Two years after the formation of Classic Legends, which had acquired the rights for the Jawa brand in our market, the iconic marque has made a comeback to India. Classic Legends was formed by Anand Mahindra, Anupam Thareja and Boman Irani, and Mahindra holds a 60 percent stake in this venture. The new bike has been named after the brand and christened Jawa and it has been priced at Rs 1.64 lakh. Jawa also showcased the Forty Two which has been priced at Rs 1.55 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom, Delhi).
Buzz around the new motorcycle has been built up over the past month with Jawa first releasing details of its engine and later a teaser video giving us a glimpse of the throaty exhaust note of the new bike. Jawa has showcased three bikes at the event in Mumbai – the Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and the factory bobber custom, the Jawa Perak. While the Jawa and the Jawa Forty Two will go on sale first, the Perak is scheduled for production at a later date and has been priced at Rs 1.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Jawa takes design inspiration from the Jawa 250 Type A, which was the brand’s first motorcycle to go on sale in India in the 1960s. The distinctive headlight profile, dual-tone chrome finish on the fuel tank, flat saddle, a concealed conventional telescopic fork, twin peashooter pipes and the flared mudguards with pinstripes are reminiscent of the Jawa 250.
Adding to the retro charm of the new Jawa is the colour options on offer, which create a strong connect to the Jawas of yore. The overall stance and styling of the new Jawa looks highly similar to the original motorcycle and that should appeal to loyalists as well as new-generation bikers who have a soft spot for retro-styled machines. Remarkably, Jawa designers also ensured that the new engine imitates the older motor visually as well. The faux fins, large chrome engine case with the Jawa branding and the twin exhaust ports add a dollop of visual charm to the overall styling. The Jawa Forty Two has a more urban and modern theme with matte black elements replacing chrome and it gets an off-set instrument console, bar-end mirrors and is also offered in matte finish. The Jawa Perak is a factory custom and has bobber styling and we must admit it looks stunning.
While it might look retro, the powerplant is a modern, liquid-cooled unit and is also BS-VI emission norm compliant. Classic Legends claims that the engine is an all-new unit and only shares its bore and stroke with that of the Mahindra Mojo’s motor. According to the company, the powertrain has been developed in Italy as well as India. The 293cc, single-cylinder engine develops 27hp and 28Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed gearbox. In contrast, the Mojo, which is available in UT 300 and XT 300 variants, is powered by a 295cc single-cylinder motor that makes 23hp/25Nm in the UT and 27hp/30Nm in the XT. The Jawa Perak will be powered by a 334cc motor and generates 30hp and 31Nm of torque.
The chassis is an all-new double cradle unit and is suspended on a telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers with gas-charged canisters at the back. Anchorage on the Jawa and the Jawa Forty Two is provided by a single disc brake at the front and a drum unit at the rear. Single-channel ABS comes as standard fitment. The frame of the Jawa Perak bobber is different and it features a rear disc brake and also gets a monoshock at the back.
The Jawa rides on spoke wheels wrapped with 90/90 18 tyre at the front and a 120/80 17 tyre at the rear. Seat height of the Jawa is low at 765, fuel tank capcity is 14 litres and the bike weighs 170kg (kerb weight). The Jawa will be offered in black, maroon and grey. The Jawa Forty Two will be available in six shades, three matte colour and three metallic options.
The Jawa and the Jawa Forty Two will compete against the Royal Enfield Classic 350 which retails for Rs 1.47 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). 105 dealers have been appointed across the country and the first dealership is expected to be operational in December. Bookings for the Jawa bikes have commenced online and deliveries of the first lot are expected by early 2019. We will be riding the new Jawa very soon, so watch this space for more updates.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
