Bengaluru: Enthusiasts feast their eyes on Jawa-Yezdis on display

Hundreds of bike enthusiasts gathered at the St Joseph’s Indian High School grounds in the city on Sunday morning to celebrate the 21st International Jawa Day.

Over 800 bikes were arranged in a semi-circular arrangement while some rare bikes were displayed on a platform in the middle of the ground.

Besides owners from Bengaluru and other parts of the state, many came from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to showcase their prized collections, which included a 50cc Colt, 125cc Perak, and rare 250cc and 350cc Jawa twins.

Non-profit Bangalore Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club (BJYMC) has, since 2008, hosted a growing number of modern and classic Jawa bikes on the second Sunday of July every year, when the day is celebrated worldwide.

Since then, thousands have flocked to the annual gatherings to marvel at the look, sound, and feel of these bikes, some of which were imported from erstwhile Czechoslovakia.

Co-founder Brian Ammanna noted that the club was not only formed to promote the preservation of classic Jawa-Yezdi bikes but also to bring together owners and collectors of these bikes who were in want of specific parts and skilled mechanics.

"The Jawa company in Mysuru ceased production in 1996. Until it was revived again in 2018, it was difficult to find parts locally. Through our Facebook groups, we interacted with each other to source parts from across the country and get to old mechanics," he said.

Leaven Cariappa, a classic bike collector, was all smiles showcasing his bikes, including a 1961 250cc bike with a snow guard and a PAV 40 trailer.

"The best part of these bikes is that everything is metal, nothing is fibre. It is not a very complex bike to fix. If it is painted, it will not rust. There is no wear and tear,” he explained.

Visitors were also treated to a slew of activities besides the bike display, including a drum jam, temporary skating rink, slow racing of bikes, arm wrestling, and tug of war.