Passionate Youths of 60s, 70s Celebrate International Jawa Yezdi Da With Special Rides

HYDERABAD: The beat of the Yezdi or Jawa motorcycles still resounds in the ears of those who belong to that time, when they come across this name. In the 1960s and the ’70s these rugged bikes created a cult culture amongst the youth.

As International Jawa Yezdi Day is marked this Sunday, an annual global celebration held on the second Sunday of July, it honours classic Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles. The community in Hyderabad, who are proud owners of these vintage motorcycles, maintain them as a passion. On this day, few clubs and individuals go on a ride to celebrate the occasion.

Explaining further, a proud owner of Yezdi Classic D 250, Dr J. Michael Preetham couldn’t hide his excitement reminiscing those good old days. He talked about his student days, when he used to rush on his Yezdi so as not to miss the lectures in the college.

“Beyond its gleaming chrome and unmistakable growl, this Yezdi Classic is more than just a motorcycle, it is a time capsule of memories,” said Dr Preetham.

Adding further, he said, “For me, every ride on this bike has carried a story, the quiet joy of sharing the saddle with my wife and the steady rhythm of years spent shaping young minds as a professor.”

In an age of disposable machines, this 1980 Czech marvel stands as a testament to endurance, craftsmanship and the bond between the rider and the ride. Its twin exhausts don’t just echo in the vicinity of St Mary's College, Yousufguda, to which he still rides this two-stroke beauty, they echo through decades of personal history.

Hyderabad has several bike enthusiasts and a congregation of them came up with clubs, one such is the Highway Stars, a passionate vintage motorcycle riding community.

Rahul Prakash, one of its funders, said, “They feature a unique gear lever that doubles as a kick-starter and the dual exhaust pipes on single-cylinder engines, makes our rides and tours memorable. We have more than hundred members, who are vintage bike enthusiasts. Hyderabad has several passionate people, who are keeping such bikes as invaluable treasures. Basically, you find them on roads during nights or weekends, because in today’s chaotic traffic these bikes lose their charm.”

He added, “Marking the day, this Sunday the club has arranged a ride till Taramati Baradari.”

There are some vintage bikers, who always want their family members too to carry this legacy of riding. Emmanuel Subodh, a businessman, said “Both my sons, who are around 26 years, are also passionate bike riders like me.”

Subodh, further shared, “My recent trip was to Karnataka and all the trips left us with good memories. We travel in groups with around a dozen bikes. In case of any mechanical failure, all of us are well-versed with the bike repairs.”