Jawa 350 first ride review: Classic ‘Legend’

Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles launched the Jawa standard Jawa (called, simply, the Jawa) back in 2018. And now the company has launched the Jawa 350 which replaces the ‘standard ’ Jawa in the company’s line-up. The new Jawa 350 is the updated version of the Jawa ‘standard’ and it might look the same as the old model but it's all new underneath those clothes.
Now what is the Jawa 350 all about and how does it look, what are the changes, what are its pros and cons, how is it to ride and most importantly should this be on your radar when you’re out in the market looking for a bike in its segment? Read the complete review for all the answers.

The new Jawa 350 is based on a new chassis, is now taller and has a longer wheelbase, has a bigger engine with more power, has wider tyres, weighs less and has minor cosmetic upgrades over the old model. Talking about the price now, the Jawa 350 is priced at Rs 2.15 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available in three colour options - Maroon, Black, and new Mystique Orange. All three colour options are complimented by polished chrome and golden pinstripes which play a major role in giving the bike that classic and retro look.

As mentioned earlier, the new Jawa 350 has the same design as the Jawa ‘standard’. The bike features an old retro classic design with a teardrop tank with a chrome finish and a round headlight. The overall design looks very simple and neat. At the rear, the tail light ends with a dropping rear, giving it a clean aesthetic look. The bike gets the same retro design for the engine with twin exhausts coming out of either side and the spoke wheels glorify the Classic design.

The Jawa 350 gets the same round instrument cluster with the reverse sweep for the needle. But now it features different old fonts for the numbering with both Kmph and Mph reading. It also gets a tiny LCD screen which puts out various information such as ODO, trip meter, side stand warning and more. One problem with the instrument cluster is, due to the angle of its placement it limits the rider's view of the speedometer's range between 60 kmph to 100 kmph marking.

The overall quality of the bike is improved, the switch gear feels a lot firmer and durable. The welds, rubber bits and wiring look tidy. The key placement also is below the handlebar and it gets round chrome finished mirrors for that classic look. The features list is short, the bike gets halogen headlamps, taillamps, indicators, dual-channel ABS, assist and slipper clutch.

The seat height is at 802 mm which makes it accessible for shorter riders, the handlebar is at a good height and the foot pegs are slightly rear-set. All these factors strike a good balance between comfort, control and handling. The seat cushioning could have been better and also a bit longer to comfortably accommodate a pillion. There are no grab rails too.
The new Jawa 350 gets a new chassis and swingarm, the bike now has a kerb weight of 194kg. At the front, it gets 35 mm telescopic forks and an adjustable preload twin shock absorber at the rear and it offers a good balance between sportiness and comfort.

The engine is new too, the bike now gets a bigger liquid-cooled, 334cc, single-cylinder engine that puts out 22.5hp of power at 7,000rpm and 28.1Nm of torque at 5,000rpm. The peak torque has gone up by 1Nm and is delivered earlier in the rev band and the power has reduced by a significant 4.8hp compared to the earlier 293cc engine.
The engine sounds good and has a brawny exhaust note. You can also change the exhaust note by changing the DB killer’s position without the exhaust pipes. Talking about the performance, the engine now feels gutsy and low-end torque is brilliant. The throttle is crisp, and light and it has good mid-range performance. The six-speed gearbox is precise and the clutch is light, the shift pattern is one down, five up.

On the highways, the Jawa 350 cruises quite comfortably till about 100 kmph and is quite refined. If you push it close to the redline, there are a lot of vibrations that kick in from the footpegs, mirrors and in the handlebar. The bike tops out at close to 130 km/hr and going from nought to the ton takes close to 12.5 seconds.

Handling is the strongest trait of the new Jawa 350, it’s pretty much point and shoot affair. The new chassis and engine walk together smoothly and the bike feels light, nimble and it changes direction like a much smaller, lighter motorcycle. Riding the bike around the curves is really fun, the bike holds its line, feels stable, and feels connected all the time.
Brilliant handling, tight turning circle, low seat height and less kerb weight make the Jawa a supremely easy bike to ride around in the city. Talking about the suspension, at the front, it gets 35 mm telescopic forks and an adjustable preload twin shock absorber at the rear. The front has 135 mm travel, is really good at soaking the bumps, and has well-judged damping. But the rear is a bit stiff, lacks travel and transmits a lot to the rider.

The bike gets dual-channel ABS with a 280 mm disc at the front and 240 mm at the rear. The braking performance and bite from the front disc are good. The front gets an 18-inch tyre with 100-section rubber while the rear is a 17-inch tyre with 130-section rubber. The bike gets spoke wheels which helps maintain that classic look.
Verdict
The new Jawa 350 is vastly improved over the previous model. The bike gets a new chassis, improved dynamics, a bigger engine, wider tyres, improved quality, fit and finish and more. If you’re looking for a classic-retro-style motorcycle with a touch of modern technology, the Jawa 350 is your best bet.

So if you want to get yourself a motorcycle that fulfils the purpose of riding it on almost every type of road, looks retro and classy, handles like a dream, gets a refined engine, sounds amazing and also boasts a good set of brakes, the Jawa 350 is the one you’re looking for. Priced at Rs 2.15 lakh (ex-showroom), the Jawa 350 directly competes with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Honda CB 350. It will also go up against the likes of the Royal Enfield Bullet 350, Meteor 350 and TVS Raider.