Jawa 42 FJ vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 vs Honda H'ness 350: Image Comparison

We have compared 3 retro roadsters to find out how they compete against each other!

Jawa Motorcycles has recently launched the Jawa 42 FJ in the 300-350cc neo-retro roadster market. It rivals the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Honda H'ness 350 and we pitched all 3 against each other to find out how they compare:

Design

The Jawa 42 FJ gets an all-new sporty neo-retro roadster design that looks great. It gets a slimmer fuel tank and has complementing dual-upswept exhausts. The Royal Enfield Classic 350, on the other hand, gets a more familiar design which we have seen for a while on the bike. Whereas the Honda H’ness CB350 also feature a neo-retro design, its different variants offer a variety of looks.

Honda also allows you to customise the bike with special paint schemes, a visor and a rear seat cowl or a backrest. The custom variants also feature a chrome treatment on the engine casing and exhausts. So if you want something that looks like no other bike in the market, the 42 FJ might be the winner for now. The Classic and the Honda’s designs, while being handsome bikes, have been around for a while now. 

Engine

The Jawa 42 FJ gets the 334cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder Alpha2 engine that produces a peak output of 29.2PS and 29.6Nm. It is paired with a six-speed gearbox and has a slip-and-assist clutch too. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is powered by a 349cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder J-series engine that makes 20.21PS and 27Nm, paired with a 5-speed gearbox but lacks a slip and assist clutch.

The Honda H’ness CB350, on the other hand, gets a 348.36cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, counterbalanced engine that delivers 21PS and 30Nm, linked to a 5-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch.  So, if a modern-day performance-oriented engine is what you are looking for, you might fancy the 42 FJ. And if you want a properly easy-going, laidback retro engine, the Classic might be your pick of the lot. 

Features

The Jawa 42 FJ features a single-pod full LCD instrument console shared from the higher variants of the standard Jawa 42. The display includes a speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, trip metres, clock, and other basic readouts, but misses out on smartphone connectivity even as an optional feature. It has a USB charging port.

The Classic 350 is equipped with a semi-digital instrument console. The analogue part shows the speedometer whereas the digital screen displays the fuel level, odometer, trip metre readings along with other basic information. It gets an optional tripper navigation pod as well.

The Honda H'ness CB350 also gets a semi-digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity. The bike provides call/SMS alerts, music controls and turn-by-turn navigation. The Hness even comes with a voice control feature, but you need to have a Bluetooth intercom with a mic and speaker to use it. The Japanese roadster also has a segment-first traction control system as well. In sum, it is the most feature-packed of the lot. 

Underpinnings

The Jawa 42 FJ is suspended on a telescopic fork and 5-step preload-adjustable twin shocks. It gets a 320mm front disc and a 240mm rear disc brake, with dual channel ABS as standard. The bike rides on 18-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke/alloy wheels, fitted with 100-section and 140-section tyres. It has a 790mm seat height, 184kg kerb weight and the smallest 12-litre fuel tank compared to the other two.

The Classic 350’s suspension setup includes a telescopic fork and 6-step preload-adjustable twin shocks. Braking duties are managed by a 300mm front disc brake, the single-channel ABS variants get a 153mm rear drum and the dual-channel ABS variants feature a 270mm rear disc brake. It features a bigger 19-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke/alloys, wrapped with slimmer 100-section front and 120-section rear tyres. It has the tallest 805mm seat height, weighs the most among all three bikes at 195kg, and has a 13-litre fuel tank.

The Honda H’ness CB350 also gets a telescopic fork with twin shock absorbers. The braking setup on the bike is handled by a 310mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the back, with dual-channel ABS as standard. It is equipped with similar 19/18-inch alloys as the Classic, with 100-section and 130-section tubeless tyres. At 800mm, its seat height is slightly taller than the 42 FJ, but it weighs less at 181kg (kerb). It also has the biggest 15-litre fuel tank among the three bikes.

Verdict

While all three bikes offer different packages, they all are priced similarly - the Jawa 42 starts at 1,99,142, the Classic 350 at Rs 1,99,500 and the Honda Hness CB350 is priced slightly higher, starting at Rs 2,09,857 (all-prices ex-showroom). 

On paper, the Hness  CB350 seems the more value-for-money bike as it offers modern features like smartphone connectivity, voice control, traction control and dual-channel ABS as standard. Honda even offers customisation options as well. Where the Jawa 42 FJ shines is performance. Moreover, it is the newest kid in town that offers a fresh look with the best performance, the Jawa 42 FJ might be the one for you. But if you are looking for a truly classic experience, then the Classic 350 would be the best among the three, given its laidback engine and lovely riding experience.