Tula TMZ - the first off-road motorcycle in the history of the USSR

Soviet motorcycles can hardly be called off-road. Rather, they were universal, although they were often used in rural conditions, far from asphalt. In the 1980s, it became clear that the place of motorcycles was in the countryside. City dwellers were prejudiced against such equipment. Firstly, they dreamed of cars. Secondly, there was nowhere to store these motorcycles, except in parking lots. And they did not want to buy a garage. Thirdly, riding a motorcycle was simply not respectable. But in the villages this transport often helped out. Minskachs were considered off-road models. Many even had the front shield raised from the factory - like on motocross modifications. Although, the cross-country ability of MMVZ equipment is more associated with lightness. Stuck in the mud? You can pull the bike out and ride on.

But technological progress was inexorable, and the buyer, even the Soviet one, became more demanding. Cars, of course, they didn't sort it out, and even the Zaporozhets weren't available for sale. But motorcycles, and especially scooters, were not very popular. That's why a new model appeared - an off-road one. This is the Tula TMZ - a two-wheeled vehicle designed primarily for hunters and fishermen. At first they were happy, but then they realized that the Tula's cross-country ability was inferior to the Minchik. The author of the channel "Anastasiya Nifontova" will tell you about a unique motorcycle from the USSR.