Upcoming Jawa RVR500 Is Actually Rebadged Bristol Veloce 500

It would appear that Jawa, a popular Indian motorcycle manufacturer, is looking to expand its model lineup to include sportier options. At present, Jawa’s model range consists of small capacity retro-style cruisers. The Indian motorcycle company has recently been spotted testing what could be an upcoming retro-style naked bike. Badged as the Jawa RVR500, this machine is identical to the Bristol Veloce 500.

The Bristol Veloce 500 is a sharp, aggressively styled retro bike currently being assembled and sold in the Philippines. With its parts sourced from OEMs mostly based in China, the bike is one of the most affordable large-displacement bikes in the country. It would appear that Jawa has done nothing more than rebadge the Veloce 500, so it’s pretty safe to assume that the bike’s specifications will remain the same.

From a styling perspective, the Bristol Veloce 500 has clearly been inspired heavily by the Honda CB650R. Incorporating a blend of modern-day naked styling with a touch of retro flair, the Veloce 500 gets sharp, angular fairings, which give it a muscular aesthetic, as well as burly inverted forks which make it look like a premium machine. It incorporates wire-spoke wheels and a single-sided swingarm—a first for the sub 500cc class. The Veloce 500 gets a cropped tail, with its license plate situated on a fender mounted to the swingarm for a thoroughly clean aesthetic. Lastly, LED lights both front and back keep visibility in check.

The Bristol Veloce, or soon-to-be Jawa RVR500 is powered by a 471cc parallel-twin engine. Sourced from China, this motor features similar mechanical architecture as that of the engines found in Honda’s CB500 range of street bikes. Make of that what you will, but we can expect the Jawa RVR500 to be a rather docile dog churning out just 47 horsepower, with its 180-degree camshaft, liquid-cooling, and electronic fuel-injection. Power is transferred to the rear wheel via a standard six-speed manual transmission.

As far as pricing and availability in India are concerned, it’s possible that the Jawa RVR500 could make its debut sometime in the future, however, the likelihood of this bike launching within 2021 is rather slim. Jawa has recently been putting in a lot of effort towards expanding into Europe, particularly with the revival of BSA. Who knows, maybe the RVR500 could be wearing a BSA badge in its final form? For reference, the Bristol Veloce 500 carries a price tag of PHP 348,000, or around $7,100 USD.

Upcoming Jawa RVR500 Is Actually Rebadged Bristol Veloce 500
Source: Philippines Election