The ex-Ivan Mauger, 'a gift from Newcastle Diamonds', 1965 ESO Speedway Racing Motorcycle, Engine no. 2139-1965

Important Collectors' Motorcycles and Spares
The ex-Ivan Mauger, 'a gift from Newcastle Diamonds'
1965 ESO Speedway Racing Motorcycle
Engine no. 2139-1965
In a document on file, Ivan recalls the origins of this particular machine: 'In 1965 most of the British League riders thought the ESO engine was very fast but the full Jawa frame did not suit the English tracks. So I bought this engine from the German importer and had Mike Erskine, the famous frame builder... build a frame for me. Mike Erskine, although Eton educated, never put engine numbers on his frames. Mike was also instrumental in building the first of the 500cc JAP engined cars that Stirling Moss and others started their racing careers in.

'I rode this bike in six or eight British League matches for one or two races. Although I won some of those races I was mostly 2nd or 3rd so I jumped back on to my JAPs that I knew I could win races on. But occasionally on big tracks it was very fast and easy to handle. So I sent it to New Zealand in September 1965 so that it would be ready for the 1965/66 New Zealand season. I won most of the National and International meetings that season.

'After my last meeting at Western Springs in January 1966 I was offered a lot of money for it by a guy from Hamilton, so I sold it as I needed money to recondition my three JAP engines in England and buy some spare parts for those three engines and 100 rear tyres that I got for 30% off by buying 100. There was no sponsorship those days!

'A week or so before Easter 2003 a guy called me from Napier and said I think I have got one of your old bikes - guys from around here have told me. I asked him to describe it. I was going to Napier anyway for the TQ Championship that Easter so I asked him for his address and told him I would come around on Saturday morning to have a look at it. It was the bike so I bought it back on the spot and I brought it back again to NP and had it shipped by sea after the November 2003 World Long Track Final round that I was promoting for the FIM. I restored it on and off from January 2004 until January 2005.'

Following completion, the Jawa was displayed for six months at Ash's Speedway Museum in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia (circa 2010).