10 FORGOTTEN Jawa & Yezdi motorcycles of India

In 1996, Ideal Jawa, a Mysore-based motorcycle company shut shop for the final time bringing an end to the reign of the Yezdi and Jawa motorcycles on Indian roads. Ideal Jawa first started selling licensed Jawa bikes in 1960 before changing the name of the brand to Yezdi in 1973. Sold under the catchphrase, ‘Forever Bike Forever Value’, these Jawas and Yezdis are still popular among motorcycle enthusiasts in India despite being out of production for 22 years. Here is a look at 10 Forgotten Yezdi and Jawa models.

Jawa 250 Type A

The Type 353/04 was the first Jawa bike to come to India. The 249-cc Czech motorcycle drew power from a two-stroke air-cooled engine that produced 12 hp @ 4,750 rpm. The engine was mated to a 4-speed transmission. It was called the Jawa 250 Type A in India and is now a sought-after collectible among collectors and are quite valuable if restored properly.

Yezdi Roadking

The Yezdi Roadking was a rather popular model from the Yezdi brand that competed with the Royal Enfield Bullet, in the 90s. It was powered by a 248.5-cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine that produced 16 Bhp and 24 Nm of torque. Thanks to its relatively low weight of 140 kilos, it offered brisk acceleration compared to the Bullet.

Yezdi Oilking

The Oilking was, in essence, a Roadking with an oil pump. It is said that the oil pump failed quite often, so people would run this bike without any oil in the oil tank. It was powered by the same near 250-cc engine as the Roadking that came mated to a 4-speed gearbox and sent 16 Bhp and 24 Nm of torque to the rear wheel.

Yezdi Monarch

The Monarch was built on the chassis of the Yezdi 175 but drew power from the same engine as the Roadking. The Monarch’s engine produced 16 Bhp and 24 Nm of torque and was mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Many regarded the Yezdi Monarch as an upgraded 175 and, with its 136 kg weight, it was rather brisk off the line as well, which made it appealing to riders.

Yezdi Classic

The Yezdi Classic was a cruiser motorcycle from Ideal Jawa that competed with the Bullet, with its ability to cruise for long distances. It’s old school design still looks appealing today and it was the first bike marketed by Ideal Jawa under the slogan ‘Forever Bike, Forever Value’. The Classic was powered by a near 250-cc single-cylinder two-stroke petrol engine that produced 13 Bhp and 20 Nm of torque. A well-restored Classic these days can fetch upwards of Rs. 1 lakh with ease.

Yezdi Classic CL-II

The Classic CL-II was essentially an upgraded version of the Roadking. While the 248.5-cc engine produced 13 Bhp and 20 Nm of torque, the CL-II was nine kilos lighter at just 131 kg. This allowed for a claimed 0-60 km/h time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 110 km/h.

Yezdi 175

The Yezdi 175, as its name implies, was powered by a 175-cc single-cylinder 2-stroke engine that produced 9.5 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 14.27 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The Yezdi 175 had a claimed top speed of 95 km/h. The peppy fun-to-ride Yezdi 175 was a more affordable offering compared to its larger 250 siblings and commands a hefty price tag in the used motorcycle market today.

Yezdi 60

The Yezdi 60 was the mini-bike from the Czech bike maker that made its way to India to succeed the Jawa 50. Targeted at teenagers and women riders, the Yezdi 60 was a step-through style motorcycle. It was powered by a 60-cc two-stroke, air-cooled engine that produced just 3.6 bhp at 6000 rpm. The engine was mated to a 3-speed gearbox.

Yezdi 350

Considered by many Indian riders as the poorer man’s Yamaha RD 350, the Yezdi 350 was a lot less powerful than the Japanese motorcycle but its 2-stroke engine was peppy and made the bike quite fun-to-ride. However, it didn’t attract many buyers despite being a lot cheaper than the RD 350 and this ensures that it commands a heavy price tag in the used motorcycle market today.

Yezdi Deluxe

The Yezdi Delux shared its engine with the Classic and the Roadking along with quite a few other parts including the suspension and braking set-up. The 248.5-cc engine produced 13 Bhp and 20 Nm of torque and the bike weighed just 131 kgs. This made the Deluxe a rather quick bike off the line. The Deluxe is a popular model among collectors today.

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