The Degner Defection

[Rob]

Today, Monday, 13th February at 11 am was an excellent programme on the defection of MZ star Ernst Degner to Suzuki.

Full marks to Radio 4 for a motorcycle programme that is very informative and well-produced.

It is available on 'listen again'.

[Rob]

The Degner Defection

Today, Monday, 13th February at 11 am was an excellent programme on the defection of MZ star Ernst Degner to Suzuki.

Full marks to Radio 4 for a motorcycle programme that is very informative and well-produced.

It is available on 'listen again'.

Use the url below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b01byhrg

[Brian Catt]

ECHO!!!
I expect the programme will have been censored by the Stasi for the repeats!

[cray]

I can recommend "Stealing Speed" by Matt Oxley.
An excellent & informing read.

Colin

[Andy Z]

I can recommend "Stealing Speed" by Matt Oxley.
An excellent & informing read.

Colin

Having heard that Radio 4 programme, which was really interesting, I really must get hold of that Oxley book! Absolutely fascinating!

Thanks for the info,

Cheers,
Andrew
#190

[Brian Catt]

The book is interesting, but some of it is still conjecture. There is a fair bit of padding, but an interesting read just the same.
Having just heard the programme, much of it seems to agree with the book, however the question of what parts or drawings he presented to Suzuki still seems a mystery. Many years ago somebody told me about "3 bits of paper" as if the entire technical detail of the engine could be represented on 3 sheets of paper. The book puts forward the story that he took actual engine components, but surely that would have been too risky during his escape?

[Rob]

Having also read the book and been around at the time, I seem to get the impression that to actually admit to handing over a lot of info or parts attracts the unwanted label of 'traitor'. A much kinder version is that it was just the knowledge in his head. As they say, a picture (or an actual item come to that) paints a thousand words, so it is left to the individual to make up their own mind as to what actually happened. Any which way, Suzuki certainly adopted the disk valve and started to fly so perhaps it was just coincidence!!??

[Brian Catt]

Rob, I think Suzuki had disk valves before the defection, but the combination of those, the additional transfer ports and the expansion chamber calculations were what set MZ above the others.
What would MotoGP bikes produce if they were allowed 2 stroke engines now? 8 x 125s......Power band about 500rpm wide...