Jawa logo

Information about the company Italjet
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Prague, Czech Republic
Official website	www.jawa.eu

František Janeček, an engineer who has laid foundation of Jawa, had begun his activity from purchasing the German bike business, the company called “Wanderer”. So, that`s how the name of the freshly minted brand was born - by joining the two first parts of the names: Janeček + Wanderer = Jawa.

After the end of the First World War, the world`s weaponry factories had witnessed the increasing demand on the everyday machinery and vehicles.

Janeček knew that to fulfill the society`s demand, the factories must launch the massive production of a lightweight and economical bike.

In 1933 such vehicle was manufactured and became extremely popular in Czechoslovakia. The model was entitled Jawa 175, with 175 Villiers 2-stroke engine. Later then the company rolled out its Jawa 350 SV.

The outbreak of the Second World War put true Jawa manufacture on hold, forcing it to produce armaments for Nazi alliance, as Czechoslovakia was occupied.

Soon Janeček`s son Karel assumed the management of the company, giving the father`s design further development.

In 1946 Jawa Perak won a gold medal at Paris Motor Show.

When Czechoslovakia went under the Communists control, Jawa intensively became exporting the production to the third world countries.

Later, in 60-s and 70-s, due to its success in motor racing, Jawa launched export to 120 countries across the whole world. Around this era of company`s history, was born the brand Ideal Jawa, which began importing the bikes into India, after having recognized high demand of such production on the territory. There also was established a factory of Ideal Jawa.

Nowadays Jawa motorcycles are still being produced in few parts of Europe.