The ex-Václav Verner, c.1980 Jawa 498cc Type 895 Long-track Racing Motorcycle

Frame no. 7 Engine no. K895-C-1478

The British JAP engine's stranglehold on the speedway world loosened in the 1960s with the arrival of Czechoslovakian ESO machines. Founded in 1949, ESO specialised in speedway and other off-road competition motorcycles and was part of the Jawa-CZ group. In 1966 the ESO name was dropped, the firm's DT5 speedway model becoming the Jawa DT500 (or 500DT) Type 680, a machine that would come to dominate its sport until well in to the succeeding decade. Its speedway supremacy challenged by the four-valve Weslake engine, Jawa responded by introducing a new double-overhead-camshaft, four-valve motor in the late 1970s. Available in speedway/long-track variants as the Type 894/895, this engine was adequately powerful, producing up to 65bhp, but rather top heavy, and was superseded by the more compact, single-overhead-camshaft Type 896/897, this being the final development of Jawa's classic vertical single. This Jawa formerly belonged to the late Václav Verner. Born in Prague, Verner was individual champion of Czechoslovakia in 1971, finished runner-up five times (1970, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980) and third twice (1975, 1981). He also rode for Exeter Falcons and Poole Pirates in the British League. His mechanic and driver was the late Derick Bryan Davey, who left this machine to the lady vendor when he passed away in 2017. The machine is offered with a Czech Motorcycle Passport in the name of Václav Verner.