The Jawa Perak is finally available to book now and will go on sale in April. Here's how the flagship Jawa motorcycle from Jawa compares with the entry-level Jawa motorcycle.
The Jawa Perak is one of the most affordable factory-built bobber styled motorcycle in the world. The motorcycle was first showcased along with the Jawa classic and Jawa Forty-Two as a concept in November 2018. It was initially set to go on sale early in 2019 but was later delayed to September 2019. However, we did not see the production version of the motorcycle until November 2019.
Design – Black will always be Black
The Jawa Perak is retailed only in a single matte black paint scheme, as seen in the concept model. Right from the rims and spokes, to the engine and the rear-view mirrors, the motorcycle oozes retro-charm with hints of classy gold. Named after the same motorcycle retailed by the Czech brand after the Second World War, even the Perak’s marketing jingle takes us back to the Frank Sinatra’s 40s (My shadow, my echo and me).
And boy that single cantilever seat wrapped in brown leather is ever so classy, making the Perak one of the most sort after motorcycles for all the eligible bachelors in town to shed their boyish charm and move to the dark side.
The Jawa classic, on the other hand, comes in its signature glossy maroon (or grey, or glossy black) and with dollops of chrome. If you take a modern-day Jawa classic through a time machine to the past, you would not find yourself completely out of place. Both motorcycles have the same 14-litre fuel tank capacity.
Both the Jawa Perak and Jawa classic are fitted with a halogen bulb-based headlamp. Embedded on top of the teardrop-shaped headlamp unit is the circular instrument console which has a beige background in the Jawa classic. While the retro-styled dial may have seemed like a good idea, the translucent speedometer dial renders it almost useless while riding in broad daylight. The Perak, though, is an improvement in this case with a black background for the dial and a white needle for the speedometer. However, the tiny fuel gauge is still a pain to decipher while riding.
Also, the Perak’s tail light is neatly integrated under the seat. However, just like the Jawa classic's tail light, the Perak’s taillight leaves much to be desired. However, the clean look on the fuel tank with gold stripes and Jawa badging will make you forget all ‘other’ desires.
Both the Perak and Jawa Classic get twin exhausts. While the peashooter unit of the latter will scrape while attacking a corner, the Perak’s chopped off exhaust pipes though can be expected to be significantly less intrusive.
Cycle parts - Let's get the wheels turning
The Jawa Perak borrows the best from the Jawa classic and makes it one step better. The front suspension is the same telescopic unit which does duty in the Jawa classic. However, we would love to see whether Jawa has made it stiffer a bit or not. More on that when we ride the motorcycle.
The ball takes a completely different turn in the rear. Moving away from the twin spring setup, the Jawa Perak uses an under-seat monoshock. This unit is adjustable for preload over seven levels. Both the motorcycles utilise a double cradle tubular frame and a box-type swingarm. Classic Legends has modified the swingarm and made it larger, though. The classic has a wheelbase of 1,369 mm, while the Perak’s wheelbase measures to 1,485 mm.
The single-seater motorcycle has a seat height of 750 mm and a kerb weight of 179 kg. Anchoring duties in the motorcycle are taken care of by a 280 mm disc up front and a 240 mm unit in the rear. Besides that, the bobber also gets a 100/90-18 profile tyre in the front and a 140/70-17 section tyre in the rear. a dual-channel ABS is offered as a standard feature.
In comparison, the Jawa classic has a seat height of 765 mm and is 9 kilos lighter than the Perak. It has a 280 mm disc brake governed by ABS at the front and a 153 mm drum brake at the rear. However, a rear disc brake with ABS is available optionally. It is shod with thinner profile tyres, a 90/90-18 unit in the front and a 120/80-17 tyre in the rear.
Engine - All the king's horses
At the heart of the Jawa classic is a 293 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled mill which traces its origins to the Mahindra Mojo. While it is a far cry from the two-strokes of the bygone era, the motorcycle's exhaust note will leave you smiling. The R&D team has made the exhaust note even more interesting and throatier in case of the Perak. The DOHC engine is capable of churning out 27.37 PS of power and 28 Nm of torque and is coupled to a 6-speed gearbox.
The Perak has a 334 cc engine and uses the same dual overhead cam architecture. Its gearbox too is the same 6-speed unit. In comparison to the 76 mm bore and 65 mm stroke of the classic's engine, the Perak’s digits stand at 81 mm and 65 mm respectively.
This bigger liquid-cooled engine produces 30.42 PS of power and 31 Nm of torque. With the Jawa classic’s engine itsellf being such a delight to ride, with the added horsepower, the Perak has the potential to be a hoot to ride. Another highlight is the new exhaust canister.
Also Read: 5 motorcycles from Auto Expo 2018 we want to be launched in India
Price - Money matters
At INR 1,94,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Jawa Perak is expensive. However, it is still the most affordable factory-built bobber style motorcycle in the country. But does it justify the near-30,000 greenies more than the starting price of the Jawa Classic? The latter starts at INR 1,64,300 for the single-channel ABS version and INR 1,73,242 for the dual-channel ABS version (both prices ex-showroom, Delhi). With the stellar looks and added horses, the Jawa Perak certainly deserves a chance.
