[Geeto67]

Hey all,

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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
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.

behind the motor is the one place I don't think I'll have any issues, as there is plenty of room. The stock carb has like a foot long hose leading to the airbox, this must be stock because it is like that on every picture of this model I have seen. A KX250 and kx500 motor had crossed my mind as possible engines but two things stoped me: 1) that chassis won't be able to handle the 65hp the kx500 puts out, and 2) I have to find a home for the radiator. The kx250 will put out around 35-40 hp but I still have to find a home for the radiator.

What I really should do is sell it and concentrate on the other 15 bikes that need my attention.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
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.

behind the motor is the one place I don't think I'll have any issues, as there is plenty of room. The stock carb has like a foot long hose leading to the airbox, this must be stock because it is like that on every picture of this model I have seen. A KX250 and kx500 motor had crossed my mind as possible engines but two things stoped me: 1) that chassis won't be able to handle the 65hp the kx500 puts out, and 2) I have to find a home for the radiator. The kx250 will put out around 35-40 hp but I still have to find a home for the radiator.

What I really should do is sell it and concentrate on the other 15 bikes that need my attention.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Where are you and how much for the bike?

Jack

I am on Long Island - a couple of hours from Oneanta. Shoot me an e-mail and I will reply with pics by this weekend:

[email protected] (there is an underscore "_" between dean and morarity)



Edited by - geeto67 on Oct 25 2006 11:08:46 AM

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Where are you and how much for the bike?

Jack

I am on Long Island - a couple of hours from Oneanta. Shoot me an e-mail and I will reply with pics by this weekend:

[email protected] (there is an underscore "_" between dean and morarity)



Edited by - geeto67 on Oct 25 2006 11:08:46 AM