The updates are mostly concentrated on the aesthetics department but it also involves a change in exhaust downtube design
The Honda CB350 and Royal Enfield Meteor 350 set off what is turning out to be a action packed competition in the 350 cc segment. Jawa can’t afford to stay indifferent for long and hence the update.
The 2021 Jawa 42 with quite a few updates has been launched at INR 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom). This is about Rs 12k expensive than the current Jawa 42 dual ABS variant (Rs 1.72 lakh) and Rs 21k expensive than the single ABS Jawa 42 (Rs 1.63 lakh).
2021 Jawa 42 – What’s new?
The first thing you notice are the alloy wheels and replacement of chrome elements with black finish. While the shiny treatment was widely preferred for retro-classic motorcycles, the customer preference seems to be shifting towards black finish which is easier to maintain and has a sportier appeal.
The updated Jawa 42 also receives two new colour options in the form of matte red and matte black. The existing colour options have been carried forward as well. There is a new wider eccentric decal strip on the fuel tank and tailpiece.
The 2021 Jawa 42 also comes with a range of new optional accessories including a compact windshield, headlamp grille, handlebar end-mounted rear view mirrors, white rim stripes and so on. Tyres are now tubeless.
Specifications
Given that Jawa Motorcycles upgraded its product portfolio to BS6 emission standards last year, it is surprising that the engine has been carried forward with changes. To recap, the Jawa 42 is powered by Mahindra Mojo-derived single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 295 cc engine which is tuned to develop 26.51 hp and 27 Nm of torque. Transmission is a 6-speed unit. The new Jawa 42 gets a more refined version of the same unit, which now delivers 0.8 hp more power.
The retro-classic roadster continues to be equipped with regular telescopic front forks and twin rear shock absorber. While both front and rear wheels are retarded by a disc each, the base version makes do with a single-channel ABS as standard. Buyers can also opt for dual-channel system for around INR 9,000 more.
In the new colour scheme with black treatment, you can only buy the dual ABS as single ABS option is not available. Existing range of Jawa 42 will continue to be on sale as is, with the same pricing as before.
Rivals
The 2021 Jawa 42 will continue to lock horns with Honda H’ness CB350 and Royal Enfield Classic 350 which is due for replacement shortly. The CB350 has managed to clock 10,000 unit sales in just 3 months despite being sold only through Honda’s BigWing premium outlets whose territorial coverage is much smaller compared to Jawa’s dealership network.
With a new CB350 RS variant scheduled to be launched next week, the model’s prospects are expected to get even brighter. So, the Jawa 42 has got its work cut out but the updates are a step in the right direction.
