Made myself off for that weekend, so proportionally I'm in (if I can sort out the clutch in the meantime, that is). Master cylinder is gone in the R and the MZ is surely not able to keep up with the Beemers. Well, worst case scenario I turn up in a cage - I know it's not quite the same but it's a small price to pay for the joy of having the company.

Haven't got time to read through the whole lot but if Bill is still looking for a helmet, I have a whole collection in the house from S to XL - my pillions have all different sizes plus my own spare XL.

As I live in Dublin I will meet up with Bill on Friday night and bring a spare helmet with me, if not suitable we can put out a request.

I'm going to have to bow out of this one.  I have a long night on the Friday night so would not be in a condition to get up Sat morning and do a 350+ mile spin.

However, on a good note, I'll be doing some servicing on the K on Sat. afternoon. So all is not lost k-wise.

Have fun and see you next time.

Stop mention servicing, Fintan - my plan was to fix the clutch cylinder today but weather is anything but permitting Shed is full with the MZ though, also taken apart so not a hope to use it as shelter. Today is one of my 2 days off until 21st so I'm getting restricted by time - would be a shame to do this year's first long trip on a borrowed bike.

Björn wrote:and the MZ is surely not able to keep up with the Beemers.

Bjorn,

MZs have history for not keeping up with BMWs. 

About twenty years ago, I was travelling home from the Off Centre Rally in the middle of Australia (Mt. Dare Homestead) and we had left Barrow Creek, just north of Alice Springs and had to return because Ronnie's trusty MZ had decided to put it's piston through the cylinder head resulting in a bike no go situation.  He ended up flying home. I have no idea why he decided to leave his BMWs at home and take the MZ.   

So, I on my R65 and Gabe on his K100 left him there and arrived back in Brisbane three days later.  Ronnie described riding the MZ there and partially back as a CBE (Character Building Exercise). 

Meanwhile, I went to a Christmas Party last year at a pub a couple of hours from home and bumped into Ronnie and a few other BMW types (mainly GSers) that I had not seen for a number of years and he reminded me of the incident.  Apparently whilst we were stopped at the Barrow Creek Hotel, to plan our next move an Irish gentleman sidled up and inquired as to our predicament with the MZ and immediately diagnosed the problem with the said motorcycle. Just happened that he owned a MZ dealership in Ireland. 

So, MZ v BMW.  Not even in the race, although give it credit for getting so far.

You are a brave man Bjorn.

Well, I wouldn't be that brave - the most I did on it was 180 km on one day last week (down to Waterford and back). Soon realised that there was gonna be work to do

On the other hand, I may be the person owning a pair of the oldest motorcycle tyres in the country now... They came with the bike, manufactured well before the DOT numbers era

TacKler wrote:

Björn wrote:and the MZ is surely not able to keep up with the Beemers.

Bjorn,

MZs have history for not keeping up with BMWs. 

About twenty years ago, I was travelling home from the Off Centre Rally in the middle of Australia (Mt. Dare Homestead) and we had left Barrow Creek, just north of Alice Springs and had to return because Ronnie's trusty MZ had decided to put it's piston through the cylinder head resulting in a bike no go situation.  He ended up flying home. I have no idea why he decided to leave his BMWs at home and take the MZ.   

So, I on my R65 and Gabe on his K100 left him there and arrived back in Brisbane three days later.  Ronnie described riding the MZ there and partially back as a CBE (Character Building Exercise). 

Meanwhile, I went to a Christmas Party last year at a pub a couple of hours from home and bumped into Ronnie and a few other BMW types (mainly GSers) that I had not seen for a number of years and he reminded me of the incident.  Apparently whilst we were stopped at the Barrow Creek Hotel, to plan our next move an Irish gentleman sidled up and inquired as to our predicament with the MZ and immediately diagnosed the problem with the said motorcycle. Just happened that he owned a MZ dealership in Ireland. 

So, MZ v BMW.  Not even in the race, although give it credit for getting so far.

You are a brave man Bjorn.

So it took an Irishman....now there were not too many MZ dealerships in Ireland at that time....wonder who he was. There was a big ne in I think it was Churchtown in Dublin and I remember the guy there liked Australia.......

When we had air cooled 2 strokes the tool kit always held a spare piston and ring set. MZ [and CZ] bikes generally were fine at their own pace, pushed on they developed the same problems as Japanese 2 strokes, overheating and holes in pistons.

I can vouch for the rain today- its horizontal. Bjorn, being a Viking is well used to it but there isn't a chance of doing anything to a bike in it. Bjorn has a perfect house to take it inside to do it but there are some problems with that. One is that a boxer doesn't fit in the door. Two the CZ is apart so it wont move to the house to let the boxer in the bike house. Three if the CZ is inside the house Bjorn like all of us will be put in the dog bike house and there still wont be room for the boxer.....Four, for those of us who were up north and met Ditte, will know that she is great fun too and hopefully will be on a few more trips with us.

I have to take the K out but the work schedule has changed so no building site visits today.

I may find this quite offensive, Olaf - confusing the MZ with a CZ???? Not being racist but the MZ is real GDR Hi-Tech , pride of Saxony whereas the CZ / Jawa is some Czechoslovakian heap of trouble

AFAIK MZ bikes were actually assembled here around Dublin - I'll have to check that out.

Also will have to start checking for a potential loan bike just in case I'd be hit by the weather for my other day off. I don't want to be stuck at a short notice... A Hayabusa was offered by a good friend but that's not for touring, really, I would get back pain from it after an hour.

The MZ CZ was a wind up.....I had a bet with myself there would be a response within the hour....so I now owe you a beer.

I had a very high respect for the MZ. I remember a lot of the guys on the Japanese bikes would hardly talk to anyone riding one, but in fairness the MZ went on forever and were a doddle to fix. They make very good prices now, a lot more than a K!

That's exactly it, even with my very restricted mechanical knowledge I can manage it And it was a deal not to miss on a nice (Eastern) German classic.

Well I was just about to offer that I take a bottle of nice Mosel wine with me on the 21st (just stocked up while at home   ) - a wee sip after dinner would do no harm to anyone. Or maybe I keep it for some overnight trip later this year.... BTW Gerda still keeps mentioning your baked potatoes....
She went into the local store in Regensburg and robbed it completely, trolley full of local foodstuff, mostly Salami, Ham and Leberwurst (~paté). A couple of crates of wine for myself of course.

Olaf, I meant to ask you now as your RT is over 30 years of age: does this affect the tax or the insurance you pay on her?

Björn wrote:That's exactly it, even with my very restricted mechanical knowledge I can manage it And it was a deal not to miss on a nice (Eastern) German classic.

Well I was just about to offer that I take a bottle of nice Mosel wine with me on the 21st (just stocked up while at home   ) - a wee sip after dinner would do no harm to anyone. Or maybe I keep it for some overnight trip later this year.... BTW Gerda still keeps mentioning your baked potatoes....
She went into the local store in Regensburg and robbed it completely, trolley full of local foodstuff, mostly Salami, Ham and Leberwurst (~paté). A couple of crates of wine for myself of course.

1st August camping at NoreValley.... Will is coming over. ...plus a few more....and bbq will be on.

You should come up and bring them, even if you have to bring the car and let Ditte ride the bike up. If I remember Gerda prepared the baked potatoes too.

Björn wrote:Olaf, I meant to ask you now as your RT is over 30 years of age: does this affect the tax or the insurance you pay on her?

My tax is reduced to €26......not €88.

I could use totally classic insurance for small money but I have it insured for normal riding, commuting etc so I can travel to work on it when I want.

I recall borrowing an MZ TZ250 (five speed) to get to a motorcycle rally a good thirty-odd years ago. Two up, down a long straight road somewhere in Dorset we met a Kawasaki 900 who went passed like a dose of salts. That was it; just for the hell of it I nailed the MZ and went after him (!!! ). He couldn't shake me! The look of utter disgust on his face when we pulled up at the rally entrance was absolutely priceless.

Good one Dai ! Lightweight two stroke bikes can sometimes surprise me as well....

Dai like me was a Honda CB500-4 owner. We learnt how they handled better than the CB750 and Z900 was even worse. I would have loved a photo of the guys face at not being able to shake the MZ off. Its about being able to put all the power down on the road....something the MZ always did rather well.

When you consider the 2 stroke lightweights, compared to the much heavier sports bikes now, riding a sports 2 stroke was not such hard work and they were real fun. Especially if you just zapped a Z900.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:The MZ CZ was a wind up.....I had a bet with myself there would be a response within the hour....so I now owe you a beer.

I did my driving test on a CZ175, back in the time when the instructor would jump out in front of you for the emergency stop !

Ringfad wrote:As I live in Dublin I will meet up with Bill on Friday night and bring a spare helmet with me, if not suitable we can put out a request.

Hi all,
Still looking forward to being in Dublin and meeting Eccentrics. It will be like a rest after child minding and home improvements, much as I love my daughter and her family.

I decided to bite the bullet and buy a helmet for over here, so finding any gear for me is now officially not necessary, unless waterproof over pants are required. (Getting a good helmet at 50% off helps - superseded model.)
Means I now have to get a bike sometime to leave with the family in Rodemack. Won't happen in time for 21st, though.

Best wishes,
Bill

Ringfad wrote:

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:The MZ CZ was a wind up.....I had a bet with myself there would be a response within the hour....so I now owe you a beer.

I did my driving test on a CZ175, back in the time when the instructor would jump out in front of you for the emergency stop !

Obviously had never seen an CZ before......

For Bill.......NOT

http://www.donedeal.ie/motorbikes-for-sale/bmw-k100-custom-scrambler/8620167?offset=1

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:

Ringfad wrote:I did my driving test on a CZ175, back in the time when the instructor would jump out in front of you for the emergency stop !

Obviously had never seen an CZ before......

That's right, you need to know well in advance when you want to brake.....

and if I recall correctly it had Barum tyres.

Ringfad wrote:and if I recall correctly it had Barum tyres.

I put some Barum radial tyres on a ford falcon in 1975. BIIIG improvement on the crossply retreads that were on it when I got the car.

Olaf, I agree . .  NOT

Bill

I had a red CZ250 Custom (bit of an oxymoron, that) which absolutely REFUSED to cross the county line. EVERY SINGLE TIME I tried to ride it out of Dorset to Hampshire, Wiltshire or Devon it broke down less than a mile across the line. It never broke down in Dorset.

One night I parked it outside the front of my house, one car down from my almost immaculate Suzuki GT380L. The following day the CZ was gone - stolen - but the GT380 was untouched. After I'd got over the initial shock I didn't even bother to claim on the insurance, I was that pleased to see it gone.

Oh yes - that had Barum tyres on it too; otherwise known as Yokoteflons (non-stick tyres, a phrase coined by a mate from Yokohama tyres and Teflon). Mind you, back then most tyres were Yokoteflons unless you could afford to replace Pirelli Phantom +1's every 1500 miles.

Barum tyres, original equipment on Zetor tractors!! 

You had a five speed MZ!
Wow! Mine was the 1972 four speeder with leading link forks and the one piece tank and headlight.
Indicators on the ends of the bars like early BMW's.
No similarity beyond that.
Boy, was it ugly.

Avenger GT wrote:Barum tyres, original equipment on Zetor tractors!! 

A friend used a couple of Zetor tractors in his orchard. They were the only ones geared low enough to allow work to be done on the trees without having to stop. 
They were slow enough to bore my then 10 year old son to sleep at the wheel, and he had to be woken up to do the U turn into the next row!

Bill

Dai,
One way to get MZ's to cross borders is to put them on a letter.



Paul.

I knew I had a good reason for loving Hungary!

Paul, these must be ancient... 0.80 HUF on the 2 Hungarian ones and 25 Pfennig on the GDR one

Barum tyres were a real disaster, pretty much like Pneumant (that's what I had on my old MZ 20+ years ago, factory fitted).
These days Heidenau is the obvious choice for retro / classic motorcycles. Classic look but modern compound, pretty good grip.

sidecar paul wrote:


Paul.

BTW the third one is exactly the same as mine (TS250), even the colour fits

It is the same engine and gearbox as in what Comberjohn had (ES250, 4 speed) but telescopic forks and plenty of chrome.

Back to the original issue (21st March) - I managed to fix the clutch (cylinder replaced) so I definitely will be in. Haven't decided yet whether we should ride up the previous night or just that morning but we'll see.

So who have we got..?

Indian036
Ringfad
Comberjohn
Dai
Sgmayhew
JediGirl
88KE
92KK
Bjorn and Ditte

Reg
Cluain Si
Tom O'Leary


Sagi?
Tom Foley?
Trapper?
Markzz?
DeRodster?
Pat OD?

Might be bringing a couple of others with me.
One who has a KTM 1190 and is looking for a brick to customise and a friend who recently bought a K1200RS. Another guy with a Varadaro, if he gets it back together in time.

Excellent indeed, looks really good and sounds like some good company...

As for the Varadero.....Send him down to 88KE. After all at 1am on the morning we went to France his clutch was sitting on the workshop floor......at about 7.30am his K was sitting parked up with panniers filled.....at 1pm and an hours run from his house he was having lunch at Rosslare Harbour while we waited for the ferry.

Looks like I might make it, on the K11, did I hear some mention MZ...I have two for sale if anyone is interested.
Its totally against my compass heading east, as this wild atlantic way is really looking at me..a meer 2500km.. I want to do it all, any body interested??

Reg

Would be great if you make it over.....look forward to that.!

We have some UK visitors coming 1-8/9 August [ferries already booked] and they are interested in the Wild Atlantic Way [WAW].

Provisionally we are meeting up at www.norevalleypark.com on Saturday 1st August for about 7.30pm or so, visitors arriving afternoon ferries due in about 5.30pm/6pm. 88KE and myself and likely a few more on for this. Saturday 8th August we meet at Stradbally Fayre, probably stay at Nore Valley the Friday night.

Nothing is cast totally in stone and a few have expressed interest in the WAW, including Sagi, JediGirl and a few more of us for during that week so your post is really good timing. There is a thread for that week so we can put something in there. WAW is fabulous and lots of good camping on it. Wild camping night at Fanore is on my list.....weather permitting of course.
So you might bring the CZ MZ? [Typo, have to buy Bjorn another beer]

WAW sounds good but it is hard to imagine it really is 2500km long.... Did someone really measure that? The whole island is only about 400kms from North to South.

Any suggestions are welcome, in theory it can be done over a long weekend, even though it may not be worth such haste. I'm open to doing the Southern part of it (from Kinsale to West Cork and Kerry) any weekend I'm off work. We may do the Donegal - Sligo section  during our autumn outing.

I was reading the news today and thought that the Irish Eccentrics would have a wild St Patrick day this year. :smoke: (yes green faces) Sorry, you will have to stick with green beer.  
Read this:
Ireland-legal-drug-possession

Its the difference between a straight line as the crow flies or following the coastline. . And its all there! 

Born Again Eccentric did the south west section last Easter. Comberjohn fixed the sun for him.

I suppose after some magic mushroom and green beer I can ride the bike as the crow flies straight through over the fields..... I would need to get enduro-type tyres (and maybe a GS) for that though

CF

We are in ecstacy over that!

Björn wrote:WAW sounds good but it is hard to imagine it really is 2500km long.... Did someone really measure that? The whole island is only about 400kms from North to South.

All the detail here:

http://www.thewildatlanticway.com

Ireland may only be 400km North to South but it has a very wiggly western coastline. Probably best enjoyed in stages, unless Comberjohn really pulls some spectacular weather out of the bag for a 4 - 5 day Iron-butt endurance run. I can't help but feel that doing it end to end would actually result in enjoying it less - 400 miles of twisty turns per day would mean at least 10 hours riding/day and it could become a slog and so many fantastic sights could be missed on the way.

The WAW is not for iron butt stuff. I spent 2 weeks of sunshine enjoying Cork to Westport and camping for it. Its great if taken slowly.

Lads, I just recall that one of you around Dublin might have made the galant offer of lending about 2 square metres of space on Friday night for anyone coming from farther away (I can't find the actual post).

Ditte and myself decided it would be really nice to break the day up and only start around Dublin at 9 on Saturday morning (we both finish work around Cork at 19:00 on Friday) so I would really appreciate such offer.

See pm Bjorn.
Stephen

Not officially on the WAW but rather the Golden Coast (West Waterford):

Yes but does it have Pneumats on it?

Dai wrote:Yes but does it have Pneumats on it?

No, they are not likely Pneumant (can't even see any branding on side, worn out). Thread on it still looks good, it is just stone hard

Gonna get Heidenau tyres and tubes for her....

beautiful day on the waw yesterday.. I agree you can't rush the WAW. So Plan I am forming is an easy 9-6 day, with tea and lunch breaks etc. stop at 6 to enjoy where you landed, swim, fire , food, drink I'd say a good week should do it. And if the sun is out it would be epic driving.