Parallel Universe

The 1000S is like no other sportbike on the road

by Lance Oliver

Bill Andrews What comes to mind when you think MZ?

1960s ISDE-winning off-road bikes? Cold War-era utilitarian transportation? A quirky line of bikes using Yamaha-built 660cc singles?

Or maybe you just draw a blank. Don’t feel bad, most people do.

MZ, which got its start as a motorcycle company under the DKW name in the 1920s, has built more than 2.5 million machines, but never sold more than a few thousand in the United States in any given year.

Whatever image the MZ brand brings to mind, the company’s newest bike, the 1000S, is something completely different. The former East German manufacturer, now owned by an Asian conglomerate, has built its own interpretation of a liter-class sportbike.

The 1000S combines top-quality components from suppliers around the world with an unusual engine of the company’s own design.

There are plenty of features you’d expect on a 21st century sportbike. Four-piston calipers clamping twin discs up front. An upside-down fork that, like the rear shock, is fully adjustable for preload, plus compression and rebound damping. A cassette-style six-speed gearbox.

Then there’s the Stealth-Fighter-inspired bodywork. It may not look like anything else you’ve ever seen, but it wins a lot of compliments.

Any resemblance between the MZ and other sportbikes ends, however, the second you start the engine. In motion, the 1000S feels like nothing else on the road, mostly because of its parallel-twin engine.

To say that parallel twins haven’t exactly made a big impact on the sportbike world is an understatement. In fact, besides Kawasaki’s 500 and 250 Ninjas and Suzuki’s GS500, this is it—at least in the U.S. market.

The 999cc MZ engine makes good power over a broad rpm range, but lacks the top-end hit of most open-class sportbikes. You can rev it to the 9,500-rpm redline, but it’s more fun to surf the mid-range.

If you’re one of those who think inline-fours are soulless, this motor makes the kind of linear, non-peaky power you might prefer. If you’re addicted to the smooth, high-end rush of a four, though, the MZ will feel slow-revving and a bit rough.

Despite a counterbalancer, the rigid-mounted engine vibrates the footpegs at all speeds, and the handlebars buzz as you approach redline.

On the other hand, MZ nailed the fuel-injection formula. It works perfectly on everything from cold starts to all-out acceleration. You never even notice it.

The 1000S also has a character of its own when it comes to handling. Stubby clip-ons provide limited leverage. But get in the habit of leading with your chin—a slight upper body shift and a decisive look where you want to go—and the MZ proves to be stable and confidence-inspiring, nearly perfect on winding two-lanes (see “Backroads R&R”).

The 1000S is not a bike for the masses, but if the machine’s knife-edge styling and the parallel twin’s hammer-of-the-gods sound push the right buttons for you, then you really have no choice. The MZ 1000S is a class of one.—Lance Oliver

SPEC SHEET

Engine
Liquid-cooled
eight-valve
parallel twin

Displacement
999cc

Bore x Stroke
96mm x 69mm

Carburetion
Fuel injected

Drivetrain
Six-speed
transmission
chain drive

Front Brake
Dual 320mm discs
four-piston calipers

Rear Brake
Single 243mm disc

Tires
120/70ZR-17
180/70ZR-17

Dry weight
463 pounds (claimed)

Price
$11,995

2005 MZ 1000S