CLASSIC CHAOS

Thought retro motorcycles can't be fun on the track? CLPL begs to differ

- By Manaal Mahatme Photographs Classic Legends

'It is such a bad idea, it's brilliant,' I blurted out as soon as I came back after my first session with the Jawa 42 FJ. Someone at Classic Legends had a bright idea of letting a bunch of journalists loose on the handling test circuit at NATRAX with almost the entire line-up of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles along with the BSA Gold Star 650 for two days! No new motorcycles or updates to test, no 'agenda'... this was new.

I started the session with the FJ, the only bike I had not ridden out of the entire CLPL portfolio and also the least outrageous choice amongst the other bikes using the 334cc engine. The first lap was all about understanding the track, and as soon as the ride leader broke away from the pack and went into the pits, we shot off like hounds chasing game. But, unlike the usual motorcycles meant for the track, the FJ didn’t really have the correct suspension settings or tyres. But was that going to stop me from pushing the bike and my luck? Hell, no!