High Demand Is a Good Thing, Right?
Jawa Motorcycles might have bitten off more than it can chew. It has two new, super cool retro-inspired motorcycles that hit all the nostalgia points smack on and compete directly with Royal Enfield. I reported on the Jawa’s bikes previously and noted that the company had a backlog of orders. That has only continued. The company can’t make bikes fast enough.
According to RideApart, the company has expanded its dealer network considerably. That’s a good thing, and the high level of enthusiasm for the motorcycles is also a good thing. What isn’t a good thing is the long wait times for the bikes—five to nine months. Ugh. That seems like an eternity for something you undoubtedly want right now.
Jawa actually put its plans for a third model on hold for a while until it can fix its supply issue. However, as RideApart noted, there’s been no announcements about developments to further ramp up production, which seems to be exactly what Jawa needs to do.
If I was on the waiting list, I would be worried about the quality of the bikes. I know Jawa’s new motorcycles are affordable and you can only expect so much, but with such a high backlog, I would start to wonder about the company cutting corners to meet demand. I hope that’s not the case, but that would be my first thought. If I’d placed my pre-order, I’d be wary.
Jawa has no plans at this time to bring the bikes to the U.S., but with the company seriously killing it in India, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them start expanding and eventually coming this way. I think the bikes could sell well here. They’re super affordable and really cool. What’s not to like? Still, the quality has to be there or demand will fall off.