When you think of the Royal Enfield Classic, you imagine the ‘Bullet’. The loud thump from the exhaust, a bit of vibration and a slightly tough gearbox were some of its traits, along with the fact that it still managed to be the bread-and-butter model for Royal Enfield thanks to its iconic design and overall reliability. Having said that, it takes a lot to build an icon up from scratch, but that is just what Royal Enfield has done with the all-new Classic 350. It is a new bike from the ground up and while a lot has changed, the most important element of it still being a ‘Classic’ remains! The timeless design, coupled with modern bits is a clear example of how a product upgrade should be done without loosing any of the legendary essence that made it an icon in the first place.
Iconic design
This is one good looking machine!
Set your eyes on the new Classic 350 and you can immediately tell that a lot more has gone into delivering this machine. It has an aura of fine engineering yet sticks to its characteristic stance and overall look. Of course, the new colour offerings do spice things up a bit, and what I had on test was the Chrome Red version, which gets your heart racing! The chrome and red theme carries over to the mud guards and the new exhaust pipe, while the rest of the body in black is the perfect offset that highlights the bike’s legendary shape and stance. You also get a new looking taillight as compared to its predecessor and last but not the least, this bike is built on an all-new chassis that uses a twin downtube spine frame which gives it better stiffness and enhances overall maneuverability.
Big on features
The digi-analogue set up and TFT screen for the Tripper function
To start with, the Classic 350 sports all-new switchgear on the handlebars. This includes the start/stop switch, indicators, and headlight controls. Along with that, you get a digi-analogue instrument cluster which has an LCD information panel for your fuel levels and other key information. On the side of that is a small round colour TFT screen that is powered by Google and is what Royal Enfield likes to call the ‘Tripper’, where you can pair it with your phone and get turn by turn navigation updates. Along with that, the bike gets a USB port that allows you to stay charged on the go!
Performance
349cc engine is smooth and refined
Powering the Classic 350 is a 349cc single cylinder, four stroke, air-oil cooled petrol engine that delivers 20.2 bhp of power and a peak torque of 27 Nm. The electronic fuel injection engine is paired with a 5-speed constant mesh transmission which utilizes a wet, multi-plate clutch. What all this translates to is a rather refined ride experience. It feels unlike any Bullet I’ve ridden before as the refinement of the engine is more than noteworthy. The slick transmission adds to the overall ride appeal as well and you feel confident taking this bike up to three-digit speeds, which it incidentally does rather easily! Power delivery is linear, and you feel that engine pushing you forward.
The ease of riding this bike wins you over!
During my ride, I took the bike down a highway stretch, through some village roads and even had to deal with a dirt track. The bike performed effortlessly on these varied terrains and while it is an all-new bike at heart, that familiar exhaust note ensures you don’t mistake it for anything else. Having said that, vibrations are in check, and you can’t but help feel like you are riding a truly international product that would feel right at home on village roads in India or country roads in the UK! It is easy to maneuver, you have exceptional control, and all these elements work towards inspiring confidence in you as a rider willing you to take this bike out for a nice long trip. Weighing in at 195kgs and with a 13-litre fuel tank capacity, the bike feels planted on the road and you know you can go the distance!
Keeping it safe
Disc brakes and ABS come standard on the higher models
The new Classic 350 has been built to conform with international safety standards and with that you get the option of going in for a single channel or dual channel ABS version. The bike also sports a large 300mm front disc brake and a 270mm rear disc brake. Add to that, you get tubeless tyres as standard, and both the front and rear tyres are wider than before.
Verdict
This bike wins you over!
The fact that caught my attention the most with the new Royal Enfield Classic 350 is just how easy it is to ride. It is such a refined machine that wins you over with every kilometer you clock! I wouldn’t peg myself in the list of seasoned riders, yet this bike had me at ease and I could comfortably ride it around the foothills of Kodaikanal without a worry. With that, I would say that the Classic 350 delivers and this trait is what will take its popularity to new heights! Seasoned riders, first time riders, riders of the fairer sex, will all find this to be a rather endearing product that does everything right, and the icing on the cake is that it has been priced extremely well too!
Royal Enfield Classic 350 Variants and Pricing
Royal Enfield Classic 350
Redditch: INR 1,84,374
Halcyon: INR 1,93,123
Signals: INR 2,04,367
Dark: INR 2,11,465
Chrome: INR 2,51,118