Jawa 42 Bobber or Hero Mavrick 440, which bike to buy?

I was keen to buy the Jawa Forty Two Bobber as it’s a beautiful bike. But I have read some reviews that say it is not comfortable or practical. So I’m now considering the new Hero Mavrick 440. Which one should I buy? 

P Shankar, via email

Autocar India says: In our review of the Jawa 42 Bobber we mentioned that the main reason to buy the bike was for the way it looks. It is an absolutely unique and eye-catching machine and if you just want a feel good machine for short occasional rides then you can consider the Jawa. Even so, please take a test ride to evaluate the comfort levels for yourself. 

As for the Hero Mavrick, we are yet to conduct a thorough road test, but we can confirm that the bike has a very characterful engine that sounds good and has solid torque delivery. Compared to the Jawa, this is a nicer engine to live with. 

It is also much more comfortable with a good suspension set up and it will be an easier bike to live with. However, the Hero is a bit lacking when it comes to style and it definitely doesn’t come anywhere close to the Jawa in this regard. 

Ultimately, we would suggest that you consider the Jawa only if you want a bike for occasional short rides and if standing out from the crowd is a big priority. If not, the Mavrick will be the better choice.