Commie Shite

[Jerzy Woking]

Very early this morning saw me collecting a two wheeled commie Shiter. It was absolutely chucking it down in Brizzle, so there are no loading photos.

 

Now at South Mimms having a coffee to wake myself up. Bike still looking sorry for itself and awaiting a minor fettle but no more than that. I sort of like the rust and the dull and crappy paint.

 

[Des]

Remember to Czech the ratchet straps tension.

[Skizzer]

Wow, that looks properly grim, great work.  Deffo keep the patina.

 

For a moment I was thinking you were riding it home in the rain, and wondering why you needed coffee to stay awake.

[xtriple]

Is that the one with the multi function gear lever?

 

I had a go (long, long ago before I was old enough to ride legally) on a CZ175 trail thing and I loved it... apart from the bloody lever that was useless as a gear change and pathetic as a Kickstarter!

 

When I was into 350LCs I met a mechanic that was well into his commie chod and used to tune the shit out of them and then take great delight in out-riding local 'quick boys'! 

 

Well bought.

[Cavcraft]

These are uber shite. We got one for a fiver years ago and could never get the bastard to run. Top bombing.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I had a 350 Jawa a few years ago. Fairly similar machine. Tough as old boots and great fun top marks

[Sigmund Fraud]

CZ's are for winners, especially the twin-cylinder ones !

 

As the proud* owner of two lowly CZ 125s, I can confirm that they're heavy, slow, unrefined beasts which were meant to be the cheapest possible way to take Vaclav the machinist to his job at the local weapons factory.

 

On the plus side, they're cheap as chips to buy, easy to repair, you can get the factory workshop manuals FOC online, and every single part for them is still available new from the Czech republic. Oh, and they're good fun to ride, in a primitive and slightly dangerous kind of way.

[Jerzy Woking]

I have been after a Jawa or CZ twin for a while now-it's been my (bad) experience that they are very tricky to get hold, and now getting expensive. This one was at the top price I was willing to pay, as it had a rebuild last year. It's actually the Custom model, but the previous owner got rid of the handlebar fairing and side panels. The ace bars are, well, ace.

 

As soon as I arrived home I just had a quick blast. First thing is yes, the gear lever doubles as the kick start. it's too long for a gear lever, but too short for a kick start. starting is fun and takes me back to owning 650 BSA's back in my teenage years. Tickle the carb, kick it over twice, switch on ignition and kick again, and it started.

 

But the brakes-dear God, I thought I was never going to stop at the end of the drive. I'll fit new shoes-I cannot believe they are this bad! But it rides really nicely, gears are well spaced, and 60mph seems quite leisurely. Loads of torque for a two stroke (compared to my Suzuki at least). As Sigmund alluded to ^^^, it is fun in a dangerous way, ANY spares are not just easy to get, but incredibly cheap (http://www.jawamarkt.cz/en/new-parts). Its going to be a real job resisting polishing and tarting it up.  I'll try to stick to just a new seat cover (I hate duck tape on seats-the glue always seems to find a way onto my jeans) and brake shoes.

 

Looking forward to riding it down to the Czech Republic next year to meet up with my Czech mates (most of who ride BMW GS's, the big jessies).

 

The worst of the rust (deeply pitted, but not holed)

 

 

Well worn tank

 

 

And the "brake" (OMGSTRAIGHTON)

 

[minolman]

Výborný nákup ! [Excellent purchase]

 

Looks like Marek Veselý-Kolář's loss and condemnation to walking to work at the Moravian Salt Mines is your gain! I'd love one of the giffer old DDR or CZ commie mopeds, like the Schwalbe or something. Mainly cos I am unsure of bike riding laws despite having had my car license and provisional for the bike since the late 1990s I am not sure if I can only ride a 50cc without buggering about doing more tests or a 125cc

[strangeangel]

Class! We need more 2-wheeled Communist iron on here  

[wuvvum]

Sounds exactly like my old 180 (although probably with a bit more power).  These and MZs do seem to pull very well at low revs for a two-stroke, but soon run out of puff higher up - the exact opposite to the Cagiva, in fact.

[Jerzy Woking]

Having had an MZ. I would class them as very refined compared to the CZ. I'll get some miles on it once I have sorted the brakes - they just could not have be this bad on not been this bad when new. But saying that my MZ had a Honda twin leading shoe brake fitted. So different from the Cagiva Wuvvum - it really feels tiny in comparison. And I woder how many of the 17 horses when new are still in residence, as it's so hard to tell by the feel of it.

 

I see me buying more 2 wheeled Commie Shite in the future.

[castros_bro]

Go faster 175cc 477 with oil pump driven from crank worm drive, seat attached with webbing strap and original dealers sticker, Normandy Motorcycles,  on front mudguard.

 

 

 

A "you can't be serious" off road 175cc weighing more than the road going one

 

 

 

I love Cuba.

 

 

[Frogchod]

Pretty sure the gearshift/kickstarter also operates the clutch, well it did on my CZ125 and Jawa 350.

With practice you could stomp on the lever and pull away without touching the hand clutch, very sensitive but doable.

[Frogchod]

Dammit Castros_bro

Now I'm on t'web looking for CZ175 Trails

[castros_bro]

There's always Sleasyjet to Turkey then buying a MZ251 or even a Baja or Jawa

 

 

http://www.kanuni.com.tr/en/tarihce

 

 

 

 

[Jerzy Woking]

Love those 175 trails-something about the exhaust does it for me. I'd have one if I could find one-I remember they were fairly popular around my way in 1977.

 

My mate had a 1975 CZ 250 Sport back in 1977, and the gear lever on that definately operated the clutch too, if you were delicate with the lever. Nort sure about my one-I'll check it out if it ever stops raining.

 

I once rode an MZ250 ISTD (International Six Day Trial) cometition bike. It was amazing-100 mph genuine top speed on the biggest knobblies I had ever seen. Fantastic bikes that were once dirt cheap (who wanted one when you could buy an IT Yamaha or a PE Suzuki?) Last ione I saw for sale was for over £5,000 and sold within  a couple of days.

 

[Bone]

I have been after a Jawa or CZ twin for a while now-it's been my (bad) experience that they are very tricky to get hold, and now getting expensive. This one was at the top price I was willing to pay, as it had a rebuild last year. It's actually the Custom model, but the previous owner got rid of the handlebar fairing and side panels. The ace bars are, well, ace.

 

As soon as I arrived home I just had a quick blast. First thing is yes, the gear lever doubles as the kick start. it's too long for a gear lever, but too short for a kick start. starting is fun and takes me back to owning 650 BSA's back in my teenage years. Tickle the carb, kick it over twice, switch on ignition and kick again, and it started.

 

But the brakes-dear God, I thought I was never going to stop at the end of the drive. I'll fit new shoes-I cannot believe they are this bad! But it rides really nicely, gears are well spaced, and 60mph seems quite leisurely. Loads of torque for a two stroke (compared to my Suzuki at least). As Sigmund alluded to ^^^, it is fun in a dangerous way, ANY spares are not just easy to get, but incredibly cheap (http://www.jawamarkt.cz/en/new-parts). Its going to be a real job resisting polishing and tarting it up.  I'll try to stick to just a new seat cover (I hate duck tape on seats-the glue always seems to find a way onto my jeans) and brake shoes.

 

Looking forward to riding it down to the Czech Republic next year to meet up with my Czech mates (most of who ride BMW GS's, the big jessies).

 

The worst of the rust (deeply pitted, but not holed)

 

20150823_131829.jpg

 

Well worn tank

 

20150823_132053.jpg

 

And the "brake" (OMGSTRAIGHTON)

 

20150823_131820.jpg

I wouldn't be riding far with rusty wheel spokes, their tensile strength will be compromised.

[castros_bro]

The CZ 125/175 had a combined kick start/gear lever. The clutch can be operated using the gearchange so you can change whilst picking you nose left handed, if you gently holding the clutch lever and operating the gearchange  you can check it it still works. The pukka competition bikes always made good coin as did the Jawa speedway kit.

[twosmoke300]

I did about 10000 miles on a MZ ts150 and still have it tucked away now . Great little bike , my mates used to rib the hell out of me but the MZ was much better in the bends than their cg's etc