Jawa motorcycles, originally a Czech brand now being produced in India, has recently launched two motorcycles: the Jawa and the Jawa 42. Classic Legends Private Limited (CLPL), the company producing Jawa motorcycles, is a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra, a multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Mumbai. It is one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in India. In 2016 it gained permission to resurrect the Jawa name, and CLPL is set to begin production any minute. It set up an online booking system for pre-ordering the bike and then had to take it down due to demand. The bikes, none of which had even rolled off the production line yet, sold out in just a bit over a month, and the wait time is now until September of this year.
Jawa motorcycles has set a target production/sales at 90,000 units per year, with deliveries of the pre-ordered bikes slated to begin in March. They are positioned to compete directly with Royal Enfield, in the same 300cc stylish-classic commuter segment.
The Jawas will be shipped with an all-new 293cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke engine that puts out 27bhp and 28nm (that’s about 20ft-lbs) of torque, a 6-speed transmission, twin peashooter exhaust, front disc brakes (with ABS!), and rear drum brake. They both weigh in at 170kg (around 375lbs) wet, and have a 14 liter (3.7 gallon) tank capacity. The Jawa (I wonder if they will borrow naming conventions from the Mini Cooper community and call that non-42 a “justa”?) will run 164,000 rupees, or $2300 US, give or take. The “42,” with its painted tank, bar-end mirrors, single bucket headlight and weird little instrument pod/speedometer will run 155.000 rupees, or around $2,170 US.
The marque has begun opening dealerships all over India, with a target of 105 locations by the end of February, offering test rides and the opportunity to drool on a motorcycle you can’t buy for months.
While they may seem underpowered to the American market, these beautiful, rugged little commuters are estimated to get nearly 95 miles to the gallon. They are not built for speed, but for efficiency and stunning good looks. That said, their estimated top speed falls around 80mph, so the bikes are no slouches. There is no word on a 0-60 time, but you can probably rest assured it is measured in minutes.
That all said, this thing is absolutely adorable and if they were available in the US, one would probably occupy the spot in my garage that I’ve been saving for a Grom.
Sources: Bloomberg, Business Today, Carblog India, The Hindu, Jawa Motorcycles