5. Jawa Forty Two (27.3hp & 171kg) – 159.6hp/tonne
Back in February 2021, Jawa launched an updated version of the Forty Two. This takes the fifth spot in our list. This version, internally known as the Forty Two 2.1, also weighs 1kg less than the regular Forty Two and the Jawa. This gives it a slightly higher power-to-weight ratio of 159.6hp/tonne than the regular model. In comparison, the regular Forty Two and Jawa are capable of 158.7hp/tonne. All three bikes use the same 293cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that comes paired with a 6-speed gearbox.
4. Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 (26.5hp & 161kg) – 164.5hp/tonne
Taking the fourth position is the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 — a good all-rounder. It does a lot andleaves little to complain about. Powering it is a 249cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine that makes 26.5hp at 9,300rpm and 22.2Nm at 7,300rpm. While these figures aren’t ground-breaking, it’s reasonably lightweight, at 161kg, especially when you consider that it is a fully-faired quarter-litre machine. With 164.5hp/tonne, the Gixxer SF 250 takes position number four.
3. Suzuki Gixxer 250 (26.5hp & 156kg) – 169.8hp/tonne
We give the third spot to the Gixxer SF 250’s naked counterpart. Like we witnessed with the Bajaj Pulsar RS200 and NS200, shedding some bodywork goes a long way. Powering it is the exact same engine as the SF 250 and it makes identical power and torque numbers, but its 156kg weight figure gives it a higher power-to-weight ratio of 169.8hp/tonne.
2. Jawa Perak (30.6hp & 175kg) – 174.8hp/tonne
India’s only affordable bobber, the Jawa Perak makes the most power on this list. It churns out 30.6hp and 32.7Nm of torque from its 334cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. The Perak would have taken first place, but it goes up against much lighter competition. That said, the Perak is still quite lightweight, at 175kg, given that it is a bobber.
1. Husqvarna Svartpilen 250, Vitpilen 250 (30hp & 166kg) – 180.7hp/tonne
With 180.7hp/tonne, the Swedish Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 are the motorcycles that offer the most bang for the buck. Thanks to the 249cc, liquid-cooled engine from the KTM 250 Duke, the Huskies make 30hp at 9,000rpm and 24Nm at 7,500rpm. The lightweight steel-trellis frame and minimal bodywork contribute to keeping the weight down to 166kg.
