George William Patchett with his JAWA 500 cc racer in the year 1931

Not only did Patchett have the knowledge of facts, but technical sense, though he was no designer in the true meaning of the term, and not always quite at home in complicated drawings. Yet he knew definitely what a simple, reliable and cheap motor cycle should look like. Already during his employment with Mc Envoy during his employment with Mc Envoy he became familiar with Villiers engines which met all the mentioned requirements. The JAWA management too realized that a two stroke single cylinder was the right answer, having had their experience with the complicated four stroke half-litre.

Due to Patchett JAWA started to by Villiers 175 cc engines and to build them in frames of its own design. This time JAWA hit the mark. The one-seventy-five was such a trump card that even enthusiastic optimists in the factory must have been astonished.

Prototype of one of the first one-seventy-five with Villiers engine

1932 was still a year of depression. A motor cycle costing 15 thousand crowns was an unthinkable luxury for former potential customers. And so many manufacturers were forced in those times to close down for good. Among them was the Cheb manufacturer Premier who started his production as early as in 1908 and had sold by then some four thousand motor cycles. In this oppressive situation JAWA presented the one-seventy-five. “Better machine for less money” was the advertising slogan, for the simple, attractive motor cycle presented at the Prague Spring Motor and Motor Cycle Show. The price of 4650 crowns was incredibly low, a third less than the price of the same class motor cycle of other manufacturers. The JAWA 175 engine was a two stroke three-port single cylinder with 172.6 cc displacement (57.2x67) producing 3.6 kw (5.5 HP) at 3750 r.p.m. at a compression ratio of 6.7 to 1.

The piston was deflector topped. Villiers 15 W flywheel magneto provided current for the ignition, power was taken through a dry single plate clutch to the three speed gearbox controlled by lever from the box direct. The JAWA designed frame was welded of stamped sections the same as the link type fork with coil spring suspension. Capacity of the tank installed in the frame was 10.5 litres (the fuel was petroil mixture at the rate of 25 to 1.) Initially the weight was 70 kg and the tyre size 2.75 mm –  25. Maximum speed attained 70 to 80 km/hour, consumption was 3 to 3.5 litres per 100 km.

To catch up with the 1932 season imported from England were not only engines but gearboxes, wheel hubs, brakes, magnetos, headlamps, carburetters and chains. The motor cycle made a very compact, simple and pretty impression and had its sporting style, too.

The two exhaust ports led into a big common knee from which came the exhaust pipe

The lint series 01 - the JAWA 175 models before dispatch

The model stayed in production until 1946 - during the war its manufacture was obviously halted like that of all motor cycles. The little JAWA was almost every year subjected to some changes and updated, so that the various motor cycles from the total of seventeen series differed considerably. The motor cycles were marketed in Popular and Standard/Special versions differing in chromium plating and extra equipment. Already in 1933 imports of part for the basic production were radically cut down. Engine manufacture under English licence was launched and the motor cycles were equipped only with English magnetos, single lever carburetters and chains. For the very first time that year the worth of the motor cycles manufactured exceeded that of armaments at the rate of 18 to 3.5 million crowns.

Not later than in 1934 the motor cycles were equipped with JAWA 30W magnetos, two lever Amal-Fischer carburetters and new shorter exhaust pipes with silencers. In the course of the following  years the machines were provided with new saddle type tanks, the engines were reconstructed to a seven port system with flat top piston, introduced were rectifiers and storage batteries and as extra equipment electrical horns. The exhaust system was again changed and featured two long silencers there came the turn of a new cylinder with generous finning, engine power was being increased and some other elements reconstructed.

The one-seventy-five with dual controls - the first swallow of its kind not only In Czechoslovakia

JAWA 175 Villiers Special – Upgraded version. Notable to the naked eye, are new saddle type tanks, the exhaust system is changed and features two long silencers, there is a new cylinder with generous finning

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