You needn’t be a motorcycle enthusiast to love what Jawa has to offer you with the Perak. It is, by far, the most gorgeous looking motorcycle on the market, looking identical to its concept avatar. When Jawa pulled the wraps off the bike for the first time, it looked like nothing else, parked right next to the production models of the Jawa and Jawa Forty Two. Let’s have a look at the Perak to see what this ‘bobber’ is all about.
Those looks..
The Jawa Perak looks unlike anything we’ve seen on two wheels. It is basically a bobber version of the standard Jawa, and what makes it stand out is that unconventional cantilevered seat instead of the rear subframe. The single-piece seat you see, is bolted on to a main frame through some sheet metal, sporting a tan shade that bodes rather gracefully with the matte black paint and the gold pin-striping on the motorcycle. At the rear, there’s a circular LED brake light placed behind the seat and beyond that, you will see a huge fender with no pillion seat above. This also meant Jawa Bikes had to include a new frame and swingarm. Customers will absolutely love the Jawa Perak’s slender, smoked-out slash-cut exhaust pipes on both sides. Jawa Bikes managed to push this idea to production by somehow having the emissions-relevant collector box beneath the motorcycle. Adding to the style on the sides are those triangular side panels. The Perak is a bike to behold, be it from up-close or from afar; it’s hard to ignore. Even the quality on the bike is, by far, the best we’ve experienced on a Jawa product. But if we had to nitpick, then we did find the speedometer trapping moisture in it and the lower half of the dial, for some reason, is difficult to read. These are areas of improvement that can be attended to on updated models in the future. There are panel gaps visible that tend to be quite an eye sore. The rear indicator’s cables are jutting out untidily, but thank fully, there were no squeaks and rattles.
Perak on the road
It’s unmistakably gorgeous, but does that mean the Jawa Perak comes with its share of shortcomings? The riding position is good, but compared to the other two models by Jawa, the Perak does feel a bit cramped and perhaps, to some extent, it can be blamed on the low-set seat. Then we also found that the foot pegs are set too much to the rear, meaning it’s bound to take a toll on your knees. Also, the softly cushioned rear seat, on long journeys, might end up hurting your bottom for long hours. Ride quality isn’t particularly great since the suspension travel has decreased, which is what gives the Perak its low-slung stance. Most of the bumps can be felt quite evidently and the 145mm of ground clearance is most likely to graze its underbelly on the big speed breakers. However, at 175kgs, the Perak is surprisingly light and nimble, despite the wheelbase having been elongated by 116mm. Handling is excellent, thanks to the wide tyres, but if you lean towards your left around a corner, we can assure you the side stand is bound to scratch the tarmac. If you’re hefty, the bike is bound to be lowered even further and that means the exhaust on the right side will get rubbed a fair bit on curvy bends. Ride the bike hard though, and the rear starts to feel too soft, and the brand has done well to limit lean angle. Braking performance is decent and the units are the same ones seen on the other two models.
Perak packs a punch?
Powering the Perak is a liquid-cooled 334cc engine, a bit bigger than what the regular Jawas offer. The motor produces 30bhp and 32.74Nm of torque. This is a bike designed more for urban use and the engine is up to the task of helping carry speeds without breaking into a sweat. The engine’s character is similar to the other Jawa bikes and we’ve gotten accustomed to the mellow beat of the exhaust. The power delivery is flat, but once the revs rise, the pick-up in power can be felt, making it a reasonably quick motorcycle. There’s something unique about this bigger capacity engine that makes it a joy to experience. As you reach higher speeds, vibrations do filter through and these get more evident towards 140kph. The Jawa Perak is not a bike you’d want to ride fast; it’s more for someone who likes riding around town, covering short distances.
