Was the Machismo 350 actually any better than the other bikes, or was it just all a bunch of marketing?
Royal Enfield marketed the Machismo 350 as a sportier, performance oriented version of the classic Bullet when it introduced it. There were a few tweaks to the bike, geared towards improving its dynamic capabilities, including a different frame geometry, and slightly revised suspension. It was lighter than the standard Bullet and that should have made it more agile and accelerate faster. But the question remains as to whether these changes actually affected any real world performance improvements. The enhanced dynamics of the Machismo have some riders swearing by them, saying they can feel the difference and that it's noticeably quicker and more responsive than a standard Bullet. Some say the differences between the two are minimal at best, and that the sportier image was mostly a marketing ploy to get younger riders in the door. As a result, we’ve been talking about what performance really means in classic motorcycles and whether minor changes can actually matter on the road.
I’ve ridden both, and the Machismo certainly feels sportier. It's not a night and day difference, but if you're really pushing it you can notice.
It's mostly marketing fluff. Sure, it’s a tad quicker but at the end of the day, it’s still a heavy, underpowered Bullet. That won’t change no matter how much you tweak it.
It’s real, but you have to adjust your expectations. A Bullet is sportier, not sportier than actual sport bikes.
I think psychologically, that was the biggest performance improvement. People rode it harder because of the sporty image and it felt faster.
It's definitely different, but it's subtle. It is lighter weight and revised geometry makes it more flickable in corners. It's not faster but it's more fun.
I’m a mechanic, and I can tell you the changes were more than cosmetic. It does tweak the frame and suspension which does improve handling. It's not revolutionary but it's there.
It's a bit of both. RE definitely oversold the performance improvements in their marketing, but there are real performance improvements. It's still a Bullet at heart.
Comment
Discussions and Questions Was The Machismo 350 Actually Any Better Than The Other Bikes Or Was It Just All A Bunch Of Marketing
No answers found .