Ideal Jawa

Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd.
Motorcycle manufacturer
Industry Automotive
Fate defunct
Founded 1960
Defunct 2005
Headquarters Mysore, Karnataka, India
Key people
Farrokh Irani, Founders
Products Jawa, Yezdi
Number of employees
n/a
Website yezdi.com

Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd was an Indian motorcycle company based in Mysore which sold licensed Jawa and ČZ motorcycles beginning in 1960 under the brand name Jawa and later Yezdi. The catchphrase for the bikes sold by the firm was "Forever bike forever value".[1]

Jawa motorcycles were introduced in India in 1960 and they have a cult following to this present day. Production was carried out directly in India by Ideal Jawa India Ltd based out of Mysore. The factory was inaugurated by the then Governor of Mysore State, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar in 1961.[2]

The Jawa 353/04 designated as 'A' Type, Yezdi 250 'B' Type, Jawa 350 type 634 Twin and Yezdi 250 Monarch models are driven to this day in various parts of the country. Jawa and Yezdi bikes, especially the ones with fuel tank paddings and ignition systems on the fuel tank are now collectors items. The company stopped production in 1996.[3]

There are still several bike enthusiasts in the country.[4] There are several bike clubs across the country, some of them even organizing long distance rallies.[5]

Jawa 250 cc 'A' (Type 353 Kyvacka)
Jawa Jet 50 cc 'A' (Type 555 Pionyr)
Ready for race Jawa 250 (Red) and Yezdi motorcycles (all in Black colour)

Models

There have been many models of this brand before the company shut its doors in 1996. Their various models included:

The 'A', 'B', 'C' & 'D' Types are the model of Engine that particular bike has.

Ideal Jawa also exported many of the above models to over 61 countries around the world including Turkey, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Egypt and others. Guatemala was supplied with custom White Yezdi Roadkings for their Police forces. A model exported to Venezuela was called the Yezdi 250 MT (Mountain Terrain).

End of production

When the company was forced to shut down, it was producing the 175, Monarch, Deluxe, Road Kings and CL II. The main reason for the company's collapse was labor trouble and increasing levels of pollution control norms which were making the two stroke bikes that the company produced obsolete.[6] With the advent of Yamaha and Honda in India, these bikes lost their status as Yezdi's were heavier and in some cases slower with lesser fuel efficiency.

In motorsports

Ideal Jawa had factory teams for both road races at Sholavaram and the National Motorcycle Rally Championships. Yezdi's were preferred rally bikes in the 80s and 90s.

See also

References

  1. "The return of roaring Jawa Yezdis". The Times of India Banglore. July 9, 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  2. "Yezdi a Beat from the past". Deccan Herald, Mysore. June 24, 2011.
  3. "A day for Jawa, Yezdi bikes". The Times of India, Mysore. July 15, 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  4. "Rev up those Jawa & Yezdi bikes, Pune set to host a rally this weekend". DNA India, Pune. July 8, 2014.
  5. "Bangalore Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club". Ride Till Diember 2013.
  6. Yoshita Sengupta (18 September 2011). "Iron to gold in 2 strokes". Mid Day, Mumbai. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
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