Jawa CZ360 The American Offroad Motorcycle Was Young And Struggling To Climb Out Of Obscurity In 1969

Thursday, September 24, 2009 , Posted by Ridwanars at 2:17 PM

Whether was the name of Jawa motorcycle originated from Java Island In Indonesia? We rightfully proud of that if it is true, but we don't know beans about that. The History of Jawa motorcycle not yet detectable. The year was 1969, American motocross was young and struggling to climb out of obscurity. In October, at the Inter-Am motocross race in Pepperell, Massachusetts, it got its big break: “ABC’s Wide World of Sports” showed up to film the event and expose would-be American fans to the European stars who dominated the sport. Although Sweden’s Arne Kring won the race on his works Husqvarna, CZ’s American rider, Barry Higgins, became an underdog hero to a national audience. He finished fifth, and top American, on this machine, beating several Euro stars.

Higgins is quick to credit the bike for his performance. Thanks to trick stock parts and solid reliability, the Czechoslovakian-made CZ was a natural choice. The year before, Jawa had won the 500cc and 250cc FIM World Championships, as well as the U.S. 250cc Inter-Am Championship.

The reason Higgins could get away with using so many stock parts was that the CZ was a top-shelf machine for its day, featuring an integrated gearbox, a dry clutch, a twin-plug ignition system and a rear brake integrated into the sprocket-side of the magnesium hub casting. Custom paint bearing the name of Higgins’ sponsor, Ghost Motorcycle Sales in Port Washington, New York, completed the look. Having been restored to its former glory, the machine is now on display at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio—much as it looked when it helped introduce motocross to the U.S. on “Wide World of Sports.” See also at Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum