Jawa Bikes in India

Beginning in 1960, the Jawa brand was sold in India under the Ideal Jawa brand. The Jawa motorcycles start with the price of Rs 1,74,573. Jawa recently started its second innings in India under the Classic Legends brand, where it sells the 300cc Jawa Forty Two and Standard.

About the company

Frantisek Janecek founded Jawa in 1929 in Prague, the Czech Republic’s capital. He bought Wanderer’s motorcycle division, and the name ‘Jawa’ is a combination of his first two letters and Wanderer.

Before 1980, Jawa was present in the Indian market and enjoyed a significant market following alongside competitors such as Royal Enfield and Rajdoot. Jawa participated in numerous rallies and races across India. The fact that Jawa bikes were performance bikes at affordable prices with great looks was one of the main draws for customers back then. Jawa bikes were top-rated in the Indian Motorcycle segment between the 1960s and the early 1990s.

However, following globalisation in the 1990s, the Indian motorcycle segment saw the introduction of many two-wheeler manufacturers, mainly from Japan, as they began to see India as a potential market for growth.

Slowly and steadily, the Japanese started to gain market share, and people’s tastes shifted. The Japanese replaced the classic, bulky, and macho bikes from Jawa and Royal Enfield with easy-to-ride, compact, and frugal two-wheelers. After losing market share, Jawa eventually ceased production in 1996.

Fast forward to 2016, when Mahindra & Mahindra announced the brand’s return to India through its subsidiary Classic legends private limited. It couldn’t come at a better time for Jawa fans. In the following years, they released three new motorcycles for the Indian market, including the Jawa 42, Jawa Perak, and standard Jawa, in November 2018.

The standard model has retro styling similar to the older Jawa 250. This bike’s upright and comfortable ergonomics make it ideal for long-distance touring.

The Jawa 42, on the other hand, has a much sportier ergonomic and a lower handlebar. The Jawa 42 is distinguished by its blacked-out fork covers and altered headlight design. Furthermore, it is Rs. 9000 less expensive than the standard model. Both bikes have a 293cc DOHC liquid-cooled engine that provides excellent pick-up and acceleration. For safer rides, a single-channel ABS is installed.

The Perak is the only bobber option available, outperforming the other two and receiving several improvements. The Perak will catch your eye with its bobber-like styling, hardtail appearance, and minimalistic bodywork. The bike gets powered by a 334cc DOHC liquid-cooled engine producing 30.4PS and 31Nm. It has a rear disc brake and dual-channel ABS for safety.