Photography: Pawan Dagia
The Rann of Kutch is breathtaking, simply put! Wondering why are we here? To test ride the new Jawa 350! But the sheer beauty of the Rann is making it tough for me to focus on the motorcycle! If you happen to visit this place, you will see why. Nonetheless, onto the task at hand! The motorcycle is almost completely new but what it entails, what all does it offer with the updates, is not what you had expected.
The new Jawa 350 looks as good as before, with bits of chrome all around. Our test bike was done in maroon and the gleaming chrome fuel tank looks just stunning along with the classic-looking front and rear fenders. Overall, the design of the motorcycle is as retro as it can get, with minimal changes.
Also Read: 2024 Jawa 350 Review
The rather good-looking windscreen, which is a little more than just a showpiece. It does a fair job of deflecting the wind around your helmet.
Rest, the round headlight, the retro speedometer, which reads from right to left and the single-piece seat stay the same as before.
The Jawa 350, as the name suggests, gets the 334 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. The power output on the motorcycle reduces from 27 bhp to 22 bhp at 7,000 rpm. The torque output stays the same at 28.1 Nm coming in fully at 5,000 rpm. Jawa took a conscious decision to increase the displacement and reduce the output so as to mange engine heat and offer better grunt and rideability.
Also Read: 2024 Jawa 350 Launched In India
The kerb weight of the motorcycle also grows from 184 kg on the older model to 194 kg on this model. The overall performance of the bike could have been a little better, considering the engine is all-new.
Vibrations do persist, but they are felt prominently only after 90 kmph on the footpegs and the handlebar. Till 90 kmph, the bike feels smooth.
Jawa has also made the front suspension on the new 350 taller, and the dimension of the front fork goes up from 31 mm to 35 mm. Similarly, the rear shock absorbers are taller too, which result in the ground clearance increasing to 178 mm.
The wheelbase of the motorcycle increases by 120 mm which means it feels slightly more stable and yet, retains its agility when manoeuvring through traffic. The ride quality of the bike is slightly on the stiffer side, but no reason to complain.
In fact, if you go over broken roads at high speeds, you will be fine and the touring capabilities of the new Jawa 350 is quite good.
The bike also gets wider tyres than before which offer better grip and help the rider feel more confident while riding at speed or taking corners.
Priced at Rs. 2.15 lakh (ex-showroom), the Jawa 350 straight up, goes against the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Bullet 350 and the Honda CB350. The modern classic motorcycle segment is on an upwards trajectory and how. And the Jawa 350, it offers decent performance, packs decent enough punch, and yes, it is a little low on features but that shouldn’t be your concern anyway.
