Jawa Bikes

Latest Updates on Jawa

• Jawa updates the Jawa 350 with a new 334cc engine and more changes, including wider tyres and a new seat.

• The 42 Bobber range gets updated with a new range-topping Chrome edition named “Black Mirror.”

• Jawa also updated the rest of its motorcycles – Perak, 42 Bobber and 42 – with BS6 stage-II compliant engines, with the 42 also receiving new colour options.

• A year-end scheme was offered on all motorcycles from Jawa that were delivered in December 2023, which included cost-effective EMI schemes, discounts on riding gear, and extended warranties.

• Jawa also conducted service camps in South India in December 2023, which offered benefits to the owners, such as discounts on part replacements and free extended warranties.

Is Jawa an Indian Company?

Jawa originates from Jawa Moto, a Czech brand founded in 1929 by Frantisek Janecek. After a successful run in the European markets in the 1950s and 1960s, the Jawa brand entered the Indian two-wheeler market in the 1950s as direct imports from the Czech Republic. In the 1960s, Jawa motorcycles were locally manufactured with the help of a license assembly agreement by Ideal Jawa India Limited.

Owned by two Parsi entrepreneurs, Rustom and Farrokh Irani, Ideal Jawa India Limited produced various Jawa models under the Yezdi name in the 1970s, including Roadking, Deluxe and Jawa 250, which enjoyed immense popularity. The name 'Yezdi' came to be for known for its Indian connection. The fanboys also lovingly called it 'Ipzah', essentially, Yezdi logo flipped upside down.

However, with the advent of Japanese brands in the 1980s and the shift from 2-stroke to 4-stroke bikes, Jawa began losing its popularity, eventually leading to a complete shutdown in Indian operations in 1996. The brand “Jawa” got its second chance when it came back into existence in 2018 when Mahindra & Mahindra-owned subsidiary, Classic Legends, got the rights to produce Jawa models once again in India. One of the co-founders of Classic Legends is Boman Irani, son of Rustom Irani.

Who Owns Jawa?

As mentioned above, Jawa is a sub-brand of Classic Legends Private Limited, which is a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra. In 2016, Mahindra and Mahindra signed a licensing deal to produce motorcycles under “Jawa” branding, with designs inspired by the Jawas of the bygone era but with modern engineering ethos and components.

Currently, 60 per cent of the ownership of Classic Legends belongs to Mahindra and Mahindra, with the remaining 40 per cent of the ownership being shared equally between entrepreneur Anupam Thareja, real estate developer Boman Irani, and other investors.

Is Jawa and Yezdi Same?

In the early 1970s, Jawa motorcycles were manufactured under a licensed agreement by Ideal Jawa India Limited, and sold under the new name “Yezdi”. The licensed Jawa motorcycles received Yezdi branding after the province in Iran of the same name, where the forefathers of the founders of Ideal Jawa India Limited lived.

The Yezdi 250, Roadking, Classic, and other motorcycles from Ideal Jawa India Limited were essentially licensed models from Jawa from Europe. However, after the brand's revival, Jawa and Yezdi are two sub-brands owned by Classic Legends, with both sub-brands having well-distinguished models. Jawa currently has a classic and a modern roadster – Jawa 350 and Jawa 42 respectively. It also has two bobbers – Perak and 42 Bobber under its factory custom lineup. Meanwhile, Yezdi has three models in its lineup – Roadster, Scrambler and Adventure.

Where are Jawa Motorcycles Made?

Classic Legends established a manufacturing facility in Pithampur near Indore in Madhya Pradesh, where the now-discontinued Mahindra two-wheelers used to be manufactured. This production facility produces all the models from both the Jawa and Yezdi sub-brands for the Indian two-wheeler market.

Which is the Best Model in Jawa?

Currently, there are four models from Jawa: a classic, a neo-retro roadster, and two bobbers. All these four motorcycles offer distinctive personalities of their own, with well-distinguished riding postures, designs and performance.

• Jawa 350: The oldest model in the Jawa lineup, the Jawa 350 was recently updated with a bigger 334cc liquid-cooled engine and other minor updates. Its design seems inspired by the original Jawa 250 two-stroke roadster from the 1950s.

• Jawa 42: An updated version of the Forty-Two, the Jawa 42 received a 334cc engine, styling updates and new colours as part of the facelift. It is a neo-retro sibling of the classic Jawa 350.

• Jawa Perak: The first bobber from Jawa, the Perak is a single-seater motorcycle, and was the first-ever bike from the brand to get the now-common 334cc engine.

• Jawa 42 Bobber: The 42 Bobber is another single-seater modern bobber based on the Perak, but with a more modern look and matching features, including alloy wheels, LED headlight, digital instrument cluster, among others.

Which is Best – Royal Enfield or Jawa?

Royal Enfield and Jawa have rich legacies and have been making retro-themed motorcycles for decades. Unlike Jawa, Royal Enfield has enjoyed a continuous production run after the brand was taken over by Eicher Motors a few decades ago. While Royal Enfield motorcycles are generally bought for their classic, authentic styling and riding experience, the Jawa motorcycles are preferred by those who want classic looks but with a hint of performance — a throwback to the two-stroke bikes that Jawa used to be famous for.