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 Praga - 500
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Photo ou archives : D. Ganneau
1117

Capacity : 500
Model :
Production : 1930 - 1932
Category : (R) Street Bike

PRAGA

500 cc DOHC -1930

Czech innovation

]. F. Koch of Prague created his first motorcycle, the "JFK," in 1923. It was a 350cc single with a single overhead camshaft set longitudinally (though the crankshaft followed the normal transverse layout). In 1926, Koch was recruited by the BD (Breitfeld-Danek) firm and designed for them a touring with twin overhead camshafts, a layout not previously used on a mass production bike. Nor was that the sole originality of this machine, for the gearbox could be taken out sideways, as on modern Grand Prix machines.

Help from the Automobile Industry

BD was taken over in 1929 by the leading Czech automobile company, Praga, which continued the production of this 500 with some success: 2500 examples of this machine were built up to 1933, in five mildly different versions. A 350 SOHC whose crankshaft and overhead camshaft were both set longitudinally was built alongside the 500 from 1930, but its production was tiny.

Koch Goes Back to the Beginning

When Praga pulled out of motorcycles in 1933, Koch went back to zero by launching a 350 with a transverse overhead camshaft under his own name. Its career was shortlived and led Koch to join CZ in 1935. Praga's place in history is assured as the first series production DOHC machine. While such engines have strong racing overtones, in this case the end result was a tame machine well suited to the fitting of a sidecar.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 499cc (84x90mm) air-cooled single cylinder four-stroke; pressure lubrication

Power Rating: 18 hp

Valves: Double overhead camshaft driven by shaft and gears

Fuel System: carburetor

Transmission: 3-speed hand change; chain

final drive

Suspension: girder forks (front); rigid (rear)

Brakes: drum (front & rear)

Wheels: wire

Weight: 276 lb

Maximum Speed: 109 mph

Though twin overhead camshafts normally impart a sporting image, the Praga was actually a touring bike with no pretensions to performance.




Le fichier Moto Passion réalisé par François-Marie Dumas réunit près de deux mille photos accompagnées d'un historique très complet des machines présentées.
Il sera progressivement mis à jour ici et toute information complémentaire est la bienvenue sur info@moto-collection.org.

Cette documentation unique, qui constitue sans doute l'encyclopédie la plus exhaustive jamais écrite sur l'histoire de la moto, a été réalisée avec l'assistance de nombreux spécialistes dont principalement Didier Ganneau, Christophe Gaime, Mick Woollett, Jean Goyard, Bernard Salvat, Christian Rey, Yves Campion, Helmut Krackowizer, Michael Dregni, Michel Montange, etc. que je remercie ici.

Disponible sur demande :
- Les fiches originales sur papier
- Les photos et archives signées de mon nom en haute définition ou les documents originaux.
Me contacter sur info@moto-collection.org pour les conditions et droits d'utilisation.