Jawa Moto facts for kids
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| Founded | 1929 |
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| Founder | František Janeček |
| Headquarters |
Týnec nad Sázavou
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| Products | Motorcycles, mopeds |
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Number of employees
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100 (as of 2017) |
| Parent | Jihostroj |
JAWA is a company that makes motorcycles and mopeds. It was started in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1929 by František Janeček. He bought the motorcycle part of a company called Wanderer. The name JAWA comes from combining the first two letters of Janeček and Wanderer.
In the 1950s, JAWA was one of the best motorcycle makers in the world. They sold their 350 model to over 120 countries! Famous models included the 350 Pérák and the 350 Californian. These bikes often came in classic black and red colors. After 1990, the company faced challenges, but a new company called JAWA Moto was formed in 1997 in Týnec nad Sázavou to keep the name alive.
In India, the JAWA brand was brought back in December 2018. This happened through a deal between the original Czech company JAWA Moto and Classic Legends, which is owned by Mahindra & Mahindra.
Contents
The Story of JAWA Motorcycles
JAWA has a long and interesting history of making motorcycles.
How JAWA Started – 1929
František Janeček began the company after working in the weapons industry. Even though he didn't have experience with motorcycles, he knew a lot about how to make things. Janeček decided to buy the design for a 500cc motorcycle from a German company called Wanderer. Wanderer had stopped making motorcycles because they couldn't compete with other companies like BMW.
The very first JAWA motorcycle was shown on October 23, 1929. It had a 500cc engine and was quite powerful. Even though it cost a lot, this motorcycle became popular and was known for being reliable.
JAWA in the 1930s
During the economic problems of the early 1930s, people needed a cheaper and simpler motorcycle. So, in 1932, JAWA introduced the JAWA 175. This motorcycle had a 3.6-kW engine and was very light, weighing only 70 kg. It could go up to 80 km/h and used very little fuel.
The JAWA 175 was a huge success right away. In its first year, over 3,000 were sold. This was almost three times more than the 500cc model sold in three years! JAWA even became the first company to offer test rides at shows in 1938. They used a special JAWA 175 with two sets of handlebars, one for the rider and one for an instructor. By the time production ended in 1946, 27,535 JAWA 175 motorcycles had been made.
JAWA in the 1940s
The company's founder, František Janeček, passed away. After World War II, JAWA started making motorcycles again, including the JAWA 250/350 and the JAWA 350 Ogar.
JAWA in the 1950s
In the 1950s, JAWA made several popular motorcycles like the 250, 350/353-Kývačka, and 500 OHC. They also made small mopeds called the 50 Pionýr and Jawetta. The JAWA 250/350 was a very successful model. It had a powerful engine and a new rear suspension. This model was sold to over 120 countries around the world.
JAWA in the 1960s
In the early 1960s, JAWA created the first automatic clutch for motorcycles. This special clutch was designed for their 250/559 and 350/360 models. JAWA patented this invention worldwide. When Honda used a similar clutch in their 50 Cub motorcycle, they had to pay JAWA a fine and a fee for each motorcycle sold.
Here are some other important events from the 1960s:
- 1962: JAWA joined with ESO to make JAWA speedway motorcycles.
- 1963: The JAWA factory in Prague – Pankrác closed.
- 1964: A new factory opened in Týnec nad Sázavou.
- 1964: JAWA produced its one millionth motorcycle!
- 1965: Production of JAWA 350 Automatic motorcycles began.
- 1966: Production of JAWA 350 Californian motorcycles started.
- 1967: JAWA 90 motorcycles began production in Považská Bystrica.
- 1967: JAWA 50 Mustang mopeds also started production in Považská Bystrica.
JAWA in the 1970s
- 1970: Production of JAWA 250/350 ÚŘ motorcycles began.
- 1970: Production of JAWA 350 Bizon motorcycles started.
- 1974: Production of JAWA 350 (type 634) motorcycles began.
- 1976: JAWA produced its two millionth motorcycle!
JAWA in the 1980s
- 1984: Production of JAWA 350 (type 638) motorcycles began.
- 1987: JAWA produced its three millionth motorcycle!
JAWA in the 1990s
- 1991: Production of JAWA 350 (type 640) motorcycles began.
- 1994: Production of JAWA 250 (type 593) motorcycles started.
- 1994: Production of JAWA 50 (type 585, 586) motorcycles began.
- 1997: The new company JAWA Moto spol. s r. o. was founded.
- 1998: Production of JAWA 125 Travel motorcycles began.
- 1998: JAWA joined with MOTOUNION and took over production of the MUC 125 Dandy bike.
- 1998: Production of JAWA 125 Dandy motorcycles started.
- 1999: Production of JAWA 100 (type 587) motorcycles began.
JAWA in the 2000s
- 2004: Production of JAWA 650 (type 836) and JAWA 650 Classic motorcycles began.
- 2005: Production of JAWA 650 Style motorcycles started.
- 2006: Production of JAWA 650 Dakar motorcycles began.
- 2008: Production of JAWA 250 Travel motorcycles started.
JAWA in the 2010s
- 2011: Production of JAWA 660 Sportard motorcycles began. These were the next version after the 650 Dakar.
- 2013: Production of JAWA 350/634 Retro motorcycles started.
- 2017: Production of Jawa 350 OHC and JAWA 660 Vintage motorcycles began.
Other JAWA Products
JAWA Cars
In 1934, JAWA made its first car, the Jawa 700. They made 1,002 of these cars. A special sports car called the Jawa 750 was built only six times for a famous race in Czechoslovakia. This car is a legend in racing history. In 1937, the Jawa 600 Minor was introduced, replacing the JAWA 700. Some were even made during World War II. The next car, the Aero Minor, was made by a different company, Aero, from 1946 to 1952. Over 14,000 Aero Minor cars were made, and more than half were sold to other countries.
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Jawa 700
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Jawa 750
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Jawa 600 Minor
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JAWA Mopeds
JAWA also sold many mopeds with small engines in other countries. In Czechoslovakia, these mopeds were known as the Babetta. They were made in Slovakia starting in 1970. JAWA was the first company to put electronic ignition systems on mopeds. In the 1990s, sales went down, and Babetta production stopped in 1999.
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Jawa 207
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Babetta 210
JAWA in India
Ideal Jawa India Ltd was an Indian company in Mysore that made licensed JAWA motorcycles. They started in 1960 under the Jawa brand. From 1973, they were known as Yezdi. This company stopped making bikes in 1996. Even today, many people love and collect old Jawa motorcycles. Original bikes from Czechoslovakia had a CZ Jawa logo. The bikes made in India had an 'O' inside the Jawa logo.
In October 2016, Mahindra & Mahindra made a deal to bring the JAWA brand back to India and other East Asian countries. On November 15, 2018, Classic Legends launched three new motorcycles in India: the Jawa (also called Jawa 300), the Forty-Two, and the Pérák. The Forty-Two was named after the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything from a famous book. The Pérák was named after a Czech mythical figure. In 2021, a modified Forty-Two was introduced, and in October 2022, the 42 Bobber came out. These bikes are made in Pithampur.
The Jawa 300 looks like the classic Jawa 250 Type A. The Jawa 42 and Forty-Two are more modern bikes for city riding. The Jawa Pérák is a special custom motorcycle called a bobber. The Jawa, Forty-Two, and 42 all have the same engine (293-cc) and features like front disc brakes and a liquid-cooled engine. The classic Jawa has more chrome, while the Forty-Two and 42 look more modern to attract younger riders. These bikes compete with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 in India. The Jawa Pérák has a slightly larger 334-cc engine.
Many Indian customers were very interested in the new JAWA bikes. The company had to double its production to meet the high demand. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, JAWA sold 50,000 motorcycles in just one year.
JAWA also started a project called #ForeverHeroes. They auctioned off the first 13 motorcycles from their production to raise money for the children of soldiers who died serving their country. This event raised a lot of money, which is used to help these children get an education.
Since autumn 2020, the Indian Jawa 300 CL is also sold in the Czech Republic. The Jawa 42 is also planned to be imported there.
JAWA in Racing
JAWA has always been very active in motorcycle racing. They were the most active Eastern European company in motorsports. In track racing, JAWA competed in world championships until the mid-1960s. They did very well, even with a small budget. In motocross, they had an amazing record. In speedway and ice racing, where four-stroke engines were better, JAWA remained a very strong force. The factory that made these racing motorcycles became a separate company in the 1990s.
Many Speedway World Champions have ridden JAWA bikes, including famous riders like Ivan Mauger, Barry Briggs, Ove Fundin, and Ole Olsen.
Recent JAWA Motorcycles
After Czechoslovakia split up and communism ended, the JAWA company that made consumer motorcycles and the company that made Speedway racing bikes became separate. In the 1990s, JAWA Speedway bikes did well, but the main JAWA company faced challenges.
As of 2006, JAWA mainly made bikes similar to Honda's 250cc, 125cc, and 50cc motorcycles. They also made a larger bike with a 650cc Rotax engine, which is also found in some BMW motorcycles. Production of the smaller motorcycles has slowly stopped.
The Jawa 350 two-stroke twin is still very popular. It has been almost the same since the 1970s, but it is very reliable. These bikes are mostly sold in Latin America now.
The larger bike with the 650cc Rotax engine was made in three different styles starting in 2004. The JAWA 650 Classic had a retro look. The JAWA 650 Style was designed for city riding. The JAWA 650 Dakar was a full-size off-road bike. The Jawa 660 was the next version after the Jawa 650, and it was sold between 2011 and 2018.
The RVM Jawa 500, released in 2020, is a motorcycle made by an Argentine company called RVM. JAWA has a part ownership in RVM. This is a touring off-road motorcycle with a 471cc engine. It is sold in Argentina and Europe. In July 2021, a new model called the RVM Jawa 500 Scrambler was added. It is good for both roads and light off-road trails.
Current models sold by the JAWA company in 2025 include the Jawa 350 OHC, Jawa 400 Geeny, and Jawa JD 750.
See also
In Spanish: Jawa (motocicletas) para niños
