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A restorer called Dutchmann in Johannesburg, South Africa restores Porsche 911s and ships his 'weekend racers' to race tracks all over the world. But, every now and then Gavin Rooke and his team like to take up a special project. We seek inspiration from different people and their interests,” he told Bikeexif. This Jawa is one such projects.
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Gavin's client 65-year old Bobby Hack (pictured above), a retired Speedway legend who lives in the Eastern Cape, was where the motorcycle was sourced from. Gavin had been looking for a second-hand speedway bike to transform into the Dutchmann 'Desert Racer'.
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What is a speedway bike though? These only have one gear and no brakes, only and only meant to do speed. Their 500cc engines rev up to 11,000 rpm, with a power output of over 80 hp.
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The gearing on the bikes can be changed according to different tracks and conditions, but by only changing the size of the rear wheel and the engine sprockets. Speedway riders race around oval tracks with dirt, while using the surface to powerslide.
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Speedway motorcycles can attain up to 177 km/h on straights. It took Bobby and the Dutchmann team three years to complete the Dutchmann 'Desert Racer'. The restoration of the 1968 Jawa was finished with Dutchmann's signature grey paint and tan leather detailing.
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“We weren’t in a rush,” says Gavin. “This is a very rare and special bike, so we needed to respect its heritage whilst still bringing our unique aesthetic to bear.”
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