At one time, everyone knew that those Japanese motorcycles would never be a thing. Then came the certainty that Japanese motorcycles would never become classics. I bought my first Jawa for 200 guilders. Everyone thought that was too expensive. My first two M72s cost 500 guilders. For both. And so there are countless now sought-after classics that everyone knew… Well, never mind. In any case, Yezdi/Jawas now cost very little. In India.
Shubwam Agrawal is an Indian friend
He is a passionate lover of the Yezdi brand. And Yezdi? Yezdi is a motorcycle brand from India. Well, sort of. In any case, the Yezdi two-strokes are Shubwam's livelihood.
Made in India
Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd was founded by Rustom and Farrokh Irani and was a motorcycle manufacturer based in Mysore that sold licensed Jawa motorcycles from 1960 under the brand name Jawa and from 1973 as Yezdi. The engines were serious counterparts for the (Royal) Enfields, which also started a second life in India as Enfield India.
What is in a name?
The name Yezdi was derived from a phonetic transcription of the Czech verb “jezdí” (to drive). The slogan for the bikes sold by the company was pure colonial English: 'Forever Bike, Forever Value'.
Jawa motorcycles were introduced in India in 1960 and have a cult following there to this day. The Yezdi factory was located along the railway line leading to Mysore Junction. The factory was inaugurated in 1961 by the then Governor of Mysore State, Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore.
The different types, the end
The Jawa 250 Type 353/04 designated 'A' Type, Yezdi 250 'B' Type, Yezdi 250 Roadking, Yezdi 350 Twin (Type 634) and Yezdi 250 Monarch models can still be seen locally on a regular basis to this day . The company ceased production in 1996. When the company was forced to close, it produced the 175, Monarch, Deluxe, Road Kings and CL II. The main reasons for the company's collapse were labor problems and increasing demands on exhaust emissions, which left the two-stroke engines the company produced out of business. With the arrival of Yamaha and Honda in India, these bikes lost their status because Yezdis were heavier, thirstier and slower. A pain point in present-day India is that the government there tends to take the license plates of two-strokes. Apparently that's not much of a problem locally. Because trading and riding these well-established Jawas is quite popular.
The Indian Jawas have meanwhile been recognized and valued in India as classics
They are being restored and cherished. There is an active club life. And the parts supply is exemplary.
Shubham Agrawal dreams of exporting to the west. The engines are widely available. Only the revenue model is not quite there yet. But as owner-director of Swati Automobiles-A Two Wheeler Clinic, he sees a bright future in that area. A nice 350 cc twin has, we understand, an asking price of about 50.000 rupees. And 1 rupee is 0,012 Euro…
In the meantime, the brand has made a comeback. The new Jawa four-strokes are now being sold and the idea is to compete with Royal Enfield.
Also read:
- More stories about classic engines
- Jawa 638: the affordable Jawa
- Jawa. Forward into the past
- Royal Enfield, an old racer
- India. Who travels far away ...
Well, with my heavily smoking puch 250 sg I also feel a bit antisocial, now and then.
But, because I didn't bring any children into the world and I don't fly either, I think I do
should be possible. Tweetakt mainly has an image problem.
If Mercedes had delved into that technique, things would have turned out differently.
Let's face it, why would you do something in four when you can do it in two?
Hans Oet Wold
Oh well, as long as it stays that way…. Don't feel too guilty and cherish the past
I want a Yezdi! but then built in 1992 or earlier so that I can register it in Belgium as a classic car
It's a shame that such a nice two-strokes are outright environmentally denounced these days
But they are gaining popularity within the good circle!