JAWA Motorcycle

History of Jawa Motorcycle

Frantisek Janecek began manufacturing Wanderer motorcycles under license in 1927 in order to diversify the interests of his arms factory. Having bought the tooling for a 500cc model, in 1929 he re branded the machine with the name JAWA, derived from the first two letters of the words “Janacek” and “Wanderer”.

It was a shaft-drive model with a pressed steel frame, powered by a 498cc OHV engine. In 1930 the English designer George-William Patchett joined the new company, resulting in faster, more robust chain-driven machines which although not commercially successful did well in competition. Villiers – licensed deflector two-strokes were incorporated into a lightweight range, which proved popular, and in 1934 they also built DKW style flattop two-strokes. The 1930s also saw middleweight 350s of SV and OHV configuration, also Patchett designed, and just before war broke out they built the Josef Jozif designed 98cc Robot.

Patchett returned to England for the duration to work for Royal Enfield and other arms manufacturers, but Jawa did not remain idle during the Nazi occupation. They secretly developed an advanced single-cylinder two stroke with telescopic front suspension, plunger rear and an automatic clutch.

In 1947 they took over the Ogar factory and resumed production, producing the highly successful two-strokes as well as exotic DOHC racers. Subsequently they incorporated the Eso marque and began producing speedway machines. During the mid 1930s the company also produced a range of cars and utility vehicles.

Project Jawa