Jawa 350 Legacy Edition VS Royal Enfield Classic 350: Image Comparison

Jawa Motorcycles recently launched a special edition for the Jawa 350, called the Legacy Edition. Launched at an introductory price of Rs 1,98,950 (ex-showroom Delhi), the bike is limited to the first 500 customers. It competes directly with the Heritage variant of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 priced at Rs 1,99,500 (ex-showroom Delhi). Lets have a closer look at how these retro classic motorcycles compete against each other.

Design 

The Jawa 350 gets its styling inspiration from the older Jawa motorcycles. It looks quite good with its perfectly designed fuel tank and neatly integrated panels. Overall, the motorcycle is more of a roadster with a retro-themed appeal. The Legacy Edition takes it one step further with the added enhancements like the taller front visor, cushioned pillion backrest and premium looking front leg guard.

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is one of the best looking retro bikes in India. It doesn’t look too different from the OG Classic that was launched way back in 2008. Royal Enfield has kept the design intact as it is loved for its vintage themed look. A tear drop shaped metal tank along with neatly designed metal panels gives the Classic 350 its distinctive stance that no other bikes in the segment have. The Heritage variant of the Classic 350 is available in the Madras Red and Jodhpur Blue paint schemes. While the colour schemes are simple, they really pop out. 

Performance

The Jawa 350 uses a 334cc single cylinder, liquid-cooled motor which makes 22.5PS and 28.1Nm. The engine comes equipped with a 6-speed gearbox which has been tuned for a relaxed power delivery. On paper this engine makes slightly more power and torque than the Classic 350 and uses 1 extra gear to play with.

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 uses the highly praised J-series 349cc single cylinder, air-cooled, counterbalanced motor which makes 20.4PS and 27Nm. This engine comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox which delivers all the power and torque from this long stroke motor in a linear manner.

Underpinnings 

The Jawa 350 uses a 35mm telescopic fork along with dual rear shocks with preload adjustability. For braking duties the motorcycle uses a 280mm front and a 240mm rear disc brake setup along with dual channel ABS. This retro classic runs on a 18-inch front and a 17-inch rear wheel setup with spoke wheels (for the Legacy Edition). The saddle height is kept at an accessible 790mm. 

The Classic 350 uses a 41mm telescopic fork and twin rear shocks with preload adjustability. It gets a big 300mm front and a 270mm rear disc brake setup along with dual channel ABS. The Classic 350 uses a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke wheel. In comparison the Classic’s saddle height is higher than the Jawa 350 at 805mm which is still quite manageable thanks to the narrow profile up front.

Features 

The Jawa 350 is a pretty basic motorcycle in terms of features. It gets an analogue speedo with a digital inset which shows information like odometer reading, trip information and a fuel indicator. The Jawa 350 misses out on modern features like smartphone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation.

The Royal Enfield Classic 350 too uses an analogue speedometer with a digital inset which shows odometer reading, trip information, eco indicator, gear position indicator and fuel indicator. Customers can also opt for an optional tripper navigation from Royal Enfield, which enables smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth along with turn-by-turn navigation and SMS/call alerts. For an additional Rs xxxx, this added feature gives the Classic 350 an upper hand over the Jawa 350.

ZigSays

The Jawa 350 is a premium looking retro motorcycle which uses a more powerful liquid-cooled motor along with a 6-speed gearbox. In comparison the Classic 350 uses an old school air-cooled motor with a 5-speed gearbox. While the Jawa’s dynamics is on the sportier side, the Classic is more laidback and lets you enjoy the scenery rather than chase thrills.

The main highlight of both of these motorcycles is the way they look. Both motorcycles look great with their retro classic design and are offered in colour options which makes these motorcycles a lot more desirable. More importantly, all the major elements in the Legacy Edition of the Jawa 350 - windshield, cushioned pillion backrest, leg guard - are all available as optional fitments in the Classic 350 as well.