Jaroslav Falta’s “Championship” Ride

Featured here is Jaroslav Falta’s 1974 works CZ250.  

Jarosalv recently looked at photos of the bike and immediately recognized it as his 1974 bike. He said that the top Czech riders were assigned two bikes during the year.  One as the primary bike and the other as a back up which was often times used for parts for the primary bike.  As you can see from the photos, the bike is completely original and in exceptional condition. Thanks to Vitezslav  Branda of the Czech Republic. He was able to track down the original paperwork on this bike confirming it was Falta’s.  The primary bike’s serial number was P*980*74*3.  You can see from the photos below, the serial numbers from the bike match up to the original paper work.

Jaroslav won the 1974 Superbowl of Motocross and placed 2nd at the Lexington, Ohio Inter-AMA behind teammate Zdenek Velky.

Special Thanks to Jaroslav’s daughter, Martina.  She has been able to confirm with Jaroslav that this is the same bike used to win the 1974 Superbowl of Motocross.  The bike was disassembled and flown over to the United States during the summer break from GP racing.  It was later returned to finish the GP season.

Thanks again Heddy for giving me an opportunity to own this historic piece of motocross history!!

1974 250 World Championship

by: By Ken Olausson

The 250 World Championship wasn’t decided until two hours after the last moto had ended. Two appeals, one upheld and the other disallowed, determined the new champion. Officially it’s Guenday Moiseev, 145, and Jaroslav Falta, 139.

Bull

It all started in April on a hilly and rocky Barcelona circuit. Montesa’s Raymond Boven took the first leg ahead of Pavel Rulev (KTM) and defending champion Haken Andersson.  Moiseev got the second moto and the overall.

Falta then entered the picture with two Italian GP victories backed by another first on his home ground. But Moiseev won twice in Poland while Falta retired. His CZ was running ratty and his mechanics finally pinned it down to bad gas.  Apparently only Falta’s CZ suffered.  The KTM’s certainly didn’t.

Kawasaki and Torlief Hansen took the Yugoslavia GP with a first and a third. Falta won the other moto.  Then the Ali of motocross backed it up with another Kawasaki win in England. Even a flat didn’t slow him down. In that race Falta placed fourth and seventh; Moiseev managed two thirds.  After six events, the Russian led with 102 points to Falta’s 82. Harry Everts and his Puch had third place with 74.  Rulev (66), Miroslav Halm (51) and Torleif (50) followed.

For West Germany, it was Suzuki and Belgium one, two, and three.  Gaston Rahier had edged six times champ Joel Robert and Sylvain Geboers while Falta and Moiseev each took a second preserving the 20-point gap.

At the dusty and hooped Dutch track, sand specialist Geboers gave Suzuki another win, but Falta took one moto and gained 15 points on the overall. There were reports of foul play between Moiseev and Falta during the first moto of that GP.

So it came down to the Swiss GP in Wohlen. Moiseev only needed on second to lock it up. Falta needed two seconds.  As it turned out, the Russian scored no points at all – but still won.

That first moto, Falta took off like a rocket. No one could come close, though Everts and Haken Andersson tried. So Falta was leading. And Moiseev was putting around with two blown shocks. Waiting for Falta. When Falta tired to lap the Russian, the KTM rider made every effort to slow him. Everts and Andersson caught up. Then Falta got by. Moiseev knocked him down. But only momentarily. Falta was up and going, but it was third place now.

Falta had to win the last moto overall. Nothing else could do it. Even though Moiseev pulled off during the first moto.

As the gate fell, Falta jumped it and flew. He was still leading during the seventh lap when Moiseev quit again. But a lap or two later, Victor Popenko (another Russian rider imported from the 500 class) and Eugeny Rybaltchenko (as CZ rider, but Russian) put the squeeze play on Falta as he lapped them.  It didn’t work, so Rybaltchenko rode into Falta, knocking him down, Again!

He remounted furiously. The spectators whistled and shouted at the Russian tactics. They tried to do it again but Falta was wary. Officials black flagged the Russians.

Falta was back into third place, trying to regain what he’d lost. Russian mechanics threw stones. One tried to push a stick through Falta’s spokes. But nothing could stop Falta. He caught Rahier and Everts, both of whom had seen what had happened and slowed to wait for Falta, and the CZ took the flag.

The champagne bottles were empty. The crowd had gone home thrilled that Falta had won.  His title existed for two hours until the jury penalized him one minute for jumping the start.  That put him down to eighth.  His own protest was disallowed.  

The title went to Moiseev and KTM.

So they say.

This is Greg Robertson’s 1972 Factory CZ250.  Shown in the photo #39.  John DeSoto is walking past his Factory CZ400 #26.
Photo compliments of Jessica Robertson Lewis, Greg’s daughter.

Greg Robertson, a Southern California Pro, started his career at age 10 when his father bought him and his older brother a Minarelli motorcycle.  His first race was at Bay Mare Cycle Park at the age of 13. He won the first moto but DNF’d the second.  Over time, Greg became a well know rider for Mid Valley Cycles in Van Nuys, CA. Campaigning a 125cc CZ with great success.  Greg was probably best know for his win at the Snake River MX in 1972.  Riding a custom 125cc CZ, Greg beat some of the best in the sport including Brad Lackey, Tom Rapp, Ken Zahrt, Bill Silverthorn and Tim Hart to name a few. Greg got a coveted Factory CZ ride in late 1972.  That Factory CZ is featured here.

Featured here is a very rare 1976 Factory works CZ400.

During the mid to late 1960’s, the Czech factory had already won multiple World Championships in the 250cc class with Joel Robert winning in 1964 and again in the 1968 and Paul Friedrichs in the 1966, 1967 and 1968 in the 500 cc class. During the 1970’s an early 1980’s, the open class CZ’s were primarily campaigned by members of the Russian team. They enjoyed little success rarely finishing in the top ten.  

In 1975, at the Motocross des Nations held in Sedicany Czechoslovakia,  The Czech team consisting of Antonin Baborovski, Jiri Churavy, Miroslav Novacek and Zdenek Velky won the over all beating a very strong Belgium team.  The first and last time a Czech Team has won the Motocross des Nations and it was done on Czech soil, on Czech bikes!!!

“Works”  CZ’s featured sand cast magnesium center and outer cases.  The shocks are finned all the way to the mounting bracket.  Preston Petty fenders were standard items on the “works” CZ’s in 1976.  The air box is aluminum as is the hand formed “peanut” style tank.  

This bike has not been restored, only cleaned and touched up.  Currently there are no plans to take the process any further.

If you look closely at the rear wheel, you will notice the subtle differences between the production CZ wheels and
the “works” wheel.  Eight (8) studs hold the “aluminum” backing plate on where the sprocket mounts instead of six studs holding a steel backing plate.

The early 1976 CZ400’s did not have a reed cage.  They were later fitted with the standard CZ reed cage. Reed cagesbecame standard equipment on the 1977 models. Motor mounts and engine head mounts are Titanium. The kick starter was extended to aid the rider in starting this beast.

The works CZ’s had sand cast magnesium center cases and outer cases.  Though they look very similar to the production models, they are in fact very different.

This bike is fairly original with the exception of the fenders, seat cover and side panels which were replaced many years ago.  The original front fender is shown in one of the photographs.  The owner is still looking for the rear fiberglass fender to this bike. 

Featured here is a 1974 works CZ400. The bike was found by the current owner in Ohio around 1995.  After purchasing the bike, he set out to restore it.  Most of the bike was in good shape however the original pipe was cut up and basically unusable.  It was restored by a friend who thought it was going to be a show unusable.  It was restored by a friend who thought it was going to be a show piece.  Per the owner, it was way over done and not period
correct…gold painted Shortly after the original restoration, the owner striped the bike down and set it up to race. The
shock angel was returned to period correct 1974 .The owner raced the bike for several seasons in local vintage events. Having ridden both production CZ’s and now a works CZ, the noticeably better than a production CZ and produces significantly more horsepower.

The bike is currently going through it’s third restoration which will return it to it’s old glory, red frame, aluminum coffin tank etc.  Once the restoration is complete, the owner has agreed to allow those photos to be published as well. 

This is the completed bike after the first restoration. The frame was painted blue to match Paul Friedrich’s  1972 works CZ. This bike when found had the Marzocchi front forks.

The bike originally came with a works peanut tank shown below however, it was later fitted with the CZ RV400 model aluminum fuel tank. The pipe had to be made as the original one was hacked up beyond use.

Petty fenders were used on the front and rear.  The owner raced this bike successfully for several seasons.  As he
said, “these bikes were built to be raced, so I raced it!”

Featured here is a late 1975, early 1976 ‘works” CZ250. During the beginning of the 1975 season, the Factory CZ’s were using fiberglass front and rear fenders as seen in the photo below.  Towards the end of the season, they switched over to “Preston Petty” fenders which were more durable.  This bike is in exceptional conditional and very original.

Early 1975 CZ400.  The blue fiberglass front and rear fenders were used primarily on the 250cc bikes. Frames were silver. Late 1975, early 1976 cosmetics.  Preston Petty fenders replaced the fragile fiberglass units.

Lionello Bottanelli was kind enough to share his brother Dino Bottanelli collection of CZ’s which he inherited a few years ago.  Dino was an advet collector and was a member of an Italian CZ Club.

Lionello Bottanelli was kind enough to share his brother Dino Bottanelli collection of CZ’s which he inherited a few years ago.  Dino was an advet collector and was a member of an Italian CZ Club.  This is one of their “works” CZ’s.