Yezdi motorcycles are also coming back: CONFIRMED!

Anupam Thareja, the founder of Classic Legends, the company that’s been set-up to sell Jawa and BSA branded motorcycles in India, confirmed that the Yezdi brand will also be resurrected in India. He confirmed this through an audience question at the Jawa launch yesterday. The exact timeline on when the Yezdi range of motorcycles will make an appearance in India is not known for now.

We anticipate that Classic Legends will first wait for the Jawa brand to settle down and establish itself in the Indian market before bringing in the Yezdi brand. Ideal Jawa, the original company that used to sell Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles in India, completely re-branded all motorcycles to Yezdi in its latter part of existence. The Yezdi range of motorcycles included the Road King, Oil King, Classic, CL-II, Monarch, Deluxe, 350 and 175 models.

As and when Classic Legends resurrects Yezdi, we expect the brand to use the same mechanicals as the ones on the Jawa range. Differences between the two sub-brands from Classic Legends are likely to be stylistic, just like what was the case when Jawa and Yezdi both co-existed in India at one point of time in the 1970s and 1980s. The Mahindra Mojo’s engine has already been re-engineered for use in the Jawa range, and the same motor is likely to find application in Yezdis of the future as well.

There are four main reasons for this.

1. Classic Legends got a celebrated engine designer from abroad to work on the Mojo’s engine, for more low end torque and a distinct exhaust note. The engine is now said to embody the characteristics that made Jawas and Yezdis famous.

2. Also, the engine has been engineered to be Bharat Stage 6 emission norms compliant right from day one.

3. The engine is a handsome looker, and has been designed to look retro despite being a liquid cooled motor, much like what Triumph has done with the Street Twin range’s engines.

4. Cost. Developing a brand new engine is expensive, and for a boutique motorcycle brand such as Classic Legends, which is said to operate like a start-up, getting things done at minimum expense is critical.

Currently, the Jawa and 42 bikes use a 293cc, four stroke-liquid cooled, single cylinder engine that puts out 27 Bhp-28 Nm while the Perak uses a big bore, 334cc version of the same engine, with 30 Bhp-31 Nm outputs. All engines get 4 valve, twin cam heads with dual exhaust ports. The twin ‘cigarette’ exhaust design, which is offered on the Jawa and 42 motorcycles, is expected to be carried over to the Yezdi range as well. Fuel injection is also standard on both the engines.