A two-stroke boxertwin De MZ BK350
After the war, Germany was redistributed and much of DKW's knowledge and production fell into communist and / or socialist hands. The IFA / MZ machines were direct successors in the DKW bloodline. But luckily it remained with the cloning of pre-war DKW models.
The BK350 is a fairly unique machine. We are talking about the early fifties. Two-stroke two and three in-line engines have almost always been around. But a two-stroke boxer engine? A concept that had never been applied before and would never be used afterwards. The two-cylinder two-stroke boxer was in the 250 cc version intended as an aggregate in aircraft. In the meantime, the war threw a spanner in the works and the DKW factory changed to Volks Eigene Betrieb IFA. That block was later developed into a motorcycle block. And there the 350 cc DKW two-stroke boxer became the MZ BK350.
The beginning
The first models came on the market in 1953, the machine caused a stir. Two outstanding cylinders in an impressive engine block, impressive in size, two large brake drums and a double exhaust; appearance was an attractive machine. The export models were also richly chromed. The performance was impressive. The 350cc two-stroke boxer with its 15pk was more than 110 km / h fast and had enough power to pull a sidecar. The brakes were sufficiently powerful even with sidecar use. This twin was the machine that many people had been waiting for. Despite its price from 3.650 Ost-Marken, the machine was sold well.
The total production
In total, more than 40.000 items were produced. The 4000 machines that were built for export were special. These machines are distinguished by their chrome wheels and tank. In addition, 20 Geländemotoren were made.
The end
In 1959 the MZ BK350 was fired by the arrival of the MZ ES. The DDR planners thought that only one heavy motorcycle had to be built in a country, and that became the MZ.ES. Exit MZ BK350. Exit Awo 425… The disappearance of the MZ BK350 was of course also speeded up by the fact that the two-stroke boxertwins were quite expensive things to produce. Moreover, the BK still had some problems with the degree of filling of the left cylinder due to the gas flow dynamics in the crankcase, which made the carburetor adjustment rather exciting.
Meanwhile, most MZ BK350 have ended up with loving owners and there is a reasonable (replica) parts provision
Think of amounts around the 2.000 euro for a project, 5.000-6.000 euro for a nice and good copy and amounts around the 10.000 euro for a very nice sidecar combination.
Technical data IFA / MZ BK 350
Engine: two-stroke, two-cylinder boxer engine, air-cooled
Stroke: 65 mm
Bore: 58 mm
Cylinder capacity: 343 cc
Compression ratio: 7: 1
Power at 5.000 rpm: 15 / 17pk
Maximum torque at 3.000 rpm: 30 Nm
Links
www.bk350.de: For all questions
www.oldtimerteile-haase.de Specialized in all parts for DDR engines.
Zweiradmuseum Schloss Augustusburg
One of the largest collections of GDR two-wheelers old-timers. D-09573 Augustusburg o Schloss Augustusburg, www.die-sehenswerten-drei.de/
www.emmzett.de: all kinds of data about MZ, then and now.
