Light It Up

On the way out of the stadium after last night's football match I came across this Honda Gold Wing trike covered in flashing red LEDs. The owner was collecting for a children's charity and must have reckoned that thousands of happy fans (my team won, by the way) would put their hands in their pockets if only he could attract their attention. I reckon that he managed to do just that.

Peaked

Very smart little MZ TS250 4-Speed spotted at the MZ Riders Club National Rally, Shropshire 2013. 

Rising Costs

I came across this when filling my car up yesterday. The helpful little chart on the bottom of the pump looks just a little out of date nowadays, doesn’t it? Oh, for the days when fuel was that cheap. 

They also had the perfect solution for where to take my bike when it gets dirty. 

Diesel Days

  

Unspecified diesel engine fitted to an old Royal Enfield.

(Spotted at MZ Riders Club National Rally, Shropshire 2013)

More Sidecars

Jawa TS350 / Velorex

BMW R100/7 / Watsonian

Honda Pan European ST1100 / Hedingham

Honda Gold Wing GL1200 / Saluki Siderider

(All spotted at MZ Riders Club National Rally, Shropshire, 2013)

Friends From The East

Jawa 350 (Czech Republic)

It wasn't just MZs which turned up at the recent MZ National Rally. There were a number of other vehicles from the former Eastern Bloc too.

Trabant P601 (East Germany)

IMZ Ural 750 (Russia)

Minsk 125 (Belarus)

Weekend Away

At the weekend I attended the annual MZ Riders Club National Rally and AGM, which this year was held at Whitchurch Rugby Club in Shropshire. 

Although no longer a member of the club I still attend a number of their events as a guest. It's always good to meet up with friends old and new.

MZ TS250/1 Supa 5 (front) & ES250 Trophy (rear)

Little MZs: TS150 (front) & ETS150 Trophy (rear)

MZ Skorpion Sport

MZ TS250 4-Speed

Although aimed at owners and riders of MZs, I have noticed a tendency recently for people to attend club events on other, bigger more modern machines. It would seem that as both the bikes and the membership gets older the club is heading down the 'classic' or 'vintage' club route. The old bikes are being used a lot less and being treated a lot gentler than before.

So, people spend more and more time with them in the garage working on them, and less time actually riding them. Not surprising really as the newest of the German-built models are now over twenty years old and they are not really suitable for everyday transport any more.

There are, however, always notable exceptions:

This particular machine, a TS250 4-Speed, has been around the clock nearly twice (and doesn't it look it?)

This is one of two elderly MZs which made the trip from Japan to England overland last year.

There's an MZ ETZ251 under all that stuff

And there's always someone selling spares for the old bikes. I picked up a NOS chrome rim for an old MZ headlight I have which I plan on fitting to my Dnepr this winter. Only cost me a fiver.

This particular gentleman has been selling the contents of his garage for as long as I've been going to MZ rallies.