Jawa 350
As a motorcyclist you must, at least once, bring home a motorcycle that completely rewrites your story. A kind of motorcycle that’s timeless, and just evocative unlike anything else. Something like the Jawa 350. That name alone is enough to take you on a journey into the glorious past and, then, when it appears before you, you’ll struggle to think of anything more beautiful.
The Jawa 350 is, firstly, just an incredibly beautiful bike. Understandably, it has you hooked before you even ride it because - just look at it - it’s so timelessly gorgeous! It represents more than just beauty, though. The Jawa 350 is all about effortless movement. It’s easy as the breeze, and just an absolute charmer; and its 334cc Apha2-t engine, with the 22.5 PS it generates, is simply the easiest thing to get addicted to.
Here’s a rare example of a motorcycle that’s as moving as the one that inspired it - and that’s not an easy thing to achieve at all. Unsurprisingly, the legend we’re meeting today is unapologetically in love with the motorcycle of his dreams.
Manas Joshi is as firmly old school as they come. The quintessential urban wanderer, Manas obsesses over his Jawa in a way few will ever understand. In his own words, the only other motorcycle he’d ever consider buying… is another Jawa 350.
When we meet him after his routine Sunday ride on a sunny morning in Pune, he immediately begins reeling off the sentiments his Jawa 350 evokes. ‘You know, for me, the Jawa 350 feels like it’s tailormade. I actually bought one just for my Sunday morning rides, but now, it takes me everywhere - to my office, to meet friends; my poor car barely gets used!,’ he says, in the process comfortably breaking the ice.
Continuing on his ownership experience he says, ‘See, this is the perfect representation of what the old Jawa used to be like, but with all the sophistication you’d expect from a modern machine. From the discs, the fuel-injection, the really comfortable suspension.. The Jawa is just made for today - even if it looks like it’s a proper vintage bike!’
We’re curious to find out if it’s his understandable bias - well, that kind of beautiful motorcycle can seriously impede objectivity, right? - but he’s quick to brush it aside. Instead, he takes an interesting approach to explaining life with a Jawa, something that definitely comes as a refreshingly passionate take on motorcycle ownership.
‘When you have the privilege of owning a beautiful bike like the Jawa, how hard is it to take the responsibility of taking care of it? This bike is literally heritage on wheels,’ he says. ‘Believe me, the after sales experience is exactly as smooth as riding it. It’s a Jawa! There are enough service centres around - anywhere in India - and although I did initially think that its powerful 334cc engine will make it expensive to maintain, that turned out to not be the case at all! It’s super affordable and the overall experience has, touch wood, always been really easy for me,’ he adds, all the while visibly at ease.
Manas’ refreshing originality isn’t limited to his Jawa alone - it extends to the motorcycle community! ‘It’s kind of unfortunate that not many people associate pride with their bikes any more,’ he says with sincere concern. ‘Okay, to each his own, but I wish people would be more considerate, towards their machines and the brands that make them. See, when an issue crops up, we need to be constructive, we need to have discussions. That’s what really improves the breed. I mean, these are bikes - not appliances,’ he concludes. That’s an important point to make, most certainly.
Our conversation over coffee with Manas made it very clear why he fits the bill of a legend - the kind we’d always hoped to meet in our Stories Of Legends series. His approach and perspective reinstils our faith in the philosophy that motorcycles - especially the really good ones - leave a mark on the people who dream about them and, often, go on to rewrite lives. Which reminds us - hey, shouldn’t that be you?
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Jawa 350 Engine From Left
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