Licence from Wanderer
Ing. František Janeček purchases a licence from Wanderer to produce a 500 OHV Wanderer motorbike.
The JAWA trademark
Ing. František Janeček registers the JAWA (JAneček + WAnderer) trademark.
The XXI International Motor Show in Prague
The first JAWA motorbike, the JAWA 500 OHV, is presented at the XXI International Motor Show in Prague.
G.W. Patchett
The English motorbike racer and designer G. W. Patchett comes to JAWA. He focuses mainly on sports machines but also brings experience in the production of light two-stroke motorbikes. His acumen and enterprise contribute to the design of the JAWA 175 motorbike powered by a Villiers engine.
Six Days Race
JAWA takes part in a Six Days Race for the first time, with E. Stokuč riding a JAWA 500 OHV. Although a number of mechanical failures hamper his attempt, he wins the bronze medal.
The JAWA 175 Villiers
Manufacture of the JAWA 175 Villiers motorbike begins. This revolutionary model is sold under the slogan "The People's Motorcycle at a Bargain Price".
Six Days Race in Italy
Six Days Race takes place in Merano, Italy. Czechoslovakia enters the International Trophy competition for the first time, where the whole Czech team, consisting of A. Vitvara, F. Brand, side-cart driver Jaroslav Kaiser and co-driver Kromberger, ride JAWA machines.
Isle of Man TT
F. Brand enters the legendary Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) race and wins a silver Tourist Trophy.
JAWA 700
JAWA introduces its first car, the JAWA 700. The body is produced at the plant in Kvasinky and is assembled at a new plant in Týnec nad Sázavou.
JAWA 350 SV
The JAWA 350 SV is the first motorcycle manufactured with JAWA's own engine design.
JAWA 1000 aircraft engine
The young aviation engineer, Zdeněk Pilát, designs the JAWA 1000 aircraft engine. This lightweight, air-cooled two-cylinder engine with opposing pistons is considered the best designed European engine of its class. Unfortunately, the engine is never manufactured.
JAWA 100 Robot Motocross
The smallest addition to the JAWA motorcycle family, the JAWA 100 Robot Motocross, was designed by the most talented designer from the Patechett team - Josef Josíf
JAWA 600
The second and unfortunatelly last car manufactured by JAWA is the JAWA 600. Last pieces left factory after the World War II.
Pre-War Sports Achievements
JAWA riders win a couple of gold medals, and the Trophy Team takes second place, at Six Days Race events in 1935 and 1938. JAWA riders also win at flat-track Gold Helmet race meetings. H. Gunzenhauser wins in Pardubice in 1935 and 1936, and F. Juhan wins at the same venu in 1938. In addition, F. Brand and V. Vitvar bring home laurel wreaths from road speed races.
JAWA 250 Duplex Semiblock Engine
The last pre-war engine, the newly designed JAWA 250 Duplex Semiblock Engine is ready for manufacture.
World War II
With proverbial Nazi ruthlessness, JAWA is forced to produce military orders beginning in September 1939. JAWA factories produce gasoline pumps, power generators and other products under the direct supervision of Rüstungsinspektion Prag and RLM Berlin.
Ing. František Janeček Dies
On June 4, 1941 the legendary founder of JAWA , Ing. František Janeček, dies aged 63 years. He has earned many titles in his life, including The Motorcycle King, which best testifies to his contribution and status in the motorcycle industry before World War II. The new CEO of JAWA is JUDr. Jaroslav Frei.
Preparing for Peace
Throughout World War II, a large amount of parts and raw materials for the production of 9000 motorcycles and 700 automobiles are hidden from the German occupying forces. These are stored in barns and sheds near Týnec nad Sázavou. Immediately after the armistice, the first post-war machines are assembled. Equally remarkable is the fact that work on two post-war projects - the motorcycle (team leader J. Jozíf and V. Grečenko) and the car (team leader R. Vykoukal) - had been secretly started at the beginning of 1940. A third post-war team (lead by V. Sklenář) work on the development of four-stroke motorcycles and racing motorcycles.
The result is the famous JAWA Pérák.
Nationalization
Nationalization of JAWA and subordination of JAWA Zbrojovka Brno occurs. In 1950, JAWA again becomes independent, but at the cost of losing the company plant in Kvasiny and the foundry in Týnec nad Sázavou. JAWA now holds plants only in Prague and Týnec nad Sázavou.
JAWA 250 Pérák
The production of the famous JAWA 250 begins. The motorbike is awarded name "Pérák" in recognition of its advanced design. This model, with a 350cc engine, is marketed under the Ogar brand from 1947 to 1949.
The World Trophy and the Silver Vase
Thanks to excellent riders and equally good machines, JAWA and ČZ for the first time win both main trophies, the World Trophy and the Silver Vase, at the International Six-Day Motorbike Competition.
JAWA-ČZ
After the communist victory in 1948, and at the behest of socialist economic planners, the JAWA motorbike brand is merged with ČZ, another Czech motorbike brand.
JAWA 500 OHC
Production of the JAWA 500 OHC motorbike unfortunately does not last long, mainly due to competition with more popular and cheaper two-stroke engine machines.
The JAWA 500 OHC is now 'the collector's dream'.
Kývačka is JAWA-ČZ
A innovative proposal that combines JAWA and ČZ Strakonice expertise results in the building of a complex for large-scale motorbike production, and gives rise to the JAWA-ČZ series of motorbikes (the so-called National Series).
An ambitious project leads to the design of a completely new chassis, but this is not brought to production in either JAWA or ČZ Strakonice due to a lack of investment.
JAWA Kývačka
Production of another famous JAWA model, the Kývačka, begins. JAWA continuously manufactures this classic motorbike until the early 1980s.
JAWA 50 Pařez ("Stump")
The JAWA 50, nicknamed Pařez ("Stump"), first sees the light of day in the workshops of JAWA, but its production is transferred to Považské Strojárne in Slovakia.
JAWA becomes Motorcycle Champion of Europe
Jaromír Čížek of JAWA becomes Motorcycle Champion of Europe. It is one of the greatest successes in this motoring discipline in history of JAWA and will not be emulated by any JAWA rider until the feats of Vlastimil Válka in the World Championship series in 1966/1967.
JAWA 50 Jawetta
Production of the JAWA 50 Jawetta moped begins.
Speedway motorcycles
The premises in Vlašim in Divišov are transferred to JAWA.
JAWA also takes over the production of speedway motorcycles.
František Šťastný becomes world vice-champion
František Šťastný becomes world vice-champion on the JAWA motorbike in the most popular motoring discipline, motorcycle road racing.
During the 1960s, he took third and fourth place several more times in the overall ranking.
JAWA 250 Panelka
JAWA 250 "Panelka" is another in a series of modernizations of the popular model called "Kývačka".
An unfortunate reorganization
JAWA has always had bad luck with unfortunate reorganizations. After the one in the late 1940s came another in the early 1960s.
JAWA main plant in Prague at Pankrác was transferred to ČKD Semiconductor. The company then moved its headquarters to Týnec nad Sázavou and, in addition to the engine shop it also lost the production of sports motorcycles in the Libeň operation. Development and production of sports motorcycles moved to the former Ogar factory in Strašnice. The production of JAWA engines was transferred from one of the most modern factories for the production of motorcycle engines in Europe to ČZM Strakonice.
It was at this time, at the time of the company's greatest boom and at the time when new Japanese motorcycle factories were starting to emerge, that there was a decisive deterioration in the production conditions for our motorcycles. This laid the foundation stone for the later gradual stagnation and decline of not only JAWA but also the entire Czechoslovak motorcycle industry.
JAWA makes 1,000,000th motorbike
The millionth JAWA motomotorbike was produced this year.
Honda pays JAWA
The most advanced design that arose in JAWA development at this time was the JAWA Automatic motorcycle clutch, friction clutch enabling a safe smooth start by simply adding trottle.
The new automatic clutch design was the subject of patents in Czechoslovakia and abroad. A clutch of this design later appeared on light Honda motorcycles and after a protracted dispute, Mr. S. Honda signed one of the most successful active licenses of post-war Czechoslovakia with JAWA.
More years coming soon