From our Old Bike Archives – Issue 89 – first published in 2020.
Story: Rick Schaap and Jim Scaysbrook • Photos: Robin Lewis.
In the shadow of the Ural Mountains, rivers run in all directions, and before the days of mechanisation, rivers were the vital links for industry. In the sixteenth century, the quaintly named Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of Russia, and apparently a very naughty boy, took a liking to the areas around the Karlutka and Izk Rivers and set up the community of Izhevsk which today is home to around 650,000 people. With abundant timber and plenty of water to produce steam, Izhevsk soon became a centre for ironworks. By 1760, construction had begun on a major dam, the Izhevsk Reservoir, but the seeds of revolution were already sprouting.
In the Revolution, the ironworks and other major buildings were destroyed, but the dam stayed intact, and at the dawn of the nineteenth century, an armaments plant was created. This was to be – on and off – the city’s destiny for the next 200 years. The city was home to the infamous Kalashnikov AK47 machine gun. And like BSA and Royal Enfield in Britain, and FN in Belgium, armaments played a big part in the history of IZH, Izhevsk’s motorcycle brand.
It was 1928 before motorcycle manufacturing commenced. As well as the IZH name, various models were produced under the Planeta and Jupiter names, and Izhevsk soon became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the then-Soviet Union, utilizing modern mass production methods in a large factory, known as MSK-14, capable of producing 120,000 motorcycles per year. In reality, this figure was never attained, the average yearly output falling short of 20,000 in the pre-WW2 years.
While the majority of the motorcycle production was for home consumption, there were limited exports to neighbouring countries as well as to Britain. While most of these models were two strokes, either single or twin cylinder, the first IZH, the IZh 1, was a massive 1200cc job, producing 24 horsepower. Weighing in at 300kg with a fabricated steel chassis not unlike a Zundapp which used the lower rear section as exhaust silencers, the v-twin side valve engine was arrange across the frame in Moto Guzzi style. One example survives in a museum in Izhevsk.
In 1933, a 300cc two stroke single producing 6.5hp appeared, followed by the IZh-8 with 8hp and a slightly more luxurious specification in 1938. These were built in only small numbers, and some were even used for competition, but it wasn’t until 1940 that the first model built on a proper production line – the IZh 9, came into being. This was a much more modern looking machine with a twin-port 300cc engine.
This coincided with a small disagreement with Germany which lasted until 1945, which saw the factory turned over to the war effort, primarily for armaments and ammunition. Despite the conflict, IZH did produce an entirely new model in 1940, the 350cc 4-stroke single IZh-12, producing 13.5hp. Production was scheduled to commence in early 1941, but with the escalating strife, the plant was handed over to the People’s Committee for Weaponry.
Post-war, motorcycle production resumed and new models were heavily based on German DKW designs, the first being a 350cc twin which was virtually identical to the DKW NZ350. This was a 350cc single two-stroke with a 4 speed gearbox with either foot or hand gear changing. Engine dimensions were 72mm x 85mm bore x stroke with an output of 10.5hp. The company gradually developed their own designs, the first being the IZh-50, followed in 1951 by the IZh-49, which was a 350 single with telescopic front forks and plunger rear suspension. There was even a a racing version, the IZh-54 which had telescopic front forks but a rigid rear end and an all-welded tubular steel frame which brought weight down to 105kg. The engine received massive finning to the cylinder and head and reportedly turned out 18hp. By 1955, an off-road version was also available.
The company began looking to new markets and in 1958 took a stand at the World’s Fair in Brussels where they displayed the new Jupiter models. These included the 350 twin based on the DKW RT350. A new off-road model, the IZh-57M took the Soviet team to an impressive nine gold medals at the 34th International Six Days Trial in Czechoslovakia.
By 1960, one million motorcycles had been produced at the Izhevsk plant. Business was good, so good that the company embarked on the construction of a brand new factory in 1980. The first model produced was the Jupiter 4, followed by the Planeta 4 in 1982, both two stroke singles. It was however a time of downturn for motorcycle production, although a 500cc twin with a 5-speed gearbox, the IZh-D15 on Jupiter form, was developed in the 1970s. There was some cooperation with the Czech Jawa concern, and several IZhH models reflected this, but the largest selling model had yet to come. This was the Planta-5 of 1987, with styling reminiscent of MZ and the ubiquitous 350cc single engine. Over the production life around half a million were built.
IZH dabbled in many forms of racing over the years, with catalogued models for motocross, enduro, and road racing. In 1969, the company marketed a road racer with the twin-cylinder Jupiter-based engine which managed 35hp and had more than a passing resemblance to a Yamaha TD1C. In more recent times, various models with Rotax and Chinese engines appeared, the final model being the IZH-5. 103-036 with a Chinese-made 250cc 4 stroke twin cylinder engine in an IZH chassis. The model pumped out 21hp and had a top speed of 120 km/h but enthusiasm for building motorcycles was waning and the company’s director called a halt in 2007. Still, not a bad innings!
East meets (south) west
We’ve met Hendrikus (Rick) Schaap before – his wonderful Maico Taifun was featured in OBA 87. Contained within his amazing shed in western Victoria are all manner of quirky motorcycles, mainly of Eastern European origin, and this is one of them, all the way from Izhevsk. Rick explains here the story behind this particular example.
“The Russian IZH Planeta is from 1970 and is hitched to a Velorex sidecar from the Czech republic. The IZH factories situated in Izhevsk (or Ischewski in Russian), during the Soviet era, built large numbers of traditional two stroke motorcycles. They also built the AK-47 Kalasnikov assault rifles. The Planeta single cylinder 350cc (72mm bore x 85mm stroke), with a four speed gearbox was based on the 1930s German DKW 350 NZ. Despite some largely cosmetic updates the technology still reflects the pre-war era, and with a modest 15 HP output this outfit will cruise happily all day long at 60-70 km per hour. It runs on a 35:1 fuel/oil mixture.
“After the downfall of “The Third Reich” the Allied forces carved up the country. The Yanks and their friends got the western part while the Soviets ‘took care’ of the eastern part of Germany. This ‘care taking’ resulted in carrying off large quantities of machinery and blueprints from the DKW factory located in Zschopau to their lair in Russia.
“The Planetas and Jupiters found their way to Australia in the mid seventies where they were marketed as “Cossack 350S” for the Planeta single or “Cossack 350T” for the twin cylinder Jupiter version. I have an original period 1975 advertisement that uses the slogan “From Russia with love”; sale price was $399 for the single and $499 for the twin. It didn’t really catch on and not many were sold which is not surprising. The Soviets were not very good in quality control and many bikes suffered from very bad out of round brake drums and spongy Bowden cables.
“Despite these shortcomings they where good solid work horses that would run all day long on low grade fuel. Pushing them much further was asking for trouble as they were definitely not “highway proof”! Both models, the Jupiter and the Planeta, share the same frame and are factory equipped to haul sidecars. Only solo bikes were imported here, I have hitched mine to a Czech build Velorex of about the same vintage. The outfit doesn’t belie its 1930s design for it still rides like a 1930s motorcycle! I have made some modest modifications to mine: the seat lost its grab handle that arose right in the middle of the seat and that I considered an ergonomic monstrosity. I also fitted a Mikuni carburettor for better starting and improved economy. Furthermore I painted it “Dulux coffee cream” and added the panniers.
This outfit was restored by me about seven years ago. I run it regularly on club outings and have done about 12,000 kilometres on it.”
