MZ Motorcycle Racing Two Stroke - Walter Kaaden - Ernst Degner.

MZ Motorcycle Racing Two Stroke - Walter Kaaden - Ernst Degner. Featuring Robbie Coltrane.

[@philrobinson8161]

As a lover of the two stroke engine, and the owner of Yamaha RD350 & 500 LCs previously, and a Suzuki RGV250 that I bought new in 1993 and still own now, Walter Kaaden is a REAL hero of mine. Probably more than ANY rider. HERR KAADEN I SALUTE YOU! Such a shame that Honda pursuaded MotoGP to go "bore-stroke."

[@jeynes14]

Great film, thank you for sharing this gift.

[@pete7kcu]

Degner, Kaaden and MZ, one of the great engineering, racing and human stories of the 20th century. All in Oxley's book "Stealing Speed". The designs, the racing success the defection and ultimate "acquisition" by Suzuki et al. Begging to be made into a feature film... great video on here. Thank you yds250.

[@TheWombat40]

by acquisition I assume you mean theft? Theft not only of the bike and blueprints, but also something called "intellectual property"?

[@pete7kcu]

You said it Argus :-) . An amazing story that still has some loose ends I believe ... Degner's final years and tragic death. You wonder if there were any regrets ...

[@TheWombat40]

Peter Kelly I'd say so, by all accounts Degner was Kaaden's golden boy. The fact that he suicided would indicate some regret. Not for the defection perhaps, but possibly for the theft of the blueprints. Surely the bike was enough?

[@pete7kcu]

Eastern bloc bike history seems fascinating (what I hear of it) as they seemed to focus on practicality for much longer than in the West, where we had moved to cars with bikes as leisure items. Look forward to Mr McGregor's film if he ever makes it

[@TheWombat40]

I would disagree on one point with you. Kaaden worked for MZ, he put the 2 stroke on the map, he had no involvement whatsoever with any Japanese company (or any other European company for that matter)

[@qwerty666tesla3]

Muy buen video, gracias por recordar al genio Walter Kaaden.

[@MARMELADIKAKKUAYFGA]

ERNST DEGNER 1931-1983... NICE TO WATCH IT.. WALTER KAADEN IS MY IDOL

[@precertvideo]

This is a great TV series on different engines called “Coltrane’s Planes & Automobiles”, it was released on VHS & DVD & a book

[@2stroketimebomb]

Walter Kaaden and Ernst Degner... I take my hat off to you both, without you two I would never have my RG 500! THANK YOU!!

[@Team-fabulous]

Degner had nothing to do with the RG.... the mans a thief....

[@mathiaskling6154]

@@Team-fabulous Well technically if he hadn’t made a deal with Suzuki they would have never made the RG as they would never have known the technology.

[@gfcm0ws]

Thanks for sharing! It means a lot to me, because on 02:05 my dad is in picture with his MZ (n° 149).

[@crobulari2328]

I bet you are pleased about the picture of your dad !!. Great photo my friend.

[@joonaslehto3637]

i wisd ID had mz

[@aldofontanesi5336]

And Luigi Taveri, Swiss hero, with No. 146 ;-)

[@sencer-sari]

Thanks for the Walter Kaaden's wizard touches to the heart of the MZ & two stroke world . His name will never be forgotten. By the way psychedelic ambient music was also nice in the documentary

[@tanaka_and_takahashi]

His name remains as the name of a corner at the Suzuka circuit.

[@nigel0205]

I've still got a badge my dad gave me in the early 60's Alan Shepherd the Matchless Champion.

[@nigel0205]

Good to see my uncle Alan Shepherd.

[@crasherror]

Another great video. Thanks again for the Upload!!!

[@patmays7344]

It's like he's back in James Bond? Take a hike, Olga!

[@jasonull6458]

This story would make a brilliant film script

[@pippiperade4030]

The BSA Bantam was not equipped with a Walter Kaaden MZ engine..

[@bruceparr1678]

1950 The Zschopau works begin production of the RT 125 model, developed before the war, under the trademark IFA (Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau). This model had become patent-free after World War II as part of war reparations[3] and was further developed in Britain (BSA Bantam), USA (Harley-Davidson Hummer), Russia (M-1A Moskva), Japan, Italy and West Germany.

[@franktechmaniac7488]

The GDR didn't manage to use the enormous knowledge of Walter Kaaden for their serial products. Although most motorbikes and passenger cars in the GDR ran on 2 stroke engines, their engines were weak and inefficient. What a waste! Over thirty years, Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda build squeezed more than 400 HP/L out of natural aspirated racing engines while huge slow running Diesel became the most efficient internal combustion engines.

[@bobmargaretrose2340]

Such rubbish! The BSA Bantam engine was a DKW design given to BSA as war reparations at the end of |WW2. MZ has never had any links with BSA.

[@bruceparr1678]

1950 The Zschopau works begin production of the RT 125 model, developed before the war, under the trademark IFA (Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau). This model had become patent-free after World War II as part of war reparations[3] and was further developed in Britain (BSA Bantam), USA (Harley-Davidson Hummer), Russia (M-1A Moskva), Japan, Italy and West Germany.

[@bruceparr1678]

DKW ceased to exist in 1932. The RT125 was developed by Auto Union in 1939.

[@albion2742]

@@bruceparr1678 You are talking cars. DKW was making bikes in the 50-60s.

[@bruceparr1678]

@@albion2742 You are right but that was a different DKW that was started in 1949 (I think). The RT125 was designed in 1939 by Auto Union. The original DKW ceased at the merger that created Auto Union in 1932.

[@daviddjerassi]

Sir you are 100% correct i have in my possession a 1938 / 39 DKW racing machine which BSA and the USA Hummer copied however placing the gear box on the opposite side to the Deek.

[@OMENAKAKKU-pw1tj]

WHAT HAPPENED TO DEGNER IN WEST

[@davidlax9454]

He lived a miserable life in japan so I belive.a good book on this story is called stealing speed worth a read

[@NOTAFULLUN]

I’ve read the book and although it is a long time ago I seem to remember he was scarred by burning fuel. The book suggests that he was quite a vain man and that there was an element of foul play in his accident. I gave the book away otherwise I would send it to you. It’s a very good read if indeed espionage and engineering pique your interest.

[@clivedavies5618]

@@NOTAFULLUN Alan Shepherd was scathing about Degner, "I never met a man so in love with himself." Alan was fiercely loyal to Walter both as a friend and as an engineering genius.

[@clivedavies5618]

A lot less Robbie Coltrane and a lot more about the racing and Alan Shepherd would be much better. Alan was a superb rider, sacked by MV shortly after joining for being "too good", his career was effectively ended when he suffered serious head injuries while testing a works Honda. He was caustic about Degner: "l never knew a man so in love with himself". Alan won the US 250 GP 1964 on the MZ.. At the end of 1964 Walter gave Alan the 125 and 250 racers he had used that season as payment for his services.

[@COIcultist]

I only ever met Alan at the MZ winter camp in the 80s and 90s. He was that rarest of beasts an absolutely lovely top level GP rider. Somebody on this thread talks about making a film based on Mat Oxley's Stealing Speed.There is an old copy of Classic Bike with the story of Alan's US GP win. Now that is the basis for a film. Real "Boy's Own" Story. Truth is often stranger than any fiction.

[@grahambrown8239]

I bought my first racing bike a 125 bultaco from Alan in 1969 , nice guy.

[@dougiequick1]

I believe a lot of this kinda overhyped in the book stealing speed because sure the expansion chamber was key but it was never like a magical formula explained exactly how to form the cones, that was admittedly in the book all trial and error. And seriously there was no real way of hiding those pipes from the competition who obviously could then duplicate a set and start their own trial and error along with every other variable thing. Besides which I assume MZ sold racing bikes and so examples could simply be purchased and reverse engineered. I think what Suzuki really bought for their money was not so much "stolen commie tech" but just a seriously great seat of the pants 2 stroke tuner and top level racer ....PLUS the added business boon of mortally wounding some of the most fierce competition ...I find no crime reading between the lines just typical everyday business both individual and corporate ...if MZ REALLY cared then they should have pulled out the stops to keep race teams well compensated and happy. But the book makes it sound like the Nazis had specifically developed the two stroke engine and then the russians rightfully owned that tech when really the whole harmonics thing was already a cat out of the bag if you think about it....I mean rockets were being developed in all sorts of places so the engineering aspects transferable to two stroke engines or whatever else already had to be part of the "Rocket Scientist" curriculim ....right? But again really it came down to trial and error and seat of the pants along with good dynomometers ....ALL the two stroke motor builder/tuners WERE figuring it out via monkey see monkey do anyway

[@vincentreynolds2127]

FACT.

[@jeffmullinix7916]

What a crook .