Jawa 42 FJ

The Jawa 42 FJ is arguably the most impressive Jawa I’ve ridden in recent times. The 42 FJ had massive weight on its shoulders when it came to expectations, but after riding it, I’m happy to report that Jawa seemed to have sorted a whole bunch of shortcomings. So what exactly made this bike such a nice one to ride? Let’s find that out here:

Jawa 42 FJ Design

The Jawa 42 FJ looks old school and honestly it looks better in person than it does in pictures. Its proportions are just right and the round elements like the offset instrument console, indicators and bar-end mirrors add to the old-school appeal. There are obviously some very Jawa elements in there like the twin exhaust setup or even the way the side panels have been done. All in all, while it’s not an out and out attention grabber, it’s also not a bike that you’d confuse for anything else in the market. 

Jawa 42 FJ Colours

The Jawa 42 FJ is on sale in 6 colours: Aurora Green Matte Spoke Wheels, Deep Black Matte Red Clad, Deep Black Matte Black Clad, Mystique Copper, Aurora Green Matte, and Cosmo Blue Matte. While the Cosmo Blue paint scheme looks bright yet elegantly pretty, none of the other colours do a job of making the bike stand out. Given how obsessed Indians are with chrome, especially on retro bikes, I think jawa missed a trick here by not offering the 42 FJ in a chrome colour scheme. 

Jawa 42 FJ Wheels

The Jawa 42 FJ comes with smart-looking alloy wheels which have machine finish to help it look more stylish. The front is a 100/90-18, and the rear tyre is a 140/70-17. Both suit the bike quite well. 

Jawa 42 FJ Build Quality

The quality levels on the 42 are much nicer, and things like the plastics and paint quality definitely make it feel nice and premium. In terms of its build quality, the bike feels sturdy and nothing seems like it’d start rattling in a few thousand kilometres. That said, the finish levels could’ve been slightly better with respect to the tucking of the wires and even the welding marks. While it’s not bad in any way, bikes like the Triumph Speed 400 have just left such an incredible impression on me with respect to its finish levels that I feel other bikes in this segment could do better.

Jawa 42 FJ Safety Features

As is the case with retro bikes, the Jawa 42 FJ doesn’t really have safety features apart from disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS. Now while that’s fine, the 42 is a bike that enjoys being ridden hard. More on that later, but for such a bike, a basic traction control system is always nice to have. I enjoyed riding the Jawa 42 FJ hard but there were a couple of times when my rear tyre spun up and having the bike’s traction control system watching my back would’ve been nicer. 

Jawa 42 FJ Convenience Features

The 42’s instrument console is the exact same unit that we’ve seen on some of the other bikes. It’s a fully digital, round reverse LCD console that shows the speed, tachometer, odometer readings, gear position indicator, fuel and time. There are also a couple of tell-tale lights at the top. And because it’s the same console, even the issues are the same as before. As is with reverse LCDs, this one’s hard to read under direct sunlight as well, and I had to crouch down a fair bit just to read it. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity here - something that Jawa should’ve offered.

Jawa 42 FJ Rider Comfort

The original Jawa 42 FJ was quite a cramped bike for taller riders like me (6’0) and that was a big worry for me before getting on this 42, for cramped ergonomics are our biggest pain point. But this one was a pleasant surprise. It had a slight lean to reach the handlebar, while your lower body is fairly upright. Now while the contrast seemed a bit weird initially, after a while I realised that the slight lean made for a much more engaging riding posture. Things just felt a bit sportier because I was leaning over just a little bit and while that’s not a priority on a retro bike, I have no complaints with the riding posture. 

Jawa 42 FJ Pillion Comfort

I’d term the 42’s pillion comfort as slightly above moderate. I had a couple of differently sized pillions on the 42 I rode and all of them had the same takeaway: decent, not great. The room on offer is fine but the seat cushioning could’ve been better. 30-40 minutes after commuting through intense Pune traffic, my pillion wanted to take a small break to give their backsides a bit of rest. All in all, I would’ve just wanted better padding for the seat. Maybe a firmer seat would’ve given both the rider and the pillion the support they need.

Jawa 42 FJ Engine Details

The Jawa 42 FJ’s engine was the highlight for me. Its 334cc liquid-cooled engine makes 29.17PS and 29.6Nm. Jawa has done a great job in refining the engine considerably, so it’s not clattery anymore. This engine felt a lot more relaxed even at lower speeds, the bike wasn’t just lurching ahead in an ungainly manner. The 42 FJ felt smooth and easy-going, and this is exactly what one wants from a retro bike. 

Jawa 42 FJ City Performance

As I mentioned earlier, the bike is a lot smoother at lower speeds and you can slot it in 2nd or 3rd gear and ride it around town without much fuss. But what I absolutely loved is the fun loving nature of this engine. It still enjoys being revved out and if you ride it hard, it still feels very rewarding. I mean yes it’s a retro bike but who says fun can’t be had on a retro bike. Its handling is impressive, and you’ll definitely change your notions about how well a retro bike can handle.

Jawa 42 FJ Highway Performance

What I said above is the very reason why the 42 feels nice and relaxed at highway speeds too. When something like the Royal Enfield Classic 350 runs out of steam at say about 90kmph, the 42 feels lively even at about 110kmph. So be it little highway trips on your daily commutes or taking the bike out for touring, the 42 feels more than happy out on the highway, maintaining triple digit speeds.

Jawa 42 FJ Mileage

In the week that I rode the 42, my mileage figures were just under the 30kmpl mark. And that suddenly made the 12-litre tank look fine because it translated to a real world range of more than 250km before the reserve part kicked in. And that means the 42 FJ can make for a good tourer too because with a slightly disciplined right hand, it can churn out a range of well beyond 300km between full tanks. 

Jawa 42 FJ Underpinnings

The 42’s underpinnings include a 41mm telescopic fork at the front and twin shocks at the rear with 5-step preload adjustability. There’s an 18-inch wheel at the front and a 17-inch unit at the rear. You get 100/90 tyres at the front along with 140/70 ones at the rear. The ground clearance is a healthy 170mm and I had absolutely no issues with that, for I didn’t come even close to scraping the bottom of the bike on any speed breaker. 

Jawa 42 FJ City Handling

Do not make the mistake that I did and think of the Jawa 42 FJ as a retro bike with lazy handling characteristics. It is the former but definitely not the latter. The moment I started riding the 42 in the city, its 184kg kerb weight almost disappeared and all I could feel was a nimble and responsive bike under me. I could filter through traffic with a lot more ease than I initially thought and honestly it was a lot of fun. 

Jawa 42 FJ Highway Handling

The 42 is just as much fun out on the highway as well. Changing lanes even above 80kmph is quite easy and I could get through the usual highway traffic a lot quicker than usual. It’s also where the 1440mm wheelbase comes in handy because the bike feels quite stable on the highway. 

Jawa 42 FJ Braking

The 42 has brilliant brakes and I had no complaints from them. There’s a solid amount of initial bite and the bike slows down enough by just getting on them a bit. And even in those emergency situations, squeezing them a bit more than usual got the bike stopped before time. Braking is another department where retro bikes (the Classic 350, for example) don’t have the best brakes. So it’s quite nice to have good brakes on the Jawa 42 FJ, because on our roads you just never know when you’ll need to urgently use them.

Jawa 42 FJ Ride Quality

The Jawa 42 FJ’s ride quality is definitely better than some of the older, stiffer bikes. Most bumps and speed breakers were absorbed well. While the rear suspension still felt a tad bit stiff and bouncy for someone of my weight (69kg), it should feel comfortable enough for most riders.

Should You Buy The Jawa 42 FJ?

The Jawa 42 FJ marks a substantial improvement over the previous Jawa bikes and has evolved in a much more wholesome way. The most important of the lot, the engine, has been smoothened out and it feels much nicer now. And while Jawa is working on its reliability and after sales services, the 42 FJ seems like a good contender to go up against the likes of the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and the Triumph Speed 400. The company's new warranty assurance initiative should ease ownership concerns further.

Jawa 42 FJ Variants

The Jawa 42 FJ is on sale in 3 variants. Its Aurora Green Matte colour scheme costs Rs 2,10,142, while Cosmo Blue Matte and Mystique Copper costs Rs 2,15,142. Finally, the Deep Black Matte Black Clad colourway will set you back by Rs 2,20,142. The differences between these are with respect to the colours and there are no other mechanical changes. As I said above, I think Jawa missed a trick by not offering a chrome colourway, something that sells like hot cakes in India. But if I had to pick one of the lot, it’d be the Cosmo Blue colourway, for it looks the most attractive of the lot.

Jawa 42 FJ vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 

Choosing between the Jawa 42 FJ and the Royal Enfield Classic 350 is a lot simpler that it seems. Be it the handling, the engine or just the overall nature, the Classic 350 is all about a relaxed, effortless riding experience. The Jawa 42 FJ, on the other hand, is relaxed too but it also has a touch of sportiness in the way its engine is tuned and even its handling. So if you want an authentic old school experience, most might still prefer the Classic 350.  

Jawa 42 FJ vs Royal Enfield Hunter 350

The Hunter 350 might have the Classic’s engine but its riding experience is quite different. The smaller wheels and sporty handling make it a lot more fun than the Classic and now with its better rear suspension, it’s a much nicer bike to ride. Now, the Jawa might be quicker and boast more power with its liquid-cooled engine, it just cannot match the Hunter’s Rs 1,49,900 (ex-showroom Delhi) starting price. So for those who are on a budget, the Hunter 350 does most of the things that the Jawa does at a much lesser price.