Iconic 'Made in Mysore' motorcycle remembered

Legendary Farrokh Irani who placed Mysore on the world map by establishing the Ideal Jawa Motorcycle Factory in city at a time when Mysore was still industrially a backward district.

Mysore, July 11 (KK&JP) – The fourth edition of the eighth International CZ Jawa Yezdi Owners’ Club (Mysore Chapter) began to the roar of machines — a strong camaraderie among the bikers, their families and friends — at the Lalitha Mahal Helipad here this morning.

The 110 rallyists including two lady-bikers, all members of the Mysore Club, who began gathering at the Helipad from 8.30 am, were flagged off by B.S. Shinde, former Deputy General Manager (Works) of the erstwhile Ideal Jawa Company, the right-hand man of late Farrokh Irani and responsible for the meteoric rise of the truly 'Made in Mysore' bike. Raian Irani, son of the founder of the Ideal Jawa and Somendra Singh, an avid racer known for his hangglider which used the Yezdi engine, as well as other persons were present for the flag-off.

"No two bikes sound alike. The original Ideal Jawa, a 250cc machine and its later avatar, the Road King had a distinct sound unlike the tiny racket of the modern Japanese machines," said one of the Club members. Even the 350 cc model of the Jawa, which had a limited production, had a deeper roar and you could distinguish it from the heavy beat of the Bullet," he added.

Meanwhile, the bikers, dressed in blue T-shirts, took off at a sedate pace down the route that led them from the Helipad past the Race Course, V.V. Market Circle, Siddappa Square, KG Koppal road, Kuvempunagar Double road, Jayalakshmipuram, Kalidasa road, Akashavani Circle stopping at Bal Bhavan.

According to Gavin Wilson, one of the organisers, the rally was being held all over the world and in many cities across the country. Gavin said the main idea behind holding this rally was to make people aware of an iconic bike that was born in Mysore. There were a wide range of models at today’s rally ranging from 1960 models to the later Road King models including an original 1945 Czech model, the prototype of the Jawa.

Gavin Wilson, Azam Shariff, Ajay Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Praveen Jain saw to it that the event went off like a well-oiled machine like Jawa! Three generations of bikers were present.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore