Retro rockets

We compare the Jawa and the Benelli

Classic motorcycles are an emotion. They aren’t meant to set lap times around the track, they don’t go as fast and are much lazier through the twisty bits. They cost quite a bit too and both the Jawa 42 and the Benelli Imperiale 400 will set you back by about Rs 2 lakh to get it out on-road. They are comfortable, simple and easy to ride though and that is enough to make the market for classic bikes the largest in the premium space. The two bikes in this road test are the new entrants to the space. First, we have the Benelli Imperiale 400 that draws on the Imperiale from the 1960s for inspiration. Interestingly, while the moniker is picked straight out of the history books, the Imperiale of past was actually never a Benelli. The Imperiale 125 of the 60s was a Motobi, a company born of a feud in the Benelli family. Motobi was later acquired by Benelli, once reconciliations were made and a few decades later, the Imperiale was reborn. This time with a 373cc single cylinder motor, and the family name back in the proper place.

The other is the Jawa 42, the Czech on it’s second coming to India, a resurgence driven by Mahindra owned Classic Legends. The Jawa 42 is a factory rehash of the Jawa Jawa, missing out on the archaic looking cowl and absurd inset upside-down meters in the interest of a slightly cooler presence. Launched in late 2018, Classic Legends have been careful not to step too fast, and have taken their time to let the momentum surrounding their brand build gradually rather than all at once. Now they claim that they have

moved past initial growing pains and are ready to step into the foray of entry-segment modern classics. As far as the Indian sub-continent goes, Jawa’s history, more specifically it’s rivalry with Royal Enfield gives it the contextual advantage.

In the present though, both these motorcycles are burdened with the tremendous task of getting in the ring with the all-new Royal Enfield 350s. With rumours that the new Royal Enfield BS6 350s are “revolutionary”, the context of this road test comes front and centre, determining who will lead the charge against goliath in 2020.

The Imperiale 400 is a proper looking retro-classic; the flat tank, the comparatively high split-seat, and rubber padding on the tank, all make it look almost stately. We will even forgive the all-too familiar looking marquee, that’s painted on the tank. The powder coated black exhaust paired with a brushed metal heat shield also add to the Imperiale’s presence. That said, a longer shield to keep pillion from losing toes would not go amiss. The Imperiale is long too, nose to tip and in terms of wheelbase, the Imperiale 400 is the longest motorcycle in this space by a fair margin. As a result, the Benelli not only looks like a higher displacement motorcycle than it is, but also seems to command more attention out on the road.

In contrast, the Jawa 42 is a blatant remake of the Jawa’s of the past, albeit with a factory-custom finish. The gold-pinstripes on the tank paired with the matte blue paint really add to the appeal. As someone who grew up on a Jawa, one of my favourite things is the detail on the 293cc single cylin

der motor in chrome, that is almost a picture perfect recreation of what one would imagine a modern Jawa engine should look like, right down to the twin chrome exhausts. I love the smaller headlamp cowl, and the offset meter (which is still upside down for no understandable reason) but is more legible thanks to the left-offset. Infact as long as you don’t look too closely, the Jawa really seems to have what it takes to be the best looking bike in the segment. Make a more detailed inspection and things start falling apart. The set-apart pin stripes appear to be stickered on and then lacquered over. The paint seems to run off at the edges, and rubbing seals seem to be stuck on with nothing more than wishful thinking. The lack of basic electronics like a trip meter are even more glaring.

With a full 90mm stroke, the Imperiale 400 takes long stroke learning almost straight out of the Royal Enfield book. Although fuel injection and a slightly wider bore means that it isn’t as vibey and slightly more powerful with 21bhp on tap. There’s 29Nm of torque too, with peak torque making itself available as early as 4,500rpm, meaning that roll-ons are met with an eager shove forward from the engine. It’s linear too and will progress almost consistently till an (indicated) topwhack of about 130kmph. Although it is slower off the line than the Jawa, the Benelli makes up for it with a better top speed and the ability to cruise at 120kmph in 5th gear with very little to report in the form of vibes. On the other hand, the Jawa 42 uses a tweaked version of the Mojo’s 293cc single with 27bhp and 28Nm of torque. While it is more powerful and concurrently quicker than the Benelli off the line, the Jawa quickly loses steam as the digits climb. Being a short(er) stroke, vibrations too make themselves felt in the bar and the pegs as early as 90kmph. At an indicated top speed of 125kmph, the engine feels very strained and the vibrations can not be ignored. As a

result the Benelli feels better to ride out on the highway and in the city, despite the fact that the Jawa is the more powerful off the two!

From the moment you hop into the saddle, the 780mm seat on the Imperiale seems counter intuitive. Especially, if you’ve been used to riding bikes from outside this genre. It is not until you start rolling that you understand the ingenuity of this kind the design. Keep in mind the Imperiale is the longest off the lot, and the handlebars are angled back, allowing for a very relaxed riding position mitigating the effects of the stiff(er than usual) springs on your shoulders and wrists without really taking away from the handling.The longer wheelbase also compensates for the high up riding positon,

allowing for more stability through the corners. When you add all this up, you get a comfortable, bike that inspires confidence through corners. Exactly what you should expect from a modern classic.

The Jawa 42 on the other hand is familiar. The seat is a comfortable 765mm with the handle angled back over the tank, giving it a very comfortable rider’s triangle. I’d go as far as to say it’s the more comfortable off the two. The front gets squishy-soft conventional forks that would feel right at home for someone (me) who’s spent a lot of time on the Jawa’s of the past. The rear set is stiffer than one would expect, which is a bit odd. Hard braking is a nightmare that involves a nose-diving front end with no pliancy from the rear. Cornering is almost impossible since, the 130mm between the bottom of the stand and the ground disappear almost instantly resulting in the unpleasant dragging of metal on tarmac. Even if you’re willing to ignore that and continue trying, the front end will fully compress as you move for the apex decimating the last shred of confidence you had. To compress that for you, the 42 is extremely comfortable as long as you have no interesting in even the mildest bit of spirited cornering.

AS ENTRY-SEGMENT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES BOTH THE BENELLI AND THE JAWA 42 ARE BURDENED WITH THE TREMENDOUS TASK OF GETTING IN THE RING WITH THE ALL-NEW

ROYAL ENFIELD 350S

1. The ‘Smith’s’ style meters look cool. Fuel Gauge needle could be better designed. 2. The 42’s flat bench is comfortable but a firmer cushion would be better. 3. The 280mm disc on the front wheel has proper bite. It’s easy to forget that rear only has drum brakes

1. The meters on the Benelli are the perfect blend of analogue, digital and legible with all the information packed into a very smart console. 2. The seat with springs makes riding comfortable even for hours. 3. 300mm brakes do a decent job in bringing the heavy Benelli to a halt with confidence

1. The 293cc liquidcooled single is a brilliant motor, but the strong bottom-to-mid range seems out of character for a classic. 2. The chrome twin exhausts have nostalgic value and do an impressive job in recreating the signature exhaust note. 3. The refinement of the Benelli’s 373cc single is notable especially considering its air cooled. 4. The blacked out exhaust looks fab a longer heat shield would not be missed

The Forty Two Marquee on the Jawa makes for a better tail-view than the simplistic Benelli Imperiale 400

Dipayan Dutta Special Correspondent dipayan.dutta@aajtak.com @dipayandutta VERDICT While the Jawa may have all the trappings of a more complete motorcycle, a lack of attention to detail, a long list of missing features and questionable build quality prove to be it’s undoing. In contrast, the Benelli is well made, rides better and has more in the way of features, and has emerged as the dark horse in this segment and the undisputed winner of this road test!