Jawa 350 Classic

Make Model.	Jawa 350 Classic
Year	2010
Engine	Two stroke, twin cylinder
Capacity	343.5 cc / 21.0 cu in
Bore x Stroke	58 x 65 mm
Compression Ratio	9.8:1
Cooling System	Air cooled
Ignition	Electronic
Starting	Electric and kick
Max Power	17 kW / 23 hp @ 5250 rpm
Max Torque	32 Nm / 3.3 kgf / 23.6 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
Transmission	4 Speed
Final Drive	Chain
Front Suspension	Hydraulic telescopic forks
Rear Suspension	Twin shocks
Front Brakes	Single Ø265 mm disc
Rear Brakes	Ø160 mm Drum
Front Tyre	3.25 -18
Rear Tyre	3.50 -18
Seat Height	820 mm / 32 in
Dry Weight	149 kg / 327 lb
Fuel Capacity	17 L / 4.5 US gal
Fuel Capacity	2.8 L / 0.74 US gal
Review	MCN

The Jawa 350 Classic is back and better than ever. Most 2-strokes are peaky, revvy and hard to keep in the power band. Jawa have never been like other 2-strokes and they still aren't. They are built to produce torque. Relaxing and comfortable to ride with a big bike feel, but still narrow and light enough to filter through city traffic. Away from the city they have enough go for long distance touring. Straight forward servicing , and low cost spares make these the ideal all rounder.

Twin shocks, four gears and a dead simple 350cc two-stroke twin – the Jawa is back. For those who don’t know, the Czech-made Jawa has been around nearly as long as Royal Enfield’s Bullet, and now you can buy one in the UK again.

It’s not quite as retro as a Bullet – I’d say 1983 rather than ’53 – and now comes with a few radical updates like electric start, front disc brake and even a digital dash.

Hop on board, flip on the manual choke and the Jawa 350 starts on the button. But if you want to go for the full ‘old school’ experience, push in the gearlever (which doubles as a kickstart) and kick it into life. Ring-ding-ding is the result, but this is no RD250.

The Jawa is tuned for torque rather than power, and with just 23bhp to haul 149kg, it’s not exactly a blast from the past – whack open the twistgrip at 40mph in top, and not much happens apart from induction roar.

Lolloping along Oxfordshire country lanes, at 50-55mph, the soft long-travel forks and rear shocks soaking up the bumps, was easy, laid-back fun.

Out on the M40, the Jawa loses some of its charm – over 60mph, the footrests vibrate and the mirrors blur, though if you can stand that the bike will happily hold 65-70, with a top speed of 77mph.

Back on the twisties, the Jawa feels light and slim enough to throw around. The tyres (Czech-made Mitas) look like a throwback to the 1960s, but they work well enough, and the front disc plus four-pot caliper is very powerful – in fact it’s actually a bit too sharp for the bike’s performance.

The Jawa is a bit crude in some ways, but it’s an honest bike at a good price, with practical points like fork gaiters plus an enclosed rear chain. And idiosyncratic extras include a sidecar or a monowheel trailer. This or a Chinese 250? You decide.