Royal Enfield will face competition from Jawa Motorcycles starting this year
Anand Mahindra, on 28 June, tweeted about the imminent resurrection of Jawa Motorcycles in India. The chairman of Mahindra Group has now confirmed, via a tweet, that the first Jawa motorcycle will arrive this year.
Replying to a tweet asking how long will people have to wait for Jawa motorcycles, Anand Mahindra responded, “Happening this year...”. While the launch is imminent, Mahindra hasn’t revealed any details about the mechanicals or the model-types for the domestic market.
Jawa Moto launched two new bikes in the Czech market – Jawa 350 OHC and Jawa 350 Special. Both bikes use a 397 cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke engines. However, a March 2018 report suggests that Mahindra will employ the Mojo-sourced 295 cc engine on the Jawa motorcycles. That said, Mahindra has confirmed that the company will focus on premium motorcycles and the bikes will retail through a dedicated Jawa dealership network.
The Jawa 350 Special and 350 OHC use a Shineray-sourced 397 cc, single-cylinder motor. The motor is capable of producing a maximum power of 27 bhp at 6,500 rpm and a peak torque of 30 Nm at 6,000 rpm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Jawa 350 Special has a top speed of 128 kph and the bike weighs 160 kg. It features disc brakes at both the ends with single-channel ABS as standard.
The Jawa 350 Special, introduced in May 2018, is a café racer motorcycle for the European markets. On the other hand, the Jawa 350 OHC is a modern classic street bike launched in the Czech Republic in May 2017. The 350 OHC features a disc brake at the front and a drum brake at the rear with single-channel ABS.
Also Read: 2018 Jawa 350 Special unveiled in Europe
Mahindra Group owns rights to the BSA and Jawa brands through its subsidiary, Classic Legends Private Limited (CLPL) for the Indian and a few Asian markets. The company will retail Jawa and BSA branded motorcycles under license in this region. Mahindra could be developing an entirely new product line under the Jawa brand for this purpose, unlike any Jawa Moto products available in Europe. The Jawa motorcycles will rival Royal Enfield bikes and it will be interesting to see how Mahindra prices its two-wheeled wares in India.
