How Royal Enfield Shotgun will fare against Jawa 42 Bobber
Royal Enfield is gearing up to reveal the Shotgun 350 in India soon. The upcoming motorcycle will be based on the Classic 350. It will be the first bobber offering for the Chennai-based bikemaker on our shores. Once launched, it will rival the Jawa 42 Bobber in the sub-500cc category. How will they fare against each other? Let's find out.
Why does this story matter?
Royal Enfield is planning to introduce the bobber-style Shotgun 350 in India. Based on the Classic 350, the upcoming motorcycle will also be underpinned by a J-series twin downtube frame. Once launched, the bike will face tough competition for the top spot from the Jawa 42 Bobber, as the latter has currently captured the bobber segment in the sub-500cc category.
Jawa 42 Bobber looks more appealing with neo-retro design elements
The upcoming Royal Enfield Shotgun 350 will flaunt a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, an ape-style raised handlebar, a floating-type rider-only saddle, a blacked-out exhaust, wire-spoke wheels with white-walled tires, and a fender-mounted taillamp. Jawa 42 Bobber has a sloping fuel tank, a round headlamp unit, a wide handlebar, a two-way adjustable rider-only saddle, a large rear fender, wire-spoked wheels, and a negative-backlit LCD instrument cluster.
The RE model will get dual-channel ABS
To ensure the safety of the rider, the Royal Enfield Shotgun 350 will get disc brakes on both wheels, along with dual-channel ABS, telescopic forks on the front side, and dual shock absorbers at the rear end. In comparison, the Jawa 42 Bobber comes equipped with disc brakes on both wheels, dual-channel ABS, telescopic front forks, and a preload-adjustable mono-shock unit at the rear.
The 42 Bobber is offered with a more powerful engine
Powering the upcoming Royal Enfield Shotgun 350 will be the same 349cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder, J-series engine from the Classic 350. The mill generates 20hp/28Nm. Transmission duties will be handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox. On the other hand, the Jawa 42 Bobber is powered by a 334cc, SOHC, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine that develops 30.6hp/32.74Nm. The motor is linked to a 6-speed gearbox.
Wait for Shotgun 350 or buy 42 Bobber now?
In India, the Jawa 42 Bobber ranges between Rs. 2.13 lakh and Rs. 2.15 lakh. Meanwhile, we expect the upcoming Royal Enfield Shotgun 350 to start at around Rs. 2 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom) once launched. In our opinion, the Jawa 42 Bobber makes more sense on our shores now, with its neo-retro design philosophy and powerful, liquid-cooled engine.
