Baron's Life: Jawa Motorcycles - Celebrating over 80 years of production

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Jawa Motorcycles - Celebrating over 80 years of production

Jawa motorcycles in production since 1929

22 comments:

A Lady's Life said...: I like 1934, 1994, and 2004
@004 is a cute one lol; February 8, 2011 at 6:18 PM
Geoff James said...: Thanks for the memories! I had a 70's Jawa-CZ 175 at one time in the distant past as an old hack. Absolutely reliable, despite considerable ill-treatment!; February 8, 2011 at 6:25 PM
Baron's Life said...: Hi Lady, yes they were beautiful...there's something to be said about the Vintage bikes...they are irreplaceble; February 8, 2011 at 6:43 PM
Baron's Life said...: Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the visit and interest.. The 1970's models were pretty good...my favorite were 1963 and 1965...for some odd reason they didn't update them yearly.

Jawa is still very popular in the UK..they have the winterized version with a full cover for the gear chain mechanism to prevent it being exposed to rain, snow, ice, sleet or what have you in the UK plus some other Winter optins designed to UK rider tastes...a designer biker of sorts..all could be had for roughly about 3000 pounds.

So you must remember the combined kick start/gear lever and the cork clutch which was so easy to repair.

I rode a 1965 model in Port-Said, Canal Suez Zone, back in 1966. Rented it for I think a $1 an hour plus fuel at the local bicycle shop. The only one which owned the only 2 Jawas in town back then. Had a blast riding it all over the place and having friendly fingers pointed at me along the way. Helmets were not required back then..in fact I doubt if they are required in Egypt even today.

The one pleasant thing about that trip was that I found myself embbeded in a sea of old BSA and Matchless motorcycles, left behind by the British army after the 1956 Suez crisis war, riding along side on the famous beach road..

Yes memories...a nostalgic trip down memory lane indeed...BTW...we are iron ring brothers, same discipline..did you use that expression in the UK and did you have an iron ring on your pinky...or is this just North American.

Cheers Bud..look forward to your next post...Hail hail hail Jawa..although, obviously not my favorie ride; February 8, 2011 at 7:14 PM
Bluekat said...: Now, I realize I've only recently joined the motorcycling world, and come to the table with little moto history...but I was think jawas? Star Wars?? Funny little creatures!

I like the bike better. Really like the looks of the 60's-70's vintage.; February 8, 2011 at 8:05 PM
Geoff James said...: Hi again Baron!

My word, you've had a colourful motorcycling life! Look forward to reading much more about it.

I'm aware of the Iron Ring fraternity but I thought it was just applicable to Canada. You only need to mention the word "Engineer" to my wife to get a rolling of the eyes and mutterings about "anal" and "bordering on Asperger's Syndrome". After nearly 39 years of marriage, you'd have think she would have got used to our eccentricities, haha!; February 8, 2011 at 8:16 PM
Baron's Life said...: Hi Bluekat,
Motorcyclists are a funny, welcoming and warm bunch of people from all walks of life...rich, poor, educated,uneducated, bums, sophistaced, etc...let's face it we are a bunch of kids, regardless of individual age having a great time sharing our experiences and enjoying life in the hopes of making better human connections throughout.. regardless of who you are.You will note that my blog tends to be more ecclectic than hard core motorcycle blogs and the reason for that is I think we have to educate the general public on who riders are and why we ride and that no we are not drug dealers and rapists...simple enough.
I truly like your posts and I think you are a great contributor to the riding community...I do not like the guys who think they are God's gift to the riding community... too full of themselves....I let them have their own incestual community life is too short to be all about me and myself......there is room for everybody in the community.
So keep on posting buddy..keep safe on them MO roads...we don't want that OZ mosnter to get you; February 8, 2011 at 8:56 PM
Baron's Life said...: Geoff..I'm class 79...so we must be very close mates bud. or at least I think so...no worries.
Yes u r right, the iron ring is only for Canada. MORE DETAILS PRIVATELY if you need them ...but hey who cares...you sat through them THERMO LECTURES AND TESTS AND FINALS,...what A Brutal time that was...wasn't it?
Your wife and mine should be on the phone swearing at us...lol...but we love them as they do us anyways...lol...u no, I never thought I'd meet a slide rule, beer and tits guy on line....but that's the subject of another post soon.
Cheers mate and take care and all the best; February 8, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Zuzana said...: Oh, great to revisit my roots this morning as Jawa is a Czech motorcycle.;))
They all look great.;)
Thank you for your recent, very substantial and kind comment.;)
xoxo; February 8, 2011 at 11:54 PM
Conan the Librarian™ said...: I had a Jawa in the seventies; it was a love/hate relationship to say the least...; February 9, 2011 at 1:53 AM
Baron's Life said...: Hi Zuzana, you're welcome...yours is a place for soul re-building and to just be one self. The Jawa is, at least was, very unique in characteristics and performed rather well.; February 9, 2011 at 2:05 AM
Baron's Life said...: Conan,
The more I get to know you the more I discover, you are one of us, not that you were some sort of alien or anything like that....I mean from a riding point of view. I never owned one of these, just rode one on an overseas trip as mentioned above but I can understand where it could become a love/hate relationship as the machine behaved like a high tempered latino woman. Full of pep and energy, yet so gentle and easy to play with.; February 9, 2011 at 2:13 AM
Webster World said...: Did not know they were still around. Friend of mine came upon a Jawa sidecar and bought it. This back in the 70's. He wrote Jawa and they sent him a diagram of how to attach it to his old Panhead.; February 9, 2011 at 9:34 AM
Baron's Life said...: Webster World

Yes they are still in existence. I have seen one with the side car attached to it. a 1965 model and it looked great. I don't like the modern Jawa Look.

Now a jawa side car attached to a panhead is something one must see.; February 9, 2011 at 11:05 AM
WooleyBugger said...: Oh I do remember these bikes. Wish I still had those old Motorcycle magazines my brothers had in the sixties and early seventies, because they had ads for Jawa's in the back and you could actually mail order them for a few hundred dollars, there was a dirtbike version. How cool was that? There too was ads for 70cc or so Indian dirt bikes that looked like a big guy dirt bike, not mail order though, but I'd lie in bed and stare at the two ads and dream.; February 9, 2011 at 3:23 PM
Anonymous said...: I don't remember this one? But I enjoyed viewing the evolution of the bike. Very Interesting :-)

~Ron
*******; February 9, 2011 at 6:43 PM
Baron's Life said...: Wooley Bugger
First a curiosity question where did the name Wooley Bugger come from. Were you a sheep or goat sheppard in a yesteryear era in New Zealand where they have more sheep than humans or some other European country of unknown origin, say in one of those funny places where wooley bugger is not only a common term...but perhaps a daily occurence and practice ...lol ... bet nobody knows...ShhhhhShhh....sh...lol...just kidding bud

Now back to motorcycles: I know you are a gentleman and a scholar and a fine rider and above all your background speaks volumes of what you can do and what you actually do and write about...You sir are an example we can all look up to...and try to emmulate...your last ""RACK Job" achievement could in theory become an icon of American ingenuity and job creation in a continnent where jobs, cultures and life styles are yeilding to political pressure and foreign invasion. It used to be that wars were won by army invasions, killings and now we are being invaded by Wallmart and no jobs for Americans/Canadians trying to feed their families and to keep a roof over their heads....just food for thought...they are winning this invisible war...aren't they...?

Now back about being in bed, drooling over some dirty old motorcylce porn magazine...I have to admit Wooley Bugger..not only have I done that...but gosh...I still do it much to my gorgeous Miss Mac Wife protests...

Cheers Bud

PS: 1963 model had the best body on the street...made me whistle every time; February 9, 2011 at 10:35 PM
Baron's Life said...: The old geezer,
Thanks for your visit man...you are a unique human beinb and for some reason you remind me of my High school days.
Keep well Bud; February 9, 2011 at 10:40 PM
BeemerGirl said...: Hey Baron! Great compilation of images through the years. Really shows the progression of trends. I love the '46 floating seat. The only HD that ever caught my eye was the Rocker, for that reason. I do prefer the "vintage" appearance. Can't say I'm drawn to the "cruiser" appearance of the '90's. :)

-Lori; February 12, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Baron's Life said...: BeemerGirl...that floating seat is a dream come true to many of our lady rider friends...lol...all kidding apart I agree with your choice..my favorites happen to be the 1963 and the 1965 model only because I rode them in Egypt. The 1929 model reminds me of my Dad's BSA, save the pilion seat
I abolutely like your blogging contribution and look forward to reading more of your stuff ...keep on riding sista; February 13, 2011 at 7:26 AM
WooleyBugger said...: Baron,

I only just saw this reply, terrible of me, sez I, for a late reply.

I can't divulge the origin of the Road name. It's a guarded secret. lol

I appreciate the kudos. I enjoy creating things from my ideas in my head, then to paper, then to reality. I'm also an idea man and have helped a couple of people start their own niche business from my research and own ideas. Maybe I should charge a fee for the service. Reading and real knowledge is becoming a thing of the past as are creative work. If the power grid were to be lost so many would be lost with no computer as their brains have been tuned to rely solely on electronic devices. They'd sit for days just twiddling their thumbs.

The Racks, a search for the bender to make them faster has been tough going so for now I do them still by hand, fun, but time consuming. If I had more funding I could rock and roll with them. It is pleasing when the first thing folks zero in on is the rack.

In The States here, the government is making it tougher for entrepreneurs to create jobs with heavy tax, licenses and hoops to jump through. They have almost killed the basement and garage startups that once fueled the new companies that became large employers like this one: http://www.jefferiessocks.com/aboutus.html
My Koury started this in the 1930's in his basement. The home still exists not far from me - with the largest Holly tree I've ever seen in my life in the yard - and I doubt the current occupants even know the history of the home.; August 19, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Greg Prosmushkin said...: Thanks for taking the time to share these excellent photos with us of celebrating a eighty years of production. They do such wonderful work. Have a great rest of your day.
Greg Prosmushkin; July 11, 2020 at 12:50 PM