Motorcycle M1M "Makaka" (21 photos)

RU-MOTO rating

• Reliability
• Chassis
• Appearance
• Comfort

4.8

Verdict

After a detailed acquaintance with the motorcycle, the impression is definitely positive. Minsk meets all the necessary criteria, remaining accessible to a wide consumer. Even now, with a great abundance of equipment, the old Minchik has its place, and often becomes the first motorcycle of a beginner.

The Minsk motorcycle, a product of the idea of ​​Soviet minimalism and rationality, has become a sought-after tool in the everyday life of many citizens, and has forever staked its place in motorcycle history.

The biography of our Minsk began, like many Soviet motorcycles, in the post-war years. Everything is explained by the receipt of German drawings and their implementation by our manufacturer. Therefore, the first motorcycle in the line was based on the drawings of the German representative DKW RT 125, the result was the M1A “Moscow” motorcycle.

The progenitor of Minsk motorcycles, the German DKW RT 125

Five years later the M1M comes out and performs quite well as a lightweight road bike.

The story continues with the release of such models as:

• 1961-Minsk M-101;

Motorcycle Minsk M-101

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• 1962-Minsk M-103;

Motorcycle Minsk M-103

• 1964-Minsk M-104;

Motorcycle Minsk M-104

• 1967-Minsk M-105;

Motorcycle Minsk M-105

• 1971-Minsk M-106;

Motorcycle Minsk M-106

• 1973-MMVZ-3.111;

Motorcycle MMVZ-3.111

• 1976-MMVZ-3.115;

Motorcycle MMVZ-3.115

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• 1980-MMVZ-3.112;
• 2003-MMVZ-3.113.5 “Leader”.

Motorcycle MMVZ-3.113.5 “Leader”

Now the plant produces many different models together with a Chinese manufacturer. But the most striking model in the history of the plant was the MMVZ-3.112 model, which was produced for 15 years.

It is also interesting that, long after the end of production of this model, copies are still found to this day. This creates a good reputation for the manufacturer. Let's look at the characteristics of this model.

Specifications

The motorcycle is equipped with a single-cylinder two-stroke engine with a capacity of 125 cc. The cylinder is a cast iron sleeve pressed into aluminum fins. The head is also aluminum. This allows for efficient heat removal.

Previously, the site Ru-moto.com published a review of the Minsk D4 125 motorcycle

The engine did not have a separate lubrication system, so the oil had to be mixed directly with gasoline. The A-76 was suitable, with minor modifications it was possible to drive the A-92. The intake system is carried out by the good old carburetor. Power is 12 hp at 6300 rpm. The engine, despite its small volume, turned out to be durable and resourceful.

Equipped with a four-speed gearbox. Multi-disc clutch in oil bath. The drive to the wheel is carried out via a chain, which is protected by special casings without interaction with the external environment. This made it possible to operate the motorcycle on sandy roads without worrying about contamination of the chain and sprockets.

Motorcycle Minsk MMVZ-3.112

The motorcycle had a tubular frame. The suspension was a telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorbers at the front. At the rear there is a pendulum and two shock absorbers.

Electrical equipment includes all necessary lighting devices and has 12V. One of the important features is the absence of a battery in the system, which adds simplicity and unpretentiousness to the design.

History of the Minsk brand

“Minsk” is a brand owned by the Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant, under which motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and snowmobiles are produced.

A motorcycle plant in Minsk began to be built after the end of World War II on the site of a former fittings factory. In November 1945, equipment arrived that had been removed from Germany in accordance with the agreement between the Allied forces, which provided for the introduction of measures against enterprises contributing to the Wehrmacht.

The equipment belonged to the German plant DKW in Tschopau, which since 1940 produced the RT125, an advanced motorcycle for its time, with an engine in a block with a gearbox, constant mesh gears in the gearbox, gear shifting using a pedal, a two-channel loop blowing of the cylinder with small fins cast from cast iron and having cast purge channels.

It was this motorcycle that became the basis for the production of the legendary M1A “Moscow”, which was first manufactured at the Moscow Motorcycle Plant and then transferred to the Minsk Bicycle Plant. The motorcycle engine developed 4.25 hp. at 4500 rpm. and was combined with a three-speed gearbox, as well as an open chain final drive. The maximum speed achieved by the model was 70 km/h.

Minsk M1A "Moscow" (1951)

In 1956, the plant began producing the modernized M1M motorcycle with a pendulum rear wheel suspension and spring shock absorbers. This model was the first to receive electrical equipment that operated on alternating current. Engine power increased to 5 hp, and maximum speed - up to 75 km/h. The M1M motorcycle was distinguished by its original wing shape and soft suspension.

Minsk M1M (1956–1961)

In 1961, a new model M-103 was released, which no longer used suspension with friction shock absorbers, as well as a short-link pendulum front fork. Now a telescopic front fork with hydraulic shock absorbers has been used.

The M-104 model, which appeared in 1964, received a completely new appearance. It was equipped with a double cushion saddle, cladding panels around the carburetor and the seat frame. The engine was now equipped with a modernized K-55 carburetor, a redesigned exhaust system, and a new muffler. Its power increased to 5.5 hp.

In 1966, the power plant and the motorcycle itself underwent significant modernization: the frame was strengthened, a lower connecting rod bearing with a separator began to be used, which replaced the bronze bushing, final drive chain protection, a new throttle handle, a new carburetor, and a four-speed gearbox. The M-105 model received all these improvements.

Minsk M105 (1967–1971)

In 1971, a modernized M-106 motorcycle appeared, the engine power of which was 9 hp. Its gas tank received a new shape that corresponded to the trends of the times and could hold 12 liters of fuel. In addition, the model was equipped with a trunk for the first time.

In 1973, MMVZ-3 appeared. 111 with a 9.5-horsepower engine that accelerated the motorcycle to 90 km/h. It was equipped with 18-inch tires with aluminum hubs, a paper air filter, a central light switch, and direction indicators.

In June 1980, one of the most popular and longest-produced models was released - M.M.V.Z.-3.112, which has been in production for more than 20 years. It is known for the fact that in 1984 a 12-horsepower modification was released, which in 1987 was derated for use not only on highways.

After the collapse of the USSR, production volumes fell. The brand produces a slightly modified modification - MMVZ-3. 112.12 with increased compression ratio. In 1995, a new line of 95-watt generators was announced, and the transition to a new generation of motorcycles began - MMVZ-3113. 1. Until 1999, they were produced in small series or experimental batches. Full production started in 1999.

The dynamic characteristics of the motorcycle have been improved by increasing the compression ratio to 12 units. This also led to increased fuel efficiency and durability of the brand’s motorcycles. In addition, road stability and smoothness improved, and the appearance began to meet the spirit of the times.

In 2003, a new modification was released - MMVZ-3.113.5 “Leader” with minor cosmetic differences, but with a new modern appearance. Also this year, the MMVZ-3.114 appears with a four-stroke engine, equipped with an electric starter and paired with a five-speed gearbox.

Minsk MMVZ-3.113 (2003)

In 2007, the plant became a private enterprise, and its model range expanded to include street and touring-enduro, as well as scooters, ATVs and snowmobiles.

Since 2010, the name M1NSK has been used, which refers to the name of the brand’s first motorcycle. The company begins to work on creating a wide range of motorcycles, including those with powerful engines.

One of the representatives of the new line was the classic C4 200 bike with a single-cylinder 200 cc liquid-cooled engine developing 13.5 hp. at 8500 rpm. The average fuel consumption of the model is 3.9 liters per 100 km, and the maximum speed is 110 km/h. The model received a rear trunk for attaching a helmet.

The TRX 300i motorcycle was created for lovers of long journeys. Its high quality and practicality were confirmed at the Brest-Dushanbe motorcycle rally, a landmark for the brand, held in 2013 jointly with the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The length of the route was 10,000 km.

Minsk TRX 300i (2013)

The model is equipped with a liquid-cooled injection engine with a power of 26 hp. at 8000 rpm Fuel consumption is 4 liters per 100 km. It is coupled with a six-speed gearbox and allows the motorcycle to accelerate to 140 km/h. The motorcycle's ground clearance is 21 cm. The TRX 300i has powerful disc brakes on the front and rear wheels.

In 2014 M1NSK was about.

Repair

How to repair MMVZ-3.112

Touching on the topic of repair, you realize that this is where the whole idea of ​​a motorcycle is revealed, and no, a motorcycle does not break down often, but rather is very, very repairable.

Minsk is a motorcycle whose breakdown can be corrected with a minimum set of tools in any situation. For example, gearbox repair occurs even without removing the engine; you can simply lay the motorcycle on its side.

All components and assemblies have a simple design and are accessible to the owner. At the same time, even if you have no experience, having a technical book will help you quickly find and fix the problem.

I am glad that spare parts are available at an affordable price.

Good afternoon everyone, today I’ll tell you how I bought my first, and so far only, motorcycle. The love for motorcycles in our family is probably in the blood... My grandfather also told how in his Urals with a stroller the whole family traveled to the south, and knew no grief. My father also had motorcycles at one time, his older brother tinkered with motorcycle equipment from an early age, which later grew into more of a motorcycle hobby (now every summer he completely switches to 2 wheels, and in the winter he designs and makes various motorcycle gadgets in the garage and not only). So the motorcycle attraction did not pass me by... And in the winter of 2016, I began to choose my first motorcycle. =)

Since I am a student, and also a musician, I wanted something budget-friendly; based on the same aspects, I wanted something reliable and cheap to maintain, and like all romantics, I wanted to travel far =) The choice immediately naturally fell on YBR, since it was recommended almost everywhere to beginners, for its price, reliability and resource, I did not bypass Chinese manufacturers (in fact, before that I had an alpha, which I successfully exchanged for an iPad, and it regularly took me even to our village, which by the way to say it is located 120 km from our city, in the neighboring region, and it was a completely calm journey, with a couple of stops to “stretch your butt”). But the Chinese, with a bunch of contradictory reviews, did not inspire confidence, so only the EDB remained. I told my brother about my idea, to which he replied something like “why the hell with this bike, I’d rather take the Minsk one, it’s at least a full-size bike.” This is roughly how I learned about the motorcycles of the Minsk Moto-Velo Factory (not counting, of course, the Top Gear series in Vietnam). I began to study forums and articles on the topic of reliability, maintainability and service life of these motorcycles, and to my surprise, I found a lot of positive, even enthusiastic words about this 125cc little thing. Of course, I was frightened by the “push-pull” and stereotypes about Soviet motorcycles, probably ingrained in childhood. But then a miracle happened - I watched the film “Boys’ Dream” (whoever hasn’t seen it, I recommend it to everyone), which changed my idea of ​​these motorcycles, probably forever! Now if only we could arrange something like this - so that two engineers could ride their motorcycles across the whole country, probably with such experiments our motorcycle industry would not die...

And a long search began... Avito and were monitored several times every day, there were many dead options, even more options without documents, there were also live and decent copies with documents, but they cost exorbitantly (from 60 thousand rubles), I admit, I also looked at EBRs until they put me on one at motorcycle school =) it really felt like a bicycle - it was constantly wobbling and didn’t want to go straight.

And so, one night we found an advertisement for the sale of MMVZ 3.112 in a city near Nizhny Novgorod (this is about 250 km from us). The ad was posted at about one in the morning, the mileage was listed as 3500 km, which immediately surprised us. In the photo, the motorcycle also looked quite fresh and cheerful, the price tag, to be honest, I don’t remember exactly - about 23,000 rubles, it seemed, which was more than suitable. Then events developed rapidly. We decided to call in the morning. At 9 am, when we went to Avito, we found more advertisements. Brother, as a knowledgeable person, he went to call the seller (and he went outside because he wanted to smoke at the same time) He came only after 30 minutes, he said - get ready, we’re going to get a motorcycle =) my happiness knew no bounds =)

It turned out that the seller is a rather suspicious grandfather. His brother told him - hold on to the motorcycle, we will come for it in the evening for sure, he says - there is already a line of those who want to come and look, so you go, and whether I sell it or not before your arrival depends on your luck. My brother says, let me transfer the deposit to the card. Grandfather was afraid for a long time to give out his card number, which is understandable, he was giving away a dime a dozen now, but in the end, apparently, he wanted to take it “on the weak side” and said - come on! ten! =) Brother, without hesitation, gets into the car, drives to the savings bank and transfers 10k to his grandfather. Here the grandfather softened, calmed down and said - I’m waiting for you.

We arrived at the place in the evening, since the path was not short, grandfather rolled the mint out of the barn, the odometer showed 3500 and a few kopecks =) and here was the moment of truth - one kick without ignition - pumped up the mixture, turns the key, a second kick - and the mint is having fun rattled. We didn’t even try it on the go - we briefly examined the outside, checked the documents with the number on the frame, removed the front wheel, loaded it into the car, gave grandpa the rest of the money, said goodbye and went home, since it was already getting dark, and we were only a short distance from home “saw” for a few more hours.

This is the story of the long torment of choosing and searching for a motorcycle with such a good and kind ending =)

Owner reviews

Kosmonaut Misha

Minsk is a truly legendary motorcycle. I haven’t even met people in the city limits of Pskov (everyone here is spoiled by Japanese and Chinese sportbikes) who haven’t ridden or at least heard of this motorcycle. You can talk about him for a long time and only good words, which unfortunately in this case are very few in my vocabulary. Nevertheless. True, I don’t quite remember the specific model of my Minsk. 3.112 or 3.115. But this is not so important, because the changes were not significant in these models. I can’t help but mention one small detail that I fell in love with before I even knew what kind of motorcycle it was. This was long before I acquired a donor and assembled my own. This part is the steering wheel, or rather the jumper on the steering wheel. For some it’s a trifle, but I’m still crazy about it. Why did it get into my head? Because no matter how strange it may sound, it gives a sporty look to the entire motorcycle. The cross-mount ones have a jumper, and this was important for the kid (me). Maybe someone will say that it is useless, but it is not so. For at least one year, my friend and I dried our swimming trunks on the way home from the sea, while others’ swimming trunks were hanging on the mirrors. With every character I type, I miss my beloved macaque more and more. It’s a shame that at the time I owned it, I didn’t have a cell phone with a camera or a digital camera in the family (and no one seemed to have them at all). It's even more of a pity that I didn't have any pictures on this motorcycle. Well, or at least close. Now I would really appreciate them. But I still have one photograph of the “macaque”. True, it is printed and the motorcycle on it is already very battered by time and the only bad accident that I had the opportunity to be in. Oh, if only I could bring here a photograph taken at the moment when I had just painted and assembled my beloved Minsk friend. Kosmonaut Misha

Nikolas1997okush

The Minsk motorcycle was produced at the Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant in domestic times. Many models of this wonderful motorcycle were created. I have a Minsk 3.112 manufactured in 1984. The motorcycle is just a fairy tale. I inherited it and still runs like new. Its weight is about one hundred kilograms, which is not very much, for me it’s a little heavier than a bicycle. One hundred and twenty-five cc two-stroke engine produces as much as 11 horsepower. The most profitable and suitable option for country boys, which I especially am. Also suitable for individual hunting. This beast is capable of driving through any dirt due to its lightness and relative power. Nowadays such motorcycles can rarely be found anywhere, only in villages, among those who like to preserve their equipment for a long time. The maximum stated speed is 95 kilometers per hour, but I reached one hundred and fifteen. I treasure it like the apple of my eye. Many people ask to sell it, but I don’t agree, because if you sell it, then what? Elbows to gnaw?Nikolas1997okush

Zonder

I've been driving motorcycles (various) since childhood. Minsk has proven itself only on the positive side. I drove it both on asphalt and off-road. Didn't let me down anywhere. If you are a fishing enthusiast and often ride on roads that are difficult to pass. Minsk will not let you down, I assure you. Economical and durable motorcycle. You can practically carry it on yourself in places where there is swamp and mud. Not expensive spare parts. The main thing is not to reboot it. If you are an adult and weigh 65 or more, I do not recommend taking passengers into the forest. On the field and asphalt, 120 kilograms will still be OK. But that’s not advisable either. if you take care of your motorcycle, it will last forever.Zonder

Tuning

Like almost all Soviet motorcycles, Minsk underwent various modifications. Some simply corrected factory defects and adapted the motorcycle to suit themselves, while others went further and seriously reworked the stock design.

Engine tuning includes:

• Refinement and enlargement of purge windows.
• Installation of Japanese piston and rings.
• Increasing the compression ratio by modifying the combustion chamber.
• Lightening the crankshaft and connecting rod.

Quite often, motocross bikes are assembled on the basis of a motorcycle; this is greatly facilitated by the lightweight and durable design, and the engine, as described above, can be easily boosted.

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Advantages of motorcycles Minsk

These motorcycles have a number of undeniable advantages:

• Lightweight and reliable.
• Increased cross-country ability and maneuverability.
• Economical - consumption per 100 km does not exceed 3-4 liters.
• Aesthetic design.

Minsk motorcycles are considered low-power, but they lend themselves perfectly to tuning, the limit of which will only be the budget and skill of the owner.

Parts for a Minsk motorcycle can be found in absolutely any motorcycle parts store. On the shelves there is a large assortment of original spare parts from the Belarusian manufacturer, and high-quality Chinese parts that are perfect for most models in Minsk.

First of all, the engine is subjected to tuning. Since the most common models have a maximum of 13 horsepower, and the maximum speed of such a device does not exceed 100 km/h. Following the engine modernization is the improvement of the exhaust system and the appearance of the motorcycle.

This type of transport is especially recommended where you have to drive on a non-paved road. Many motorcyclists emphasize the ease of control and excellent off-road performance.

Price

Screenshot 1. Review of prices for used MMVZ-3.112 motorcycles on www.farpost.ru

New MMVZ-3.112 are no longer produced, and it is impossible to evaluate it by today's standards. But there are plenty of used options. The cost is affordable even for the unemployed, and starts from $100 and up to $500. You might even be lucky enough to find a reasonable option in the lower price range.

There is nothing surprising; Minsk has always been positioned as a motorcycle accessible to the masses.