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Minsk (motorcycle)
Encyclopedia
Minsk Motorcycle, or also known as Motovelo Corp, is a company that produces motorcycles. Minsk produces bicycles under its AIST
brand. Motovelo is located in Minsk
, the capital of Belarus
.
in Moscow
.
The company produced a two stroke 125cc motorcycle
based on a pre-World War II
DKW
RT 125
design made in Minsk
in the former Soviet Union
(now Belarus
). This model was imported into Great Britain
by Neval Motorcycles
and initially tradenamed as "Neval".
Minsk motorcycles were among the Soviet motorcycles distributed by SATRA
, UK, under the brand name Cossack, (Satra was originally located in Surrey
, England
, later moving to Carnaby) from 1973 to 1979.
, while 90% of motorcycles are exported to countries outside of former USSR - Iran
, Vietnam
, Turkey
, Mexico
, UK, France
, USA and Germany
.
The plant was privatized in the 1990s with most of the share going to workers. The MotoVelo Corporation has been in decline, some experts attribute this to the rapid increase of steel price from Russia in 2003-2005. Also Vietnam - a major importer of Motovelo production - introduced a 40% import duty for the Belarusian company forcing it to lose to cheaper Chinese production.
On 25 November 2005 some 600 employees of MotoVelo rallied and blocked a Minsk street in protest at low salaries (average $200/month) and poor work conditions. On 16 December 2005 the majority stock (90% of stock options) was transferred to the Belarusian state to save the plant. In the Belarusian socialist economy, this means that the plant should have an influx of state money.
Christopher Hunt wrote about his experience in riding a Minsk motorcycle along the Ho Chi Minh trail
after the Vietnam War
in his book Sparring With Charlie: Motorbiking Down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A Minsk was featured in Top Gear's Vietnam Special
, ridden by Richard Hammond
.
The motorcycle has a strong fan base in some countries. For example, in Vietnam annual 'Minsk Olympics' are held in the northern part of the country.
Aist Bicycles
Aist Bicycles , a subsidiary of Motovelo Corp is a Belorus bicycle company. "AIST" is the official partner of the Belarusian Federation of Cycling and the Belarus National Cycling team.-History:...
brand. Motovelo is located in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, the capital of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
History
The plant was founded on 6 November 1945 making bicycles. In 1951 motorcycle production started with the transfer of production lines from MMZMMZ (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...
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...
.
The company produced a two stroke 125cc motorcycle
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...
based on a pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
DKW
DKW
DKW is a historic German car and motorcycle marque. The name derives from Dampf-Kraft-Wagen .In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Zschopau, Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW...
RT 125
RT 125
The RT 125 is a German two-stroke motorcycle made by DKW in Zschopau in the 1930s, IFA and MZ in the 1950s and early 1960s, and DKW in Ingolstadt in the 1950s and 1960s...
design made in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
in the former 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....
(now Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
). This model was imported into Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
by Neval Motorcycles
Neval (motorcycle)
Neval Motorcycles imported into Great Britain a two stroke 125cc motorcycle based on a pre-World War II DKW RT 125 design made in Minsk in the former Soviet Union by Motovelo. This model was initially tradenamed as "Neval"....
and initially tradenamed as "Neval".
Minsk motorcycles were among the Soviet motorcycles distributed by SATRA
SATRA
SATRA Technology Centre is a research and technology centre, employing over 180 scientific, technical and support staff across two sites in the UK and China...
, UK, under the brand name Cossack, (Satra was originally located in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, later moving to Carnaby) from 1973 to 1979.
Present situation
The plant manufactures on parallel assembly lines motorcycles and bicycles. 70% of bicycles are exported to RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, while 90% of motorcycles are exported to countries outside of former USSR - Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, UK, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, USA and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The plant was privatized in the 1990s with most of the share going to workers. The MotoVelo Corporation has been in decline, some experts attribute this to the rapid increase of steel price from Russia in 2003-2005. Also Vietnam - a major importer of Motovelo production - introduced a 40% import duty for the Belarusian company forcing it to lose to cheaper Chinese production.
On 25 November 2005 some 600 employees of MotoVelo rallied and blocked a Minsk street in protest at low salaries (average $200/month) and poor work conditions. On 16 December 2005 the majority stock (90% of stock options) was transferred to the Belarusian state to save the plant. In the Belarusian socialist economy, this means that the plant should have an influx of state money.
Christopher Hunt wrote about his experience in riding a Minsk motorcycle along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
after the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in his book Sparring With Charlie: Motorbiking Down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A Minsk was featured in Top Gear's Vietnam Special
Top Gear: Vietnam Special
Top Gear: Vietnam Special is a special 75-minute episode of the motoring series Top Gear, which was broadcast on 28 December 2008 at 8:00 pm on BBC Two. An edited 46 minute edition of the show was broadcast on the UK TV channel Dave in the 8.00pm - 9.00pm slot on Monday 19 January 2009...
, ridden by Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
.
The motorcycle has a strong fan base in some countries. For example, in Vietnam annual 'Minsk Olympics' are held in the northern part of the country.