Redlining Classics! Track Day With The Jawa 42 FJ and The BSA Gold Star 650

  • Published March 14, 2025
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A tight test track and classic retro motorcycles. Who would have thought these two belonged together!

Is a retro motorcycle supposed to be fast? Well, nothing stops it from revving freely but fast is certainly not the first adjective we associate with retro motorcycles. Calm, stable, beautiful, relaxed? Sure. But quick, nimble and agile? Maybe not. That is why when we first arrived at NATRAX’s (National Automotive Test Tracks) handling circuit in Madhya Pradesh and saw Jawa, Yezdi and BSA’s entire lineup parked outside - we were not quite sure how the experience was going to go. Boy, were we in for a surprise!

BSA Gold Star 650

The first motorcycle I found myself walking towards was the BSA Gold Star 650. Not only is it the largest single-cylinder motorcycle made in India, but it was also thoroughly impressive when we did the road test. The first lap was a sighting lap behind the lead because it was our first time on the track, and we were cautiously slow. Not to mention, the track was also quite dusty. 

Soon, the lead rider went into the pits and we pinned the throttle. At that moment, all the hesitations about the new layout and the first track vanished. The Gold Star 650’s refined engine propelled the bike forward, and by the time it was time to brake for the first corner - we were already well over 100kmph. The engine felt effortless and even at higher revs, it never felt strained or out of place. On the long straight, the acceleration was linear and constant. And by the time we looked down and checked the speedometer - it was reading well over 150kmph! What a superb and versatile engine. 

But, it was then time to brake hard and hang on to dear life because we were closing in on a 90-degree corner. And this was the best highlight of the Gold Star 650. It comes with Brembo brakes and these offer brilliant bite and feedback. The bike stops instantly and the calipers give immense confidence while braking hard. 

The Gold Star 650 is a fairly long motorcycle with a generous wheelbase. This does make it feel planted at high speeds. But the flip side is that it should take a bit of effort to lean into corners. However - that was not the case. The Gold Star 650 was happy to lean and stay there for the high-speed corners. Something that we had to get over was the snappy throttle in lower gears - this did make some slow corner exits a bit tricky. What was even trickier to manage was that the rear suspension started feeling bouncy in mid-corners. While the Gold Star 650 remains comfortable on the road - the setup for the track needs to be stiffer which could keep it stable mid corners. 

Jawa 42 FJ

Next up was the Jawa 42 FJ, and it  uses the new more powerful engine and chassis. Straight up - the refinement of the motor was a highlight. Even in the first lap - what was clear is that the FJ was not shy of revving all the way to the redline. The engine is responsive and is eager to pick up speeds. The gearbox is slick, clutch light, and the riding stance offers a lot of confidence to push the bike around. 

What came as a surprise was how eager the FJ was to change directions. It felt nimble and you could easily pick it up even when it was leaned over into one corner and tip it to the other side for the next. And even while leaning - it felt stable - much more than the BSA did. This meant we were constantly scraping the main stand in corners. If something could be improved - it would be the brakes. While they would be perfectly fine in the city - on the track they felt lacking bite, especially after experiencing the Gold Star 650. 

While this does not pertain to the riding experience, the paint finish on the Fl was very impressive. The matte finish feels silky smooth and does not feel dull like most matte surfaces on bikes end up being. Jawa tells us that it is because they have borrowed Mahindra’s car painting technology which is far superior to the industry’s motorcycle painting tech. 

Eureka! 

With the sun setting in the background - it was a sort of eureka moment for us. For far too long we have seen classic and retro motorcycles as slow, relaxed and laid back. But these two machines from Classic Legends were good enough to break that mindset. They made me see classic bikes in a new light where they could be versatile - and not a one-trick pony. They can be fun around a mountain road, put a smile on your face on the track and just as easily be a relaxed ride in the morning for tea with friends. This was the first proper track experience with classic motorcycles for me and I already cannot wait for the next. 

Jawa 42 FJ Video Review

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