Jawa Motorcycles has launched its latest offering, the 350. It is the successor to the previously available Jawa Classic. Now, with a larger engine and tweaked dimensions, the new Jawa 350 rivals the Royal Enfield Classic 350. So, we have compared both bikes on paper, and here are the results.
Design
Both, the Jawa 350 and the Royal Enfield Classic 350, have thoroughbred retro design cues. The two evoke an old-school feeling with their round headlight(s), teardrop-shaped fuel tank, chrome finishing on the exhaust, mirrors, and other places, and spoke wheels. Of course, looks are subjective and here, it is quite difficult to choose between the Jawa 350 and the Royal Enfield Classic 350, since the two look equally good. The one cosmetic piece that some buyers may find slightly more enticing on the Jawa 350 is the dual pea-shooter exhaust setup.
Features
The setup is quite old-school on both the 350cc bikes. These get bulb illumination, analogue instrument console, ABS, and a side stand sensor. However, the Classic 350 is a step ahead with its digital inset for the fuel level reading.
Engine
One of the major updates for the Jawa bike is its new 350cc engine. This one is a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled mill and it makes 22bhp and 28.2Nm of peak torque. It is linked to a six-speed gearbox and gets a slip-and-assist clutch. On the other hand, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 uses a 349cc, air/oil-cooled engine and it makes 20.2bhp and a torque of 27Nm. It is linked to a five-speed gearbox. Here, the Jawa motor not only makes more power but also has more torque, comes with liquid cooling, and gets an extra cog too.
Hardware
While the two retro rivals get telescopic front forks and dual rear shocks, the Jawa 350 gets 135mm travel at the front, whereas the Classic 350 gets 130mm. Royal Enfield offers six-step preload adjustability, while the Jawa 350’s rear springs get five steps.
The braking hardware on the Jawa 350 includes a 280mm front and 240mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS. These are mounted on 18-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke wheels wrapped in 100/90 front and 130/80 rear tyres, respectively. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 gets a 300mm front and 270mm rear disc mounted on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke wheels. Moreover, the Classic 350 gets 100/90 and 120/80 rear tyres.
Thus, the Jawa 350 uses a smaller wheel setup, which should make it more flickable and offer sportier handling. Meanwhile, the Classic 350’s larger wheels make its handling a tad lazy but offer more stability.
Price
The asking price for the Jawa 350 is Rs. 2,14,950, while the Royal Enfield Classic 350 retails from Rs. 1,93,080 (both ex-showroom, Delhi) onwards. Its top-spec model costs Rs. 2,24,755 (both ex-showroom, Delhi).
