Jamathi

To tell the story of 50cc racing would be impossible without mentioning
the names of Jan Thiel, Martin Mijwaart, Paul Lodewijkx and Henk
Keulemans!
This talented group of Dutchmen created a racer, with no funding, out
of a wooden shed, and eventually outran the worlds best!
Motorsport journalist Henk Keulemans followed the team from early on
and his book "Het Jamathi-team" is a very good portrait of the life
and times of the trio.

Henk Keulemans holds the copyright to many of the pictures
on these pages.
65 The first Jamathi

In 1965, after the year racing the "Tansinis" the team now enlisted their racers as Jamathis. New narrower frames were made

65 Jamathi Jan Thiel and Martin Mijwaart ready to race.

Jamathi pit at Zandvoort. Assen 66 Mijwaart ahead of Bryans and Taveri

For the 66 season the Jamathi teams rider line- up were Martin Mijwaart and Poul Lodewijkx.
The young man had proven himself in national races and now got to race in international events

66 engine right 66 The 9-speed Jamathi engine

Mijwaart at work

The Jamathi team of 67 In 68 Thiel and Mijwaart realised they could´nt raise the output without the aid of watercooling.
Also in 68 a new engine design was launched, and what an engine it turned out to be!

68 Jamathi engine shaft at rear drives waterpump 9 speed pullstud transmission

Watercooled head and barrel, thermostathousing in front Lodewijkx servicing a Jamathi

Jamathi workshop 68 The Jamathi team in the workshop Thiel busy at the lathe

68 Jamathi racer 68 Jamathi racer left

Jamathi testing video!

In the Dutch GP of Assen 68, Paul Lodewijkx hang on to the Suzuki of Hans Georg Anscheidts all
through the race. Anscheidt drove the RK67 Suzuki with a safe lead, until last lap where Lode-
wijkx gained so much, that he was able to pass the german just before the flag !
It was nothing short of a world sensation, not only did a Dutchman win the Dutch GP, he outran
the Japanese works- twin with a homebrewn Dutch racer!
For the 69 season the Dutch Kawasaki importer Bruinsma agreed to sponsor the team. Lodewijkx chasing Anscheidt

68 Assen Winner Lodewijkx The celebrated Jamathi team

GP winning racer Jan thiel working on the 69 engine The model for 69

The team Thiel, Mijwaart, and Lodewijkx The cast 6-speed engine housing

The new 69 model took a little getting used to Jan Thiel changes the plug on the grid

69 Hockenheim - a young Theo Timmer talks to Lodewijkx 69 Jamathi engine

Lodewijkx leaving them all behind Lodewijkx won 3 GP races in 69 Late 69 the Jamathi team suffered a setback, Paul Lodewijkx had a serious road accident while riding a motorbike.
After being hospitalised for months, doctors warned Lodewijkx of starting racing again !
Toersen was hired into the team in time for the GP season of 70.

Toersen testing the Jamathi Thiel assembling another engine Unloading in Belgium

Jamathi team of 70, now counting three riders Toersen

Getting ready Toersen on Jamathi 70

The 70 Jamathi engine Toersen frontbrake collapsed The Jamathi of AaltToersen

Lodewijkx Toersen at Sachsenring

Paul Lodewijkx Jamathi 70 Toersen Jamathi

The Jamathi of 71 71 Jamathi engine right

Toersens Jamathi of 71 Cees van Dongen Jamathi rider 71

Also a Jamathi- driver in 71, Herman Meijer at Brno Herman Meijer did more than race the Jamathi, he fabricated some of the engine parts too. The Jamathi team earned some money by selling "last years" bikes.
Theo Timmer bought one and won the Dutch championship.

72 Jamathi block- loosely assembled for photo - notice the barrel turned upside down!

New Jamathi, monocoque in steel.
Jan Thiel about monocoque framework: "The main reason for making them was that they were very
narrow, giving an aerodynamic advantage, they were very stiff and handled very well but they were
very difficult to make. The frames were identified by year, usually we made one new frame each
year using last year's experience. The first monocoque was made in 1972, it handled very well but
there was a problem with the engine. For 1973 there was a new frame and engine, and this engine,
with a second one made in 1974 later became Piovaticci and Bultaco.
In 1974 two frames were made and at the end of the season one complete bike and the engine of the
other bike were sold to Piovaticci. The second frame was sold to our friend Juup Bosman and fitted
with a Kreidler engine.
Our colours in 1974 were blue and yellow. I do'nt remember why!
Nigel Stone bought 3 bikes from us, first a 1965 type, later a 1970 bike which was Martin's bike
(now owned by Dik Toersen), and later still he bought the 1971 bike now owned by the 50cc
museum. He won a lot of races in England and was probably the most succesful Jamathi rider.
When Piovaticci could not go on racing at the end of 1975 we had to wait some time before starting
work for Bultaco. In this time Martin made a new frame for Juup Bosman in stainlees steel with a
Kreidler engine fitted. Juup won the 1974 national Dutch championship with the 1968 bike he had
bought from us.
Theo Timmer made some monocoques of his own and Cees van Dongen also made one, with
Bultaco production racer engines.
Many people in different country's made 50cc racers with monocoque frames, it became a fashion
for some time."
Jan Thiel 2009.

72 engine - notice the aircooled head! Rightside of the new engine.

Jamathi team for 72

73 Jamathi engine with DRM (Dutch racing motors) cylinder 74 Jamathi engine

Testing the first Nicasil- treated barrel Testing the 74 spec engine in the 73 frame.

The 74 version, and third monocoque Mijwaart welding.

The finished monocoque.

Jan & Martin presenting the new weapon. 74 engine detail - DRM (Harry de Boer) casted barrel and head.

The 74 team: helping hand Henk Keulemans, (writer of the excellent book: Het Jamathi team, Mijwaart, and Thiel In bright colours

74 team with friends. Thiel warming up the 74 engine.

Theo Timmer raced this Jamathi as a private entry. It was a 72- engine in a 73 frame.

Timmers Jamathi at Clermont-Ferrant 1974

Narrow framework of the Timmer- Jamathi. 1974 - ? - Jamathi front row.

74 Jamathi engine of Jan Bruins

NL race 74 Imatra - Jan Bruins - The most expensive race in the Jamathi teams history - Bruins crashed in practise and in the race! Result: two mangled bikes!

Still in one piece through the Finnish woods.
To get the full story visit :

WWW.JAMATHI.NL

1974 - Juup Bosman - Kreidler engined Jamathi.

1983 Brands Hatch - Ron Ponti enjoying his Jamathi.

To tell the story of 50cc racing would be impossible without mentioning the names of Jan Thiel, Martin Mijwaart, Paul Lodewijkx and Henk Keulemans! This talented group of Dutchmen created a racer, with no funding, out of a wooden shed, and eventually outran the worlds best! Motorsport journalist Henk Keulemans followed the team from early on and his book "Het Jamathi-team" is a very good portrait of the life and times of the trio. Henk Keulemans holds the copyright to many of the pictures on these pages.
	In 1965, after the year racing the "Tansinis" the team now enlisted their racers as Jamathis. New narrower frames were made


For the 66 season the Jamathi teams rider line- up were Martin Mijwaart and Poul Lodewijkx. The young man had proven himself in national races and now got to race in international events


	In 68 Thiel and Mijwaart realised they could´nt raise the output without the aid of watercooling. Also in 68 a new engine design was launched, and what an engine it turned out to be!




Jamathi testing video! In the Dutch GP of Assen 68, Paul Lodewijkx hang on to the Suzuki of Hans Georg Anscheidts all through the race. Anscheidt drove the RK67 Suzuki with a safe lead, until last lap where Lode- wijkx gained so much, that he was able to pass the german just before the flag ! It was nothing short of a world sensation, not only did a Dutchman win the Dutch GP, he outran the Japanese works- twin with a homebrewn Dutch racer! For the 69 season the Dutch Kawasaki importer Bruinsma agreed to sponsor the team.





	Late 69 the Jamathi team suffered a setback, Paul Lodewijkx had a serious road accident while riding a motorbike. After being hospitalised for months, doctors warned Lodewijkx of starting racing again ! Toersen was hired into the team in time for the GP season of 70.








	The Jamathi team earned some money by selling "last years" bikes. Theo Timmer bought one and won the Dutch championship.


Jan Thiel about monocoque framework: "The main reason for making them was that they were very narrow, giving an aerodynamic advantage, they were very stiff and handled very well but they were very difficult to make. The frames were identified by year, usually we made one new frame each year using last year's experience. The first monocoque was made in 1972, it handled very well but there was a problem with the engine. For 1973 there was a new frame and engine, and this engine, with a second one made in 1974 later became Piovaticci and Bultaco. In 1974 two frames were made and at the end of the season one complete bike and the engine of the other bike were sold to Piovaticci. The second frame was sold to our friend Juup Bosman and fitted with a Kreidler engine. Our colours in 1974 were blue and yellow. I do'nt remember why! Nigel Stone bought 3 bikes from us, first a 1965 type, later a 1970 bike which was Martin's bike (now owned by Dik Toersen), and later still he bought the 1971 bike now owned by the 50cc museum. He won a lot of races in England and was probably the most succesful Jamathi rider. When Piovaticci could not go on racing at the end of 1975 we had to wait some time before starting work for Bultaco. In this time Martin made a new frame for Juup Bosman in stainlees steel with a Kreidler engine fitted. Juup won the 1974 national Dutch championship with the 1968 bike he had bought from us. Theo Timmer made some monocoques of his own and Cees van Dongen also made one, with Bultaco production racer engines. Many people in different country's made 50cc racers with monocoque frames, it became a fashion for some time." Jan Thiel 2009.

























	To get the full story visit : WWW.JAMATHI.NL

Jamathi

Henk Keulemans holds the copyright to many of the pictures on these pages.

To get the full story visit :

WWW.JAMATHI.NL

Henk Keulemans holds the copyright to many of the pictures
on these pages.