handlebars, or broke your ankle. The gear shift (one up three down) required you to take your foot off the peg because the travel was too great, so unless you had enormous clown shoes, you were in danger in a turn. As I suggested earlier, the power was schizophrenic, and unforgiving. These were MAD motorbikes. When you were totally in control, the feeling was unforgettable. When you locked the front on wet ground, your helmet got filled with snails and you wondered why the “ZZING ZZING” sound wouldn’t stop.

I sold the CZ in about 1985. I never rode it on the road. Even Dad lost the urge. I bought a Suzuki DR 250 4 stroke; a wonderful modern powerful 4 stroke, but only registered it for three months. A couple of near misses sent me back to the safety of my Valiant Charger and Bedford van. Mates by then had discovered the Yamaha RD 250. Yamaha RD 250s and RD 350s were built for mental cases. They made my CZ 175 monster seem tame by the 1980s.

Of course, if I owned it now, it would be worth shedloads. What I take from this is; just like my Valiant Chargers (2), they were MAD machines from their time, that I am proud to have owned, and they taught me respect, and also how to fix the bloody things when they stop being MAD.

Yes, I realised tonight I miss that old communist monster.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com