Good, bad or indifferent?

[Ian]

https://www.visordown.com/news/new-bikes/jawa-motorcycles-land-europe-2020

[CrazyFrog]

I'm somewhat amazed by this! The article is factually incorrect in at least one major way in that Mahindra do not own the Jawa brand name, they have a licensing agreement from the Czech parent company https://www.jawa.eu/en to manufacture and sell Jawa branded bikes in the Indian subcontinent. As far as I know, the agreement specifically excludes them from selling in Europe or the ROW as Jawa. If they do come to Europe, I would expect to see the bikes branded as BSA, since Mahindra do, I think, actually own the BSA brand name outright.

[Ian]

Just goes to show that in these strange times, it doesn't pay to believe everything you read 🤔

[Richard]

I take all motorcycle journalism with a pinch of salt.

The standard of it is really rather poor, largely oriented towards pleasing their advertisers or generating site traffic.  Visordown is particularly poor with so much advertising on their website I usually give up trying to read an article because of the time it takes to load.

[Moto63]

Yes.. totally agree with you Richard. Stopped buying any motorcycle mags a few years ago now. (Probably about 7’ish) especially the “comic” MCN. Always get the feeling you have to be about 17 to 18 years of age to relate to all the absolute garbage that some of them print.. rant over 👍👍

[Richard]

Though I do find I enjoy 'Real Classic', it has more of a club feel and isn't obsessed with auction prices.

[CrazyFrog]

Here is a post from the Jawa CZ Owners Club Facebook page by David Angel, owner of F2 motorcycles, and UK Jawa importer. Seemingly, there may be a small glimmer of truth in the article after all :-

"I am in constant contact with the actual owners of the brand (Jawa Czech), after all I am the UK importer. There are a number of issues concerning approval, distribution, brand name agreements and most importantly quality and support. At first this project was 100% never coming to Europe, but now there seems some glimmer of hope that it might, with support and quality control from Czech. However I do not have a time scale and I believe 2020 is a little optimistic. Expect them to cost considerably more as obviously in Europe we will want stuff like primer under the paint and electrics that work in the damp."

[Richard]

"electrics that work in the damp".

Irony filter in overdrive.

[Smithy]

There has been a long history of partnership between JAWA and Indian manufacturers, I think they used to make a version of the 60s 559 model 250 called a Yezdhi and also a more modern version of the 250 single as well.

I suppose it is a good fit as both the Indian market and the Czech one value rugged machinery and not style over substance. Also Czech engineering isn't the joke people want it to be. The ISDT JAWAs were unstoppable for a long time and JAWA speedway bikes were the ones to be on for decades. In fact I seem to remember the spindle the London Eye turns on was manufactured by a Czech firm as they had the necessary tooling to do it and could work to the tolerances required.

As for Bohemian glass, well enough said!

Ian