| What we like? | What we don't? |
| - Looks good and a head turner - Easy to ride, gives good riding posture - Quick acceleration provide good highway performance | - The suspension setup is not that great, bumps can be felt - Traffic performance could have been better - Not utilitarian and practical |
Jawa debuted the Jawa 42 Bobber, its second factory-custom model, earlier in October. The 42 Bobber has a similar silhouette to the previous Perak factory-custom motorcycle. The 42 Bobber has fresh paint, features, and an engine that has been remapped. It starts at Rs. 2.06 lakh (ex-showroom) and rises to Rs. 2.09 lakh (ex-showroom). While the 42 Bobber receives some contemporary modifications, the Perak has retained the vintage charm of the Classic Legends. To provide you with comprehensive information about the new Jawa factory custom motorbike, here is our review of the Jawa 42 Bobber after our first ride.
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Styling & Design
Given that they both utilise a double-cradle frame, the 42 Bobber and the Perak will initially appear to be similar. With a 42 badge on the headlamp glass, the 42 Bobber receives a new LED headlamp unit. There are LED flashers in the front and back as well. To give it bobber style, it receives a big set of spoke wheels with an 18-inch wheel up front and a 17-inch wheel at the back. Additionally, Jawa picked the new teardrop-shaped fuel tank for the 42 Bobber, which is borrowed from the Yezdi Roadster. The fuel tank also features knee pads for improved cornering grip for rider. As contrasted to the Perak's single colour, the 42 Bobber comes in three colours: Metallic Copper, Moonstone White, and dual-tone Jasper Red.
The engine casing and exhaust tips on the 42 Bobber are likewise chromed to match the bike's aesthetic. Additionally, the saddle is brand-new and has a contrast colour tone to match the bike. As opposed to the Perak's seat-mounted tail lamp, the rear profile now has a new fender and fender-mounted LED tail lamp set.
Features
A new digital LCD instrument cluster that provides data on speed, RPM, odometer, fuel, and other standard things is added to the Jawa 42 Bobber's feature set. Additionally, the bike has Type A and Type C USB charging ports mounted on the handlebars. All variants come standard with LED turn indicators and lighting. The bike also gets hazard flashers.
Ergonomics & Comfort
When it comes to comfort and ride quality of the 42 Bobber, it comes with a new riding triangle with forward set foot pegs and a wide handle bar. The brand has tuned the rear mono-shock absorber to provide more comfort. The new seat is also more cushiony to provide better comfort and comes with height adjustment and forward & backward adjustment features.
The 42 Bobber provides a good riding triangle with all of features, but the comfort level is not very high. Your arms and back are stretched by the wide handle bar. Small road undulations and speed bumps can be easily navigated at low speeds, but as you reach them at speeds of 40 to 50 km/h, your seat will toss you and you will feel the bump on your back. The floating eat is not much suitable for longer rides, the big potholes and breakers can be easily felt and will give a jerk to the body. There are occasions when cornering gives you the impression that the foot pegs will contact the road. This is not the best place to be if you want a comfy bike for commuting every day.
Engine Performance & Handling
The Perak's 334cc engine is used in the Jawa 42 Bobber too. The engine has a power output of 30.2 bhp and a maximum torque output of 32.7 Nm. A 6-speed transmission with a slipper and assist clutch is paired with this engine.
The motorcycle maintains its balance and offers decent mid- and high-range torque. The engine's high revving nature causes the bike to buzz after you pass 4,5005,000 RPM and at high speeds. Lower RPMs make the bike feel quiet and produce a satisfying thump. The bike requires the ideal gear to pull up in traffic otherwise it can stall. Because of the limited low-end torque, the situation is bad in city traffic. Downshifts must be made continuously to improve performance in traffic. While downshifting, the slipper and assist clutch engages, making the downshifts smooth but the upshifts are not as seamless.
When it comes to straight-line performance, the engine pulls up swiftly and responds well to the throttle. However, in these circumstances, after you pass 100 km/h, you can feel the vibrations and the loud engine noise may not be comfortable.
So the engine will keep you pleased if you wish to ride at a normalspeed while showing off your bike to bystanders in the city. However, if you want to play with the engine, it won't respond as well as it should, and the buzzing and vibrations will turn you off.
Verdict
The Jawa 42 Bobber is unquestionably a stunning-looking set of wheels that will make you smile whenever you look at it. However, both the ride quality and the performance area should have been improved. Despite all of its flaws, it is still a fantastic choice if you want to show off your motorcycle. Additionally, the bike's fit and finish occasionally feels shoddy and subpar. The Perak and 42 Bobber are the only single-seater motorcycles on the market, and both of them look great and have a head-turning attitude.
