Thoughts On Upcoming Jawa 300: Does RE Classic 350 Have To Be Worried?

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Upcoming Jawa 300 will compete against Royal Enfield Classic 350 and it will be powered by a 293 cc liquid-cooled engine

Jawa Motorcycles India is running a lengthy teaser campaign and fan interactions on social media ahead of its market re-entry on November 15. The company has just released another short of the

took to social media to announce its comeback, the internet was abuzz with excitement. While November 15 is just a couple of weeks away, we finally got to see the upcoming motorcycle in flesh courtesy of the test prototype caught in the open.

If Jawa were serious about taking on Royal Enfield’s entry-level motorcycles, it had to have authentic looks in a no-frills package. Glancing over the test mule, the company appears to be heading in the right direction. Despite the heavily camouflage exterior, we can really see where Jawa is trying to go with the upcoming range of motorcycles.

Jawa is certainly looking to capitalise on the popularity of some of the iconic models sold previously in India and spark a definitive sense of nostalgia. The test mule, with retro styling and minimalistic approach to design, stands in testament to that and is identical to the 350 OHC sold globally. It comprises of round-shaped headlamps, neatly positioned tank, spoked wheels, fat fenders, conventional crash guards, flat seat, etc.

Carrying on the retro theme as the Royal Enfield Classic 350, we can expect the upcoming Jawa 300 to feature analogue instrument cluster. The retro round mirrors mounted on the handlebar, dual exhaust setup, twin rear shocks and telescopic front forks are other basic features ensuring that Jawa is targetting the big market share dominated by the RE 350s.

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Jawa has already revealed details of the powertrain, as the 293 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine should be good enough to produce a maximum power output of 27 horsepower and 28 Nm of peak torque. It will have dual overhead camshafts and the engine could be tuned towards delivering good amount of torque across the rev band.

Said to be made out of scratch, it is connected to a six-speed transmission. The BSVI compliant engine has been developed overseas with expertise in India, and it is expected to share several elements with Mahindra Mojo. Despite having similarities with the engine, the upcoming retro motorcycle is different from Mojo in a number of ways and is based on a new architecture pertaining to the India-bound Jawa range.

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The bike will have a single-channel ABS system as well, apart from the conventional braking unit, and it will be offered from the get go. It rides on MRF tyres and has conventional box section swingarm setup. The Jawa 300 will likely undercut RE Classic 350 with prices starting at around Rs. 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom).

It is the first prominent rival of the Classic 350 in every means and whether it will be a success or not is down to how well Jawa advertises its comeback by sticking to its guns as well as the after sales support more importantly.