The Jawa 42 Bobber is a head-turning bike for sure. It’s not just a looker though, but thanks to the easy to ride nature of its powerful 334cc engine and modern touches, it’s also something to smile about in the real world. Designed for those who want to stand out and craving for more power, the Jawa 42 Bobber has all the attitude with its custom front forks handle that’s ready to take on the streets as it is.
Classic Bobber Look with a Modern Feel
The Jawa 42 Bobber features a distinctive design that draws inspiration from retro bobber-style motorcycles. It has a low-slung profile, chopped fenders, a single floating seat, wide handlebars and fat tires that make its presence felt on the road. The retro-modern approach looks smart packing high-quality features in the form of diamond-cut alloy wheels, a chrome fuel tank (on some variants), and an intelligently designed LED headlamp.
It comes in interesting colors such as Black Mirror, Mystic Copper, Jasper Red Dual Tone and Moonstone White. Exposed frame rails and a mixture of glazed and brushed metal finishes take care of the raw, mechanical appeal, and the overall result is a motorcycle that’s right near the top of the style stakes for budget naked bikes.
Engine and Performance
Power without Sacrifice357 EFI AVTTwin-cylinder performance doesn’t get any better than with the 35HP Vanguard engine.
Powering the Jawa 42 Bobber is a 334cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that makes around 29. 9 PS and 30-33 Nm of torque. The engine comes paired with a 6-speed gearbox featuring a slip-and-assist clutch and delivers a responsive throttle and seamless gear transition too. With that big of a wheel up front, this thing really moves out, and that makes it great for cruising around the city and taking on those long rides on the weekend on the open road!
Also for it’s muscle, the 42 Bobber is an economy bike too, giving 30-35 km/l depending on how one rides and on road conditions. It’s a blend of performance and efficiency that even everyday riders with an appetite for attractive design can ride.
Ride & Handling: Very assured in the turns
The Jawa 42 Bobber gets a good 1,485 mm of wheelbase and a kerb weight of 185 kg, ensuring a confident and grounded feel while on the ride. Telescopic forks up front and a rear monoshock (with 7-step adjustable preload) take care of the suspension, resulting in a comfortable ride over most Indian road conditions.
It has a low seat height of only 740 mm, perfect for riders of all heights; the footpegs are placed forward and the handlebars are wide for a comfortable and relaxed riding position. The ride is surefooted, the front end talks well, steering is darty. On bumpy sections, however, the rear suspension can feel a tad stiff – a characteristic most bobbers share.
Tech & Features
Jawa 42 Bobber looks old-school yet packs in modern components Despite having a retro theme, some really modern parts are used on the Jawa 42 Bobber. It gets an all-digital LCD instrument cluster, LED lights all over, a USB charging socket and a good-looking switchgear placement as well. The instrument console is digital that display necessary informations like speed, fuel-level, trip meter and gear indicator.
For safety, it gets dual-channel ABS and disc brakes at both ends, 280 mms at the front and 240 mm at the rear. They do a great job stopping, and give you confidence in emergency stops.
Real-World User Feedback
Jawa 42 Bobber owners love the bike for aggressive looks, strong mid-range thrust and good mileage. Riders mention the bike handles city traffic like a knight and can hold its own cruising on the highway.
But a few users say the rear suspension can feel hard when riding over potholes and rough roads, and the gearbox can be a bit clunky. Reports of service network have been mixed so it’s recommended to check at your local dealership about service network and spare part availability.
Pricing & Value
The price of the Jawa 42 Bobber ranges from ₹2.09 lakh to ₹2.25 lakh (ex-showroom) depending on the variant. It goes head to head with other motorcycles such as the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Honda H’ness CB350. It’s also a great value for the price in the design, performance, and features categories.
Final Verdict
More than just a motorcycle, the Jawa 42 Bobber speaks for a certain sense of individuality. It’s got retro styling, a punchy engine, modern touches, and it’s offered at a reasonable price, but more importantly it’s in a class dominated by cruisers and retro standards. If you are on a search for the motorcycle that combines attitude, character and guts, you should narrow down your search to the Jawa 42 Bobber.
