The Jawa, which has long been out of the market will now give Royal Enfield a run for its money.
The Jawa motorcycles, which were launched on Thursday have already caught the eyes of the Indian biker. For a long time, Royal Enfield has been the dominating force in this segment of bikes. With the Indian biking scenario currently witnessing huge changes, Jawa has been introduced into the market at the right time. This is because Indian riders are now ready to pay more to get the best thrills of the biking experience. But does the Jawa match up to the Royal Enfield Classic 350? Here is the comparison of specifications between the two.
Design & Looks – The Royal Enfield is a big bike with its upright stance. The design has a combination of old classic feel and modern styling cues. The Classic 350 hints that it has also improved upon itself with the years as the ideas of its riders improved.
The Jawa though, looks like it came right out of the manufacturing unit of the 1970’s. Mahindra has made sure that it looks exactly like what it was when the manufacturing was shut down. Both bikes feature the same circular headlamp with the instruments clustered onto it but the console on the Jawa features an analogue speedometer and fuel gauge from the retro era.
In terms of looks, the Classic 350 has already made an image but the Jawa is the one which will give us the feel of a post-World War era bike. It even skips on a rear disc to keep the retro look intact while the Classic 350 gets a rear disc along with dual-channel ABS (the Jawa gets an el cheapo single-channel ABS and the company can’t offer dual-channel ABS due to the lack of a rear disc).
Dimensions & Weight – The Classic 350 weighs 192 kgs as compared to the Jawa’s 170 kgs. The Classic 350 is also longer by 38 mm. The Jawa is placed at a lower height than the Classic 350 by 25 mm. Surprisingly, the wheelbase dimensions are the same for both these motorcycles.
Engine – The Royal Enfield Classic 350 houses a 346cc carbureted engine which can dish out 19.8 BHP and has a peak torque of 28 Nm. The Jawa uses a 293cc fuel-injected engine and can generate more power than the Classic 350, it’s also BS6 ready. It has a capacity to generate a maximum power of 27 BHP and a peak torque of 28 Nm. This is largely because the engine on the Jawa is richer in hardware and isn’t an old-school air-cooled unit with 2-valves and push-rod technology, the Jawa motor uses liquid-cooling and DOHC, it’s a thoroughly modern unit with 4-valves.
Pricing – The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is priced at Rs. 1.76 lakh while the Jawa is priced slightly higher at Rs. 1.94 lakh (on-road).
Verdict – The Jawa, with its completely retro design will be a new attraction to the Indian customer. But Royal Enfield has been in the scenario for nearly a decade now and they are experts on what works best here. A true comparison can only be made after we get to test ride both bikes side-by-side, which we can hope will happen soon. But on paper, the Classic 350 has met its match as the Jawa sure justifies its price tag.
Jawa vs Royal Enfield Classic 350
