EN

Automotive History

If someone were to study the worldwide production of motorbikes and mopeds in the 1950s, it would turn out that Poland would not pale into insignificance on the international stage at all – and this was thanks to Zjednoczone Zakłady Rowerowe (The Bicycle Works Union) "Romet".

The company’s products were so popular that 15 or 20 years ago practically every single fan of two wheels owned a model built by Romet. Despite their simple engineering, the designs have proved so successful that many of them remain popular to this day, and the sight of a „Komar&rdquo or small motorbike from Romet on city streets does not particularly shock anyone.
 
 
WHAT IT ALL BEGAN WITH...
The history of moped production by ZZR Romet dates back to the late 1950s. It was then that the plan was born to expand the company’s range to include mopeds.

This was an idea not only dictated by market needs, but also by international standing. The regime of the time did not allow People’s Poland to fall behind ‘capitalist’ Western Germany or France, which were already building their own mopeds. Romet’s experts set about designing the first moped mainly based on their own concepts and, in the absence of a test department, were forced to test prototypes in actual road traffic. For what was manufacturable in those days, the engine had an astonishing rating of 1.4 HP, was paired with a two-speed transmission, and the crank and ignition were operated with cranks and pedals.
  • Engine: two-stroke, air-cooled
  • Maximum power: 1.4 HP at 4,000 rpm.
  • Transmission: 2-speed
  • Moped weight: 45 kg
  • Fuel economy: 1.8 to 2.0 l/100km
  • Max speed: ca. 55 km/h
 
A WORLD OF INSECTS...
The first moped for the masses was codenamed the MR 230 KOMAR (‘The Mosquito’).

In 1961 alone, nearly 4,000 units of this model were sold – which, in those days, represented a share of more than 30% of all mopeds on the market in Poland. The Mosquito was ridden by everyone: postmen, clerks, teenagers and  adults, and the general  working class. Interest was so great that Romet soon opened another assembly plant and the designers worked vigorously on new models. By 1968, Romet’s production volume already accounted for 98% of the total single-track vehicle segment on the domestic market.
 
 
 
TO CONQUER THE MARKET:
The market success of the Komar and an upgrade of the assembly plant helped Romet to expand its range.  In  1976  a moped  was launched with  a superior horsepower for its time, the Ogar 200.

More moped models were gradually released, like the Kadet 780 and the Kadet 110 Automatic with the engine from the Jawa motorcycle. The model with the most powerful engine in the product line, the Romet 50T developed 2.5 HP and a maximum speed of just a little less than 65 kmh. The last model released by Romet in the People’s Republic of Poland era was the Chart 210 manufactured from 1988, which followed the trends of the day with the design and performance ahead of Romet’s production models to date. The Chart 210 featured factory-installed turn indicators, a stop lamp, hydraulic shock absorbers, and a two-seat bench.
 
EXPANSION INTO GLOBAL MARKETS
The commercial success in Poland was followed by good export sales. In 1966 alone, more than 13,000 units were sold abroad, and at its peak, the number was over 20,000 units a year. The export production was sold in Sweden, Germany, Ireland, and the more exotic countries like Nigeria and Turkey, with a total export sales level of 145,000 Polish mopeds built by Romet. Romet’s acclaim on the global had grown so much that in 1980 talks began about building the next model in cooperation with one of the motorcycle giants from Italy or Japan.