JAWA & yezdi Club, India - 1929 - First JAWA 500 OHV Motorcycle produced

1929 - First JAWA 500 OHV Motorcycle produced - Rumpál

JAWA 500cc OHV Motorcycle - 1929

Four stroke OHV (OverHead Valve) single cylinder * Displacement 498.7 cc (bore and stroke 84 x 90 mm) * Engine power 13.2 kW * Forced feed dry sump lubrication * Three-speed gearbox in unit with engine, hand control * Rigid suspension rear wheel drive by propeller shaft with caliper brake * Duplex frame welded of steel stampings * Front fork with trailing link and quarter elliptic leaf spring suspension * Weight 175 kg * Maximum speed 95 km/hour * Average fuel consumption 5 to 6 liter per 100 km

Wanderer 500 OHV

The first motorcycle bearing the JAWA name made its appearance in 1929, created by Czech arms manufacturer Frantisek Janecek (Zbrojovka Ing. F. Janecek) who was at the time in the process of diversifying the manufacturing program of his munitions factory. Janecek chose to go ahead with the manufacture of a motorcycle, even though at that time there were already about 21 other manufacturers in Czechoslovakia. The first motorcycles actually produced by Janecek’s factory were built in 1927 and were licensed copies of a well known German make at the time, called the ‘Wanderer 500 OHV.’ By 1929 however, production of the Wanderer in German had been completely discontinued, and so Janecek’s factory became the exclusive manufacturer of the model.

Production under license of the JAnecek-WAnderer 500 OHV ~ cica 1928

It was then that bikes manufactured at the factory started to bear the trademark JAWA - this being derived from the first two letters of JAnecek and WAnderer. Whoever proposed to connect the two first letters in the names Janeček and Wanderer had a felicitous idea - JAWA , simple, easy to remember and pronounce! The trademark name was patented on 17th August, 1929, at half-past-ten a.m under number 37 525/Prague. A graphic set-up was not considered initially, nor was the lettering stabilized. The JAWA sign on the tank differs from the JAWA boss on the timing cover as well as from the JAWA sign on the compartment under the luggage carrier bracket. The present-day familiar JAWA in oval trademark did not appear until two years later on the tank of the 500 OHV JAWA third and last series.

The JAWA logo as used in the first two series of "Rumpal" were the alphabets J A W A within the motorcycle frame. It is interesting to note that the letter “W” does NOT exist in the Czech language, giving "JAWA" a distinctive foreign flavor.

JAWA stand at the 1929 Prague Motor and Motor Cycle Show

The first JAWA motor cycle was presented at the JAWA stand at the Prague Motor and Motor Cycle Show, which opened on October 23, 1929. The first JAWA differed from the German Wanderer model in a number of details; conspicuous at first sight was its large drop-shaped tank.

The half-litre was powered by a 498.7 cc (84x90) four stroke single cylinder with hemispherical combustion chamber producing 13 kW (18 HP), situated lengthwise in a duplex pressed frame. Suspension of the short link-type front fork was by quarter-elliptical leaf spring. Lubrication was of the dry sump forced feed type, the three-speed gearbox in unit with the engine was controlled by hand lever moving in a gate, the unsprung rear wheel was driven by propeller shaft with flexible couplings and bevel gearing. The shoe brake acted on the propeller shaft. The rims were shod with 27- 4 size tyres. The weight of the solo machine was 175 kg, its maximum speed 95 km/hour and consumption 5 to 6 litres per 100 km.

Interestingly, the rear wheel driven by propeller shaft with flexible couplings and bevel gearing, NOT by chain – suggesting that the half-litre was to be a sort of anti-BMW. Shoe brake acts directly on the propeller shaft.

The price of the new motor cycle was set at 14,890 crowns including Bosch electrical equipment, with sidecar the JAWA cost less than 17 thousand.

At its dèbut the machine was exhibited in the finish that was to become tradition with JAWA till recent days. It was red (JAWA declares the original color with "8850." This original "JAWA-red" was exclusively used until 1974 with few exceptions) with cream lines and tank sides.

It soon transpired that a motor cycle of this category had not been a good choice. The reason was its high price considering that the same year Aero came with a small single cylinder motor car which in its basic version cost not more than the JAWA with sidecar, there was a press indeed in the market.

In addition, the half-litre suffered from some design defects, the worst being in the front fork which was often breaking. Because of that for the second series the fork was reconstructed and made like the frame with pressed parts. New was also the headlamp, this time Bosch with tipping reflector instead of the original cylindrical lamp. The second series motor cycles in 1930 were sold at the reduced price of 14,000 crowns.

The 1931 upgraded Rumpal - Note front fork made with pressed parts, new Bosch headlamp and “fishtail ends' for silencer (displayed at the JAWA Motorcycle Museum, Netvorice)

The third series (1931) differed from the previous ones mainly with the new exhaust silencer shape-the original end pieces nicknamed “grenades” were replaced by “fishtail ends." On the tank was now the JAWA emblem in oval. An improvement was the new four speed gearbox, available as option. The third updated 500 OHV JAWA in solo version was priced at 12,000 crowns.

The heavy, expensive motor cycles came in the time of the economic depression and no wonder Janeček’s dream of mass production had to be postponed. In has to be admitted nevertheless that following all the improvements the JAWA was enjoying popularity. Until 1931 - 1,016 units are said to have been manufactured, not so little for those days. Owing to its robust appearance it earned the nickname “Rumbler“ or “Rumpal.” JAWA 500cc OHV Rumpal with sidecar

Its powerful engine induced many owners to acquire a sidecar. The sidecar standard wheel brake was controlled by pedal situated next to the motor cycle brake pedal. The driver could operate the two pedals at the same time or separately. Though heavy, the 500 OHV JAWA gave reliable service.

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