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Driving report MuZ Mastiff and Baghira
Egg-verbibbch!
There look! With two smart designer bikes, MuZ really wants to herald the turnaround.
“This would be strictly forbidden with the Japanese,” whispers Masanori Hiraide behind closed doors, as if he were lucky to have escaped the clutches of his former employer Yamaha without hara-kiri. It is certainly true that the constraints of a large corporation severely restrict the creativity of designers. Now, however, Masanori can let off steam to his heart’s content, at his new employer MuZ every wish is read from his lips – almost at least.
It is thanks to the »second turning point« that creativity and imagination have suddenly moved in at MuZ. After the first attempt to build on the old GDR tradition with honest motorcycles went badly, the takeover by Hong-Leong (see box on page 40) opened up unimagined prospects. Now MuZ wants to usher in the image change with upbeat niche motorcycles.
The clearly shrunk but highly motivated MuZ team was in a great hurry. In just seven months, the two new models were raised from the ground up from the first sketch to the prototype. The effort was worth it. The trade press, which was rather skeptical about the MuZ, rubbed its eyes in amazement when two really original prototypes were presented in the seclusion of Spanish mountain landscapes.
The basis, the proven five-valve single cylinder of the Yamaha XTZ 660, is known to MuZ drivers from the Scorpion. Thanks to the free airways, 50 horsepower should now be elicited from it, two more than in the Scorpio. Despite the full torque curve, however, it looks less lively than some competitors, which is partly due to the hesitantly responding constant pressure carburetors. The stiff throttle does not contribute to a feeling of lightness either. The water-cooled Yamaha mono shies away from rev orgies, all of a sudden the limiter reminds you to be prudent, but the engine, which pulls smoothly and smoothly from low revs, is convincing overall. It’s just a shame that the undersized coupling requires so much manual force.
In addition to the engine, the frame and equipment of both MuZ are identical in many parts. The goal is very different. The Funbike Mastiff is undoubtedly more spectacular, named after the martial-looking but good-natured fighting dog. The name seems to be program, like the Mastiff‘s core, the fun bike is also rather gentle in nature, if you compare the MuZ with the more aggressive KTM Duke. In terms of public appeal, the beefy Mastiff is in no way inferior to the hornet-like Duke, the small, free-standing double headlights are reminiscent of an aggressive street fighter. The observer has to get used to the dominant line of the tubular brackets running above the handlebars into the tank. Bold style elements that polarize and provide plenty of material for discussion.
As is well known, taste is a great arguing, so here rather facts: the direct steering is already noticeable in the first few meters. The fun bike throws itself playfully in an inclined position, but without appearing overly nervous. Concerns about directional stability are quickly dispelled: the Mastiff even reacts to deliberate provocations on the handlebars at Tacho 150 without any tendency to pendulum, and it takes its course in stoic calm. At most, there are slight wavy lines to be noted in undulating curves, here the wide tires take their toll.
It is no coincidence that the chassis design fits so well for road use. At the last moment, the MuZ department headed by former enduro world champion Mike Heydenreich and test manager Rainer Reuter decided to modify the enduro frame for the fun bike, and that was a good decision. The steering head angle was set two degrees steeper, and the swing arm and wheelbase were shortened.
Although the only existing prototype required extremely careful handling, the fun bike’s lack of lean angle was noticeable. The footrests that fold away do not touch down dangerously, but it is difficult to stow the boots in such a way that they are not worn through within a short time. The first test will show what the ground clearance is like in two-person operation.
The long-legged enduro »Baghira« – named after the panther in Disney’s »Jungle Book« – has no problem. It targets the sporty market segment between soft and hard enduro, which is currently only occupied by a few models such as the Suzuki DR 650 or Yamaha TT 600 E. The chassis is therefore tuned to be sporty, firm, but off-road it tends towards the much-cited “healthy hardness”. The suspension strut from Technoflex, which will probably give way to another product in the series, offers so many adjustment options that an optimal setting could not be worked out during the presentation. Especially since the MuZler didn’t know which adjusting screw is responsible for what. Sporty off-road ambitions are already limited by the high weight and the tame engine. A somewhat softer design of the suspension and damping would therefore come closer to the demands of the target group.
However, the MuZ-Enduro has to be given credit for the fact that the prototype leaves a really excellent impression on the road. It works differently than soft Japanese enduro bikes B.aghira is not spongy at all, the deep immersion when braking is completely alien to her. The Middle East Enduro takes its course very precisely and without any high-speed commuting.
As with the fun bike, the pleasure is strongly dampened by the extremely soft and too flat seat in the front area. The injection mold was not ready in time, so that a foam core had to be carved by hand without further ado. All plastic parts are handcrafted, formally but already in series trim. In series production, the laminates are replaced by injection molded parts, colored through in the case of the Enduro, and painted in the case of the Funbike.
Other things will change before a first series is delivered to dealers at the end of April: The details of the color are not yet final, for example the Mastiff’s cockpit tubular brackets are said to be made of bare aluminum, while the rear ones will be chrome-plated. The entire exhaust system, which is made of high-quality stainless steel, should also shine. The designer wants to see cast wheels at Mastiff in series trim, the beautiful spoked wheels are only to be available for an extra charge. Speaking of the price, both models should be between 11,500 and 12,000 marks. For the fun bike, which has to be based solely on the Duke, which is clearly above it, quite cheap. If the series machines, which are to be delivered from mid-May, correspond to the prototypes presented and a few small things are still modified, there is no reason to dampen the euphoria of the MuZ team.
The situation at MuZ – Froher Osten
As a manufacturer of fully-fledged motorcycles, MuZ was unique in the new federal states. Now MuZ is one of 200 departments – and much better off. Despite bank guarantees from Bonn and Dresden, the company and its managing director Petr-Karel Korous did not succeed in driving into the black with Skorpion, Silver Star and Co. Result: In the summer of last year, the Saxons had to file for bankruptcy. But a few weeks later they had a takeover agreement with the little-known Hong Leong Group from Malaysia, in September 1996 the company was re-established, and meanwhile around 130 employees are again working in the halls of the Zschopau suburb of Hohndorf. “Hong Leong is a huge conglomerate,” explains MuZ press spokesman Michael Kleymann, “with some of the most important Asian banks, industrial activities in Asia, Europe and America, with newspapers and magazines.” There must be more fields of activity than creating worldwide around 40,000 people at more than 200 companies for the Malaysians. Some serve in the posh Hyatt hotels, others work in rather unknown motorcycle factories in the home country or in Vietnam and China. However, the number of units is considerable: With 300,000 units, Hong Leong, as a manufacturer of small-volume motorcycles – apart from Piaggio – is far beyond European standards. The fact that the responsible manager, Ron Lim, 49, is by no means one of the narrowest circle of corporate executives may also be taken as proof of sheer size. The motorcycles division ranks under industrial activities and started in 1979 with the first licensed replicas of Yamaha models. Later some Honda types were added and – strategically very important – a joint venture with Mao’s heirs. The detour via the factory in China now allows Hong Leong to export its own products despite tight license agreements with the Japanese. But Ron Lim, who thinks globally, shied away from a one-way relationship and therefore chose MuZ as a bridgehead: The Saxons are involved in quality control for all imports from Asia and provide ideas, while Hong Leong wants to get into motorcycle construction from Saxony. Michael Kleymann: »We definitely have the order to develop our own two-cylinder. In addition, we will arrive as soon as possible with a 125cc scooter and the 125cc Bantam. «Like the existing MuZ models with the Yamaha five-valve engine, these new developments will then also be exported to Asia or elsewhere:» Everywhere that one We can install a sales network that makes sense for us where there is interest in a European product. «So the successful deployment of two factory racers in Daytona can be considered strategically planned. “Of course,” the MuZ spokesman replied, “but with great caution and really very long-term goals.” After all, the new enduro and fun bike already show where the MuZ managing directors – they are equal to Ron Lim, who every few weeks in Zschopau is staying, and Petr-Karel Korous, who often jets to Malaysia, scent their chance: as a niche manufacturer with idiosyncratic and independent products. The man who vouches for their style is called Masanori Hiraide, is a designer and despite his only 28 years he can already refer to experience with various Yamaha products. Because bolder designs are possible in Europe, he left his mother country, hired MuZ last May and is now enjoying German-Malaysian goodwill. The photos on this double page prove it: its bold lines with the suggested roll bar run from the first draft to the finished product. “The tall cooler suggested this solution,” he explains, referring to the desired side effect: “People talk about it, they find it interesting. Or also funny. «With pleasure in the niche, you can be excited again.
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