Once the most recognisable motor cycle in the country, the ’80s and ’90s generation remember the Yezdi’s iconic twin exhaust bike only too well. Ideal Jawa’s product quickly gained the reputation of a very rugged and dependable set of wheels.
With the arrival of Japanese bikes with better technology and fuel efficiency, the company closed down in 1996. But like all classics, its bike still finds a large following in Bangalore, with over 500 restored bikes.
Sunday ride
The annual International Jawa and Yezdi Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of July every year and the Bangalore Jawa and Yezdi Motorcycle Club (BJYMC) is organising its annual ride to a farmhouse in Shivaganga, 55 km from the city, off Tumkur Road.
“We want to keep the legacy alive. This was an amazing machine, in production for over 15 years, and is still one of the most rugged bikes I have ever seen,” said club cofounder Brian Ammanna. “We plan to start from three different places in Bangalore with about 20 riders in each group and then meet up and head towards the farmhouse in Shivaganga.”
A single rider can register for Rs. 220 registrations; for a pillion rider, it is Rs. 370.
Tough terrain
Keeping a legacy alive is no smooth ride though. “With the company being closed over 15 years ago, it is very hard for restorers to find spare parts. This was one of the main reasons we came together and formed the club, so we could help other Yezdi owners find the parts and share our knowledge.”
Members
The club currently has 568 members.
“We work in coordination with the Enfield and the Yamaha RD Clubs. These bikes are not meant for racing, and are essentially cruisers, so the question of rivalry does not arise. I’m a member of both the Yezdi Club and the RD Club,” said Amrit Appiah, a Yezdi enthusiast and one of the co-founders of BJZMC. “Luckily for us, the factory was in Mysore, so there are a few shops where you can find spares.”
Spare parts
Diamond Motorcycles is one of the few places where you can find spare parts in Bangalore.
“We still repair three or four Yezdis a day,” said Dinesh of Diamond Motors. They still manage to find the parts from old shop owners and have stocked enough parts to last another five years.
