Weighing nearly as much as the Classic and with the longest wheelbase here, the Jawa 350 is no longer as lithe as its predecessor but with the low seat height it shouldn’t be too intimidating. We’ve always found the road-biased Jawa-Yezdi bikes to be light on their feet and the new 350 shouldn’t stray too far from that.
All bikes here use more or less very similar cycle parts owing to the form factor they need to follow. Where the Jawa goes down a different route is in its tyre sizes – it’s the only one here to roll on an 18/17-inch wheel combination. The Classic can be optionally had with alloy wheels which brings in the peace of mind of tubeless tyres and the Honda CB350 can only be had with alloys and tubeless tyres. The Jawa 350 is the only one here to not offer alloy wheels and tubeless tyres even as an option, for that you’ll have to look at the more modern Jawa 42.
Jawa 350 vs rivals: features
These bikes don’t have the most cutting-edge technology but they’re far from being barebones. All bikes here have dual-channel ABS (except the lower versions of the Classic 350) and feature semi-digital instrumentation. The Jawa 350 and the Classic 350’s dials are very traditional with just a small digital inset that shows you very basic information. The Honda CB350 on the other hand has a basic traction control system, all-LED lighting and its dash can even be paired with a Bluetooth headset.
Jawa 350 vs rivals: price
| Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jawa 350 | RE Classic 350 | Honda CB350 | |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs 2.15 lakh | Rs 1.93 lakh – Rs 2.25 lakh | Rs 2 lakh – Rs 2.18 lakh |
Pricing is where all three bikes are very closely matched but the single-channel ABS variant of the Classic 350 is the most affordable. If you are okay with not having rear ABS, you could also look at the Royal Enfield Bullet 350, which is a strikingly similiar bike to the Classic, and shaves off some more money off the asking price. The flip side of this argument is the Rs 2.33 lakh Triumph Speed 400, which is a much more powerful, dynamically capable and tech-laden offering, for not a lot more money.
