Three men, particularly the technical director of JAWA company Dr. Frei; design engineer Josef Jozíf; and motorcycle rider Jan Křivka, participated in the creation of the legendary small motorcycle produced by a world-renowned producer.  The original project from 1947 ended up in a drawer after February 1948. Its time came no sooner than at the beginning of the 1950s, when Jozíf’s designing team revised it. The first prototype of “the fifty”, named 359, was created in 1954. It was decided in the same year that production will be based in Považské strojárne (Považská Bystrica), where Manet 90 had already been produced before. Meanwhile, the enhanced motorcycle got its well-known “civil” name Pionier, complementing its type name 50/550. Its mass production started in April 1955. Pionier was equipped with a two-stroke air flat engine (Ø 38 × 44 mm) that was cooled by 49.8 cm3. This engine had a maximum output of 1.5 k (1.1 kW) upon 5000 revolutions per minute. Its total consumption of fuel was 1.5 l for a distance of 100 km. Torque was transferred on wheels by a multi-plate clutch, located in the oil sump by means of a three-stage gearbox. Upon its’ own weight of 60 kg, its capacity load was 130 kg and the speed was 45 km/h. The frame was open in order to enable comfort getting on and riding also for female passengers in skirts. The solution of rear wheel suspension, by a single centrally located string, was interesting. Small Jawa made an overall intelligent impression with the power unit concept and other design solutions. It significantly outran its times. It became a favourite means of transportation for a broad range of motorcycle riders, particularly the youth. In the Czech Republic, it was lovingly and suitably called “Pařez” because of the driver´s seat shape. In 1958, Pionier underwent thorough modernisation (type 555), whose results not only included enhanced performance parameters and practicality, but also even more of an enjoyable appearance. The key Pionier concept was also taken over by its further followers – Jawa 05 (1962), Jawa 20 and 21 sport (1967), and finally the sports type Jawa 23 Mustang (1968). They were produced until the beginning of the 1980s, when only Babeta mopeds were produced in Považské strojárne.
                                                                                                                                                                                     Miroslav Bachratý