Česká zbrojovka Strakonice
Česká zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ a.s.) is a Czech company producing forklifts Desta and components for the automobile industry, it is former firearms manufacturer, also known for making ČZ motorcycles. ČZ was established as a branch of the Škoda Works Armament in Strakonice, Czechoslovakia in September 1919.[1]
History
Work started on the construction of the first workshops of the arms factory originally called Jihočeská zbrojovka ("
In 1929 the growth of the Czech Armament Works reached a turning point. With the downturn in weapons sales after
Like most large industrial enterprises this stock company was nationalized in 1946.[1] Due to the post-war political situation, firearms production in the Strakonice plant was ended.[1]
The company changed after the motorcycle brand went out of production in the 1990s and started focusing on manufacturing car components, like turbochargers, besides its traditional production of chains, tools, moulds, castings and machine tools. Since 1999, Desta forklifts have been manufactured in ČZ Strakonice.[2]
Motorcycle development
Motorcycle development and production as well as competition victories in 1950s and 1960s enabled the ČZ brand to be among the world's most successful makers of competition and street motorcycles. After World War II, ČZ was the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe. It was during this period that the company experienced its greatest racing successes. It began competing in the 250 cc and 350 cc classes of Grand Prix motorcycle road racing. These bikes, although technically refined, were rarely very competitive with bikes from the powerful Italian factories such as MV Agusta, Gilera and Mondial.
The
The ČZ factory recorded a historic victory during the 1963 FIM Motocross World Championship when factory rider Vlastimil Valek rode a 263cc ČZ motorcycle to win the first moto of the 500cc Czechoslovakian Motocross Grand Prix.[3] His victory marked the first time that a two stroke powered motorcycle had won the premier division of the Motocross World Championships.[3]
In the
ČZ proved to be much more successful with motocross and became well known for its powerful
By the 1970s, with the advent of inexpensive and technically advanced Japanese motorcycles, ČZ lost an increasing share of the motorcycle market. Ironically, many of the innovations successfully pioneered by ČZ, were copied by the Japanese factories. In 1993 the motorcycle branch of ČZ was bought by the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Cagiva, who intended to use the Czech factories to build their own brand of motorcycles as well as new ČZ and Jawa models. The venture failed in 1997 due to Cagiva's financial difficulties and the ČZ motorcycle brand went out of production.
Since 2018, the company Čezeta Motors is producing electric scooters Čezeta 506.[8]
Competition history
Motocross World Championships
- 1964 250 cc Motocross - Joël Robert, Belgium
- 1965 250 cc Motocross - Victor Arbekov, Russia
- 1966 500 cc Motocross - Paul Friedrichs, East Germany
- 1967 500 cc Motocross - Paul Friedrichs, East Germany
- 1968 500 cc Motocross - Paul Friedrichs, East Germany
- 1968 250 cc Motocross - Joël Robert, Belgium
- 1969 250 cc Motocross - Joël Robert, Belgium
International Six Day Trials victories
- 1947 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1952 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1954 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1956 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1958 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1959 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1962 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1970 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1971 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1972 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1973 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1974 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1977 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1978 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
- 1982 Trophy - Team Czechoslovakia
See also
- Jawa Motors
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "CZ Company History". czas.cz. 2003-01-01. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
- ^ "DESTA - Forklift trucks - About us". CZas.cz. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-578-29016-4,
Battles between Hallman and Robert quickly became legend, but the most significant moment in the decade of the 1960s came when ČZ factory rider Vlastimil Valek rode a bike with a bored-out 250cc two stroke single and beat a full field of top-class, 500cc four stroke bikes to win the 1963 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix.
- ^ a b "CZ Moto-cross Development". ahrmanwc/CZmx.htm. 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
- ^ a b "1972 CZ 380 Motocross". ultimatemotorcycling.com. 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
- ^ a b "CZ250 Twin Port -1965". earlyyearsofmx.com. 2006-01-01. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
- ^ "International Six Days Trial History (1949 - 1980)". isdt.org. 2003-11-01. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
- ^ "Čezeta - Luxury Electric Motorcycle Scooters". Cezeta Motors. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
External links
- CZ History
- Article on the CZ 350 V4 Grand Prix race bike
- Jawa CZ Owners Club
- Jawa CZ Owners Club of Ireland
- CZ at Sechtl & Vosecek archive CZ-Strakonice in 1960s photo gallery
- International Six Days Trial