In the mid-thirties JAWA had attained such command of the home market so as not to have to fear competition. What remained was to win the groups of potential customers who for the time being were prevented to ride big motor cycles - the young. At that time small motor cycles - from present day aspect mopeds were manufactured by another munition factory - ČZ. The make’s light 73 cc cylinder capacity and more so the 98 cc models had no rival on the home market and that was what JAWA meant to remedy.

First a licence, this time the French, came under consideration. In the end Josef Jozif was commissioned to propose a bicycle with auxillary engine. Janeček himself told him to work on the smallest cycle at home and not to mention it to anybody. He evidently wished to have the preparation of the new JAWA a complete surprise. The proposal of the machine took in consideration the traffic regulations which in those days were very benevolent toward owners of small motor cycles. In Czechoslovakia, admitted as autocycle was a two-wheeler powered by engine of no more than 100 cc displacement and equipped with rear wheel pedal drive. It could be ridden by persons over 14 years of age without driving licence, the vehicle was not subject to road tax, third party insurance and registration, and so it was not required to carry a registration number.

Once more JAWA went its own way, even though in this vehicle category many manufacturers were relying on the renowned Sachs and LLO engines. The machines of a number of makes were just assemblies of parts from various contractors, while the little JAWA was an exception in this respect. Apart from the Grätzin carburetter it had originated under one roof.

The JAWA 100 was presented at the 1937 Prague Sample Fair and the Factory publicity department had the felicitous idea to invite the fair visitors to a competition for its name. Within three weeks a total of 15,025 visitors wrote their suggestion on the lottery tickets contesting the 2,500 crowns prize for the best name. The Jury decided that most appropriate was Robot - recommended by 68 competitors. Few people know that the word was invented by writer Karel Čanek who had used it in his novel R.U.R. The JAWA robot was powered by an air-cooled two stroke single cylinder with 98.8 cc displacement (14x57), inverted scavenging producing 1.9 kW (2.6 HP) at 3750 r.p.m. and 5.7 to 1 compression ratio. The Grätzin carburetter was controlled by lever, later by twistgrip. Ignition was by JAWA. The three-speed gearbox was in unit with the engine, control was by lever in the gate on the tank. Owing to the freewheel in the gearbox, the rear wheel could be driven by the engine or by pedals. The engine was started by pedals. The engine was stared by pedals at standstill or by pushing.

The frame was traditionally of pressed sections and so was the front fork. Capacity of the saddle type tank was 8 litres (petroil mixture at the rate of 20 to 1). The saddle and handlebars were adjustable for height. The Robot wheels were shod with 2.25 - 19 size tyres, the machine weighed 49 kg, its maximum speed was 64 km/hour, average consumption 2 litres per 100 km.

In the first production year the Robot cost 2,790 crowns and 5,000 units were sold. The total number manufactured until 1946-except for the war time interval-was 12,000.  The Robot has been partly updated too, in 1939 the compression ratio was increased to 6 to 1 and the power output to 2 kW (2.7HP), the exhaust was provided with a heat guard and its shape changed - the initially horizontal silencer was slightly upswept. The Robot won popularity very soon bringing JAWA more customers who either were not so bold as to ride a bigger motor cycle or who because of their age would have had to wait to do so.

JAWA 100 ROBOT displayed at The JAWA Muzeum, Rabakov

Recommend this article...