Mz Black Panther
MZ BLACK PANTHER
Quick Ride
Sideways-sliding supermotard
SOME MOTORcycles are born attention-getters. Pull up to a stoplight aboard an MZ Black Panther, for example, and you’re guaranteed slackjawed reactions from bewildered motorists.
Is it a dirtbike, streetbike or some sci-fi movie prop? Whatever the response, you’d best be prepared to explain the concept of supermotard.
Based on the German bike builder’s full-travel Baghira dual-purpose model, the Black Panther (no Huey Newton jokes, please) is shod with 17-inch wire-spoke wheels and sportbike-spec Pirelli radiais, which give it that “lift-kit” look popularized by the 4x4 truck crowd.
Power is provided by the same
Yamaha XTZ-based, 660cc, four-stroke Single used throughout the MZ line. The liquidcooled mill boasts a five-valve cylinder head and is tuned for low-end grunt. While the Panther’s peak of 42.3 horsepower at 6500 rpm may sound a bit toothless, this cat growls with
37.4 foot-pounds of torquemore than 80 percent of which springs into play right off idle.
Whether tooling around town or engaged in a footpeg-scratching backroad battle, the best way to make the Panther’s fur fly is to short-shift its five-speed gearbox. The evenly spaced ratios
and light action are much appreciated, but on our testbike a deliberate upshift from first to second was necessary to avoid the occasional return to neutral.
Ultra-low engine revs define the term “Thumper,” whereas midrange rpm has the counterbalanced engine purring like a
kitten. At freeway speeds, tall “desert” gearing allows on-road comfort surpassing that of many other Singles. A well-padded saddle, loads of legroom and 11 inches of sofa-soft suspension make this a platform capable of a full day of play.
The fully adjustable WP shock controls rear wheel action, while a 45mm Paioli fork does the job up front. Adjuster knobs atop each leg allow compression and rebound damping changes on the fly, albeit with little perceived effect. You do, however, notice the benefits brought on by the wheel and tire package.
On the street, the Pirelli MT60 Corsa radiais offer grip and stability beyond that of any conventional dual-purpose tire combo. Even freeway rain grooves cause little in the way of wiggles or weaves. And if you get the urge to venture onto graded dirt roads, the soft compound and dirt-track-like tread pattern are more than willing.
The twin-piston Grimeca front brake delivers plenty of stopping power, but there’s excessive lever travel before pressure is applied to the pads. The opposite is true of the single-piston rear stopper; hair-trigger action was the norm until free play and pedal position were adjusted.
The $6195 Black Panther offers an exciting blend of felinelike finesse, dramatic styling and pavement-pounding fun. Hey, even now-motorcyclists like it.
Don Canet
