The Royal Enfield Classic 350 has been on sale in the market for more than a decade. It has the brand’s highest selling motorcycle for a while and the company too has kept giving it regular updates over the past few years to keep it in sync with the buyer demands. But now the bike has been given its most comprehensive update till now. A brand-new generation of the Classic 350 has arrived and it comes with an all-new platform, reworked chassis, and a brand-new engine. That’s not all, there are new features, new colours, and a lot more. So, this is a fresh product in almost every way.
LOOKS & FEATURES
The Classic 350 has always had a likeable silhouette and that hasn’t changed on the new generation. The design that many have loved for years, stays. However ergonomically important elements like the seat, lights, mudguards, and the instrument console are different from before. Along with a manual dial, the console now come with a digital screen that has features like a fuel gauge, trip meters, eco indicator and service reminder. The tripper navigation pod that became popular with the Meteor 350, too finds a place here but will only be available with select variants of the bike. Another thing that will remind you of the Meteor are the classic handlebar switches, which have always looked nice. The lock/unlock switch too is integrated in the console and that really adds to the practicality. A USB charger is also a worthy addition to the new Classic 350.In all there are 11 colour options to choose from, some of which are dual tone.
ENGINE
The biggest change on the Classic 350 is the all-new J series engine that also powers the Meteor 350. The oil-air cooled motor churns out 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm which is roughly the same as before, but this Classic is a little heavier than the Meteor. The motor has impressed everyone with its pulling power and refinement on the cruiser and despite the additional weight the story stays the same here. The gearshifts are smooth, the vibrations are much lesser, and the clutch is light, all things you wouldn’t associate with a Royal Enfield a few years ago. The ride is indeed like a breadth of fresh over and if you have been a Classic owner all these years this bike will pleasantly surprise you. The trademark bullet thump is still there butlet’s just say the tune has changed a bit. It may or may not sound sweeter to you. You won’t mind cruising all day on this bike for reasons more than one.
RIDE & HANDLING
The new Classic 350 shares it frame and swing arm with the Meteor 350 and from there somewhat it adopts a relaxed nature of riding. The suspension settings have been altered to make the bike take on the uneven roads with more aplomb. At the front you get fatter forks while at the rear you now get more travel. The latter comes with 6-step adjustable pre-load which means you have some say in how firm you want your ride to be. With a seat height of 805 mm, the motorcycle offers an ergonomic ride position, one that doesn’t tire you and allows you to take on the corners at high speeds with confidence. The wheels have the same size as earlier, but the tyres are wider than before, giving more grip and therefore adding to the stable ride. The bike gets a decent ground clearance of 170 mm. The brake discs on both the wheels are larger than before and according to Royal Enfield this helps the bike stop faster than earlier. You also have the options on single channel ABS with rear drum brakes on some variants.
VERDICT
The 2021 Classic 350 is a brand-new bike in literally every sense, barring the maybe the name. And depending on the variant you also have the options of choosing alloy or spoked wheels on the bike. The bike offers an altogether different experience and if like me you’ve been a long time Enfield rider, the contrast is even more start. It is much improved bike no doubt, one that has all the makings of keeping the Enfield flag flying high. The bike also has all the qualities of pulling a first time Enfield buyer to the legendry motorcycle brand.
The writer is Senior Editor at carandbike.com