Year: 1957                         Cylinder capacity: 500 cc

Frame no.: 15-002221        Engine no.: 15-002221

Documents: French road registration

In 1927, Frantisek Janecek began assembling Wanderer motorcycles (under license) to expand his factory's product range. Later, after purchasing the equipment and tools necessary for production, he renamed the motorcycle, derived from the names JAnecek and WAnderer, to the brand name JAWA in 1929.

The Jawa 500 OHC is an air-cooled four-stroke two-cylinder motorcycle that was manufactured between 1952 and 1958.

Unlike the “perák”, this model was aimed more at sporty motorcyclists. The first type produced in series was the 15/00 from 1952, the so-called “Snek”, then type 15/01 and 15/02, with a double seat, large drums and fenders with trim.

The type 15/02 was produced in 1955-1956. The so-called “bevel shaft” drove the camshaft on the Type 00 with a spiral gear; on the Types 01 and 02 it was a more durable bevel gear. The brakes were Type 00 and 01 single-sided steel drum brakes, Type 02 ribbed all around (large aluminum drums). Type 00 and 01 had a single seat, type 02 had a double seat. The Type 02 also had an increased engine output from 26 to 28 hp and a higher top speed from 135 to 147 km/h. and slightly higher weight. The model was produced until 1958.

A total of about 7,200 JAWA 500 OHC units were manufactured, of type 15/02 - about 5,000 units in 1955-58.

This Jawa 500 OHC comes from France in Paris, and it was a special collector's item for a family for more than 40 years. This Jawa OHC may have been immediately sold to France by the factory in 1957. Maybe that's why the lamps are yellow, as was common in France at the time, and the rear light is from Hella. The original Jawa lamp diameter was too small for street use in France. Other small deviations from the Czech Jawa can be traced back to the French past.

The Jawa has been first restored in the '70s. This motorcycle was shown on the internationally sold "motorcycle card" in 1992 in the same unchanged condition as JAWA 500 OHC Twin Type 15/02. Seven years ago there was a major technical overhaul of the engine and transmission.

This original Jawa 500 OHC has matching engine- and frame numbers and the original Typeplate as well. The motorcycle runs and rides fine.