Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Ceske Krumlov Jawa Museum


There is a small Jawa motorcycle museum in the beautiful little town of Ceske Krumlov in the Czech Republic. It's only a small collection, housed above a restaurant (you get free entry to the museum if you eat at the restaurant and spend over a certain amount). The collection is mainly composed of Jawa motorcycles - about 20 - plus assorted other bikes, including a 1930s Ariel, a 1940s military Harley Davidson, a 1974 BMW and an NSU. Downstairs is also a vintage Tatran motorcar.

Note- the Lonely Planet guide incorrectly locates this museum in nearby Ceske Budovice.

A 1966 Tatran 125 motor scooter. I almost bought one of these but opted instead for the Troll as IWL parts were easier to source.

A very cute 1956 Jawa 50cc moped. There were a couple of these on display at the MZ museum also.

A beautiful German NSU motorcycle.



A 1940's Harley Davidson. This one still needed quite a bit of work.

A small selection of the Jawa motorcycles.
A 1974 BMW. I think this bike belonged to the museum owner and he had ridden it on some epic journey. There were photos and press clippings but not being able to read Czech I can't say for sure.

This Jawa 50cc Pioneer moped was parked on the street a little way out of town. At my insistence we stopped to take a photo. The owners were looking at us (me!) like I was mad.

Made in USSR Museum, Tallinn, Estonia


In an old flour warehouse near the port in Tallinn, Estonia was the Made in USSR museum. It's a rather odd and eclectic collection of cars, mopeds (quite a large collection), motorcycles and military vehicles. Unfortunately I didn't take down all the details of all the vehicles I photographed, partly because I'm quite lazy and partly because there was very little information provided about the vehicles. If anyone can identify them, please let me know. I know there were a few Pannonian motorcycles.

The location, a partially derelict and quite dirty old warehouse was perhaps a fitting place to display this collection and it certainly added to the atmosphere of the place.

Update 2019 - I believe the museum is now long gone. 


The military hardware section was in an alleyway outside

A collection of Soviet cars.

A ZAZ 986a

Zaz


A cute little ZAZ

A Riga (RMZ) moped. There was a large collection of these.

Russian copy of the German DKW 350

I think this one was a Dnepr based on an MZ

A Czechoslovakian Jawa

More Riga mopeds



Jawa moped







I think this was a Pannonian



A Ural or Dnepr and a sidecar. These were originally BMW r60s built under license in Russia in the 1940s. Ural are still exporting their product around the world.


A Tula motorscooter. I was surprised at how large it was (the photos don't quite do it justice). It must have been a heavy beast to ride. I'd still like one thought.

Tula triporter