Royal Enfield Classic 350 Vs Jawa 42: Specification Comparison

Indians have always had a huge fascination for retro-styled commuters, so much so that these possessions mean a lot more than just a bike. Indicative of customer’s emotions with these bikes is the tonnes of customized accessories that are available in the market, though the Royal Enfield has been the sole representative of the segment for some time now, the arrival of brands like Jawa has definitely meant that the competition has got a lot stiffer.

This article aims at comparing how well the Jawa 42 (which we believe is a direct competitor up against RE’s most famous offering, Classic 350) weighs up against RE’s most significant offering.

Dimensions

Bike/Dimensions	Weight (kg)	Length (mm)	Width (mm)	Height (mm)
RE Classic 350	195	2160	790	1090
Jawa 42	172	2122	789	1165

While the length, width and height stand at almost similar value, the weight difference between the two comes across as the stand-out highlight of the table, and it is a critical factor that comes into consideration as far as power delivery is concerned.

Engine Options

Bike/Engine Traits	RE Classic 350	Jawa 42
Engine Displacement	346 cc, air-cooled unit	293 cc, liquid-cooled unit
Power	20.07 PS	26.51 PS
Torque	28 Nm	27.05 Nm
Gearbox	5-speed manual	6-speed manual
Fuel Efficiency (claimed)	40 kmpl	37 kmpl
Compression Ratio	8.5:1	11:1

 

• As the table suggests, Jawa 42 gets a smaller engine but fares much better in terms of performance output. It also gets a 6-speed manual gearbox in comparison to Classic 350’s 5-speed gearbox.
• The ARAI claimed fuel efficiency figures of both the bikes stand at a similar figure close to 40 kmpl, which is a decent number, considering the price segment.
• Also as mentioned in the dimensions chart, Jawa 42 weighs a substantial 23 kilograms lesser than RE Classic 350, which when combined with higher power output, translates into a higher power-to-weight ratio, which means that Jawa 42 feels more responsive and performs better by churning out a higher power equivalent per kilogram of weight.

Features

Features/Bike	RE Classic 350	Jawa 42
Braking System	Dual-Channel ABS	Dual-Channel ABS
Speedometer	Analogue	Analogue
Odometer	Analogue	Digital
Engine Start	Electric and Kick-start	Electric start only
Instrumentation console	Analogue	Semi Digital
Engine Kill Switch	Yes	Yes

 

• If you are planning to buy either one of them, you cannot really hope for a feature fest, as both of them sport only very basic features like electric engine start and engine kill switch.
• Jawa 42 will not come across as a feature-loaded bike in isolation, it just manages to weigh up well against RE Classic 350, thanks to inclusions like semi-digital instrumentation cluster (Digital Odometer).
• It is good to see that both these bikes are being offered with dual-channel ABS.

Underpinnings

	RE Classic 350	Jawa 42
Chassis	Single Downtube	Double Cradle
Front Suspension	Telescopic	Telescopic Hydraulic Fork
Rear Suspension	Twin gas-charged shock absorbers	Twin-shock hydraulic
Front Brake	280 mm disc	280 mm disc with floating callipers
Rear Brake	153 mm disc brakes	153 mm disc brakes
Front Tyre	90/90-19”	90/90-18”
Rear Tyre	110/90-18”	120/80-17”

 

• As far as the underpinnings are concerned, it is good to see that both the bikes are being offered with front and rear disc brakes on offer, with the top trim on both the bikes.
• While both the Classic 350 and Jawa 42 get similar section tyres on the front, Jawa 42 is offered with wider section tyres on the rear end, which can be expected to offer a better grip on the road.

Price

	RE Classic 350	Jawa 42
Ex-Showroom Price (Delhi)	Rs 1.61 – 1.86 lakh	Rs 1.63-1.77 Lakhs

 

• Though there is not a significant difference between the introductory price of the two, RE Classic 350 is offered at a marginally cheaper price tag.
• We believe, this parameter again is advantage Jawa 42, with the top dual-channel ABS-equipped trim retailing at a price of around Rs 9,000 less than its Royal Enfield Counterpart.

Note: It is important to note that the pricing of both bikes changes according to the different city and colour option. 

Conclusion

 While the Royal Enfield has been the dream ride for a majority of Indian bike buyers for the past few decades now, the last couple of years have witnessed an exponential shoot in the popularity of Royal Enfield.

Unfortunately, it has been sad to see that the quality levels and features on offers have not improved even with the boosted sales,  which gives a sense of recklessness towards customer’s conscience. However, it is great to see that redemption of a popular brand like Jawa, with a promising Jawa 42 which looks good on paper.

Royal Enfield for sure has a lot of nostalgia attached with its name. However, we believe that Jawa 42 comes across as a really worthy competitor with good quality levels, more features on offer, a powerful engine, modern underpinnings and gearbox and seriously should be considered before the Classic 350 especially if service network will not be a matter of concern.