Praga 500 BD – the best Czechoslovak motorcycle of the early 30s

The Praga brand has more than 100 years of history. During this long period, its production facilities managed to produce legendary models of trucks, buses and cars. He also had in his arsenal samples of agricultural machinery, and, of course, motorcycles.


The company has always focused on the consumer, offering individual solutions for difficult technical problems. In the first half of the twentieth century, it was one of the largest in the field of mechanical engineering throughout Central Europe. And in Czechoslovakia itself it was one of the “Big Three brands”, constantly competing in various sectors with Skoda and Tatra.


But its motorcycle fame is now known to not many people, unlike “Java” or ChZ. But in the early 30s, the capital’s manufacturer had something to respond to the proposals of its younger comrades. Moreover, the most powerful version of the two-wheeler from this company was considered the best option in the country as it entered its fourth decade.

But the high price and versatility of the enterprise did not allow it to withstand competition with cheaper consumer goods from Janeček and Ceska Zbrojovka. It was for this reason that by the mid-30s Praga had disappeared from the industrial radar as a motorcycle manufacturer, concentrating more on trucks and their derivatives.



The model won the admiration of ordinary people and the recognition of specialists, also successfully performing in difficult sports competitions. This transport was often used as a workhorse for various expeditions.

However, Koch built his first motorcycle much earlier, already in 1922. And this man definitely belonged to the generation that created the great Czechoslovak design school of the pre-war years. This was facilitated by the training he received at the Laurin&Klement automobile plant. There he also met one of the best motorcycle racers in the country, Narcis Podsednichek, known as the “Master of Podsednichek.”


The latter became a suitable example for Yaroslav to follow in his later life. Because for Koch he was not only a teacher, but also a person with whom it was easy to find understanding and agreement. It was Narcissus who instilled in his student a love of motorcycles.

Already at the age of 29, he presented his 250 cc first-born. The primary gear in the form of two gears turned out to be interesting in the power unit of this device. Also, the OHC valve train was located behind the cylinder, so the camshaft was parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle. Here are other drive features:

✅ four-stroke
✅ single cylinder
✅ with top position

Very soon the designer proposed a second model with an increased capacity to 350 cc. see engine. It even went into small-scale production under the JFK brand, on the territory of a former sugar factory in Vysočany. The fact that the man was not just looking for glory for himself, but cared about the prestige of the entire nation, is very clear from his interview with AUTO magazine, given back in 1923:



Perhaps few would disagree that these words very well describe the situation that developed a century later. But if we return to the designer and patriot, then his first two models were unable to gain a thorough foothold in the market, unable to withstand the competition. This prompted Koch to think about a new, even more ambitious project.


The result was the 1926 BD motorcycle, which appeared in 500. The successful design was of a very modern type and is today an iconic vehicle in local transport history. The engineer decided to offer a 500 cc four-stroke to the production of Breitfeld – Danek & spol, located in Prague Karlin. The motorcycle received good characteristics:

✅ DOHC with three-speed gearbox
✅ maximum speed - 105 km / h
✅ raised steering wheel for greater ease of entry

When introducing the BD 500 into production, Koch proved himself to be a good organizer, as he arrived at the plant with a package of drawings on February 8, 1926. And already on May 1-2, the new motorcycles covered a distance of 1080 km. The largest test drive of the equipment consisted of covering 5376 km in seven regions in 22 days. For this trip she was equipped with a stroller of her own design. By 1927, everything confirmed that Koch had built a good motorcycle:

✅ admiration of ordinary people
✅ recognition of specialists
✅ successful performances in difficult competitions
✅ long distance trips

But at the same time, some organizational changes took place, and the production of BD 500 motorcycles was transferred to the Prague automobile company. Then it continued under the name of the new brand. And Yaroslav himself was offered to head the two-wheeled equipment production department at this enterprise. The large number of victories of the Praga 500 BD motorcycles in difficult sports competitions and endurance races has confirmed the reliability of the product.

Very often the creator himself was behind the wheel. His trip from Rome to Prague on September 1 and 2, 1928 (on the occasion of the Prague Automobile Exhibition) is still heard today. Then he overcame a difficult route 1480 km long in 35 hours 40 minutes. Other feats of this outstanding athlete deserve recognition. For example, a trip from Paris to Prague, which he completed in less than 21 hours. Or the journey from San Sebastian to the Czechoslovak capital in extremely unfavorable weather and with my wife in a stroller, completed in 61 hours.


Despite his success in sports and his service in the police, after the economic crisis subsided in 1934, clouds began to gather over the Praga 500 BD. Although production of the sixth series had already started, it was suspended and the parts were sold as spare parts.

The Carlin motorcycle assembly shop was converted to the production of aircraft engines. One of the factors that led to the stop of production was the emergence of cheaper competitors with two-stroke engines, which were assembled in large series by JAWA, CZ and Ogar. At the turn of the 20s and 30s, the Praga 500 BD was considered the best Czechoslovak motorcycle in its class. Today he belongs to the most valuable veterans in this country.

Unlike the licensed Jawa 500 OHV of those years, the Praga 500 BD was a truly Czech device. Beginning in 1926, for three years, the motorcycle was assembled at the original Breitfeld - Danek & spol premises (only 310 units were produced). After that, he came under the banner of the Praga brand, where most of this reliable equipment appeared, which in many ways was significantly ahead of its time.


Until 1935, more than one and a half thousand finished motorcycles were assembled. By this time, the total circulation reached 1901 units. But the last five thousand 500 BDs were sold disassembled for spare parts. Today it is a clear relic, which allowed the company to release the modern Praga ZS 800 in memory of it.