Exclusive: Jawa, Jawa 42 First Ride Review: Top Speed 140, Stiff Suspension & Much More

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Jawa Motorcycles made a big initial impact upon its revival but do they live up to expectations on the real world? Find out here!

The reentry of Jawa Motorcycles into India created a prodigious tingle among retro bike enthusiasts and the hype was well worth when the Czech brand brought together namesake Jawa, Forty Two and Perak. Introduced midway through last month, prospective customers started calling the trio “Royal Enfield killer” with the initial impressions.

But, how the key duo Jawa and Fort Two fared on the road was the next jig in the puzzle before the aftersales support and service, as the prices were though to be nothing but spot on. As we are absent at the media ride, these are some of the details we managed to gather from our sources regarding the two motorcycles.

These are the first findings from one of the reviewers presented at the national media ride:
Firstly, the all important engine which has received a mixed response for its exhaust note. While majority tended towards the authentic beat, the nostalgic band does prefer a more old-school aural experience. On a straightforward note, it does have a distinguished exhaust.

Exhaust Note Video :

The powertrain has been called “decent” in terms of performance with main focus on the initial grunt with emphasis on low- and mid-range. Courtesy of the six-speed transmission, the cruising can be comfortable at speeds between 80 and 110 kmph but vibration kicks in when the top speed of 135-140 kmph is reached. More than anything, the engine is based on Mahindra Mojo’s platform but it does not have its significant advantages.

For instance, the decently performing engine does not possess as good a throttle response as the Mojo besides more than considerable vibration at its maximum speed. He also mentioned that Mojo’s powerplant “felt more exciting” to ride and that it did provide better comfort too. The suspension was on the stiffer side and it was exacerbated by the narrow and thin seats.

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These factors were enough to suggest that the duo are not as well setup as its RE competitors for longer saddle time. In other words, the Jawa and Forty Two can be credited for being better motorcycles to ride on city conditions as the handling characteristics are well suited. However, the glaring lack of equipment like rear disc brake, unlike ABS equipped prototypes at the launch, does not justify their price tag.

Overall, the Jawa was observed to be expensive by Rs. 12-15,000 and won’t pose a threat to entry-level Royal Enfield Classic and Thunderbird range.

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But, reserve your judgement until we bring a comprehensive review of the Jawa and Forty Two with mileage, performance and real-world tests.

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Overall
jawa-jawa-42-first-ride-review-top-speed-135-stiff-suspension-much-moreJawa Motorcycles made a big initial impact upon its revival but do they live up to expectations on the real world? Find out here! The reentry of Jawa Motorcycles into India created a prodigious tingle among retro bike enthusiasts and the hype was well worth...