The Jawa motorcycles are one of the most well-known Czechoslovak products and probably the most iconic model must be the Jawa 250 and 350, also known as Kyvacka. In 2020, a lot of Jawa enthusiasts were filled with joy after hearing news of a new model that should play an homage to this classic masterpiece. After a long hiatus, Kyvacka finally returned to Czech roads and it is called Jawa 300.
The Origin of Jawa
The Origin of Jawa begins with its founder, František Janeček. Born in 1878, Janeček was technically gifted and studied mechanics at the Prague Technical School before moving on to the Berlin College of Engineering.
He drew on his knowledge of engineering and his experience with mass production techniques in factories, basing his new motorcycle designs around an existing 498cc engine made by a German company called Wanderer. It was considered to be a reliable machine, but was expensive and did not achieve much success.
Therefore in 1932 Janeček came up with his own invention by introducing the Jawa 175 with the marketing slogan “Lepší stroj za méně peněz (A better machine for less money) the JAWA 175 was above all cheaper and quickly became the company’s first great success.
In the 1960s the production was expanded into India, through the company Ideal Jawa India, which set up its factory in Mysore. Jawa motorcycles quickly became very popular in the country and one of the most popular bikes was once again the aforementioned Kyvacka. Therefore, it might not come as such a surprise that it is precisely thanks to India that the new 300 model has come back to the Czech Republic.
In 2016 Jiri Gerle sold the license to Classic Legends (part-owned by Indian Mahindra & Mahindra] with one binding request: “Please, do bring the brand back to its homeland!”. Four years after the deal the Mahindra group has fulfilled the promise with its 300 model.
The Jawa 300 classic uses a 293-cc single-cylinder engine with a DOHC setup. This liquid-cooled mill is linked to a 6-speed gearbox. With the BS6 update, the Jawa 300 Classic has become India’s first motorcycle with cross port technology. This has helped it to retain its characteristic twin exhaust identity while meeting the new emission standards.
Author: Patrik Frťala
Image: https://elements.envato.com/motorcycles-parking-P7KHHU8
