Indian competition for Royal Enfield

News

Will Royal Enfield face serious competition from its own country? It looks like it is, because Yezdi, with Czech roots, is making a comeback under the wings of ‘Classic Legends’, part of the Indian company Mahindra and also owner of the brand names Jawa and BSA. And that is celebrated with, among other things, a special promotional video.

Three models have now been presented under the Yezdi name: the Roadster, Scrambler and Adventure. The Yezdi brand was founded in India in 1973 and was a new label for the Jawa models built under license by Ideal Jawa since 1960. In 1996, Ideal Jawa stopped producing motorcycles and Yezdi disappeared as a brand.

Until now. All three new models are rooted in the same technical basis, with the liquid-cooled 334 cc single-cylinder with double overhead camshafts and petrol injection as the beating heart of the new Jawa models, Euro5-proof by the way. Depending on the model, the power varies from about 29 to just over 30 hp at 8,000 rpm. Maximum torque fluctuates between 28 and 30 Nm at 6,750 rpm. The single cylinder has a place in a steel double cradle frame on all models. The front is sprung by a telescopic fork and at the rear the Roadster and Scrambler have stereo shock absorbers and a steel swingarm. The Adventure deviates with a mono shock absorber and link system. The brakes are also a common factor with a 320mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear. ABS is standard.

Then the differences. The Roadster is a classically designed naked and stands on cast wheels (18 inch at the front, 17 inch at the rear). Weighing in at 184 kilograms and with a seat height of 790 mm, it looks like an accessible machine on paper, which stands out with its mufflers on either side. A small screen above the round headlight should provide some wind protection, while an equally round dashboard keeps you informed of the basics of motorcycle life. It’s 2022, so that will happen digitally. In addition to a Dark version with many black details, there is also a version with a lot of bling bling in the form of chrome parts. The basic colors are green and gray.

The Scrambler naturally rolls on other wheels, on wire-spoke wheels in the combination 19-inch front and 17-inch rear. At 800 mm, the seat is slightly higher, but the Scrambler weighs two kilos less than the Roadster at 182 kilos. The Scrambler also has a muffler on both sides, but these point slightly upwards. Here are some more cool details such as headlight gauze, fabric rubbers around the fork legs and a double mudguard at the front. Also here a round digital clock, but in a different place. The handlebars are a bit higher and also equipped with handguards. The Scrambler is available in uni-color or two-tone version.

And then the Adventure, which almost looks like a twin brother of the Royal Enfield Himalayan. The Adventure has a 21/17-inch wheel combination and with 15.5 liters it has a slightly larger tank than its brand mates, who both have to make do with 12.5 liters. With 188 kilos it is also slightly heavier and with 815 mm the seat is also the highest. The Adventure has a single muffler, while high front and rear fenders emphasize the adventurous look. So do the crash bars on either side of the tank and the luggage rack for the optional cases. Above the round headlight is a pleasant looking high window and behind it a modern TFT display with integrated navigation. The Adventure also comes in two design and color variants.

The new Yezdi models can already be ordered in India, or whether they will also come to Europe is not yet known.