Power is a simple concept, in both mathematical as well as literal form. But the question that applies to both kinds of power is how much power do you really need? We all like to imagine us having the power to change things, and let’s not get started on how much power an enthusiast needs from their motorcycle. That being said, we also know that power is nothing without control, and these two thoughts seem to have been the guiding force behind the development of the new Jawa 350. It has less power and better suspension, among a multitude of other changes. Does it make a better motorcycle, not just for the average Joe, but power-hungry enthusiasts? We rode the new motorcycle at the Rann of Kutch to find out more.

The Jawa 350 strikes a handsome pose, with clean, elegant lines and shapely bodywork including the headlamp cowl, a classic teardrop tank and sculpted side panels. The Jawa Jawa it replaces was a direct homage to the original Jawa 250 Type 353 manufactured by Ideal Jawa in India under licence from 1962 to 1973. The Jawa 350 follows this same design, just everything is larger. It’s hard to tell the difference between this and the Jawa Jawa, which could be both a good or a bad thing, depending on one’s perspective.

Once astride the 350, things are different, though. The larger dimensions have vacated more space for taller riders and I quickly got comfortable in the saddle. The geometry is sportier than one would expect by looking at it, with a low handlebar and mildly rear-set footpegs. The seat height is up by 25mm to 790mm and the ground clearance is increased as well. Jawa has also reinforced the seat base to stop it from flexing, thus reducing fatigue on longer rides. We can vouch for this and the seat comfort, even after riding close to 300km all day. 

It doesn’t bother with technology, being an out-and-out retro motorcycle, which is exemplified by an analogue speedo ( it has a reverse sweep needle, like old-school Smiths dials) and an analogue fuel gauge. The build quality and fit and finish levels have considerably improved over its predecessor as well.

The biggest change is the engine, now displacing 334cc. It uses the same block found in the 42 Bobber and the Perak but displays different characteristics. Jawa has lowered the compression ratio to 9.5:1 from 11:1, which along with a different cam profile and timing has resulted in the lower power output of 22.6PS but a higher peak torque of 28.1Nm (27.3PS/26.8Nm on the Jawa Jawa). The torque curve is flatter as well, and Jawa has shortened the second, third and fourth gear ratios as well as the final drive, making the motorcycle feel more energetic. It also gets a new slip and assist clutch, which coupled with the shorter gearing encourages hooligan behaviour, and allows you to seamlessly shift up and down the gears in rapid succession.

The clutch pull is softer than before and the moment you let it out, the 350 leaps forward, belying its 194kg kerb weight (22kg heavier than the Jawa Jawa). The oversquare motor is eager to rev, which is slightly out of character for a pure retro motorcycle like the Jawa 350, but I am not complaining as the 350 is a hoot to ride. The fueling on the 350 is improved as well, courtesy of the larger 38mm throttle body and a higher-pressure fuel pump. It offers good part-throttle response without any snatch at lower revs. In-gear acceleration has improved quite a bit as well, which doesn’t come as a surprise. Cruising at 80kmph in 6th gear on the arrow-straight blacktops, I experienced negligible vibes except slight buzzing through the footpegs. 

Jawa has tweaked the chassis to accommodate the larger mill while extending both suspensions. The front is now more compliant than before and soaks up road imperfections easily, but the rebound damping on the rear, though much improved from the crashy nature of the Jawa Jawa, is still a tad bit sharper than ideal. Compression damping is on the money, so a slightly softer rebound on the rear should work wonders. We did ride it off-road and over patchy tarmac without any discomfort.

The longer suspension has in turn created a longer wheelbase, which results in lazier handling, which suits the character of the motorcycle just fine. Both tyres are wider by 10mm and it is easy to scrape the pegs if you’re not careful. The brake feel is improved thanks to higher friction pads. It now comes with dual-channel ABS as standard.

Specs and bragging rights are important, so it may not be easy for Jawa to convince prospective buyers to part with Rs 2.15 lakh of their hard-earned money, as the older Jawa Jawa started at Rs 1.82 lakh (both prices ex-showroom). But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and a test ride is likely to convince most people. It feels like the improvements were cleverly disguised, to the point those only become apparent once astride the motorcycle. On the other hand, the charm of the Jawa 350 is completely different from the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Honda CB350 H’ness – its direct rivals in terms of price and performance. Jawa, instead of going the power-hungry route, has instead opted for control and restraint, which is commendable. They have managed to, dare I say, capture the essence of the original Type 353’s relaxed nature better than the Jawa Jawa ever did!

The post Jawa 350: First Ride Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

There’s a long history of association between motorcycles and rock music, so it makes sense that Jawa Yezdi is the ride partner for Mahindra Independence Rock since its revival last year. Independence Rock (or I-Rock as it was known as earlier) in 1986 in Mumbai, but it went on a 9-year hiatus in 2014. Since it restarted in 2022, it has been renamed Mahindra Independence Rock, and Jawa Yezdi has been a partner.

This year’s edition was also action-packed, with riders from Pune forming a posse to attend the concert, with the Bombay gang rendezvousing with them at Bombay Coffee House. From there, a ceremonial ride started for the venue of the music festival, at the Eastern Waterfront. Boman Irani, Co-founder and Director of Classic Legends, the parent company behind the Jawa and Yezdi motorcycle brands himself led the ride.

Once the riders reached the venue, there was an eclectic lineup of bands waiting for them, such as Bhayanak Maut, Girish and the Chronicles and Pineapple Express on November 04, followed by Agam, Swarathma and Parikrama on November 05.

The motorcycling culture in India is stronger than ever, and it is great to see that the Indian rock music scene is alive and well!

The post Jawa Yezdi Celebrates second year of association with Mahindra Independence Rock first appeared on Turbocharged.

The Oxford dictionary defines ‘Retro’ as the act of using styles or fashion from the recent past. While retro fashion has been in vogue since the early nineties, it is during the past decade that retro motorcycles have taken over. They are quite the craze today, even amongst the younger lot. It’s interesting as the retro theme has always surfed on the wave of nostalgia, a feeling the millennial generation are not quite familiar with. A good example is the popularity of Stranger Things, a Netflix-series set in the 80s, with the under-30 crowd; somehow, it’s quite popular with a generation born after the 80s. Fascinating, isn’t it? The two-wheeler world is not much different, with retro-styled motorcycles being one of the fastest-growing segments, not just in India, but around the world. That said, today’s young motorcycle enthusiasts are a discerning crowd, they want to have their cake and eat it too. So, retro motorcycles need to have the old-school looks alongwith the dynamics and performance of modern motorcycles, to suit the younger audiences. Anyone who has ridden a drum-brake-equipped old bike to 100kmph has seen their guardian angels, standing by the side of the road helplessly, frantically waving at them to slow down – that just won’t cut it today. 

There are a few retro motorcycles that cater to this younger generation and we brought three of them together to understand the trend better. This trio comprised the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Metro, the Jawa 42 and the Triumph Speed 400. Three motorcycles built on the same ethos but offering a unique charm of their own. 

Let’s begin with the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 – a motorcycle that captured my attention the day I joined TURBOCHARGED, as it was a longtermer parked at the office. The Hunter has a beautifully sculpted tank with knee-recesses, a curvy seat, and a small round tail lamp with a round headlamp – Royal Enfield knocked it out of the park in the design of the Hunter. A low seat height, and the slightly rear-set footpegs combined with an upright and wide handlebar, make the Hunter comfortable for a wide variety of riders as well. On the other hand, The looks of the Jawa are spot-on for that old-school vibe. The tear-drop fuel tank and the low, wide handlebar make the stance decidedly old-school, but the square-ish tail lamp looks a tad out of place. The 42 has the ignition key slot located on the side and a separate handle-lock which, while taking away from the convenience a smidge, adds oodles of retro charm! The design of the Triumph Speed 400 though, follows in the footsteps of its big brother – the Speed Twin, with the same overall stance – even the speedo needle is white and the drive chain is on the right side – both Triumph signature touches. The riding posture feels just right, a sentiment echoed by both Ben and Ritesh – one being shorter and the other, taller than me.

The Hunter’s USP is its ability to make you feel instantly comfortable – even if you have never ridden this motorcycle before. That quality makes the Hunter 350 one of the best beginner retro motorcycles out there, I feel. Add to that the unflappable stability and the nimbleness thanks to the modern 17-inch tyres and a plateau of torque you crest like a surfer on a neverending breaker – your smile becomes wider and wider inside your helmet until your jaw hurts! The fact that Royal Enfield managed to free up some extra sound from the J-Series engine for the Hunter just adds to the experience. I am just nitpicking here, but the clutch is still pretty heavy, though much better than older Enfields, and the tyres could be better.

Once we reached the hilltop viewpoint, we sat down at one of those roadside tea stalls and tried to warm ourselves up with some hot Maggi and chai. Despite the weather trying its best to play spoilsport, the fresh, earthy, rain-soaked air lifted our spirits. I had been eying the Jawa 42 for a while, particularly the sound of its exhaust on closed throttle, so I asked Ritesh to switch bikes with me, and got the keys of the Jawa from him.

Fire the Jawa up, and a soft burble greets you with the twin exhausts puttering away in harmony. The clutch is light and while the rear suspension feels a bit stiff at times over the pockmarked Ghat roads, the other old-school element, the 18-inch tyres add a dash of extra stability. The Jawa is happiest at middling speeds be it on the highway or in the city; though it will hit the tonne effortlessly, it will also let you know that you are missing the point of the bike. But cruising on it, occasionally closing the throttle to hear the glorious pops from the twin exhausts, you feel everything’s right with the world.

The Jawa takes you back to a simpler, unhurried period in time with a heady dose of nostalgia in just the right places. But other than that, it is thoroughly modern, with sorted dynamics a beginner would feel comfortable with at once. 

On the way back, I felt it was all going to be downhill, literally and figuratively, as this day was coming to an end, so to enliven the return trip, I asked Ben to swap bikes with me and got on the Triumph Speed 400 in the process. Ever since it launched, I had been itching to get some seat time on it, but never in my wildest imagination could I envision myself on a rain-soaked mountain road going downhill as my first chance to get acquainted with it.

The moment I got on it, the riding geometry felt just right. The clutch was featherlight, and so was the brake lever, which is a sensation I’m not used to. Yet, the brake feel was amazing, thanks to the radial calliper. The Speed 400 has a distinct big-bike feel about it, which makes it an ideal step up for someone upgrading to a mid-capacity motorcycle from a smaller one.

It however, is rather quick, which makes it less ideal for you to start your motorcycling journey with. The mid-range punch is exhilarating, but if the throttle is kept open, there’s an explosion of power on the higher part of the rev range, and you hit the limiter before you realise it is time to shift up. The suspension has a sophisticated feel to the damping, which was easy to experience on some of the more broken bits of tarmac we traversed. 

The three motorcycles are priced quite differently, but the Hunter with a starting price of just Rs 1.5 lakh, ex-showroom, and Rs 1.75 lakh for the Rebel Blue Metro Hunter as our test bike, it offers amazing value-for-money. The Jawa is easy on the pocket too, with prices starting at Rs 1.72 lakh, ex-showroom and our Allstar Black alloy-wheel equipped example costing Rs 1.97 lakh, ex-showroom. It is also available in a plethora of combinations – spoked wheels, integrated headlamp – the Jawa is a veritable à la carte menu of how retro you want your motorcycle to be. At Rs 2.33 lakh, ex-showroom, the Speed 400 is the most expensive of the bunch, but the top-notch cycle parts, the gutsy engine and the premium cachet of the Triumph badge make it a proper value-for-money proposition.

At the day’s end, standing at yet another roadside tea stall, I couldn’t help but smile, looking at the three bikes with their engines ticking cool. Regardless of which one you go for, there’s no loser here, only winners. Be it the approachability of the Enfield, the charm of the Jawa or the performance of the Triumph, these bikes will bring smiles to their owners, and at the end of the day, that’s what motorcycling is all about.

The post Retro-active first appeared on Turbocharged.

First we must talk about the name – it has nothing to do with the TV show depicting a grim future, instead it is a reference to the gorgeous mirror-like chrome finish on the top half of the tank, and matte black dominating the rest of the motorcycle. Apart from the colour, there are a few other cosmetic changes such as redesigned gear and engine covers and a new set of diamond-cut alloy wheels.

Coming to the crux of the matter, the mechanical changes, which start with a much larger throttle body, measuring 38mm as opposed to the previous 33mm one. The idling rpm has been lowered to 1,350 from 1,500. To complement these changes, there’s a brand-new fuel map for the Black Mirror.

Rest of the engine remains the same, with the 334cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor pumping out 29.9PS and 32.7Nm, sent to the ground via a six-speed transmission and an assist-and-slipper clutch.

The only reasonable competition to the Jawa 42 Bobber is the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

The post Jawa 42 Bobber gets a Black Mirror version at Rs 2.25 lakh first appeared on Turbocharged.