Basically New From 1987 – CZ 250 and CZ 400 MXers

In Off-Road by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Last year Abhi featured a new pair of CZ MXers in Australia – more specifically a CZ250 and CZ400 – that the seller claimed were the very last new CZ bikes in the world. Turns out the Aussie was wrong, as here we have two additional brand new CZ MXers, also a CZ250 and CZ400. The two 1987 CZ examples that are currently for sale also look markedly cleaner than the dust-caked pair being sold last year down under. It probably goes without saying that this set of vintage Czech brappers is an incredibly rare find, only made possible by the stars aligning under very specific circumstances. Obviously I can’t definitively say that these are the very last new CZ’s on the planet, but if they aren’t, they’re part of a very very small number.

The current owner of these rare pristine CZ’s purchased them from an estate sale of a recently deceased former owner of a North Carolina CZ dealership. The two examples were never sold and have spent the last three decades indoors as display bikes that were routinely cleaned. Despite looking like recent restorations, these CZ’s are said to be sporting their original factory tires, original paint and tank decals, and original fenders and side panels with numbers plates. Everything on both examples is reported to work flawlessly, with both bikes said to fire up on the first kick and the original oil/air forks work like they did the day they left the factory (though the suspension on these examples isn’t stock). Both machines are also approved for vintage AHRMA competition.

This red 1987 CZ250 is a Type 513 example and has only three miles on its odo, as it was tested via seven laps around a track after recently being fully serviced. This Czech quarter-liter model was first introduced in ’83 and would see production until ’89, by which point it had grown wildly long in the tooth relative to other modern offerings. They were primarily sold in Eastern Europe, though some examples did get exported into other parts of the world such as the US and Australia. The 248 cc power-plant reportedly made 35hp and came equipped with drum brakes and suspenders offering 10.6” of travel in front, and 11” in back. In addition to the original factory owners manual, this example comes with a California title that’s still in the name of the owner of a South Carolina CZ dealership, and was last registered in 2002.

The Type 513 example has received an upgrade or two since leaving the factory in ’87. The ad doesn’t mention any modifications but it clearly has a pair of Ohlins suspenders in back, and I imagine someone who knows CZ’s better than myself may be able to spot further changes made to the 250. I admittedly am not very familiar with CZ’s, but this pair of what are essentially new bikes – that are older than myself – seemed more than worth featuring in a post. The patina on these examples alone seems pretty noteworthy to me. I can’t independently verify the seller’s claims, but he (or she) says they have the paperwork to go along with the bikes.

The white and blue ’87 CZ400 Type 514 example has only reportedly had only two hours put on it in total when eight laps were put on it after its recent full service. Like the 250, the 400 example reportedly has its original factory tires, paint, decals, side panels, and number plates. Though this example is practically brand spankin’ new, it has received a handful of upgrades in the form of a fork mod-kit, Swedish-made throttle, CDI ignition, cylinder-polishing, Terry cables, and CZ Enduro-Cross front and rear fenders (though the seller still has the originals too). The entire bike is said to be 100% rust free. The small details on this example such as the immaculate 30 year-old grips, seat, and paint make this machine’s condition abundantly clear. It’s the epitome of a “time-capsule” motorcycle.

You can find both these “new” 1987 CZ examples for sale on Craigslist in Long Beach, California with the CZ250 (Type 513) boasting a price tag of $7,500, and the CZ 400 (Type 514) with a price of $10,500.