Jawa and Yezdi collectors aren’t in scarcity these days. And with the old-school vibes buzzing around everything motoring, the demands and values are only going north. This means that there would be collections bigger and more expansive, keeping sky as the limit when it comes to this sort of thing. But in terms of being with your bikes, riding them on actual journeys and breathing in a soul into each motorcycle, there would be fewer special curation than this one, with a guy who is always thrilled to take his four-decade-long collection and hit the road.

Part 1 – Introduction

Motorcycles are simple machines. In their most elemental form, they are bicycle frames slapped on with a collection of parts that create explosions, sitting underneath a large container of highly flammable liquid. Sounds dangerous, but in essence, they are the simplest, most un-complicated form of machine transport where pure function dictates form. And while the modern motorcycle comes suited with all wizardly that would make you think otherwise, under the hedonist clothing, they are in essence the very same century-old motorised bicycle frames that have gotten polished and evolved like everything else has around you over time has. They aren’t the fastest, but they are the ones that break down Motorcycles to their core essentials right in front of your eyes. And despite their age, their reliability and well-being would surprise you, many times more than what you might imagine.

After World War II, Europe was in disarray. The economy was crippled and there needed to be a logical, practical and utilitarian form of transport that could be relied upon for everything from commute to transporting goods. As a need for the hour, both sides, the democratic and the communist came up with their own solutions for simple, cost-effective machines that would serve the needs of day to day life. For the western side, this primarily turned out to be in mostly a scooter form with Piaggio’s Vespa. For the eastern bloc, while there were quite a few manufacturers, Jawa motorcycles stood out as the most expansive both in their global reach and acclaim.

Jawa motorcycles were based on a simple philosophy – creating a motorcycle that was cost-effective, simple and reliable. This was quite the contrast from western European motorcycles like BMWs or Triumphs, that were more sophisticated in their design, thus requiring considerably more attention in service and repair. Jawa Motorcycles were tank-like tough, where they ousted their rival in long-run durability over outright power. While the company started in Prague in 1929, then part of Czechoslovakia, it was the post-war era that brought the Jawa brand to the world. During its peak, Jawa Motorcycles were exported to 120 countries, of which its most predominant region after Europe was from India.

It is here where we find this collection of Jawa motorcycles curated by a Kaustubh “KT” Thengodkar, an engineered who discovered his thirst for two-wheel motoring aboard the two-stroke Czechoslovakian machines. For Kaustubh, the journey has been a long one that’s nearing two decades. During this period, he gradually amassed a collection of six Jawa motorcycles, each bought with an intention to do more than just look pretty in his garage. Instead KT has ridden most of them across India with the largest full circle being more than 3500km.

KT is a Production Engineer from Pune, India, who started riding as soon as he was legally permitted to do so turning eighteen. Riding his father’s motorcycle to his first apprenticeship in Mumbai after college in2000, KT soon started saving up for his own set of wheels. After 6 months and savings Rs5000 off his monthly stipend, KT turned to his mechanic to find him a motorcycle. “The money is too less” his mechanic exclaimed, “It’s very difficult to find a recent bike for this price, but maybe I can find you a Yezdi”.

Jawa Motorcycles were brought to India by Ideal Jawa. Founded by Farrokh Irani in 1960, Ideal Jawa sold motorcycles under the Jawa name up till 1973, post which they were re-branded as Yezdi. These were essentially the same motorcycles mechanically, with updates to the bodywork that could hold its own distinct identity from the Jawa brand. After a few days or searching, KT’s mechanic got back to him with information about a 1978 Yezdi Model B which had been lying unused for 3 years with an old gentleman who was no longer capable of riding. The 1978 models where the third generation of Jawa Motorcycles that were re-branded to Yezdi in India. They were essentially similar to their Czech counterparts with very few mechanical distinctions. It’s their transition to a squarer tank from the previous round ones that provide the visual difference between the second and third generation Ideal Jawas, along with the rubber support grips mounted on the tank sides that were introduced with the first generation locally-branded motorcycles, the Type B.

While the deal was in progress over a cup of hot chai, the gentleman asked his son to start the bike for KT and his friend. Despite being parked stationary for three years, a pump of fuel to the carburettor and a couple of kicks, the Model B fired up with a sound from its twin barrel exhausts that KT recollects clearly even today. There was no way KT was letting go of what he had just heard, soon closing the deal and riding the Model B back home. This 1978 Yezdi Model B, KT’s first Jawa is the one you see here restored in blue paint.

With a fully-restored Yezdi Model B in his garage, KT would work all week, eagerly waiting for the weekend, when he could pick up the Yezdi and head out for a ride. He searched and made acquaintance with riders in Mumbai, who back then were few and far between. Kaustubh had been inspired. But as time turns and one’s responsibilities change, KT’s 1978 Model B was lost in the complications of life that we know as a part of growing up. It wouldn’t be until 10 years later when his wife Sharwari would bring him to realisation about how much motorcycles mattered in his life.

The problem with motoring is that it’s not a taste that you can easily reject once had. It’s the equivalent of a lust no less than the one created by travel; with this one being fuelled by affection towards engineering, design and exploration. Once had, it’s hard to argue with any resistance to going back. It was 2009, and memories from back in the day had started to surface between conversations with friends. One such in particular was about what fellow riders were accustomed calling the “Full Circle”. In essence, a close proximity weekend ride that could be done frequently. The Full Circle was a 140km loop that consisted of highway, off-road and trail sections with the off-road part being around 100km in distance that KT would do on his “Blue” 78 Model B in the early years of the new millennium. Little did he know that this would just be one of the smallest full circles that were to come in years that followed.

Jawa motorcycles were quite the champions when it came to the rough stuff. Since they were particularly designed around the idea of keeping the mechanicals simple and the build quality solid, these bikes could go literally anywhere, depending on how brave the rider was. This was the very reason Jawa dominated at the International Six Days Trial (Now International Six Days Enduro) with 7 titles between 1947 and 1962 and then again with 7 more titles between 1970 and 1978.

Part 2–Flashbacks from the good ol’ days.

With the 2010 World Jawa Day on the horizon in the next coming months, KT’s newly-revived zest brought him back to his 1978 “Blue” Yezdi. There was clear need for restoration and since there was less time, Kaustubh picked up a 1969 Jawa 250 that could be brought back to healthy in quick time.

Six months went by when on one ride KT rode a friend’s immaculate early 1960 Jawa 250. It was one of the first generation model of the highly successful Jawa Model 353 that the Czech company exported successfully to 120 countries and helped Jawa achieve production of their 1 millionth motorcycle in 1964. The early 60s Jawa motorcycles can be easily recognised by their round tank that also houses the ignition key. It was a no brainer for him that a similar machine had to be acquired. Luckily, there was one available with a local mechanic. Although in parts, but by now KT knew exactly who would be best suited to put it all back together. After buying the disassembled bike, KT drove down 900 km to the Mysore, the town where the Ideal Jawa factory used to be and handed it over to an ex-Jawa factory mechanic, perfectly suited for the job.

Part 3 – Expanding the Full Circle

By now, KT had sold the previous 1969 Jawa 250, and while the 1962 Jawa 250 “Tank Switch” Red Model 353 was getting prepared in Mysore, he was looking for a bike that he could use to ride on the daily basis. While scouring OLX, KT came across a well-maintained 1989 Yezdi Roadking once again in Mysore and immediately planned a work trip around the buy. The deal was pretty straightforward, land, pick up the bike and ride it straight back, 900km to Pune. He reached home next day with the 28-year-old bike in perfect condition, and a third motorcycle to his collection.

This was just the start of the Roadking’s journeys, as next year in 2012 Kaustubh took the bike for a ride of Bhutan. KT with the Roadking completed a journey that started from Phuntshoeling, Siliguri and completed on the Guwahati side at Samdrup Zhonkar. It was a trip that would take a harsh toll on the Roadking. After facing electrical issues, the front fork gave up half way into the 1200km trip making KT limp back the rest of the way. Perhaps this was the extent of distance a 23-year old bike could do. It would be a couple of years before he would find out that Jawa motorcycles were built for quite the contrary.

One thing led to another and while more conversations were taking place between riding buddies, KT came across yet another rare model. This time it was again a pre-Yezdi era Jawa motorcycle, specifically a 1974 second generation Model 353. Distinguished by the side support grips on the tank these were the last generation of motorcycles before the branding on the tank changed to “Yezdi” after 1974. In the meanwhile, the previous Jawa Model 353 sent to Mysore for assembly was ready. Now accustomed to the route, KT flew down and rode the bike back 900kms to Pune. What better way could you get a newly-restored bike run-in than this!

KT isn’t the sorts who would go running mad behind everything new and shiny that he sees. Instead he is the sorts who communicates with people to find out exactly what should be acquired. This very virtue of him got him to his next bike –  A very rare 1978 Jawa 350 Type 634.

When KT found the 1978 Jawa 350 Type 634 “Oilmaster” as we called it during the shoot, wasn’t in the condition you find it today. It was in fact quite badly kept and it would prove to the the most difficult, yet interesting to restore the build that took KT more than a full year. The peculiarity with the Type 634 was that it wasn’t a Jawa motorcycle that you could buy from an Indian dealership. The motorcycle was perhaps imported by someone back in the day. The uniqueness of the motorcycle was that its 343.5cc twin-cylinder two-stroke engine was fed oil via a separate system where the oil was stored in a separate tank under the left side panel. The “Oilmaster” system metered oil into the carburetor by a throttle-controlled system which was similar to the one found on Yamaha Autolube.

Fortunately for KT, the acquisition of the 1978 Jawa Type 634 coincided with his employment with a German company. KT would order original Czech-made parts directly from suppliers around Europe to his company’s headquarters in Germany. The following summer, he took a trip to Germany were a box labelled “Kaustubh” was waiting for him to pick up. The box had everything from suspension components to engine parts of the Type 634 that he would bring back to India and start assembling on his bike.

It was 2015 and KT decided to take a break from work. By this time he had experienced quite a bit of riding since returning back to motorcycles in 2010, spotting this as ideal opportunity to stretch his legs further than before. Also owning and maintaining each of this 5 motorcycles, he was fairly armed at fixing things incase anything came loose. All these things also aligned with fact that his latest acquisition was now completely restored and begged a ride to set everything in. So KT picked up the 1974 “Grey” Jawa 353, and headed out for what would be his biggest tour till date.

Heading north-east from Pune with a plan to decide the next destination after analysing things at the first one, including the condition of his 250cc single. After his first day covering 690km, he started getting hints that the 41-year old was capable of enduring quite a lot more comfortably. From his first destination at Hyderabad, KT went further south to Bangalore, then Salem, then Munnar, eventually to find himself surrounded by sea on three sides and with no further roads as he stood at the Southernmost tip of India at Kanyakumari. At this point, KT and the 1974 “Grey” 353 was almost 2,000km away from home and his journey was just half complete. To return back, KT took to the western coasts reaching Goa for the India Bike Week before he could update his largest “Full Circle” that he had did till date. From the 140 km loop around the hometown to a near 3600km trip, he has just outdone himself in the most unbelievable way. That too on a motorcycle that was more than four-decades-old, with not even a minor leak of air from the tyres.

KT is hoping to take the Red “Tank Switch” 1962 to the “Salt Flats of India”, the Rann of Kutch, and maybe even further if things align. If this is a new, even larger “Full Circle”, we would know soon. While that’s something still a few months away, there’s a newly-acquired bike with more immediate plans assigned to it.

KT’s latest addition is the Black/Chrome 1983 Yezdi D250 Classic that he purchased from a veteran rider a few months ago. As of the moment of writing this feature, Kaustubh has ridden down 800km to Bangalore to attend this year’s World Jawa Day. But unlike every year, this year holds something special. The various Jawa clubs from across the country would meet and try to set a Guinness record for the highest number of Yezdi motorcycles riding together.

Photography by Ishaan Bhataiya for ColumnM

Be sure to keep following as more photos from the shoot and details will be added soon.