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That 76 Red Frame came with the Mikuni, but I added Motoplat, cut the fins, Snake Pipe, plastic air box, modded the tank to except the leading axle Marzochi's, Sun Rims, Heavy Spokes, Chain Tensioner, Tall Seat. It looks like the front brake lever got modded the same time as my ass in those JT's. That was a Redwood Acres Fairground race in Eureka, CA. Great moto community, but I can say the mods... although impressive for that era and a CZ never jelled. I had really no clue on bike set up and although the stroke, turnability worked great, that shock and fork set up I couldn't dial in.
My '73, had the rear suspension like yours & stock forks with 1 " extended damping rods, which we also modified for smoother dampening in the middle of the stroke. Maybe I just didn't know any better, but it felt good to me. Maybe a little unstable on the fast stuff, but quick turning and lots of grunt in the tight stuff.
The guys at The Dirt Shop in Beltsville Md (AMA D-7) were died in the wool CZ fanatics back then. I'm sure CZ sold a lot of bikes in the mid -Atlantic area because of them.
RB
Anyway, I was involved in a head on returning from a race that thankfully no one was seriously hurt, but this CZ along with my YZ125 took a serious trip over the cab of my truck and spilling out across the hwy. Insurance replaced the forks, wheels and other hard parts. So yes, there wasn't many CZ's trying to keep up with the Japs and Maico's in 76. It was pretty much the end. I was on Yamaha's after until my 81 Maico 490.
Just like your Dirt Shop RBrider, Eureka Cycles and Assc Pat Richter and Fred Villopoto sold a lot of CZ's over on this coast
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and sometimes laid the bike down, digging the peg into the dirt to help stop on the big downhills.
When men were men.....
Grady, I read an interview with Roger D where he said his ankles still give him trouble from the days when he rode for CZ.
He blamed it on the non-folding footpegs they used in the '60's.
RB
The King, Showtime. GOAT, Fastest on the Planet, whatever.
Quite simply, The Man.
Impressive twin pipe 250 to say the least...Was that your highest sell?
i often wondered why CZ went away from that peanut tank to the yellow and then coffin tank design, Seemed like they took steps backwards.
They certainly were the shit from the mid 60's for a strong full decade.
Sorry to see them go and also relieved…..had some real sweet Maico’s, Bultaco’s, Montesa’s, Pentons, Husky, ………………
man, that blue one, I have never seen a blue one.
Was that 507 bike factory paint?
Unreal collection.
Anyone see a '74 Cappra out there for sale? A 250?
This picture was at Gaildorf in 1974
Picture was taken at Woodland WA.
Pit Row
RB
Just amazing bikes, we have a blast on them at Unadilia Rewind, had to build my own
Bone stock '73 (okay it had a Petty front fender) at the the '85 CZ National at Corona Raceway.
The late Robin Hannah used this pic for a poster at the 2015 CZWC.... We conversed about this shot many years back but I'd lost the emails long ago.... Great shot.....
Mechanic at a Suzuki shop I raced out of before I had the CZ gave me a Mikuni carb off a factory 250 Suzuki road race bike along with a had full of jets and said get an adapter, file a couple of millimeters off the back side of the piston, polish the ports and go racing kid. I remember him saying I can’t blame you for getting off that Suzuki, they can’t hold a candle to a CZ.
So I did what he said and had a lot of fun. I got to be a reasonable fast amateur I’d say. I moved the shocks forward, got my hands on a good set shocks and plastic tank from Mid Valley cycle sales in Van Nuys, Ca. Maybe a pipe too, can’t remember where it came from. I had my CZ tricked out pretty good, carried out a lot of groceries to get there.
I only ran the stock piston for short time. When I went with a Wiseco and did some more port work, I got that heavy CZ to move out pretty dang good. I hit the ground really hard at Big Red Motocross in Oklahoma City, ran over couple of times, another bike fell on me and took a foot pegs in the back. Woke up in the back of a Chevy truck a new didn’t have a clue where I was. Kinda lost some of my nerve after that.
Good times for kid from a small oil patch town of 13k people in Oklahoma.
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