2024 Jawa Perak Vs Jawa 42 Bobber: Image Comparison

The Jawa Perak is a part of the Heritage collection, whereas the Jawa 42 Bobber belongs to the brand's Neo-retro collection

The Jawa Perak and Jawa 42 Bobber are both single-seat bobber-style motorcycles from the Indian manufacturer. They share the same 334cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine but have distinct characters. The Jawa Perak has retro styling as part of the Heritage collection, whereas the Jawa 42 Bobber, belonging to the brand's Neo-retro collection, has a more modern vibe.

Design

Bobbers are designed to be ridden solo, and that’s why the first thing that you will notice on the Jawa Perak and 42 Bobber is a floating single seat for the rider and no seat for the pillion. The Perak has a quilted brown seat for the retro vibe whereas the 42 Bobber has an angled modern-looking seat. Both the Jawa bobbers don’t get any grab rails or pillion footpegs.

The Perak has a retro design, whereas the 42 Bobber is a more modern bike. Both feature a round headlight and round indicators, though the Perak has a headlight cowl which the 42 bobber doesn’t. Both bikes have bar-end mirrors. Moreover, the headlight on the Perak is halogen but the 42 Bobber has an LED headlight. Both bikes have teardrop-shaped fuel tanks. The Perak has brass ‘Perak’ badging on both sides of the tank, and the 42 Bobber comes with knee grips on either side. 

Both bikes have blacked-out engines and feature chopped fenders with tyre-hugging rear fenders. At the rear, both have round taillights, but the Perak’s taillight is placed under the seat, whereas the 42 Bobber’s taillight is mounted on the rear fender. Both bobbers feature a twin exhaust setup. The Perak has slash-cut exhausts and the 42 Bobber gets steel tips. Additionally, the Perak has spoke wheels, whereas the 42 Bobber is equipped with 10-spoke alloys.

The Jawa Perak is available only in a Stealth colour. Whereas the Jawa 42 Bobber comes in four colours: Black Mirror, Mystic Copper, Moonstone White, and Jasper Red Dual Tone.

Engine

Both the Jawa Perak and 42 Bobber share the same 334cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that delivers 29.9PS and 30Nm, paired to a six-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch. The Perak has a 13.2-litre fuel tank and the 42 Bobber comes with a 12.5-litre fuel tank.

Underpinnings

The Perak and 42 Bobber feature the same underpinnings too. Both bikes are built on a double-cradle chassis. They both have telescopic forks and 7-step preload-adjustable gas-charged monoshocks. Both the bikes share the same braking setup as well: a 280mm front and a 240mm rear disc brake with dual-channel ABS. 

The Perak has spoked wheels, whereas the 42 bobber has alloy wheels. Both are equipped with 18-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, with 100-section front and 140-section rear tyres. However, the Perak has tube tyres while the 42 bobber has tubeless tyres At 185kg kerb, both bikes weigh the same and have the same 1485mm wheelbase. There is a difference in seat height, the Perak has a marginally taller 750mm seat while the 42 Bobber has a 740mm seat.

Instrumentation & Features

The Jawa Perak features an analogue instrument console with a digital inset that shows the odometer readings, while the speedometer and fuel gauge are displayed on the analogue part. It has a halogen headlight and an LED tail lamp.

In contrast, the Jawa 42 Bobber comes with a rounded, fully digital instrument cluster that includes basic details like a speedometer, trip meter, tachometer, and fuel level. It also includes features like a side-stand engine cut-off, a USB charging port, and all-LED lighting.

Verdict

The Jawa Perak is priced at Rs 2,13,187, whereas the 42 Bobber starts at Rs 2,09,500 (both prices ex-showroom Delhi). Both bikes are similarly priced and deliver the same performance. If you want a retro-themed bobber, you can go for the Perak, but if you want a more modern bike then you can pick the 42 Bobber. However, if you go for the Perak you will have to live with tube tyres as the bike comes with spoke wheels.