Jawa Bikes in India (5)

autocar.india

•19w

If your main goal with your machine is to strike poses and look cool on the extremely short spins you make on the weekend, then the Jawa 42 Bobber is a good fit. However, the bike is not practical, it's build quality is still far from the segment benchmark and Classic Legends (parent company of Yezdi, Jawa and BSA) still has a long way to go when it comes to customer satisfaction in terms of service. Considering your short stature, we'd recommend bikes like the RE Hunter 350 and TVS Ronin, which will still give you that Neo retro aesthetic but will not stop short of being good, all-round capable machines at the expense of just looking good. If you decide you want to keep it simple and practical, without spending a lot of cash, a 125cc/160cc bike from brands like TVS, Bajaj, Hero and Honda will be a good choice. This would in fact be our default recommendation considering this is your first bike and you'll need to develop basic motorcycle specific skills like clutch control, smooth gearshifts and throttle control. Evaluate your priorities, take multiple test rides and then make your decision. Also look into each bike's reviews and ownership forums to see which is the most hassle free to live with on a day to day basis. All this will help you make a more informed decision.

autocar.india

•27w

Since you've said that your commute has bad roads, replacing your Jawa 42 with a scooter wouldn't be our recommendation. While they are innately more practical than motorcycles, scooters have their smaller wheels and shorter, thinner suspension units. It won't really enhance your comfort, at least not to a great extent. Instead, we would advise you to get a practical 160cc commuter like the Honda Unicorn / SP160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V or Bajaj Pulsar N160. These are comfortable, fuel-efficient and peppy machines perfectly suited to city use. To make an informed decision before you go ahead with your purchase, ensure to take a test ride of all three to see which one you gel with the best.If, however, you want to go with a scooter as your next purchase, consider the following options. In the family scooter space, the TVS Jupiter 110 / 125 and Suzuki Access would be our top picks. If you want something sportier feeling and looking yet comfortable enough for daily usage, then the TVS Ntorq 125 & 150 are what you should be looking at. Again, a test ride of all of these is imperative before you make your decision. Make sure you intentionally go over bad patches of road and make tight, lock-to-lock U-turns to see if the handlebars foul with your knees, since you are a taller rider.

autocar.india

•29w

The Jawa 42 FJ is a good option to consider in the neo-retro space. While the earlier Jawa bikes had some issues, the latest models have ironed them out to a large extent. The 42 FJ also comes with a 4-year / 50,000km warranty, which should give you added peace of mind. Do bear in mind that while the bikes have come a long way, Classic Legends (the parent company of Jawa, Yezdi and BSA) still has a fairly hit/miss reputation when it comes to service. So we'd recommend getting in touch with your nearest authorised dealership and finding out more for yourself. If you reconsider your decision to go with the Jawa, then the Triumph Speed T4 is a great alternative. It has a smooth and torquey engine, good build quality and similiar overall performance as the 42 FJ. It would also be wise to take a test ride of both before you make a decision.

autocar.india

•38w

Both the Jawa 42 FJ and Yezdi Roadster are mechanically very similiar with the only difference being some visual elements and how you sit on the bike. A test ride of both over various road conditions should help you decide which one is the right fit for you. Coming to when to clean your bike, that's a very subjective thing based on where you live and how you store your vehicle. If you have covered parking that protects your bike from dust, then a soap wash once every 10 days to a fortnight should be more than sufficient. If you don't, then you may have to clean it more often. To prevent rusting, try to regularly coat exposed metal parts with some sort of grease and try to keep them under a good-quality bike cover.

autocar.india

•39w

First things first, the Jawa Perak and 42 Bobber are strictly single-seater bikes and have no provisions for carrying a pillion. These bikes are also rather stiff and uncomfortable, and we'd recommend steering clear unless you ride very little and mostly on smooth roads.Coming to the other options you've shortlisted, the Triumph Speed 400 will be the dynamically most capable machine and also the fastest one. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll have the laidback but charming Royal Enfield 350s with their easy riding and torque-rich experience.The Harley-Davidson X440 splits the difference between the Triumph and the REs. It all boils down to personal preference, so take a thorough test ride of everything you're considering before making a decision.