Royal Enfield Classic 350 vs Jawa 350: Image Comparison; Design, engine, underpinnings, features and price difference detailed

Sub-400cc retro bikes have always been in high demand in India. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 has been a landmark in this category since the late 2000s. The Jawa 350, with its recent update this year, looks to battle Royal Enfield for its place in this category. So how do they stack up against each other on paper?

Design

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 has always been a darling motorcycle with those gorgeous and timeless retro looks. The simple and elegant styling with the large round headlight cover makes the bike instantly recognizable on the road. And with its recent update about two years ago, Royal Enfield has thankfully kept the styling almost untouched.

The Jawa 350 gives the Classic 350 a tough fight with its equally timeless and beautiful retro look. The tank stripes, gold and chrome fuel cap lettering, along with the incredible retro detailing on the instrument console make it stand out on its own in this battle for 350cc retro bike supremacy.

Motor

The Classic 350’s engine has a more relaxed nature than the Jawa 350, as we found out during a recent comparison test, and produces peak torque at 4000 rpm. This means great bottom end grunt makes it fun to ride around town. The Jawa 350’s engine makes its peak power at 7000rpm and is more revving and punchy than the Classic 350’s, and faster overtaking is easier on this bike. On the highway, you can comfortably cruise the Classic 350 at speeds of 100-110 km/h without vibration. The Jawa 350 can do such speeds on the highway too, and the extra sixth gear helps its capability, but the vibrations can be felt after the 80km/h mark.

The Jawa 350 clocked a 0-100 km/h time of 10.98 seconds during our recent test, while the Classic 350 was a slower 5.32 seconds. So the Jawa 350 is the faster bike and has a sportier nature than the Classic 350.

foundations

The suspension setup on both bikes works in a similar fashion, with the rear units being on the firmer side. For a passenger, since the grab bars on the Jawa 350 are hidden under the seat, the riding experience is slightly more uncomfortable than the Classic 350. Both have an upright position, but as we found during our test, the Classic 350 has a vertical. more relaxed stance, while it’s more engaging on the Jawa 350.

Also, because the Jawa 350 is 11 kg lighter than the Classic 350 and has an 18-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel setup (compared to the Classic 350’s 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel setup) , leans into corners more easily. One thing to note is that despite being heavier and having a slightly smaller fuel tank, the Classic managed to produce better mileage (both city and highway during our test) than Jawa 350. Something to consider when you are making a buying decision between the two.

Characteristics

The Classic 350 gets an analog instrument cluster with a digital insert that shows the speedometer, Eco gauge, odometer and fuel gauge. The Jawa 350 also gets an analogue instrument cluster with a digital insert showing similar readouts. But the lower portion of the Jawa 350’s console is hard to read unless you’re a tall rider (about 6 feet and above). Whereas with the Classic 350 there are no readability issues with the console.

An important point to note here is that if you fork out an extra Rs 5,000, you can get the tripper navigation device in the Classic 350 which shows turn-by-turn navigation. This is a big miss in the Jawa 350 and thus the Royal Enfield bike gets the upper hand in this category. Also, the way the Trippper navigation device is neatly placed on the top of the headlight cover, next to the instrument console, is very satisfying to look at.

Verdict

(all prices ex-showroom Chennai)

(all prices ex-showroom Delhi)

As we have seen in the sections above, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 has a tried and tested formula of offering a relaxed riding experience in terms of performance and comfort levels along with the timeless Royal Enfield looks. The Jawa 350 gets a much sportier engine with its own classic and beautiful look. So if you prefer a retro bike that meets your needs both in the city and on the highway, then the Classic 350 is the one for you. Whereas, if you are a fan of the retro look but want a sportier engine and driving dynamics, then the Jawa 350 is the one you should consider.

One thing to note before making this decision is that by stretching the budget by around Rs 6,000 (compared to the price of the Jawa 350), you can get alloy wheels on the Classic 350, which will take away any stress of punctures on the road. . The Jawa 350, on the other hand, only comes with spoked wheels.