Jawa In India - The Evolution

History



JAWA is a motorcycle manufacturer in the Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslovakia. It was named after its founder Janeček bought the motorcycle production of Wanderer in 1929. The name JAWA came from the first two letters of Janecek and Wanderer. The company is still active today. JAWA is pronounced (roughly) "Yah-va".

The largest project of production under license was realized in India. Initially JAWA motor cycles were just exported to the country agents at Delhi was the Baghwandas firm, in Bombay the Irani company. In the mid-fifties motor cycle imports were prohibited by the Government of India, however the assembly of foreign machines by domestic engineering establishments was permitted. A former agent Rustom Irani decided to establish his own motor cycle production under license and following a market research chose JAWA. He knew no doubt what he was embarking upon and what he could expect from JAWA. He had, namely, in September 1951 organized a publicity trip of two policemen with JAWA motor cycles to Czechoslovakia and the feat was repeated by three Indians in 1955.
And so at Mysore had grown up a new JAWA motor cycle assembly plant - involved were two-fifties and the Pioneer ultra-lightweights. It was on March 5, 1961, that the first motor cycle left the gate of the Ideal JAWA Mysore Company’s plant. Since then they were sold under the marquee Yezdi, which is a transcription of the Czech language term "jezdi" meaning "going or running".
Historically Jawa has been very active in racing, and by far the most active East-European manufacturers in mechanical sports. In track racing Jawa sustained a presence in the World Championship until the mid-sixties with respectable performances considering their limited budget. In Motocross Jawa made an impressive name before its 4-stroke engines became superseded by 2-stroke engines.


Yezdi


Yezdi was the brand under which Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd, an Indian motorcycle company based in Mysore, sold licensed Jawa and CZ motorcycles beginning in 1960. The catch phrase for the bikes sold by the firm was "Forever bike forever value".

Models


There have been many models of this brand before the company shut its doors in 1996. Their various models included :


Jawa 250 Type 353 called 'A' Type
Jawa 50 Jet 'A' Series known as Pionyr in Czechoslavakia
Yezdi 60 Jet 'B' Series
Yezdi 250 'B' Type
Yezdi 250 Oilking (CB Points and Oil Pump) 'C' Type
Yezdi 250 Roadking (CB Points) 'C' Type
Yezdi D250 Classic
Yezdi 250 CL II
Yezdi B250 Deluxe
Yezdi 250 Deluxe 'C' Type
Yezdi 250 Roadking (CDI) 'C' Type
Yezdi 60 Colt
Yezdi 60 Colt Deluxe
Yezdi 175 (CB Points)
Yezdi 175 Deluxe (CDI)
Jawa / Yezdi 350 Twin Type 634
Yezdi 250 Monarch
Yezdi 250 Supersprint (Never Released)