CZ Motorcycles

CZ was established in September 1919 as a branch of the Skoda armament works in Strakonice, Czechoslovakia - the name is short for Ceska Zbrojovka, a firearms manufacturer that also built motorcycles. CZ began producing street motorcycles in 1932 and, after the Second World War, grew into the second-largest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe. In 1972 the company stepped back from road-racing to focus on motocross, becoming famous for powerful two-stroke machines and credited as the first manufacturer to use expansion-chamber exhaust pipes; CZ bikes dominated world motocross competition through the 1950s to 1970s. Motorcycle manufacturing at Strakonice continued until 1997, and CZ motorcycles are no longer in mass production - surviving examples today are largely restored originals or limited-run niche revivals rather than a continuing production line.