Royal Enfield’s most recent entrant, the Goan Classic 350, competes directly against the Jawa 42 Perak which has been in the market for a long time. Although both bikes are quite different in many aspects, if you’re still confused between the two, here’s a quick on-paper comparison.
Engine
This is the area which significantly differentiates these bikes. The Classic 350 is aimed at delivering a more relaxed, torque-rich riding experience with a simpler, long-stroke 349cc, air-cooled engine that produces 19.9bhp and 27Nm. It comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. The 42 Perak, on the other hand, runs on a more performance-oriented and modern 334cc, liquid-cooled engine which makes more power and torque at 29.5bhp and 32.7Nm, respectively. Transmission duties are handled by a six-speed gearbox.
Cycle parts
The 42 Perak seems like a sportier offering even in terms of cycle parts. It rides on a smaller 18-17-inch wheel combination, weighs much less at 175kg (kerb), and sits much lower with a ground clearance of just 145mm. However, the latter could make the underbelly more susceptible to scraping while riding on undulated surfaces.
The Goan Classic, meanwhile, might feel slightly lazier with a larger 19-inch front wheel, much higher kerb weight of 197kg, and a higher-slung stance with a ground clearance of 170mm. While the fuel tank capacity of the Classic stands at 13 litres, the 42 Bobber has a tank bigger by a litre. Both bikes have an accessible seat height of 750mm (Classic) and 740mm (42 Bobber).
Features
Both bikes get full LED lighting, dual-channel ABS, and a USB Type-C charging port. While the instrument cluster of the 42 Bobber is a fully digital unit, it misses out on Bluetooth connectivity, something that the Goan Classic 350 has been equipped with. The latter gets a Tipper pod which can be connected to the rider’s smartphone for accessing turn-by-turn navigation. The Bobber compensates for that with the availability of an assist and slipper clutch.
Price
The Jawa 42 Bobber is the more affordable offering of the two with its prices starting from Rs. 2.09 lakh and going up to Rs. 2.29 lakh. On the other hand, Royal Enfield sells the Goan Classic 350 in two variants – Single Tone and Dual Tone and these are pegged at Rs. 2.35 lakh and Rs. 2.38 lakh, respectively (All prices are ex-showroom)
