[Geeto67]

Hey all,

so can someone answer me a quick question - are 1971 Jawa california 350ccs kick or electric start?

 

[parks61]

both, but why does it matter?

 

[robertob]

I thought they were only kick, but I haven't seen one in years. Yeah, why?

That's like the weakest 350cc two-stroke I've ever ridden.

 

[robertob]

Oh, and just to confuse things I'm sure you know that on the early ones the shift pedal and kick start are the same lever, right?

 

[JackC]

I had a 250 back in '73. It was kick only, and as mentioned before the kick and gearshift were the same lever. You pushed it in and it went up to the kickstart position. Mine was oil and gas mix in the tank, but the 350 Cali may have had oil injection. I may have an old brochure for one.

When I got it it was between the New Jawa, or a used BSA lightning. My grandfather looked at both and said he would loan me the money for the Jawa, but that I would kill myself on the Beeza and he wouldn't be part of that..... I would like to find a Jawa for old times sake.

 

[robertob]

I lived in Prague for two years and had a succession of Jawa "Kyvackas" both 250 and 350. The California models were rare there because they were for export. Sometimes I miss my first one - a mint red 1964 250. Every once in a while i see one for sale and I suppose I'll buy another at some point.

I think Californias are still premix. The oil-injection ones were called "oilers" or something like that - I'm sure you can find out on the net.

Remember they're positive ground...

 

[robertob]

I lived in Prague for two years and had a succession of Jawa "Kyvackas" both 250 and 350. The California models were rare there because they were for export. Sometimes I miss my first one - a mint red 1964 250. Every once in a while i see one for sale and I suppose I'll buy another at some point.

I think Californias are still premix. The oil-injection ones were called "oilers" or something like that - I'm sure you can find out on the net.

Remember they're positive ground...

 

[n/a]

something about a Jawa "Oilmaster" that just doesn't sound right!!!

Champ

 

[n/a]

something about a Jawa "Oilmaster" that just doesn't sound right!!!

Champ

 

[aaron]

quote:
Oh, and just to confuse things I'm sure you know that on the early ones the shift pedal and kick start are the same lever, right?

I had 2 Jawas and it took me a week to figure out how the shifter turned in to the kickstart.

Aaron

 

[aaron]

quote:
Oh, and just to confuse things I'm sure you know that on the early ones the shift pedal and kick start are the same lever, right?

I had 2 Jawas and it took me a week to figure out how the shifter turned in to the kickstart.

Aaron

 

[robertob]

I actually thought that was kind of a cool feature. Flip that sucker up by the little tab on the back and kick it over... One up four down.

Some of the early ones had an automatic clutch feature too. A little cam inside the shift lever would depress the clutch pushrod a little bit to release the clutch when you shifted. The problem is that it wouldn't release it totally and it would eventually burn out the clutch. The Czech dudes removed the pushrod. Neat bikes that stayed hopelessly outdated because of politics.

 

[robertob]

I actually thought that was kind of a cool feature. Flip that sucker up by the little tab on the back and kick it over... One up four down.

Some of the early ones had an automatic clutch feature too. A little cam inside the shift lever would depress the clutch pushrod a little bit to release the clutch when you shifted. The problem is that it wouldn't release it totally and it would eventually burn out the clutch. The Czech dudes removed the pushrod. Neat bikes that stayed hopelessly outdated because of politics.

 

[Geeto67]

ok, so the gearshift was the kickstart. weird. no e-start. Still can't tell if this is an oilmaster or not. I kind of fell into this one so if anyone is looking for one here is a good cheap project bike. The one thing I noticed is that the chrome was really poorly done from the factory. This bike has less than 2000 miles and lived indoors most of its life (ok the last couple were in a garden shed) and the chrome is coming off in sheets, the rest of the bike looks like normal barn find - some spit and polish and the paint will probably come right back up. The ducati style headlight/speedo is mint on the bike as is the lucas style taillight and mount.

 

[Geeto67]

ok, so the gearshift was the kickstart. weird. no e-start. Still can't tell if this is an oilmaster or not. I kind of fell into this one so if anyone is looking for one here is a good cheap project bike. The one thing I noticed is that the chrome was really poorly done from the factory. This bike has less than 2000 miles and lived indoors most of its life (ok the last couple were in a garden shed) and the chrome is coming off in sheets, the rest of the bike looks like normal barn find - some spit and polish and the paint will probably come right back up. The ducati style headlight/speedo is mint on the bike as is the lucas style taillight and mount.

 

[robertob]

Yeah, the chrome got worse over the years, unfortunately. I don't think they're worth very much - if you were in California I'd be very very tempted.

 

[robertob]

Yeah, the chrome got worse over the years, unfortunately. I don't think they're worth very much - if you were in California I'd be very very tempted.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Yeah, the chrome got worse over the years, unfortunately. I don't think they're worth very much - if you were in California I'd be very very tempted.

a couple of months back I was at a swap meet on Long Island and at the end of the day there was a guy throwing away a box of motorcycle parts. I took the parts off his hands for nothing figuring there has to be something I can use. The parts turn out to be for a 1969 JAWA 350 california and I got a tank with petcock, fenders, carb, engine side covers, and all the internal electrics in really good shape. Originally I was going to use the tank for a chopper project and the sidecovers I was going to hand on the wall, but now I have enough pieces to make this new bike a runner.

If nobody wants her I may try to build a vintage flat tracker but keep her street legal. The bike is so good looking stock I may keep her that way too. A long time ago I was at a show in suffolk county long island and there was a guy there with a 1940's JAWA 250 Perak (sp) (the really art deco JAWA) that he put a cb350 motor into. The bike ran like gang busters and looked cool to boot - he did it because engine spares for the bike were scarce at the time.

The california frame has a single downtube like a cb350, but I think the cb350 motor is too tall for the bike (it roughly the same size as a superhawk and even the 350 two stroke looks cramped). I have a ton of spare T500 parts so if I go the vintage tracker route I will definatly put a T500 motor in it (the stock 350 is slow anyway). I'd love to put an RD350 motor in it if I could find one cheap.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Yeah, the chrome got worse over the years, unfortunately. I don't think they're worth very much - if you were in California I'd be very very tempted.

a couple of months back I was at a swap meet on Long Island and at the end of the day there was a guy throwing away a box of motorcycle parts. I took the parts off his hands for nothing figuring there has to be something I can use. The parts turn out to be for a 1969 JAWA 350 california and I got a tank with petcock, fenders, carb, engine side covers, and all the internal electrics in really good shape. Originally I was going to use the tank for a chopper project and the sidecovers I was going to hand on the wall, but now I have enough pieces to make this new bike a runner.

If nobody wants her I may try to build a vintage flat tracker but keep her street legal. The bike is so good looking stock I may keep her that way too. A long time ago I was at a show in suffolk county long island and there was a guy there with a 1940's JAWA 250 Perak (sp) (the really art deco JAWA) that he put a cb350 motor into. The bike ran like gang busters and looked cool to boot - he did it because engine spares for the bike were scarce at the time.

The california frame has a single downtube like a cb350, but I think the cb350 motor is too tall for the bike (it roughly the same size as a superhawk and even the 350 two stroke looks cramped). I have a ton of spare T500 parts so if I go the vintage tracker route I will definatly put a T500 motor in it (the stock 350 is slow anyway). I'd love to put an RD350 motor in it if I could find one cheap.

 

[robertob]

Yeah, all 60s/70s Jawas are pretty cool looking but slow. Perak (pillar suspension) motors are interchangeable with kyvacka (swingarm) motors with a few exceptions (different air intake/air cleaner and slightly different cases. So if a motor fits into a Perak frame, it should also work with a Kyvacka frame - the tank might be an issue, though, since they are different.

Those 2-stroke motors were designed in the 30s and only updated slowly until they stopped making them sometime in the 90s.

There was a Kyvacka that I would see around Prague with some kind of motorcross engine - I never got a good enough look at it to see what it was.

There was a 150cc version with slightly smaller frame that had a CZ motor in it - the 125 & 150cc versions were marketed as "Jawa CZ" bikes since the motors were CZ & the frames were Jawa. The 150cc motor actually felt faster than the 250 version.

I'm sure an RD motor would make a great conversion. The only area I would worry about interference would be the frame backbone - I don't know if you could squeeze the RDs carbs back there.