After a slow start plagued by production delays and claims of shoddy craftsmanship, it appears that Jawa Motorcycles is back. The company, owned by parent Mahindra & Mahindra and distributed by Classic Legends, entered the Indian market in 2018 by announcing three models, the Jawa, Jawa Forty Two, and the Perak.

The public’s initial response to the machines was good.  But Jawa ran into difficulties, and production was delayed until April 2019. It was then that Jawa started production of its Jawa and Jawa Forty Two models. Production of the Perak did not start until November 2019.

As newly produced Jawas made it into customer’s hands, some complained their bikes were shoddily assembled and that parts were quickly rusting. However, it appears that Jawa has remedied those issues, and their recent sales back it up.  And now, Jawa is announcing that it has reached a cumulative sales figure of 50,000 motorcycles.

The Jawa model lineup. From left to right: the Perak, Jawa, and Forty Two.

Milestone reached, but is it enough?

While 50,000 motorcycles sold is nothing to sneeze at, the amount is far less than its main Indian competitor, Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield’s single month sales regularly eclipse Jawa’s total sales.

But Classic Legends CEO Ashish Singh Joshi had this to say about Jawa’s accomplishments:

“As the newest entrant in the Indian motorcycle market, we are proud of what we have achieved in such a short duration.  As a relatively recent start-up, Classic Legends has readied a full-scale production facility to support the three models that we introduced as a part of the resurrection of the Jawa brand, set up an unparalleled and widespread sales network; and have ramped up all our operations constantly to meet customer demands.”

Jawa wants to expand its sales outside of India. They already have operations in Europe and Nepal. The company hopes that these markets outside of India will improve its sales figures considerably.

But as Jawa seeks to increase its sales outside of India, they still face a difficult road in their home country. Competition in Jawa’s lane is increasing. New and updated motorcycles have come not only from Royal Enfield but also from Honda and Benelli.  Both the Honda H’ness 350, Royal Enfield Meteor 350, and Benelli Imperiale 400 models have arrived, making the market more competitive.

Vezi sursa