The first: the Jawa
My
first motorcycle was this little red Jawa. It's a 175 cc from 1957. There's
supposed to be a 125 cc engine in this one but when I bought it it had
a 150 cc... I got it from Gefra in Halle, they'd imported it along with
other stuff. The bike was completely covered with a thin coat of
grey spraypaint dust, and it did not have an ignition. I paid for it by
trading - a nice big Jawa sign for Gefra. A good trade for both parties.
I had this bike already while I was still taking lessons, which was quite
motivating, but I sometimes got funny looks from other bikers- to-be when
they were discussing "which custom bike" they would buy after getting their
license. My enthousiasm for the little twostroker from the Chzech Republic
found little appreciation.
At that time the Pav-trailer was not yet in sight. I got that from Prague a few years later, in the back of a Citroen Acadyane. A nice trip and an adventure in itself. I've allways enjoyed doing longer distances on the Jawa even though it's not fast. (If it's in good shape it can do a hundred tops) I took it to the Chzech republic three times, once to England, once to Danmark and once all the way through Northern France. Never any serious trouble on the way.
I'm very glad that I still own my brave little Jawa and I hope to keep it forever!
The second : the Jupiter
This is, or in fact it was, my second bike. I felt like going faster than
a hundred for a change, but I was definitely going to get another twostroke
and if possible something a bit exotic. That's when I saw an ad for a Jupiter.
I had been thinking of getting a Voskhod or Minsk but this sounded as much
fun... I got it, in a decent shape, for 750 guilders.
It's not really
a Jupiter, but still that's what it says on the registration. In fact it's
a Planeta Sport 3 of the marque IZH or ISH (uncertain, has to do with fonetic
writing of Cyrillic letters) from the former Sovjet Union. The bike has
350 cc in that big fat cylinder and a raw two stroke sound. 32 horsepowers
and that's really a bit too many...
That explains the
problems it gave me. During the first weeks, kickstarting it was a hassle.
It tends to kick back if you don't know what you're doing. Aftrer a while
we got to know each other so I had no further problems with that. But technically
it's been a lot of trouble.
For example the
second gear that died on me. It was repaired but don't ask how. Next, it
was the big-end. It got a seizure so severe all the bearing needles were
pressed into the flesh of the piston-rod. There was only one repair shop
in the Netherlands willing to fix it and promise me it would stay in one
piece afterwards. That crank is probably still the best Planeta crank anywhere.
They just enlarged the hole in the piston-rod and put in another type of
bearing. Very well done and no free play at all.
The small-end was
more difficult and that's what tore me and the Jupiter apart in the end.
Gefra put a nice bronze bearing in it twice, after the original needle
bearing had given up the ghost, but all too soon the piston started making
a howling sound against the cylinder head again, in high revs.
Finally the Jupiter
(accompanied by a great heap of parts) found another loving master in the
north of the country. I would have liked to keep it but it gave me more
troubles than fun.
The third : the Suzuki
Bang
the drums, blow the horns: here's my Suzuki. In my not so humble opinion one
of the most gorgeous bikes ever made. Long, slim, a blue silvery fish.
I wanted something faster
than the Jawa and more reliable than the Juup, but it needed to be something
I liked the looks of. So I went to look for a Titan and this one was advertised
in a local paper. For that amount it was running and looking decent, but not
perfect of course.
The Suuz hasn't given me
much trouble so far. Just a broken oil seal which made it burn its gear oil.
Which makes it smoke and smell a lot worse than it's supposed to. (The Suuz
is a twostroke with an oil pump. You can see the oil tank on the right hand
side.)
The Titan is not a very
easy bike to ride. It does have (for a twostroke) very nice engine caracteristics.
The 48 horsepowers kick in in a beautifully gradual way. Off course it's long
which make it prefer to go straight ahead. You really have to lean it into
a curve or it simply won't go. And the frame is not exactly rigid.
Compared to modern bikes
that doesn't make it a sports model. But in its days it definitely was. And
it's still quite fast enough to keep up with modern traffic.
I think the Suuz is a lovely
bike to have and to ride and it's reliable. I've ridden it into the Chzechian
republic once but other than that no long trips so far.
For those who know their
Titans: This is a '73 model but yes, you're right, the side panels and rear
light are '72. I like these better and I don't feel every nut and bolt needs
to be original.
I have scanned the schematics
for the electrical system of this bike. Those who are in need may mail me
(through the index page) in order to get it by email.
Update august 2005: Even the best relationships
end sometimes. The Suuz and I have separated. My old friend could not have
ended up with a better new owner. Look here.
Roel, you are making me happy!
And
then there was the Honda... My bikes usually cost me almost exactly twice
the amount of the one before that and the Honda is no exception. I never
especially dreamt of getting an off road bike and I used to think they
were ugly. To be quite honest this motorcycle is to me still not really
a pretty sight. But sometimes there are other reasons
to want something. And it's a helluva good ride.