EASTERN EUROPEAN BIKES 3

Minsk - officially MMVZ - Minsk Moto Velo Zavad.

The Belarus factory was originally built by the Germans in 1945 during the Nazi occupation. Their first machine, M1A, was a 125cc copy of the German "Deek" DKW RT125, just like the Bantam etc.

These bikes might look dated and unfashionable but they're simple and easy to fix and I have a soft spot for them. For more pictures and details of Eastern European bikes and cars take a look at the comprehensive Autosoviet web site with English translations www.autosoviet.altervista.org/main-english.htm

EASTERN EUROPEAN BIKES 2

This fantastic Czech Jawa Racer looks the bizz.

Lovely looking MZ racer - and look at those "spannies"...  I love this Eastern European stuff.

EXTREME SPEEDWAY

Polish star Jarek Hampel riding on the snow covered roof of the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland for a Red Bull publicity stunt - awesome in the extreme!

Pics by Lukas Nazdraczew/Red Bull

Link taken from the excellent Keep Turning Left blog (see my blog list in the sidebar).

EASTERN EUROPEAN BIKES 1

I got a friend who's well into his Eastern European bikes... CZs Jawas, MZs, you name 'em he's probably got one. He even took a ride to Czech Republic on his Jawa this year to visit the famous factory. Awesome, who needs those BMW 2-wheeled jeeps to go overland?

This is one of his too, a Voshkod. I gotta admit I kinda like it and I bet it runs for 100s of miles on a tankful of "sans plomb".