Jawa Motorcycles was revitalised in the Indian market by Classic Legends with strong support from Mahindra. Since then, the manufacturer has not only managed to rekindle the brand in terms of sales volumes but also has a strong waiting period. That’s a commendable feat considering the fact that the Indian automobile industry is on the verge of its worst-ever slump. While most manufacturers have experienced a drop of even 30%, the flags at Jawa have been flying high!
Jawa owners have been customising their ride for ages now. This International Jawa Day, the good folks at Autologue Design has modified a Jawa Forty Two to an eye-catching scrambler. The Pune-based customiser has christened it as Scrambler 42. The build was officially commissioned by Classic Legends and was completed in 8 days.
History: Jawa at International Six Days Trial
A quick recap on the International Six Days Trial event. This legendary event is regarded as one of the toughest off-road motorcycle rallies. Jawa participated in these rallies for over two decades and has won a fair bit of trophies. Their first victory came in 1947, followed by 6 more over the next 20 years. In the 70s the company won the race not less than 7 times.
The Jawa Type 553 pictured here dates from the 1961 International Six Days Trial held in Wales. That year, Jawa did not win the main trophy but Jawa and Czechoslovakian riders won the prestigious Silver Vase. Type 553 was powered by a 250 cc quarter-litre mill with aluminium alloy cylinder barrel. The use of aluminium not only helped Jawa reduce the weight of the engine, but also its dependability.
In recent times, Royal Enfield launched its Bullet Trials Replica Works based on Bullet 350 and Bullet 500. These bikes get cosmetic changes over the standard version. Also included are special off-road biased tyres from Ceat. The Royal Enfield Bullet Trials Works Replica 350 is priced at INR 1.62 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Royal Enfield Bullet Trials Works Replica 500 will set you back by INR 2.07 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
One look at the Scrambler 42 and you know this is motorcycle which means business. Paying tribute to the early Czechoslovakian-made Jawa bikes which took part in International Six Days Trial. Even the paint scheme pays rich tribute to the early Jawa bikes which took part in the iconic race.
The Scrambler 42 has a new headlamp unit. The SS waterjet headlamp plate is inspired by the old Jawa rallying machines. The instrumentation console is now a teardrop unit, lending the bike a retro attitude. The console in the Jawa Forty Two has a very similar design and uses a mix of digital and analogue read-outs. The front suspension cover has been replaced with red fork gaiters which add to the overall red theme.
A high set mudguard has been used in the front which has a very off-road feel. The rear fender, too, has been purpose-built by Autologue Design from scratch. A new taillamp now hangs near the rear suspension unit. Jawa’s iconic teardrop-shaped fuel tank has been left unchanged except for the inclusion of tank grips on the side. The drag-style handlebar seen in the stock Jawa Forty Two has been replaced by a raised unit which is also wider. A brace has been used to increase the handlebar’s rigidity.
The dual scrambler-styled exhaust units look really good. The waterjet heat shield on the canisters adds to the visual appeal. Besides that, Autologue Designs has replaced the seat which now looks amazing in brown shade. Also, the radiator has been given a red shade, keeping to the overall theme of the Scrambler 42.
Autologue Designs has mostly limited their customisation to cosmetic changes. In stock form, the Jawa Forty Two is suspended over conventional Telescopic fork up front. The rear suspension is overseen by twin shocks with gas-charged canisters at either end. Exhaust setup has a new header to make the overall unit shorter. The high-placed Scrambler styled exhaust is visible on both sides of this custom Jawa Forty Two. Besides that, the new exhaust will allow the rider to tackle off-road terrain in ease.
This custom Jawa Scrambler 42 has new brake and clutch levers as well. The stock Jawa Forty uses a 90/90-18 profile tyre in the front and a 120/80-17 profile tyre in the rear. Autologue Designs has swapped the stock rubber for chunky off-road centric wheels. These will help in getting a better grip on loose gravel. Also, the knobby tyres add to the visual appeal.
The rear footrest has been removed to make way for the exhaust. The body panels, too, have been reshaped for making space for the same chrome part. A new aluminium chain cover protects the chain from dirt and grime. Besides that, a new engine bash plate protects the powerplant from damages when ridden over the beaten track.
The braking system in this custom Jawa Scrambler is no different from the stock model. The front wheel gets its stopping power from a 280 mm disc brake with a floating calliper, while the rear wheel uses a 153 mm drum brake. Assisting the braking setup is a single-channel ABS.
The engine in this custom Jawa Scrambler 42 is the same 293 cc single-cylinder, 4-valve, fuel-injected mill. Coupled to a 6-speed gearbox, the powerplant produces 27.4 PS of power and 28 Nm of torque. This engine has the same bore and stroke ratio as the Mahindra Mojo but produces a slightly lesser amount of torque. Unlike what a lot of motoring scribes have written, the engine is not BS-VI compliant yet. However, it can be easily upgraded to meet the new emission norms. Hence, the use of the term ‘BS-VI ready’. The powerplant has an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency rating of 37.5 km/l (claimed).
So you love this build? Want one? Well, for now, the Scrambler 42 is a one-off build and would not be available for retail. However, Autologue Designs might reconsider this and start offering the package commercially if they experience a demand that makes the project feasible.