Published October 14, 2025 by Michael Le Pard , Editor‑in‑Chief
The Complete Motorcycle Compendium
– J –
2005 Junior Sprint
JAC (Czechoslovakia) [Defunct – Early 1900s]
JAC Motorcycles
Years Active: 1920s
Notable Models: JAC 250cc
JAC was a small Czechoslovakian motorcycle manufacturer active in the interwar years.
Their lightweight machines were commuter‑oriented and regionally distributed.
The brand disappeared before WWII, leaving behind very few examples.
💡 Did You Know? JAC motorcycles were sometimes confused with early Jawa models due to similar styling.
James (United Kingdom) [Defunct – AMC Subsidiary]
James Motorcycles
Years Active: 1902–1966
Notable Models: James Captain, James Comet
James was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded in Birmingham in 1902.
Known for lightweight two‑strokes, James was acquired by Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) in the 1950s.
Production ended in 1966 as AMC collapsed.
💡 Did You Know? James motorcycles were popular with the British Post Office for telegram delivery.
Jamathi (Netherlands) [Defunct – Racing]
Jamathi Motorcycles
Years Active: 1967–1976
Notable Models: Jamathi 50cc GP
Jamathi was a Dutch racing motorcycle manufacturer specializing in 50cc Grand Prix machines.
Their bikes were highly competitive in the early 1970s, achieving podium finishes in world championship races.
The company folded in 1976 due to financial difficulties.
💡 Did You Know? Jamathi’s 50cc racers were capable of speeds over 100 km/h despite their tiny displacement.
JAP (United Kingdom) [Defunct – Engine Supplier]
J.A. Prestwich (JAP)
Years Active: 1895–1963
Notable Products: JAP V‑twin, JAP Speedway Engines
J.A. Prestwich of London was one of the most important engine manufacturers in motorcycling history.
JAP engines powered countless British motorcycles, speedway bikes, and even Morgan three‑wheelers.
JAP built complete motorcycles briefly (1904–1908) but focused mainly on engines until the 1960s.
💡 Did You Know? JAP engines powered many Isle of Man TT winners in the 1920s and 1930s.
Jawa (Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic) [Active – Global Brand]
Jawa Motorcycles
Years Active: 1929–present
Notable Models: Jawa 350, Jawa Perak, Jawa 42
Jawa is a legendary Czech motorcycle manufacturer founded by František Janeček in 1929.
Jawa became one of the largest motorcycle exporters in the world during the 1950s–70s, especially to India and Eastern Europe.
Today, Jawa is revived under Classic Legends in India and continues production in the Czech Republic.
💡 Did You Know? Jawa motorcycles were so popular in India that they inspired the licensed Yezdi brand.
JB Special (United Kingdom) [Defunct – Racing Specials]
JB Special
Years Active: 1920s–1930s
Notable Models: JB Special Racing Singles
JB Special was a British racing motorcycle builder producing custom competition machines.
Their bikes were often based on JAP engines fitted into bespoke frames.
JB Specials were used in club racing and hill climbs but never reached mass production.
💡 Did You Know? JB Specials were sometimes nicknamed “poor man’s racers” due to their affordability compared to factory machines.
Jeepette (United States) [Defunct – Utility Scooter]
Jeepette
Years Active: 1940s
Notable Models: Jeepette Scooter
Jeepette was a U.S. scooter manufacturer producing small utility scooters after WWII.
Inspired by military Jeeps, these scooters were marketed as affordable civilian transport.
The brand disappeared quickly as Vespa and Cushman dominated the scooter market.
💡 Did You Know? Jeepette scooters were sometimes advertised as “the Jeep on two wheels.”
Jefferson (United States) [Defunct – Early 1900s]
Jefferson Motorcycles
Years Active: 1913–1916
Notable Models: Jefferson Twin
Jefferson was an American motorcycle manufacturer producing V‑twin machines in the 1910s.
Their motorcycles were marketed as premium touring bikes but failed to compete with Harley‑Davidson and Indian.
The company closed after only a few years of production.
💡 Did You Know? Jefferson motorcycles were built in Jefferson, Wisconsin, hence the name.
Jewel (United States) [Defunct – Early Pioneer]
Jewel Motorcycles
Years Active: 1901–1905
Notable Models: Jewel Single
Jewel was one of the earliest American motorcycle brands.
Their machines were bicycle‑based with clip‑on engines, typical of the pioneering era.
The brand disappeared quickly, leaving behind very few surviving examples.
💡 Did You Know? Jewel motorcycles were exhibited at some of the first U.S. motor shows in 1902.
Jincheng (China) [Active – Major Manufacturer]
Jincheng Group
Years Active: 1950s–present
Notable Models: Jincheng JC125, Jincheng Suzuki (joint venture)
Jincheng is one of China’s largest motorcycle manufacturers, producing scooters, motorcycles, and engines.
They partnered with Suzuki to produce small‑displacement motorcycles for the Chinese and export markets.
Jincheng continues to be a major player in Asia’s motorcycle industry.
💡 Did You Know? Jincheng once produced over 1 million motorcycles annually.
Jing Shing (Taiwan) [Defunct – Mopeds & Scooters]
Jing Shing Motorcycles
Years Active: 1970s–1980s
Notable Models: Jing Shing Mopeds
Jing Shing was a Taiwanese manufacturer producing mopeds and small scooters during the 1970s and 1980s.
Their machines were commuter‑oriented and often exported under different brand names.
The company disappeared as larger Taiwanese and Japanese brands dominated the market.
💡 Did You Know? Many Jing Shing mopeds were re‑badged for sale in Europe under catalog brands.
Joerns / Joerns‑Thiem (United States) [Defunct – Early 1900s]
Joerns Motorcycles
Years Active: 1912–1916
Notable Models: Joerns‑Thiem Twin
Joerns was an American motorcycle manufacturer producing V‑twin machines in the 1910s.
Their motorcycles were marketed as premium touring bikes but failed to compete with Harley‑Davidson and Indian.
The company closed after only a few years of production.
💡 Did You Know? Joerns motorcycles were sometimes branded as “Thiem” in catalogs, leading to confusion among collectors.
Johnson Motowheel (United States) [Defunct – Clip‑On Engine]
Johnson Motowheel
Years Active: 1914–1916
Notable Models: Johnson Motowheel Attachment
Johnson produced the Motowheel, a clip‑on engine attachment that converted bicycles into motorcycles.
It was one of many early attempts to motorize bicycles before purpose‑built motorcycles became dominant.
The product was short‑lived but historically significant.
💡 Did You Know? The Johnson Motowheel was marketed as “motor power for every bicycle.”
Johnson (United Kingdom) [Defunct – Early 1900s]
Johnson Motorcycles (UK)
Years Active: 1902–1906
Notable Models: Johnson Single
Johnson was a British motorcycle manufacturer producing early single‑cylinder machines.
Their motorcycles were bicycle‑derived and typical of the pioneering era.
The brand disappeared quickly, leaving behind very few surviving examples.
💡 Did You Know? Johnson motorcycles were displayed at the 1903 Stanley Show in London.
JOLI / ESO (Czechoslovakia) [Defunct – Speedway]
JOLI / ESO Motorcycles
Years Active: 1949–1960s
Notable Models: ESO Speedway 500
ESO was a Czechoslovakian motorcycle manufacturer specializing in speedway racing machines.
Founded by Jaroslav Simandl, ESO produced powerful single‑cylinder racers that dominated European speedway in the 1950s.
ESO later merged into Jawa, which continued its speedway legacy.
💡 Did You Know? ESO engines were so successful that Jawa adopted them wholesale after the merger.
Jordan (United Kingdom) [Defunct – Early 1900s]
Jordan Motorcycles
Years Active: 1902–1906
Notable Models: Jordan Single
Jordan was a short‑lived British motorcycle manufacturer active in the pioneering years of motorcycling.
Their machines were bicycle‑derived with clip‑on engines, typical of the era.
The brand disappeared quickly, leaving behind very few surviving examples.
💡 Did You Know? Jordan motorcycles were displayed at some of the earliest Olympia Motor Shows in London.
Juckes (United Kingdom) [Defunct – Boutique Builder]
Juckes Motorcycles
Years Active: 1920s
Notable Models: Juckes 250cc
Juckes was a small British motorcycle assembler producing lightweight commuter bikes in the 1920s.
Their machines were built from proprietary engines and parts, re‑badged under the Juckes name.
The brand disappeared quickly, leaving behind little documentation.
💡 Did You Know? Surviving Juckes motorcycles are extremely rare and often misattributed to other small marques.
Junak (Poland) [Defunct – National Pride]
Junak Motorcycles
Years Active: 1956–1965, revived 2010s–present
Notable Models: Junak M10, Junak 122
Junak was Poland’s most famous motorcycle brand, producing large four‑stroke singles in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Junak M10 became a symbol of Polish engineering pride during the communist era.
The brand was revived in the 2010s, now producing small‑displacement motorcycles and scooters for the domestic market.
💡 Did You Know? The Junak M10 was the only four‑stroke motorcycle mass‑produced in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Junior (Canada) [Defunct – Early Canadian Brand]
Junior Motorcycles
Years Active: 1910s–1920s
Notable Models: Junior 250cc
Junior was a Canadian motorcycle manufacturer producing lightweight commuter machines in the early 20th century.
Their motorcycles were regionally distributed and rarely exported.
The brand disappeared before WWII, leaving behind very few surviving examples.
💡 Did You Know? Junior is one of the very few Canadian motorcycle brands from the pre‑WWII era.
JAC Czechoslovakia
James England, Started in 1902 and was very successful until the 1920’s when their factory burned. Taken over by AMC around 1960 and continued in limited production until around 1964 -1966
James A Smith England, 1904
Jamathi Dutch
JAP J.A. Prestwich of London manufactured engines from 123cc to 1098cc which were used by many motorcycle builders. JAP built their own motorcycles from 1904 to 1908, from then to 1945 they built only engines
Jawa CZ
JB Special USA, 1950
Jeepette USA
Jefferson USA, 1913? see Waverly
Jewel USA, 1908?
Jincheng Singa
Jing Shing Taiwan, Scooters
Joerns (Joerns-Thiem) USA, 1911 – 1916 Fred Joerns from St. Paul, Minn. bought the Thiem Mfg. Co. from Edward A Thiem around 1911 and it became the Joerns-Thiem Motor Mfg. Co. They built the Thiem motorcycle and the Cyclone which was sold as made by the Joerns Motor Mfg. Co. see Cyclone
Johnson Motowheel USA, 1918 Bicycle engine kits
Johnson England 1901
JOLI see ESO
Jordan Taiwan, 1997, Scooters
Juckes England, 1902 – 1925, T. C. Juckes owned the Efficient Engineering Company, they built their own engines and gearboxes
Junak Poland, 1954 – 1965, Closed due to pressure from the USSR, who’s grand plan said that motorcycle production should be left to the USSR, East Germany and Czechoslovakia
Junior Canada, 2001 to Today. Large production custom builder. Largest V-Twin motorcycle in production 2150cc. Uses 80% of their own parts.