M-72 motorcycle
Encyclopedia
The M-72 was a motorcycle
built by the Soviet Union
. Conceived as a replacement for the two heavy motorcycles used by the Red Army
—the TIZ-AM-600 and PMZ-A-750—both of which had performed unsatisfactorily during the Winter War
with Finland
and were considered outdated designs. The replacement chosen was the BMW
R 71 which had been rejected by the Wehrmacht as a replacement for the R 12. As a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
the necessary legal, political and economic procedures were in place for BMW to provide the design, tooling and training for the manufacture of the motorcycle and military sidecar.
Production was intended at three factories located in Moscow
, Leningrad
, and Kharkov
with ancillary items coming from several other factories. Only the Moscow factory MMZ
produced any complete motorcycles prior to the German invasion
and commencement of the Eastern Front (World War II)
.
The Moscow factory was moved east to the town of Irbit
in Western Siberia and renamed IMZ
. The Kharkiv and Leningrad factories were relocated to Gorkiy
on the outskirts of the GAZ
car/truck plant and renamed GMZ. During the war, motorcycles were produced at both IMZ and GMZ
, however all sidecars for both the M-72 and Lend-Lease
bikes were produced at Gorkiy.
M-72 motorcycles were predominantly produced with a sidecar attached, although some solos made appearances for escort duties and the like.
M-72 were produced at IMZ in Irbit from 1942 until 1955. A subsequent model, the M-72M was produced from 1955 until 1960.
In 1952 500 M-72 engines were shipped from IMZ to enable KMZ factory in Kiev Ukraine to produce their first batch of M-72s. KMZ produced M-72 until 1964.
in 1957 the Soviets sold the M72 production line(s) to PRC (Peoples Republic of China). The IMZ plant supplied M-72 military bikes to the PRC up to the transfer of M-72 production line in 1957 and continued to supply parts to the PRC until 1960).
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
built by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Conceived as a replacement for the two heavy motorcycles used by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
—the TIZ-AM-600 and PMZ-A-750—both of which had performed unsatisfactorily during the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
with Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and were considered outdated designs. The replacement chosen was the BMW
BMW motorcycles
BMW's motorcycle history began in 1921 when the company commenced manufacturing engines for other companies. Motorcycle manufacturing now operates under the BMW Motorrad brand...
R 71 which had been rejected by the Wehrmacht as a replacement for the R 12. As a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
the necessary legal, political and economic procedures were in place for BMW to provide the design, tooling and training for the manufacture of the motorcycle and military sidecar.
Production was intended at three factories located in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, and Kharkov
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
with ancillary items coming from several other factories. Only the Moscow factory MMZ
MMZ (motorcycle)
MMZ or Moskovskiy Mototsikletniy Zavod was a motorcycle manufacturer, based in Moscow. It commenced operations in 1941 building the M-72, a Soviet licensed copy of the BMW R71. With the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, the plant was transferred east to the town of Irbit in the Ural region...
produced any complete motorcycles prior to the German invasion
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
and commencement of the Eastern Front (World War II)
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
.
The Moscow factory was moved east to the town of Irbit
Irbit
Irbit is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located from Yekaterinburg by train or by car on the right bank of the Nitsa River. It is crossed by long distance railway Yekaterinburg–Tavda–Ustye-Akha and by road traffic routes, directed to Kamyshlov, Artyomovsk, Turinsk, and Tyumen. Total area...
in Western Siberia and renamed IMZ
IMZ-Ural
IMZ-Ural is a Russian maker of heavy sidecar motorcycles. Recently the company has developed a solo motorcycle with no sidecar.In 1940, the Soviet Union acquired the design and production techniques for BMW R 71 motorcycles and sidecars. The first M-72 model was finished in 1941...
. The Kharkiv and Leningrad factories were relocated to Gorkiy
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
on the outskirts of the GAZ
GAZ
GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod , translated as Gorky Automobile Plant , started in 1932 as NAZ, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union. It is one of the largest companies in the Russian automotive industry....
car/truck plant and renamed GMZ. During the war, motorcycles were produced at both IMZ and GMZ
GMZ
GMZ or Gorkovskiy Mototsikletniy Zavod was a motorcycle manufacturer, based in Gorkiy . It commenced operations in 1941 with the transfer of plant and equipment from KhMZ and LMZ , which was necessitated by the German armies threatening Kiev and Leningrad.Production ceased in 1949 and all plant...
, however all sidecars for both the M-72 and Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
bikes were produced at Gorkiy.
M-72 motorcycles were predominantly produced with a sidecar attached, although some solos made appearances for escort duties and the like.
M-72 were produced at IMZ in Irbit from 1942 until 1955. A subsequent model, the M-72M was produced from 1955 until 1960.
In 1952 500 M-72 engines were shipped from IMZ to enable KMZ factory in Kiev Ukraine to produce their first batch of M-72s. KMZ produced M-72 until 1964.
in 1957 the Soviets sold the M72 production line(s) to PRC (Peoples Republic of China). The IMZ plant supplied M-72 military bikes to the PRC up to the transfer of M-72 production line in 1957 and continued to supply parts to the PRC until 1960).