Today, buying a motorcycle has become rather transactional. You see, we buy more motorcycles today than we ever have, but only a few of us really own them. That’s because it takes a certain special kind of motorcycle to make you do that. The Jawa 42 is that kind of motorcycle. It’s easily one of the coolest looking bikes around; so charmingly neo-classic and yet firmly urban.
It’s also a lot of fun to ride. The 42 has always, since its launch in 2018, stood for agile, nimble handling and that new J-Panther engine is smooth, responsive and quick enough to, well, take you back in time! Things such as its large, 13.2-litre fuel tank, 780mm seat height and high ground clearance give it tremendous versatility, the kind that makes the 42 instantly compelling. That the legend we’re meeting today takes pride in his 2024 Jawa 42 is, therefore, unsurprising.
Kunal Ranjan is a man of substance. A thinker by compulsion and, by his own admission, not a fan of the rulebook, Kunal has lived life on his own terms for as long as he can remember. He owns a Jawa 42 and he will trade it for nothing.
‘Yes, that’s true - I won’t trade my Jawa 42 for anything! My 42 is just the perfect motorcycle for me. It looks smashing, has really energetic urban performance and I love how refined and comfortable it is. To tell you the truth - I just keep finding excuses to ride it,’ he candidly expresses to us, as part of his generous introduction over our meeting at a cafe in Pune.
What’s it like to live with a bike like the 42, though? Going beyond its obvious visual appeal, that is. Kunal takes a patient route to respond. ‘All motorcycles undergo tremendous duress, and it depends a lot on your riding style as well. But, remember what I said: I love my 42, which means it’s my responsibility to take care of it, to ensure proper maintenance. That’s not a tedious thing at all - it would be, if this was a washing machine or some other appliance. My 42, however, is something I travel on. It’s something that lets me see the world. Following the correct maintenance procedures is only an extension of my love for this beautiful bike,’ he says.
We see where he’s coming from - and heartily agree, too. Every motorcycle does go through all kinds of stresses - heat, varying road conditions, friction. In that regard, a motorcycle is, indeed, a mechanical masterpiece - perhaps the highest form of mechanical performance there is. Due care and maintenance is, therefore, absolutely fundamental to a happy ownership experience.
Reminiscing about his rides across India in the recent past, Kunal adds, ‘You know, the best part of travelling on a 42 is that you have lots of peace of mind. It’s a Jawa, so there’s always a service centre around anywhere in India, and with a two-year warranty and very affordable prices for repairs and maintenance, it really is just the easiest thing to live with.’
Owning a Jawa also, invariably, instils a sense of community in owners and Kunal is no exception to this. As our conversation eases off into a calm, casual direction, it feels as if we’ve known him for years. He takes the opportunity to make a significant point. ‘For me, the hope is that more people really own their pride and joy. Today, with the Internet, it’s so easy to just write anything - people are in such a rush to jump to conclusions. Instead, if we work on developing some mechanical empathy, and really begin to understand our motorcycles, it will make the whole experience - and the community - so much happier.’
It’s this sense of depth and responsibility that sets Kunal apart from a crowd, qualifying him as a true legend - the kind we’d hoped to meet through our Stories of Legends series. Kunal represents a breed that believes in truly ‘owning’ its motorcycles. He owns the highs and the lows with a sense of positivity and constructiveness and, above all else, mirrors the sentiment that the only motorcycle you can truly own is one that owns your heart.
