1952 - Start of production of JAWA 500 OHC motorcycle PDF Print E-mail
Written by Dr Amit Chatterjee, SM   
Thursday, 31 May 2007

JAWA 500 OHC motorcycle - 1952

Model 15/00  - "Snek"

  • 500 OHC 15/00 engine
    Right side view of the 15/00 engine
    Four-stroke air-cooled OHC twin cylinder. Displacement 488 cc (bore and stroke 65 x73.6 mm). Engine power 19.1 kW at 5500 r.p.m. Compression ratio 7 to 1
  • Vertical shaft camshaft drive. Lubrication by three-way pump located on the frame ahead of the rear mudguard. Four-speed gearbox in unit with engine.
  • Multi-plate clutch in oil bath, automatically disengaged by gear pedal movement.
  • Simple closed, in the rear bifurcating frame made with square steel sections. Slider type rear wheel suspension. Telescopic front fork.
  • Weight 156 kg.
  • Maximum speed 135 km/hour
  • Average fuel consumption 3.5 to 4 litres per 100 km

Apart from the two-stroke motor cycles a four-stroke OHC 350 cc single cylinder had been prepared for post-war production: it was built after the War in the “Springer” frame. With a view to the post-war situation it was on the whole rightly decided to manufacture instead of the more complicated and therefore more expensive four-stroke, a two-stroke motor cycle. The two stroke three-fifty was in fact replacing the planned four stroke machine.

Final inspection of the JAWA 500 OHC
Final inspection of the JAWA 500 OHC - justified smiles, all round
Within a few years the situation straightened out and some customers began to demand a more powerful machine. In as early as 1950 a half-litre had been prepared to be put in serial production in 1952, model mark 15/00. It was an air-cooled four-stroke OHC twin cylinder with vertical shaft and worm gear camshaft drive, hence nicknamed the "Snek" ("Snail" or "Worm" in Czech) displacement 488 cc (65x73.5), power output 19.1 kW (26 HP) at 5500 r.p.m. The gearbox was four-speed, ignition by Lucas magneto soon replaced by PAL coil, and battery system with 60 W dynamo. The following 15/01 model featured reconstructed valve gear with Gleason type bevel gearing. Lubrication was by oil pump, the capacity of the separate oil tank was 4.5 litres. The motor cycle frame was of the JAWA 250 type duly reinforced with the possibility of sidecar attachment. The front wheel suspension was by telescopic fork with oil dampers; that of the rear wheel by coil springs. The 16 litre capacity tank was joined by swinging saddle, of a similar type like the 250 model. Front tyre size was 3.25 - 19, rear tyre size 3.50 – 19, weight 156 kg, maximum speed 135 km/hour, average consumption about 4 litres per 100 km.

500 OHC Model - 15/02
Model 15/02 - Bevel Cam drive, PAL Dynamo, increased engine power, weight and top speed, dual seats
Since the beginning of 1953 introduced was model 15/02 with updated engine. The motor cycle received full width hub brakes and a big dual seat (since 1956),
500 OHC Model 15/02 engine
Left side view of the 15/02 engine
owing to engine modifications the power was increased to 20.6 kW (28 HP), the maximum speed to 147 km/hour and the weight to 174 kg. The last 500 OHC JAWA left the assembly line in 1958 and is at the moment the last serial four stroke motor cycle of the make. The prototype with pivoted rear fork - “Swinger” frame - passed tests, but was never put into production.

Model 15/02 - hence no longer a "Snek" from model 15/01

  • Gleason type bevel gearing, Ignition by PAL coil
  • Engine power 20.6 kW
  • Maximum speed to 147 km/hour, Weight 174 kg
  • Full width hub brakes and a big dual seat (since 1956)
    Jawa 500 OHC with single-wheeled trailer
    Jawa 500 OHC with single-wheeled trailer

Recommend this article...
Last Updated ( Sunday, 29 July 2007 )
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]