Jawa/CZ/MZ

[pepperami]

In the dim and distant past I owned a couple of CZ`s and a Jawa.
I actually liked them in that they were different to anything else I have ever ridden before or since.
Even a sausage fingered clown like me was able to keep them going 99% of the time, especially the singles (250 crosser & 125 road bike).
One piston, one carb, one set of points, no valves, one coil, so on and so on.
So that got me thinking about how viable would it be in this day and age to own a Jawa/CZ or even a MZ?

Is there anybody on here who has one at the moment? I would value your input
How do you cope with getting spares?, in this country?
What about finding someone who is willing to work on them?(Re-bores)

I know there are a few out there, but are they just the real die-hards/anoraks who own them or is it a viable alternative to an old Brit bike ownership?
Not that there is anything wrong with old Brit iron.
There are a whole load of sites/businesses to support any old Brit bike you can think of,but what about East European bikes?

The reason I ask is in the past, I owned a Sachs X125 and sometimes it was a real ball ache trying to find parts .
Luckily that had a Suzuki engine and Italian suspension & brakes.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[yen_powell]

Well the CZ/Jawa owners club always had a large marquee at the BMF rally in Peterborough, find them and they'll know where to get spares etc.

My first bike was a Jawa 250 twin. I still wake up screaming sometimes.

I gave it away after it sat in my front garden for a few years (no one was going to steal it) and the last I saw of it, it had stood in a greenhouse for the next 15 years.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[RhynoCZ]

I don't own a CZ, yet, but 90% of Czech shops with parts are in English as well and they do shipping to UK (EU). Germans are also quite keen CZ and Jawa enthusiast, so a lot of parts there as well.

EDIT: With a CZ and Jawa you're never going to get to a point, where you wouldn't be able to find spare parts.

I do have a MZ 151 at my disposal, and although the romance of mixing petrol with oil and carrying a bottle of two stroke juice when riding is long gone, it's still a nice and very, very low budget way of riding around. Spares are everywhere and cheap, but the MZ doesn't need much to keep the good times roll.
To get MZ parts, check the Polish market, Poles are crazy about the MZ motorcycles, they also pay silly money for MZ's in any condition.

Review:
Engine: 8/10
Gearbox: 10/10
Clutch: 4/10
Suspension: 6/10
Brakes: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
-----------------------
Total score: 7.7/10

Summary:
The MZ151 is a small, light, nice motorcycle. The engine is surprisingly very smooth once you get going and has got a plenty of power to keep you going at 100km/h at decent MPG for such motorcycle. The 5 speed gearbox is very good actually, gear changes are smooth and it is a 5 speed gearbox. The gear ratios are very reasonable and you can travel at 80 km/h all day long at 5th gear with no engine vibration. By the way, having a 5 speed gearbox in a motorcycle made on the wrong side of the iron curtain, where 3 and 4 speed gearboxes were the standard, must have been very decadent.

The clutch is there but the 151 clutch was never good to start with and changing the plates and/or springs is a nightmare, the 251 is way more advanced and mechanic friendly.

The suspension of the 151 is very/too soft, but the motorcycle was designed to be a versatile motorcycle, so it's alright, I guess. You may even lift the back of the motorcycle if you mount the rear shocks to the seconds set of mounting points and even set the preload of the springs. The front end can't be adjusted but it would be pointless anyway. It's not wobbly on the tar, but the engine is faster than the suspension, if you know what I mean.

Brakes are questionable, the front disc brake is the best thing you could get back in the day in the east, but by today's standards, in combination with the very soft suspension and 20+ years old front tyre that's fitted on the MZ 151 I'm riding, it gets rather dangerous if you don't plan ahead enough. I lost the front end twice, both times braking with the front brake.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Oldie]

I've owned a very low mileage Jawa 350 (638 engine) for the past couple of years. It had a full rebuild - new pistons etc - after sitting in a shed for countless years. I didn't use it much until last Spring and it became one of my favourite bikes! It kinda says "no, I'm not pretty but I'll get you across this muddy field for the next hundred years".

I like the enclosed chainguard, semi-auto clutch and just the general comfort. I'd put it in the "fun agricultural" class of motorbikes

All went well until I snapped the throttle cable at the twist grip (the little brass collar was always loose) and when I fitted the new cable I set the carb jet needle in the wrong slot (twice) and couldn't get it started. I was so pissed of that I wheeled it to the back of the garage where it remains today.

The only other issue I had with the bike was the common "lurch" when engaging first when the engine is cold. I bought the clutch basket tool to allow me to either tighten the centre nut or remove/replace the O Ring at the back of the basket but never got round to doing it.

I will sell it one day but don't really want the hassle for the £400 I will get for it.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DkoZEjPJGns/VMuiDbHMS_I/AAAAAAAAEXI/JRm91sqtDXImvnctylK-AQkhmfIfjGCRQCCo/s800/003.JPG

[Piercee100]

https://www.jawamotorcycles.co.uk/350Classic.html
I would really like to own a new one, but I guess if it doesn't happen this year then it never will unless they find a way around the euro reg's.
One importer only in the UK and the trouble I foresee is that it could never be my only bike since you CAN get parts, but its never going to be a case of popping into your local bike shop on a Sunday morning to get that throttle cable that snapped in time for work on a Monday.

You could go used, but I have terrible luck at that and always feel sorry for the basket case.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[pepperami]

[pepperami]

[Oldie]

[pepperami]

[temeluchus]

plenty of places selling parts for them provided you are happy ordering spare from Germany and Poland.

MZ-B, Oldtimers garage, OST2RAD etc etc.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Oldie]

I use www.jawashop.com and they always deliver, but sometimes you have to wait. Having just finished numerous jobs on the three Deauvilles, CX500 and the CB250 I needed a break so took a 9 day tour of the Mosel on the F800 and suddenly riding has become much more interesting than tinkering

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7SA1Wmcl8-M/Vxo2QosRBgI/AAAAAAAAFMs/8NmU4SAx6Lkhe0a_gRrbdk_yMf3m6CvsgCCo/s800/IMG_20160417_124902.jpg

[pepperami]

[Oldie]

If you want to find out more about ownership then there's a (fairly quiet) Yahoo owners forum (requires registration) but the attached note from a different source lists some "silly faults" and suggestions. Quite useful really.

Jawa/CZ are easily maintained, super cheap to buy, and terrific fun to ride. However, I'm more of an early Honda enthusiast and not a great fan of strokers, per se. They do have charm though.

https://www.jawa-club.at/FAQ/faq_en.html