CLUBMAN’S CORNER

BBuy the best MZ available at the price. If you buy a shed, it can end up costing more money than it would have done to buy something better in the first place. Look for one which is complete and intact; wiring harnesses can come in for a certain amount of butchery. People are beginning to appreciate the value of these bikes which keep going on for ever and can easily be fixed, at the roadside if necessary. So prices are increasing. Virtually every nut, bolt and washer is still available at reasonable prices. New frames and the tinware are still available although in limited numbers, and some tinware is relatively expensive.

The 12V Vape (formerly PowerDynamo) conversion makes 6V lights really usable and greatly improve starting. Avoid the copy carburettors. A worn out genuine BVF is going to be better than the Chinese copy. Having said that, Allens Performance do an easy fit and ready jetted Mikuni which is a revelation.

The bottom of the frame in ETZ models can rust out in severe cases, but it’s not as bad as the swinging arm in Honda CX500s or Pan Europeans.

They can jump out of third gear, which means a new gear and new selector. Not that expensive but it is an engine out and split. Crankshaft seals can go but they can be replaced with the engine in the frame.

The front brake switch is cheap and not very long-lived at all. They can be replaced with a banjo switch in the hydraulic line. Front brake calipers on the disc models can seize with aluminium corrosion but normally require a simple strip and clean.

The ISDT replica models are a different entity altogether. Virtually everything is special and not interchangeable with the road models and commands top money (for an MZ, not compared to modern machinery).

And finally – but most importantly – join the club.