Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 review / road test

LOOKS AND STYLING -

If you want to ride a vintage cum latest bike, Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 is here for the guys like you as it is a perfect and well-designed blend of vintage and advanced bike. It is to be mentioned here that the design of the bike is borrowed from post world war II era. The engineers of the Royal Enfield visited British National Motorcycle Museum in Coventry to copy the parts of the old legend. The new Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 can be differentiate by front disc brake, number plate and tool box and the rest of the things remained the same multi spoke rim, like front and rear mudguards, single saddle seat, silencer, fuel tank, air filter box and leg guard.

As far as graphics are concerned, the new bike possesses the same Classic fonts at fuel tank. But yes, classic 500 and 350 sticker are new at air filter box but fuel tank logo. Body colour is painted on fuel tank, front and rear fender, air filter box, utility box and mask. A transparent company's sticker is also pasted at the top of fuel tank.

For the first time in Royal Enfield history, Royal Enfield's initials are carved at engine. Apart from the initials, Twinspark EFI 500 and Twinspark 350 are also inscribed at the engines. This time headlight is covered by a steel cap over it. The headlight houses a clear halogen bulb for better visibility. A classic number plate is also a vintage sign. The tail side of the bike is also in classic shape with brake light in centre. Bold and heavy turn indicators are fitted at the both end of the machine. 

The Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 boasts of a traditional analogue instrument panel. The dashboard finds its place at the headlamp casing. There are mainly two dial-pods with ignition key hole. The dashboard is comprised of Speedometer and fuel gauge. The speedometer comes in larger shape at the centre while fuel gauge at right side of the console. The single saddle seat just look like a bicycle seat with open springs that ensure ultimate comfort. Passenger seat can be added to the bike. In the same way, silencer of the bike can be altered when off-road journey. For display purpose, tilt silencer is used while billing is made with flat Classic silencer. That means you need to pay extra money for off-road silencer. Rear mudguard of the tyre is deep drawn again as post war era. Silencer and leggurad also looks classic. 

MILEAGE / FUEL ECONOMY -

As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, the younger sibling of Classic bikes scores over the elder. Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc gives, according to local brand showroom of RE, 32-35 kmpl of mileage with electronic fuel injection system while Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc is supposed to give 40-45 kmpl of fuel economy.Low fuel efficiency of Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc is mainly due to higher engine capacity of the bike. On the other hand, Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc gives more mileage on account of unit construction engine and lower engine capacity as compared to Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc.

PICK UP -

The bikes, Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc and Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc, comes loaded with unit construction engine and the mill is designed for better performance and comfort. The pick-up and acceleration are upgraded in the new machines as against the predecessors. The top speed of Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc is 130 kmph whereas top speed of bullet classic 350 is 120 kmph.

COLORS-

The siblings are available in three attractive body colours. Royal Enfield Bullet Classic  500cc comes in red, black and english green while Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc is available in red, black and silver shades. It means that red and black shades are common whereas sky blue is a standard colour for Classic 500. Silver comes in only Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc. In both the new products, body colour is there on front and rear fender, fuel tank, mask, air filter box and utility box. Engine, silencer, rear fork, rear view mirrors and legguard are in silver shade for both motorcycles.

DIMENSIONS -

The overall length, height and width of Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc are 2130, 1050 and 800mm respectively while Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350's length is 2150, height 1080 and width is 800mm, a little higher dimension it has. The wheelbase(1370mm), saddle height (800mm) and ground clearance (140mm) are same in both the machines. The curb weight of Classic 500 is 187 and it is 182 for Classic 350cc.

HOW COMFORTABLE IS ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET CLASSIC 350?

The best answer of comfort bike is Royal Enfield. The Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc and Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350ccare not any exceptions. Riding posture, seating arrangements and other comfort features prove it a best suited bike for riders. The handlebars are fitted at an appropriate distance for the rider to drive the vehicle with ease. So is the fuel tank position. Thigh pads on petrol tank gives enough room and comfort to the rider.

Now have a look on seating arrangements. The rider seat is a feature borrowed from 1951's Classic in a bicyle style. Springs of the seat is naked and provide ultimate comfort. The pillion seat is not shown in standard model. The passenger seat is fitted with rear garb rail. Footpegs are there for both the riders. Front disc brake and gas filled adjustable fork add to the butter-smooth comfort. Wide wheelbase and zapper tyres, to avoid skidding, are there in Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc.

However, Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350's rear tyre is zapper, front is ordinary one. One more user friendly feature is there in Royal Enfield Classic 500cc: Roll over Sensor. It start working when any accident or skidding. Roll over sensor switches off the fuel supply and ignition thereby saves bike and riders. You can again switch on the sensor after the unexpected. Malfunction indicator lamp informs you about any malfunction in your bike.

Pricing -

The Classic 350 is priced at a very (very) competitive pricing of 98k ex showroom in Delhi which would come out to be close to 1.10 lakh on road, whereas for the Classic 500 FI you would have to shed anything around 1.4 lakh on road Delhi (1.24 lakh ex-showroom) which is again slightly lower than what we had anticipated. (the prices mentioned here is not updated)

TYRES -

The Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc sports bigger tyres with multi spoke rims. Both the tyres, rear and front, are zapper type that reduce the chances of skidding. The specifications of the front and rear tyres are 90X90-18 and 110X90-18 respectively. Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc boasts of larger tyres than its elder brother. The front tyre is of 3.25-19 and the rear tyre is 110X90-18. Only the rear tyre is a zapper. Wheelbase for the both the machines is same that is 1370mm.

ENGINE-

Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500cc is powered by a refined Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, OHV, SI Engine, Air cooled, and Electronic Fuel Injection and Unit Construction Engine (UCE) power mill. The newly developed engine in Italy belts out a peak power of 27.2 bhp at 5250 rpm while it develops more torque that is 41.3 Nm at 4000 rpm. In this new mill, clutch and gearbox have been placed outside and incorporated into the crankcase. Unit Construction Engine ensure less moving parts, transmission and less maintenance problem.

The Classic 500cc is blessed with electronic fuel injection system that ensures better reliability, excellent cold start ability, lower emission and engine diagnostic capabilities. On the other hand, Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350cc comes loaded with a refined Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, OHV, SI Engine, Air cooled, and twinspark power mill with the displacement of 346cc. The twinspark engine churns a maximum power of 19.8 bhp at 5250 rpm while it generates peak torque of 28Nm at 4000 rpm. The Classic bikes are provided with five speed gearbox with left side gear shift. The gearbox follows 1-N-2-3-4-5 pattern. Both the variants have self and kick start option.

ON ROAD CONTROL AND HANDLING -

For active and passive safety, enough tools are there in Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 bikes. Those features allow the rider to control the bike as well. To name a few, front disc brake and gas filled shock absorbers are fitted in the new machines. As the bike is blessed with widest wheelbase, balance while driving and grip on road would be awesome. Under the rider's seat, Roll over Sensor is fitted that works in a case of accident or skidding. The Roll over Sensor will switch off ignition and cut off fuel supply that will prevent the motorcycle from moving suddenly if it is gear.

 RIDING EXPERIENCE and SUSPENSION -

Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 bikes are blessed with rear gas filled shock absorbers and telescopic fork at the front. Jerks and jolts will be disappeared with these forks when riding the beast. The rear fork can be adjusted for different kind of routes. The riding experience on the Classic would be a memorable one with advanced disc brake and gas filled fork.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET CLASSIC 350:

Engine	Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, OHV, SI Engine, Aircooled, Twinspark
Displacement	346 CC
Bore x Stroke	70 mm x 90 mm
Maximum Power	19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm
Maximum Torque	28 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Transmission	5 Speed (left foot gear shift)
Ignition	Digital TCI
Carburetor	BS29 / UCAL
Dimensions
Ground Clearance	140 mm
Width	800 mm
Wheel Base	1370 mm
Length	2150 mm
Height	1080 mm
Tyres
Front	3.25 - 19
Rear	110/90 - 18
Electricals
Electrical System	12 Volts - DC
Head lamp	60 W / 55 W, HALOGEN
Brakes
Front	Hydraulic Disc Brake (Disc dia 280mm)
Rear	Foot Operated 153 mm Single Lead Internal Expanding
Maximum Speed
Speed	120 Kmph
Suspension
Front	Telescopic, Hydraulic Damping, Stroke 130 mm
Rear	Swing Arm With Gas Shock Absorbers, Stroke 80mm

Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 350 review / road test