It’s been a while since Jawa launched a new motorcycle in the Indian market mainly because its parent company- Classic Legends was focusing on its sister brand- Yezdi for the past year. Now, Jawa finally has a new motorcycle to offer in the form of the Jawa 42 Bobber. If you are asking why is there another bobber in the range when the Perak already exists, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ll be answering three main questions about the Jawa 42 Bobber. One- What are the similarities and differences between it and the Perak and two- what is the reason for its existence in the market. Also, does the introduction of this Bobber mean that the Perak will be discontinued soon?
The Differences
Let's begin by telling you what’s different about the Jawa 42 Bobber when compared to the Perak. And the most striking feature that would differentiate the two is the colours on offer.
While the Perak has always been offered as a dark-themed motorcycle adorned in matte black with gold highlights, Jawa has taken a brighter approach to the 42 Bobber. Hence, it comes with three choices of colours- white, maroon and a dual-tone red and white paint that makes it look strikingly similar to the Triumph Bonneville Bobber.
And in contrast to the Perak’s blacked-out components, the Jawa 42 Bobber gets chrome embellishments on the engine casing, exhaust tips and headlamp bezel too. Speaking of which, the Jawa 42 sports a full-LED headlamp whereas the Perak comes with a classic-looking headlamp with conventional lighting. Even the turn indicators on the Perak are conventional units while the 42 Bobber sports LEDs. Even the instrumentation is different on the two motorcycles. While the Perak comes with an analogue unit like the Jawa Classic, the 42 Bobber uses a full-digital cluster.
When it comes to bodywork, there are a few changes too. The fuel tank on the 42 Bobber comes with knee recesses and a thigh grip. It also gets inverted bar-end mirrors and a seat that Jawa claims is plusher than on the Perak. It is even offering two-step adjustability which means that the rider can move the seat forward or backward as per their preference. The brand also says that while the two motorcycles use the same cantilever-type suspension the setup on the 42 Bobber is more pliant.
In addition to differences in its colours, slight changes to styling and a supposedly better ride, the Jawa 42 Bobber also has a different riding triangle that is more relaxed compare to the Perak. It offers a different handlebar and forward set footpegs unlike the Perak’s sporty riding stance.
The Similarities
Well, underneath the new clothing, the Jawa 42 Bobber is essentially the Perak itself. Both motorcycles are based on the same platform and chassis. Moreover, the two also share the same 334cc, single-cylinder engine that transfers the 30bhp and 32.7Nm to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox.
While we are yet to ride the 42 Bobber, we know from our experience with the Perak that this motor offers good low and mid-range grunt and has enough to make quick overtakes. During our test we found it to have slight vibrations on the handlebar all through and a flat-spot from 120kmph to its top-speed of 140. We can only hope that Jawa has made improvements to the 42 Bobber in these areas, and you won’t have to wait much to know if it has because we’ll be riding the motorcycle soon.
Now, besides the engine, the 42 Bobber and Perak also share the same cycle parts. Both use a 280mm front disc and 240mm rear disc for braking accompanied by a dual-channel ABS as standard. The two motorcycles also ride on an 18/17 spoke wheel combo wrapped in 100/90 and 140/70 section tyres.
Product positioning
Now, Jawa has priced the 42 Bobber from Rs 2.06 lakh and it goes up to Rs 2.09 lakh depending on the colour you choose. The Perak which is available in one variant, costs Rs 2.09 lakh. Which brings us to the question- why have two Bobbers at similar pricing?
Having spoken to officials from Jawa, the 42 Bobber is born from the demand of customers wanting livelier colours for the Perak. But the manufacturer also took the chance and made improvements to that platform by offering modern tech and a comfier ride on the 42 Bobber.
So does this mean that the Perak be discontinued in India? Well, no. According to Jawa, the Perak will continue to be its flagship model, offering a unique aesthetic. And while it plans on keeping the Perak, Jawa is also likely to launch an all-new version of the motorcycle soon that could be offered with better features and different colours. It could also be priced higher to further set it apart from the 42 Bobber.
