In 1990 (soon after the fall of the Berlin wall), MZ was privatized. The new owners realized that they needed a four-stroke motor if they were going to sell bikes in Europe and the US, so they called up Rotax and got themselves a 494cc single. Then, they designed a family of bikes around it, like the Silver Star retro standard and the Saxon dual-sport. The Saxon was available in two flavors, a Country and a Tour. The Country had spoked wheels, and a front fairing that was integrated into a bigger gas tank.
The Rotax single produced 34 horsepower that went through a 5-speed transmission and were transferred to the rear wheel with an enclosed chain drive. Starting was done with a kicker or a magic button, and dry weight was just 335 pounds. Unfortunately, they were a solid 20% more expensive than competitors like the KLR650, and it’s not like MZ had an extensive dealer network. They sold poorly, and are hard to find nowadays.
This example has just 170 miles (though the seller’s photo shows 157 miles on the odometer). It’s never been titled and the sale includes the manual, dealership paperwork, and the owner’s manual. One of the turn signal mounts is broken but the seller has a “new replacemnent.” Not sure why he or she didn’t just replace it before the sale but that’s something for you to figure out if you decide to move forward…
Find this MZ for sale in Medford, Oregon for $3,100 here on Craigslist.
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