Bajaj Avenger 400 : The Indian cruiser motorcycling scene has had quite a dramatic shift over the last ten years.
Where once was a corner category monopolized by international powerhouses is now a space bursting with home-grown options that guarantee the same experiences at a fraction of the cost.
Into this mix, two interesting challengers join the fray – the brand new Bajaj Avenger 400 and the incumbent Jawa 42 Bobber.
Both bikes are targeting riders looking for that one very specific laid-back cruising experience but they are going about it in very different ways.
Their fight isn’t just a fight for supremacy, though; it highlights two very different design philosophies, engineering styles, and brand legacies.
Table of Contents
STUNNING THE STATUS QUO: AVENGER IN NEW AVATAR
The Avenger range from Bajaj is a cruiser enabler for the common man. For years, the Avenger range has brought ache-free cruising closer to lakhs of riders on a budget thanks to its pocket-friendly pricing and unhurried mechanicals.
The model range, though, was stuck in displacement numbers that we might call small by hardcore enthusiast standards — until now.
The Avenger 400 will be Bajaj’s most daring bet in this space till date. Taking mechanical cues from the solid Dominar 400 platform, there is a significant increase in the displacement of the bike this time, compared to its predecessors.
This is no mere step up, it’s a complete rethink that transforms the Avenger from a learner bike into the underdog of the middleweight cruiser class.
Circumnavigating the bike, you can’t help but notice its long, low slung shape — a tip of the hat to traditional American cruisers but dressed with a splash of modern-era refinements.
An elegant elongated teardrop fuel tank bends into the rider friendly 710mm seat height. This isn’t to say that chrome doesn’t have a place; in the case of the Tuono, it’s an accent rather than an accentuating factor, placed only on the exhaust outlets, handlebar ends and mirror housings, where it contrasts the bike’s mostly matte black bodywork.
Up front, a round LED headlight is housed in a minimal nacelle that goes retro without getting too precious about it, because, face it, modern light is your friend.
The instrument cluster, meanwhile, keeps up with the times with its partial digital display and no longer obstructs the rider’s view by featuring only the most crucial information.
Jawa’s Neo-Retro Bobberism Position Statement
If that feels a mile away then at the other extreme is the Jawa 42 Bobber, the most heritage proud motorcycle we’ll see all year.
Classic Legends resurrected the Jawa brand with a mission that seems prettysisimple: Revisit the golden era of motorcycling to evoke nostalgia, add a dash of just enough modern elements to satiate 21st century riders.
The 42 Bobber is an excellent example of this approach.
Staying true to the bobber design ethos, this bike has been designed to keep things to a minimum. This floating single seat — perhaps its most singular visual feature — hovers above an uncluttered frame beneath.
A factory-custom design lets it stand out from the rest with its own distinctive look while riders may also appreciate such a unique and excellent-looking motorcycle right out of the showroom.
The 42 Bobber’s fuel tank bears tuning to classic Jawa forms in its knee recesses and badging placement, subtle but unmistakeable.
A closer inspection shows there has been a lot of love lavished on these period-correct details – fork gaiters, spoke wheels and pared-back fenders that wouldn’t look out of place in a bike builder’s workshop from years ago.
Its instruments merge past and future more interfusely than one might think. There’s an analog speedometer with tiny digital inset for basic info for a classic look without compromising on information availability. A particularly neat detail is the way Jawa has hidden mod cons including the ABS module behind period-look design elements.
Heart of the Matter: Powertrain Philosophies
Underneath the sassy bodywork, these bikes could hardly be more different in their delivery of grunt. The Avenger 400 used a 373.3cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, based on KTM’s trusted design, though adapted for its cruiser role.
That motor makes around 40 horsepower and 35 Nm of torque — numbers that should make the Intruder 150 a competitive entry-level mid-sized cruiser.
But more importantly, Bajaj have changed the character of the engine dramatically from its sportier avatars. Now the powerband focuses on that rather than head-butting you with top-end rush, which is more befitting of a laid back ride.
The six-speed gearbox gets new ratios to suit this change of character, and a lovely, slick slipper clutch that made for buttery-smooth downshifts even when I got a bit overexcited in some of the faster bits.
The Jawa 42 Bobber ditches that for an air-cooled 334cc single-cylinder unit. Sure, the peak power and torque figures of the Dominar do trail behind those of the Avenger – 30.64 horsepower and 32.74 Nm – but the engine has a character of its own.
There is a certain satisfaction to be found in the simplicity and relative traditionalism of an air-cooled motor, particularly in a motorcycle designed to pay homage to its heritage.
The Jawa’s engine delivers instant torque from just over idle, ideal for around the city where tractability is more important than outright performance. The exhaust note – a deep thrumming bass that crescendos most agreeably on the throttle – is a key part of the riding experience, and designed to trigger emotional responses rather than just carry out a task..
Riding Dynamics: Comfort vs Character
Swinging a leg over these machines also unearths more philosophical distinctions.
Featuring a plush seat with extensive padding, floor-mounted foot pegs and wide pullback handlebars, the Avenger 400 was designed for all-day comfort.
The riding triangle promotes an upright stance with relaxed arms and leg stretch perfectly suited for consuming highway miles without getting tired too soon.
Its suspension (telescopic forks in the front, dual rear shock absorbers) abosorbs most highway bumps with aplomb.
Though nowhere near avant-garde, the bits have been well-suited for our roads from the git-go, zeroing in on a good balance between keeping the rider from getting jolted with each and every ripple and chatter and keeping the chassis disciplined in mid-corner.
The 42 Bobber gives away some comfort for character, and style. Its floating single rider’s perch is set low, making a cool visual statement, if catering less to rider repositions after long miles.
The foot controls are positioned relatively far forward, which results in a more laid-out riding position that looks undeniably cool but can be tiring after a few hours on the road.
But if the Jawa gives up long-distance comfort, it takes it back in terms of character and engagement. The snugger dimensions and slightly firmer damping also give a better sense of connection with the tarmac.
Communication through the chassis is detailed when it comes to feeling what the road has to say about traction, inspiring a connected style of riding regardless of the cruiser-esque look.
Technology integration: modern day comforts.
Each of the two motorcycles does pay tribute to technology in their own way for modern standards.
With a full LED treatment and a Bluetooth-equipped instrument cluster that is capable of both navigation alerts and call notifications, the Avenger 400 goes a few steps further than the current bikes’ LED tail lights and optional ABS to end up with a pretty enough face with more than a good / second base on which to build.
The Jawa, however, is a little more collected in integrated technology. Sure, it has all the basic safety electronics you’d expect from any other high-end scoot in the market like ABS, and it meets the emission standards with a fuel-injection system, but it seems the technology tends to concentrate more around making the ride better rather than adding these “add-on” features that add more complexity and are less-essential to the core riding experience. This is a philosophy purists appreciate: they want modern-day reliability – but not a bike blighted by a sea of electronic gimmicks.
Price Positioning Vs Value Proposition
The pricing philosophies also tell us a lot about how each company views their create. Bajaj has catered the Avenger 400 to be a premium offering, and despite that, the pricing has been kept aggressive in accordance with its category.
One flows directly from Bajaj’s enduring strength — offering amazing spec-sheets at price-points competitors cannot quite match.
Jawa’s 42 Bobber pricing embraces the emotional and standing out value of the product.
The motorcycle is commanding a premium that can not be justified on the basis of specification alone, but it begins to make sense when you take into account the unique styling, heritage value and the fact that it is a relative rarity on Indian roads. And buyers aren’t just purchasing transport, they are making a statement of lifestyle rooted in history.
Two Roads to the Pleasures of Cruising
They are hard to compare in that way, an easy decision of whose better, would miss the point of these fine machines. “Both are interpretations of cruising culture, each valid in its way.
The Avenger 400 is a comfortable, practical and capable machine that offers a lot of value with performance and features to match.
It stands to reason then that it’s the measure of displacement if the rupee would command maximum capability.
The Jawa 42 Bobber is designed to appeal to the heart and not the head. It’s appealing in character, provenance, and the unquantifiable satisfaction of having something unique.
In exchange for those traits, it casts aside some practicality in exchange for personality, a compromise many enthusiasts will find entirely acceptable.
Best part is, riders finally have real options in the Indian cruiser market. Whether emphasizing sport and modern performance or classic character, today’s enthusiast can connect with machines that reflect their own cruising soul and do not necessarily ask to be shipped from overseas in order to do so.
This category is set to provide increasingly attractive experiences for riders as both manufacturers continue to develop their product offering.
It’s not an either/or situation we have before us here in these two motorcycles; instead, it is a case of two different interpretations of motorcycle nirvana—a cruiser nirvana, that adds so much more colour to our pot of joy.two wheels.
