[getsurya]

They say - Once a biker, always a biker! Admit that, as I booked the Jawa 42 bike on 20th November, 2018 after a full 20 years gap of riding a bike.

As I saw the bikes rolling onto the stage during the Classic Legends launch event of Jawa, my heart fell in love instantaneously with Jawa 42! I booked it online on 20th November. The waiting period was ‘epic’ for this ‘Classic Legends’ product, after giving them the benefit of doubt and after waiting for 7 months, this Jawa 42(henceforth christened as “Don”!) came into my hands on 19th June, 2019.

The way Don happened is an interesting episode. I was at my work on a regular day and heard that one of my colleagues took his Jawa 42 delivery recently, after procuring his number and speaking to him, I realised that I totally left it to Classic Legends to reach out to me. I then called my dealer-Motocult at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad and spoke to a lady Karuna, who was kind enough (as her name is!) to let me know that if I move my dual channel ABS to single channel ABS, the bike can be delivered in a day or two. With my weekend riding and occasional trips to office or elsewhere, the single channel ticked all the boxes (as with the excitement within) and I informed Karuna that I am happy with a single channel ABS version. This happened at around 4 pm and by 5:30 pm, I was driving to Motocult for the delivery of Don! This was the quickest of any vehicle deliveries in my stable, to date. I made some quick calls to home to check on the ‘good times’ and lo, all fell in place perfectly!

I drove in BOSS (my Fortuner) thinking how I will take Don home that evening, but the excitement of laying hands on my Jawa 42 was overwhelming. Karuna, Prashanth at Motocult were ready and after the customary paper work & payments completed, the ‘retro’ modern ignition key of Don was in my hands! I want to thank Karuna, Prashanth, Mohan (who drove my new bike to my house) & Rajesh (owner of Motocult - a passionate young man!) for the pleasant delivery experience of a Lumos Lime Don! What an exhilarated feeling it was - the day began on a normal note and is ending with the Jawa ‘note’!

Review of Don:

To be very frank, I haven't considered any other alternatives, as the nostalgic high was the single point reason for buying Don.

Likes: The handsome looks, the thumping motor, the classic feel, the on or off-road attention, the zesty gearbox etc.

Dislikes: Yellow headlamp bulb, not so neat welding joints finishes, lack of eye for detail in ‘completing/finishing’ the bike etc.

Delivery Experience:

The booking & delivery experience with the dealership can be rated 9/10. A job well done, with “Customer Delight” being placed in the centre of activity.

The on-road price I paid was Rs.2,04,643/- break up of the same is as below,
Ex-Showroom Price: Rs.1,58,300
Insurance : Rs. 20,573
Life Tax+Temp.regn: Rs.22,170
Handling charges : Rs. 2600
Center Stand : Rs.1000

The insurance included 5+5 policy with 5 year own damage cover and 5 years of third party cover.

Don's Characters:
Don is powered by a good engine which is 293cc, with 27 bhp max power & max torque of 28 nm. A single cylinder, 4 stroke, liquid cooled, DOHC unit does the job on both the models of Jawa.

The braking is a combination of front 280 mm disc with floating caliper and ABS, rear 153 mm Drum brakes. The front suspension is telescopic hydraulic fork type and the rear is gas canister, twin shock hydraulic Gabriels. The beauty of the kit is in the chrome finished dual exhausts. The Gearbox is a 6 speed constant mesh type. The front tyres are 90/90 on R18”, rear are 120/80 on R17” adorned with MRF Nylogrip Zapper tyres.

I am just getting my riding gear in order, have purchased riding gloves, balaclava, Guardian Gears tank top magnetic bag and a list is getting ready.

The Jawa branded accessories I have installed so far are the matte finished crash guard (Rs. 1499), rear Hammerhead handle (Rs.999) and the luggage carrier (Rs.599) from another dealer - Bright Jawa. My experience with the staff at Bright Jawa is very engaging and they have a nice attitude towards the brand and customers! I would like to thank Yogesh (Manager), Anand (store staff), Venkat (Technician) & Srikanth (owner of Bright Jawa) for their support to me with accessories and timeliness.

I have done 160 km on the odometer while writing this review and hence all are novice opinions, so far. The driving experience is delightful in regards to the throttle response, slick gear shifts & decent braking that ensures confidence on the bike. The riding position on the bike is comfortable, with a slightly wide handle bar that has a commanding feel.

My usage is mostly going to be weekend riding and leisure cruising. The engine performs well and has nice low end torque delivery that makes it easy to zip in & zip out of city traffic. The driveability in the city is awesome as you can manage the bike with ease to weave in weave out of city traffic.

I will have to update this thread on the highway performance, though!

Don looks extremely stylish and well adorned with the right design elements. The cute side indicators, the chrome detailing, the classic round headlight, the Jawa branding does make a style statement. The retro paint colour and finish is good for getting second looks! The overall build quality is fine, fit & finish can improve, for sure. The paint quality is good, with some spots that leave you desiring for a better finish.

I seriously wish Don came with tubeless shoes, but some trade off has to happen with spoked wheels for classic looks, I guess! The handlebar / switchgear / cluster design & quality are decent and can improve in some spots (like, the low and high beam toggle switch plastic is not good). The way the package is put together is good, but does have scope to be more slick with the finishing aspects (my critique opinion!).

The space & comfort for rider & pillion is decent but the slim seat profile might need additional support on long drives! The seat serves well for city drives. The controls & MID are very standard and can be rated 7/10. Don is a bike that is made for short riders with 765 mm seat height and it is comfortable for me ( I am a short rider too!). The bike side view mirrors are fine, however I am waiting for the bar end mirrors from Jawa.

The Headlamp is bright and has a nice throw in both low and high beam. However, I personally don’t like yellow bulbs and would prefer H4 bi-beam LED’s at 6500 k from Osram or Philips. The tail lamp is cute and is bright, in fact I really love the minimalist looks of it.

The storage capacity is nothing to write about, will hold basic papers at the most. The overall build quality is decent and has a built to last feeling. The wiring harness and some areas can be improved on the finishing part.

Not so good: The welding joints are ugly, there is also some paint peeling off at the cradle joints, showing ugly rusty lines. Classic Legends- Please look into this ASAP!

The fuel gauge does act up sometimes and doesn’t come back to the actual position, have updated the dealer about it and they promised that it will be attended to, as early as possible.

The exhaust note is something that we will get used to and it has a nice note to it. The baffles have been removed in my bike on the 2nd day of my riding...has a nice punch now! The engine is a good one and Classic Legends have the most important component neatly sorted out on that front. The heat is not excessive as the radiator fan does its job with or without the engine running and the ignition key being in ‘on’ position. The gearshift & clutch is a nice combo, working seamlessly with each other. The smoothness is there and it has a light clutch which makes a positive difference for city driving conditions. The overall NVH levels (including engine vibrations & wind blast) are pretty decent and the engine does give you a nice feeling of power, when required.

Mileage: It is too early to comment on the fuel mileage but the initial numbers are around 32 kmpl. The fuel tank capacity is 13.2 litres of petrol and should give a range of 450-500 km on one full tank. More to come on this front!

The suspension & ride quality are a strong point for Don, the bike takes bad patches with much fervour and keeps you unaffected. I really liked the tuning of the suspension for our road conditions. The bike's handling is easy and it has easy on-road behaviour. The grip levels from the tyres are good and they offer good stability. Don has a nice turning radius to operate in crammed cities. The bike handles well with a pillion rider, as well and offers a good cruising experience. I am getting used to Don’s weight @ 172 + Kgs. It is not difficult to manage, though. Don has an awesome handlebar and reach positions for the levers. I love the stance of my body on this bike. The ground clearance of the bike is decent and it can take the ugly, non-standard speed breakers in India. The center stand which is an accessory is fine to handle and the side stand of Don is well raked.

It would have been great if Classic Legends could have included a mobile charging port in today’s smartphone world.

The warranty is 24000 kms or 2 years, which somehow doesn’t augur well with me, as it translates into low confidence of Classic Legends on their product. It could be better, for sure!

Some pictures of Don, for your viewing pleasure!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

[V.Narayan]

Congratulations on pursuing your dreams and reliving earlier times. The bike looks handsome for sure. I think it is the first Jawa on Team BHP. Back in our University days the odd guy who had a Jawa was the envy of all the boys because the lady at the back had to hold on to him. Alas I had no money for a Jawa. Happy miles, safe miles.

Q1: Is the sound of the engine the same as the original Jawa? That sound was iconic.
Q2: Is your wife worried you may start offering lifts to ladies?

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by getsurya

the day began on a normal note and is ending with the Jawa ‘note’!

Congrats once again on your Jawa 42 aka Don.
This thread needs more photos e.g. accessories, niggles (welds, paint).

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Q1: Is the sound of the engine the same as the original Jawa? That sound was iconic.

New Jawa exhaust sound isn't same as older Jawa due to 4-stroke Vs 2-stroke engine.

Q2: Is your wife worried you may start offering lifts to ladies?

Don't pass on your hidden wishes onto others . Do we get to see a Jawa standing next to your Lexus soon?

[ecosport rules]

Congratulations
Amazing journey from Harley to Jawa
You need to elaborate that story too

[getsurya]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Congratulations on pursuing your dreams and reliving earlier times. The bike looks handsome for sure. I think it is the first Jawa on Team BHP. Back in our University days the odd guy who had a Jawa was the envy of all the boys because the lady at the back had to hold on to him. Alas I had no money for a Jawa. Happy miles, safe miles.

Q1: Is the sound of the engine the same as the original Jawa? That sound was iconic.
Q2: Is your wife worried you may start offering lifts to ladies?

Thank you, Narayan.
The sound from a 4 stroke engine can never match the iconic Jawa 2 stroke exhaust note. With db killer removed, it is some music to enjoy!
Need to check with my wife on the lifts to ladies, midlife crisis can be the best excuse

[getsurya]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Congrats once again on your Jawa 42 aka Don.
This thread needs more photos e.g. accessories, niggles (welds, paint).

New Jawa exhaust sound isn't same as older Jawa due to 4-stroke Vs 2-stroke engine.

Don't pass on your hidden wishes onto others . Do we get to see a Jawa standing next to your Lexus soon?

Hi Sukiwa, many thanks. Pictures are coming shortly. Will post soon, for sure.

Originally Posted by ecosport rules

Congratulations
Amazing journey from Harley to Jawa
You need to elaborate that story too

Thank you, Doc for your wishes.

Harley was proving to be too expensive for my hobby rides on the motorcycle. Being a banker, was looking at the ROI(Return on Investment)

Also, Don ticked the right boxes for nostalgic connect and brings more passion from my childhood being spent on my Grandfather's Jawa.

This picture has lot of influence on my decision for buying the Don!

[R.G]

Congrats @getsurya !!

Lumos Lime is a lovely colour option.Wish you many happy miles on your Jawa 42.

Do share your thoughts on the engine heat issues reported by some owners.

[Slick]

Finally a Jawa ownership review on Team- BHP. Many thanks for that.

@getsurya Congratulations on you new rider, Don. Do keep us posted as a lot of people are interested in Jawa but spooked by the absence if real life ownership reviews.

Powerdrift, in their review, commented on highway comfort over long distances not being optimum. Once you do a long ride do share your verdict.

- Slick

[tchsvy]

Many congratulations @getsurya, wish you many miles on your Don!

Happy to hear nice things about Bright automotive, I have booked mine with them. The center stand, it is a paid accessory then!

Please keep the thread updated as don munches on miles, after 7 months of wait there is one ownership thread on the forum, would like hear anything and everything about your don!

[ninjatalli]

Congratulations again @getsurya on your new acquisition. I'm happy to see that Jawa have offered a petrol line lock (see it in one your pics); but there's a lot more that hopefully, you'll be able to detail out on your bike in the coming days. Good choice on the color!

Btw that's a beautiful pic of your grandfather's bike; in a way some time in the future, you should think of putting up the front number plate on the front wheel cover with some welding done, similar to your grandfather's bike; now that will look grand!

[greenoval]

Congratulations @getsurya! and kudos to the designers for recreating the old world charm and the lazy elegance that's rare to find in modern bikes. 'Easy got back', the punchline for RE interceptor, will suit the Jawas better. Personally, I find the bike way more proportionate and aesthetically pleasing than the RE offerings in the same segment.

Loved the name 'Don' too! Though Classic Legends Pvt Ltd, it seems, have taken a liking to Don's dialogue "Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai" with respect to the actual deliveries of Jawas.

Wish you thousands of happy miles with Don.

[mac187]

Congratulations on the new ride. Wish you happy miles. Hope you keep the thread updated regularly.

You have mentioned that the warranty is 24K kms or 2 years. Is that a typo?

[getsurya]

Originally Posted by R.G

Congrats @getsurya !!

Lumos Lime is a lovely colour option.Wish you many happy miles on your Jawa 42.

Do share your thoughts on the engine heat issues reported by some owners.

Thank you, R G! The longest I have done so far on Don is 40 kms and have felt the normal engine heat hitting the legs and nothing more or less.

Originally Posted by Slick

Finally a Jawa ownership review on Team- BHP. Many thanks for that.

@getsurya Congratulations on you new rider, Don. Do keep us posted as a lot of people are interested in Jawa but spooked by the absence if real life ownership reviews.

Powerdrift, in their review, commented on highway comfort over long distances not being optimum. Once you do a long ride do share your verdict.

- Slick

Thank you, Slick. I will definitely try keeping this thread updated regularly. Some updates are coming this weekend. Watch the space!

Originally Posted by tchsvy

Many congratulations @getsurya, wish you many miles on your Don!

Happy to hear nice things about Bright automotive, I have booked mine with them. The center stand, it is a paid accessory then!

Please keep the thread updated as don munches on miles, after 7 months of wait there is one ownership thread on the forum, would like hear anything and everything about your don!

Thank you, tchsvy. Working on some updates on Don.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Congratulations again @getsurya on your new acquisition. I'm happy to see that Jawa have offered a petrol line lock (see it in one your pics); but there's a lot more that hopefully, you'll be able to detail out on your bike in the coming days. Good choice on the color!

Btw that's a beautiful pic of your grandfather's bike; in a way some time in the future, you should think of putting up the front number plate on the front wheel cover with some welding done, similar to your grandfather's bike; now that will look grand!

Thank you, Ninjatalli. The color is very serene for the classic looks of the bike.

Originally Posted by greenoval

Congratulations @getsurya! and kudos to the designers for recreating the old world charm and the lazy elegance that's rare to find in modern bikes. 'Easy got back', the punchline for RE interceptor, will suit the Jawas better. Personally, I find the bike way more proportionate and aesthetically pleasing than the RE offerings in the same segment.

Loved the name 'Don' too! Though Classic Legends Pvt Ltd, it seems, have taken a liking to Don's dialogue "Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai" with respect to the actual deliveries of Jawas.

Wish you thousands of happy miles with Don.

Thank you, Greenoval. Don is a very addictive addition to my stable.

Originally Posted by mac187

Congratulations on the new ride. Wish you happy miles. Hope you keep the thread updated regularly.

You have mentioned that the warranty is 24K kms or 2 years. Is that a typo?

Thank you, mac187. Classic Legends is only offering 24,000 kms or 2 years warranty on the Jawa. Not a typo!

[.HEM]

@getsurya Congratulations on your ride!! Keep munching the miles.

I'm waiting for my Starlight Blue 42

Classic Legends is only offering 24,000 kms or 2 years warranty on the Jawa. Not a typo!

2 years warranty is cool on a motorcycle, RE offered 6 months on my classic 350 in 2013.