Jawa 42 2.1 BSVI Road Test Review , Classic Legend takes on Modern Classic Segment yet again!
The year 2020, was somewhat like a double trouble for automotive industry, with BS VI emission norms coming into act, spending tons of money on Research & development and Covid-19 bringing the whole world to a halt, OEMs had a tough 2020 for sure. In India too, as we know it, everything thing stood still those 12-14 weeks. Some waited for the fate to decide their future, while a few thought otherwise. A few of those belong to Classic Legend’s R&D team, they used this time, to
make the Jawa’s powertrain breathe better in terms of engine performance ,well in terms of design, they worked on enhancing the vintage classic look with some new accessories & a couple of design changes.
Let’s dive into ‘The New Jawa Forty Two’, Jawa Motorcycles latest addition to their India line-up. Don’t get confused between the ‘Jawa Forty Two’ & the ‘New Jawa Forty Two, both are separate models, to be sold besides one-another along with the Jawa Jawa. So what’s different between the two, you might now ask. Well here it goes. In terms of Design, the New Jawa Forty Two is a classier looking version with practical updates to the BS VI Forty two launched a couple of months before. The New Forty Two promises to full-fill all your incomplete dreams, the forty-two couldn’t manage to. The moment you see the New Forty Two, you’ll notice the new 13-spoked alloy wheel setup it comes equipped with, solving your worries about it getting punctured & getting yourself stuck in the middle of the road. You will also notice the Head-lamp now comes with a stylish Grill & a small Fly screen sitting above it, adding to its retro looks.
Though, both the grill & fly screen would be sold as an accessory. The engine, frame, grab handle & alloy wheels all come in an all new powder-coated black finishing, adding to its premium looks. The grab handle design too has been updated on the New Forty-Two, making it a multipurpose mount. Jawa has launched accessories like Pillion backrest, top rack, saddle stays which can be installed on this grab handle, using the mounts on it. The new Forty Two will be available in 3 new distinct colour option; Matte Red, Matte White & Matte Black, all with a grey racing strip that starts form the front mudguard, goes across the tank & tail panel paying tribute to the original classic Forty Two. The bar-end mirrors come as a stock setup on the New Forty Two, and A 42 branding sits on the tank’s race strip & the side panels, announcing its name, to all who shall stare at it arrive. It definitely looks stunning, will take you back to the ‘70s instantly.
That’s what customers want, is what we learnt from Royal Enfield story. No matter how modern you be, you want your vehicle to look nostalgic & vintage, that’s when it starts ringing a bell, because it takes you back to your childhood days. So, yeah, the New Forty Two definitely looks much more premium & retro-themed than Jawa ever was, but that’s not all that they did in the Covid lockdowns. Jawa engineers have worked on the suspension setup, to offer better damping & high-speed stability & control to the rider, making it an even sweeter ride than it ever was. The seat bucket too has been re-designed to offer more cushioning & comfort to the rider planning to ride for a long haul, and I can definitely say, it works like magic. 120kms on a bright sunny day in Lavasa through the corners, the good & bad roads, the New Forty Two left us with a smile only on my face. The 90/90-18 section tyre upfront & 120/80-17 section tyre on the rear are tube-less type & are supplied by MRF enhancing its touring abilities. The R&D team, also worked on the braking front, the 280mm disk upfront now provides better bite & feedback, but it was already great, the problem was the rear brake bite, and I am happy to tell you guys that it’s much more responsive with improved bite, to give you more confidence while riding it.
The Jawa was never meant for high-speed corners, but today’s road infrastructure is built as per them. The earlier Jawa owners always complained of low ground clearance during corners, with the side stand become a barrier on the left-handers, the exhaust canister blocked the right-handers. Jawa has also worked on these issues, with an all new side-stand design, to improve the clearance by a good 8-10mm in corners. It certainly seems to do the job, but it isn’t enough, you shall still end up scrapping your side-stand & exhausts on decent corners. Though, the ride quality is stable & planted even in corners, inspiring control & confidence.
But, the thing that, surprised most of us, I guess would definitely be the performance, the new Engine performs.
Well, let me get that right, it’s the same 300cc single cylinder DOHC engine, producing the same 27Nm Torque & 27PS of power, but all this power is generated & delivered very linearly & aggressively than before. Jawa engineers re-worked on the Engine Head exhaust port design, to create World’s first Single cylinder Cross-valve design that delivers power as if you are riding a bike with a free-flow exhaust. The New design, allows the exhaust valves to work at a much lower back-pressure than before, allowing gases to escape in a much faster way, allowing the engine to overall speed up the power generation & delivery process. The throttle is crispier now, you have power on demand, throughout the rev range, earlier it felt sluggish.
This new Engine head design has upgraded the overall ride experience of the Forty Two, it feels much more powerful & quick in the mid rev ranges going up-to peak rpms. Vibes are felt as you climb up the rev-range, but they aren’t that annoying, rather the ride experience will not let you think about those. This 300cc mill delivers a mileage of 35-40kmpl, which is good its segment. These are the best performance figures, in terms of 300cc single cylinders manufactured in India.
In terms of features, there isn’t much to talk of here. The Speedo-meter console design is updated now, and offers much better visibility to the rider. Its looks pretty classic, but comes loaded with features only like Digital Odometer & 2 trip meters, analogue Speedometer & fuel gauge, and warning lights for Check Engine, Engine over-heating, Neutral indicator and side-indicators.
Though, I missed having a tachometer, also in times when every manufacturer is moving towards providing navigation support & Bluetooth connectivity, the Classic Legends are still shy of all those. Other than this, it gets the Dual channel ABS by continental, which isn’t very intrusive, allowing you to enjoy your ride, uninterrupted, well most of the times. Built quality is something Classic Legends needs to stringently look after, the bar-end mirrors got loose during our test ride, I guess the vibes did that, but applying thread-lock would have helped here. Other than that, the welding joints could have been a bit cleaner, which to some, might be a problem.
Overall, the New Forty Two positions itself as a much more practical & classic looking Jawa for the Long tourer in you. All these updates & upgrades have made it a much more practical option, with options for customization from the factory line, making the deal sweeter than ever before. Also, the prices aren’t yet out, but we expect the New Forty Two to retail with just a premium of 8-10k over the BS-VI Forty Two, making it very accessible too. The New Forty Two is better in all terms, may it be looks or performance. I ll leave you here to think upon a statement, performance is not a drink that suits all, to most, classic nostalgia works any day every day.
