Classic Legends has had a very busy last few weeks with multiple launches such as the updated Yezdi Roadster, Adventure, the new Jawa 42 and the all-new BSA Gold Star. Clearly, the Mahindra-owned bikemaker is going for the kill with more interesting launches lined up for the rest of the year.
On the sidelines of the BSA Gold Star launch, Express Drives had the opportunity of a quick chat with Ashish Joshi, CEO Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd and gain some small but key insights about the developments of all three brands under the company— Jawa, Yezdi, and BSA.
BSA Gold Star: Same as the British-spec model
The BSA Gold Star made its debut in Britain in 2021-22 and at the time of its launch, Joshi had conceded that this 652cc single-cylinder motor is quite capable of churning out a higher output. So when asked why an updated version of the Gold Star with a higher output wasn’t introduced in India, Joshi said that they wanted to introduce a model which is purely authentic and identical to the British-spec model.
“First off, we wanted to put out the cycle in India, which was exactly what we are selling out. There were too many times where companies have short changed in their by taking away times while taking away breaks by taking away stuff”, said Joshi. He further added that the Indian market is now more evolved and customers are willing to pay the premium for the exact same model with the same specs.
Moreover, it should be noted that in Europe all riders with a valid A2 licence can ride two-wheelers with the highest output of 47 bhp. Hence, Classic Legends decided to cap the peak power limit at 47 bhp which will allow more and younger riders to consider the Gold Star.
More new models under BSA
Joshi confirmed that people could expect more models in the future under the BSA brand. Classic Legends is slated to launch at least two more models this year with one of them expected to be an update of an existing model while the other could be an all-new model. However, Joshi refused to divulge any specific details.
The Gold Star is the largest single-cylinder motorcycle in series production in India and competes against the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 which is a twin-cylinder bike. So when asked if Classic Legends are looking at developing multi-cylinder models, Joshi conceded that currently the company is only focusing on single-cylinder models but the prospect of a multi-cylinder motorcycle cannot be ruled out.
“Bullet”proof engines
Jawa and Yezdi have had to bear the brunt of delayed shipping of motorcycles primarily due to supply chain constraints. But Joshi says things have improved now. He made a bullish claim that the company can deliver any component of a motorcycle to any part of the country within 48 hours. For this, the company is piggybacking on Mahindra’s extensive logistics spread across India.
Further, reports of mechanical malfunction of Jawa and Yezdi models have plagued the company’s reputation. Joshi has assured that all engine options offered by Classic Legends are bullet proof given the engine oil is changed and the bike serviced at recommended intervals.