After the sightings of Jawa’s new motorcycle, there’s only one obvious thing to do - stack it up against the most popular retro motorcycle in the segment. Let the fight begin!
Ever since the brand Royal Enfield was resurrected by the Classic range, retro motorcycle are all the rage in the country. The Classic has been the British manufacturer’s best-selling motorcycle for a consistently long period of time. Another retro motorcycle brand that’s popular with the enthusiasts is Jawa. Though it was popular in the 1980’s, it eventually faded in time with the advent of more modern, four-stroke motorcycles. However, now Jawa is making a huge comeback in the country. The cult manufacturer revealed its new-gen engine that’s not only modern but is also beautifully retro-looking. Some time after its engine reveal, the test motorcycle was spotted testing, and we dug up a lot of juicy details from the pictures. Let’s see how it performs against the Classic 350 on paper:
Design:
The new Jawa motorcycle has a very simplistic yet elegant looking design language. You get circular headlamps with neatly integrated fork covers that run along the upper arm of the forks, a la Royal Enfield Bullet. The full sized front and rear fenders not only enhance the retro feel of the motorcycle but are quite practical as well. The teardrop tank flows into the nicely sculpted dual-tone premium seat which is flanked at the rear by rather simple-looking grabrails.
Ever since its launch in 2009, the Royal Enfield Classic 350’s design has remained more or less unchanged, apart from colour updates and the recent inclusion of ABS and rear disc brake. However, it seems to work for Royal Enfield as customers love the vintage look of the bodywork. The upright, comfortable ergonomics make this motorcycle a potent tourer too. You also get the famous tiger lamp, which is essentially a pair pilot lamps, and an ammeter in the instrument console. The Gunmetal Grey colour variant and the Signals edition feature dual-channel ABS as standard.
Powertrain:
|
Specifications |
Upcoming Jawa motorcycle |
Royal Enfield Classic 350 |
|
Engine |
293cc single-cylinder, fuel-injected, DOHC liquid-cooled BS VI engine |
346cc single-cylinder air-cooled, carburetted engine |
|
Peak power |
27.2PS |
20PS at 5250rpm |
|
Maximum torque |
28Nm |
28Nm at 4000rpm |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
5-speed |
While the difference in the power and torque figures doesn’t look like much, the Jawa is expected to be a lot more highway worthy than the Classic, thanks to the DOHC liquid-cooled engine. Moreover, the 6-speed transmission can extract more speed than the Classic’s 5-speed unit. Expect the Jawa to be powerful enough to comfortably cruise at triple-digit speeds, whereas the Classic behaves best when the speed is limited to 80kmph. Post that the vibrations are a bit too much to comfortably sustain higher speeds. While a sophisticated engine technically requires more attention than an air-cooled one, it remains to be seen how affordable the Jawa is to maintain.
Underpinnings:
|
Specifications |
Upcoming Jawa motorcycle |
Royal Enfield Classic 350 |
|
Front suspension |
Telescopic forks |
35mm telescopic forks |
|
Rear suspension |
Twin gas-charged shock absorbers |
Twin gas-charged shock absorbers |
|
Front brake |
Disc |
280mm disc |
|
Rear brake |
Drum |
153mm drum / 240mm disc with optional ABS |
While the Jawa makes do with a rear drum, select variants of the Classic 350 come with a 240mm disc with dual-channel ABS as an option. However, the standard Classic gets a 153mm drum, without ABS. The Jawa on the other hand gets a single-channel ABS as standard. The Czech brand has gone for a single-channel unit presumably to keep the costs in check. We’ll have a better idea about the bike’s dynamics once we ride the motorcycle and know the full specifications.
Verdict:
The Jawa seems to be reasonably superior to the Classic 350 when it comes to outright performance numbers. But it remains to be seen as to how the bike handles when compared to the Classic. Though it seems to be a good proposition on paper, Jawa is yet to reveal the number of dealerships / service centres for their India operations. Royal Enfield on the other hand has hundreds of touch points across the country, not to mention roadside assistance and the prospect of joining company-organised rides, events and the likes. These things make it a lot more wholesome experience than simply buying the motorcycle.
The upcoming Jawa is expected to cost close to Rs 2 lakh ex-showroom. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 range commands a relatively less premium, starting at Rs 1.39 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. That’s primarily due to the fact that the Classic comes with a relatively less sophisticated powertrain.
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