RT 125

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The famous DKW RT 125 of 1950

MZ RT 125

RT 125 can refer to a model of two-stroke motorcycle made by DKW in Zschopau in the 1930s, IFA and MZ in the 1950's and early 1960's, and DKW in Ingolstadt in the 1950's and 1960's. "DKW" stands for "Das Kleine Wunder" or "The Little Wonder". "RT" stands for "Reichstyp" or "National Model".

In the 1930's DKW pioneered the Schnurle two-stroke loop scavenging process to dispense with the use of a deflector piston and improve efficiency of the combustion chamber. DKW also developed a highly efficient arrangement of transfer ports. These two features were included in the RT 125 to great commercial advantage. Competitor companies such as Adler and TWN copied the adoption of flat-topped pistons and strove to develop equally transfer port arrangements without infringing DKW's patent.

Since 2000 MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH has used RT 125 to refer to an entirely new model of four stroke motorcycle.

The RT 125 is probably the most copied motorcycle of all time. After World War II the Soviet Union took plans, tooling and even several dozen personnel as war reparations to MMZ, (later transferred to MMVZ and SMZ). RT 125 plans were also taken to the United Kingdom where they became the basis of the BSA Bantam, and to the USA where they formed the basis of the Harley-Davidson "Hummer". Later Yamaha in Japan copied the RT 125 as the basis of the Yamaha YA-1.