The 1977 Speedway World Championship Final-winning, 1977 Jawa DOHC Four-valve Speedway Racing Motorcycle, Frame no. N-3197 Engine no. P500-153

Important Collectors' Motorcycles and Spares
The 1977 Speedway World Championship Final-winning
1977 Jawa DOHC Four-valve Speedway Racing Motorcycle
Frame no. N-3197
Engine no. P500-153
Having last won the Speedway World Championship Final in 1972, five years previously, Ivan had been written off as past his best by many commentators prior to the 1977 event, held that year in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nevertheless, having won his third Long Track World Championship in 1976, he was in a buoyant mood at the start of the '77 season, and determined to confound his detractors. In his autobiography, 'The Will to Win', Ivan recalled: 'Clinching a third long track title in 1976 after a long dry spell was one of those occasions which reminded me what winning a world championship is all about and how it feels. The fact the Jawa had at last got around to producing a competitive four-valver was a further source of encouragement.'

Its dominance of speedway racing challenged by the four-valve Weslake engine, Jawa responded by introducing a new double-overhead-camshaft, four-valve motor in the late 1970s. Available in speedway/long track variants as the Type 894/895, this engine was adequately powerful (producing up to 65bhp) but rather top heavy, and was superseded by the more compact, single-overhead-camshaft Type 896/897, this being the final development of Jawa's classic vertical single.

Ivan again: 'I went to Gothenburg as well prepared, as organised and ready as for any World Final. Nobody could have faulted my attention to detail. Guy Allott had worked every waking hour to ensure the Jawa motors were purring perfectly.'

By the time Heat 18 came around, Ivan was joint leader with Ole Olsen on 11 points, with Michael Lee and Peter Collins both on 10. By this time it was raining heavily and the track conditions were challenging to say the least. A crash involving Olsen and the Australian rider John Boulger necessitated a re-run. As usual in such situations, Ivan took his time preparing for the restart - changing into dry boots, helmet, goggles, and gloves - knowing that the delay would affect his rivals' mental state to his advantage.

He recalled: 'This time I made a dream start in the re-run and the four laps were almost a formality. Once I was gone not even Olsen or Lee would make any impression on me. Coming off the last corner, I saluted the crowd and felt the emotion wash over me.'

In winning his fifth world title, Ivan equalled the great Ove Fundin to forge another landmark in an already glittering career.

Supplied to Ivan by the Jawa factory, this is the rolling chassis from the 1977 Speedway World Final in Gothenburg. The engine from that meeting is now in the 1976 Long Track Final-winning machine that is on permanent exhibition at the Canterbury Museum in New Zealand, as the majority of that engine (flywheels, cylinder head, etc) had been used in that long track bike in '76. Engine '153', now in this frame, was one of a batch of five built by the Jawa factory in September 1976, immediately prior to the Longtrack World Final. '153' was taken to Australia and New Zealand during the 1976/1977 winter, winning the Australasian Championship at Sydney Showgrounds in February '77, and was the spare engine at the Gothenburg World Final later that year. It is believed that the chassis has not been restored since the 1977 Final, though it has been cleaned!