THE 24 HOURS OF OSCHERSLEBEN SHOWS NO MERCY TO MAN OR MACHINE.
19 August 2005 - MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH

The MZ teams fought bravely at the Motorcycle World-Endurance Championship on 13/14 August 2005.

On Sunday, 14 August 2005 at 3pm the sensation was perfect. After 24 exhausting hours for man and material, Rico Penzkofer, rider of the OBI Bike Promotion Team no. 111 passed the finish line on its MZ 1000S as third in the open class. Also in his team: the Saxons Rene Knöfler and Rigo Richter. This result is the more amazing, as the MZ was faster than the bikes of BMW, Ducati, Triumph and KTM. The team head of OBI Bike Promotion, Micha Dangrieß explained: “Although the engine performance of the MZ was behind the competition, the reliability and the superior chassis of the MZ 1000S were more important, especially at a 24 hours race.” Indeed, 4 of the 5 MZ 1000S that started the race also reached the finish line. At a general rate of failures of 30% this proves the extreme reliability of the MZ 1000S.

Participating in the 24 hours of Oschersleben for most of the riders is a unique challenge. Whilst most motorcycle races only take about one hour, at endurance races there are a few riders in one team with one motorcycle and ride one after the other. Most endurance races take two, four, six or eight hours. The rare 24-hours races are the absolute supreme discipline. This applies for the riders, the material as well as for the organisational work that is necessary to make such a race become a success.

One team consists of three riders who take turns. Normally, one rider rides eight one-hour turns. In addition, an at least 25-people team is necessary to support the riders.

Already in 2004, the OBI Bike Promotion Team started at the 24 hours on a nearly standard MZ 1000S against 45 other teams and reached an incredible success: Though started as a complete outsider, the MZ became the absolute darling of the audience. The bike crashed two hours before the end of the race due to an oil spill on the track but still reached the finish line as 17th. It was clear for Bike Promotion, that they would participate in the 24-hours again this year - this time even with two bikes.

This time it was especially attractive as there was a special class called “Non-Japanese Bikes”. If this had been there already last year, the MZ had won it, as it was the only non-Japanese bike that reached the finish line. In this newly created Non-Japanese Bike Class the MZ bikes reached positions two, three, five and six.

The detailed results of the MZ teams are as follows:

Team Team German Non-Japanese
number Open Class Total* Bikes
OBI Bike Promotion 111 3 11 2
SRU Racing Sangerhausen 58 8 22 3
FSP Sachsen Racing 56 11 27 5
OBI Bike Promotion 112 13 29 6

“I am very happy about the success of the teams and the top performance of the MZ bikes”, said Dr. Christoph Baumgärtner, Director of MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH, who spent the whole time in the pit keeping his fingers crossed for the teams. MZ supported the teams with mechanics from the factory as well as spare parts and in organisational issues.

www.mz-motorrad.de

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