2021 Jawa 42 Review, Specs, Price by Bike India

The 2021 Jawa 42 receives some cosmetic changes and a few tweaks to the engine as well. Read on to find out what’s new on this retro-styled motorcycle.

The most obvious change on MY21 Jawa 42 are the black alloy-wheels that replace the wire-spoke ones. The alloys look nice and get “Classic Legend”, “Jawa” and “42” branding. Although the size of the wheels haven’t been altered (90/90-18 front and 120/80-17 rear), the tyres are now tubeless, so fixing a flat tyre won’t be as stressful.

Visual changes also include blacked-out components including the front and rear suspension and the engine, and the chrome exhausts have been replaced by all-black ones. The headlamp gets a black metal grille and a small flyscreen giving the MY21 a distinct face. Also new are stylish bar-end mirrors, but these greatly restrict the grip on the handlebar. The bike also gets a dedicated trip-metre button on the right switch-gear.

The 42 looks more trendy with the new paint schemes sporting Mustang-like racing stripes that run from the fuel tank all the way to the rear fender. The “Hammerhead Spoiler” (read: pillion grab-rail), which was sold as an accessory earlier, is part of the standard kit now. This makes mounting saddle-bags more convenient. The stitching on the seat is different and Classic Legend claim to have improved the cushioning further. We’ll need a longer ride to back that claim.

Visually, the bike does standout but the finish needs attention. For instance, the seat mounting bolts scratch the paint off the rear fender and the edges of the trademark twin exhaust tips were already chipping off. Also, the positioning of the brake oil reservoir near the rear right shock-absorber seemed a bit odd.

Last year the engineers had updated the 293 cc liquid-cooled engine to meet the BS6 emission norms by introducing cross port technology, which is essentially a two-into-one-into-two layout. They say that this increases the engine’s volumetric efficiency by allowing a better flow of exhaust gases and charge. This has been improved yet again by optimising the groves further. This along with the newly positioned lambda sensors promise to offer crisper throttle response. It now produces 27.33 hp, which is a shade better than the BS6 2020 model that made 26.5 hp. The 27.02 Nm of torque remains unchanged though.

The enhancements aren’t drastic and seem marginally better than last year’s model. The throttle is more alert than the BS4 models we rode earlier and there’s a tad more useable low-end power now. A concern in the inconsistent fuelling which at time tends to become lurchy. But overall, the character of the bike hasn’t changed much, as it remains a light and nimble motorcycle to ride. They’ve also improved the suspension damping to ensure it doesn’t bottom-out easily and it seems to be set on the firmer side. Also, the side stand design has been improvised so that it doesn’t scrape while cornering… but it still does. (Also Read: Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Review)

The 42 looks more attractive than before and is offered in three new colours — red, white and black. The all-black model, especially looks pretty mean. As expected the 2021 model command a slight premium over the older model (Rs 9,000 to be precise), with prices starting at Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom).