Bangalore:
There could be nothing more exciting than the roar of a motorcycle running full throttle. And if the bike happens to be yesteryear’s Yezdi Jawa variety, it is not only about nostalgia but also a power-packed performance.
Ask Toby Phillippe, an American expat, who restored a rusty 1970 model Jawa bike he took a great liking to three years ago. He has since been riding his favourite motorcycle every day.
Toby is one of the hundreds in the city, who belong to the Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club, and rode towards Tumkur on Sunday morning to celebrate the 10th International Jawa Yezdi Day.
Members of this club are passionate bike enthusiasts and owners of the rare Jawa bikes, that lead a pack of rare bikes, whose production was discontinued in India in 1996. “The Jawa Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of July every year. This year we are riding out of the city to have a get-together in Shiva’s Farm near Shivagange,” said John Samuel, a co-founder of Bangalore Jawa Yezdi Motorcylce Club. Samuel owns two Jawa bikes – a 1975 model B and and 1980 classic.
Over 80 rare bikes were present at the event, which started from St Mark’s Road, outside Bowring Institute. “The best part of the bike is its roar. It makes me feel very good to be on the bike,” said Toby.
Shanta Kumar, who works for ITC, has been riding Jawa bikes for more than 20 years now. He said, “Jawa bikes have a better road grip and pollution control than most other bikes. The best thing about the bike is that your back doesn’t ache even if you ride the entire day.”
For Mysoreans, Jawa is more than a bike
About 150 vintage Jawa Yezdi models like the 1945 Czech Jawa model, Jawa Bison, Yezdi 350, Tankswitch Jawa, Roadkings, Oilking, Yezdi ‘B’ type, Pionyr’s, Jet Jawa and Yezdi Colt hit the roads in Mysore to mark the International Jawa Yezdi Day on Sunday.
Jawa Yezdi bikes were made in India at Yadavagiri in Mysore. Today, apartments are coming up on the land where the plant was once situated.
Jawa was coined using the first words of Czech founder Janeek, Frantisek and Wanderer, the German bike he started producing at his plant in Prague. But for Mysoreans, Jawa is also the acronym for its ruler Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.
Raian Irani, founder Faroukh Irani’s son, said, “Wadiyar was keen on setting up the bike unit in Mysore. Pune was a contender. As governor of the then Mysore state, Wadiyar inaugurated Ideal Jawa (India) Limited in 1961 with the slogan: The forever bike, forever value.
The company closed down in 1990s in face of challenge from the new generation of 100 cc Japanese bikes.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Bangalore> Mysore / TNN / July 09th, 2012