Classic 350 is undoubtedly the king of the current RE lineup. It sells like hot cakes with its potential to rule the streets and provide the most comfortable riding experience on Indian highways. The motorcycle is powered by same 346cc, 1-cylinder engine from Bullet 350, happily producing 19.8 BHP at 5250 rpm and 28 Nm of massive torque at 4000 rpm. It comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Here are the pros and cons of buying Classic 350 in India.
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Royal Enfield Classic 350 Gunmetal Grey Edition[/caption]
Classic 350 Pros & Cons
Pros of Classic 350
1) Powerful Engine
With 28 NM of massive torque, it becomes clear that power and Royal Enfield are good old friends. Not just that, it takes the least effort for Classic 350 to reach its maximum ability as the values are reached at relatively lower torque than all other motorcycles available in India around its segment. The engine has loads of pulling power, making it the best motorcycle when considering a ride into tough terrains like mountains and slopes.
2) Retro Looks
No other motorcycle except the new Jawa carries the same sort of design language as Classic 350. It comes with a full metal body, round headlight, huge fuel tank, curved fenders and chrome spoke wheels. The divided seat is a visual bless while the exhaust is particularly shared between all RE Bullet and Classic models. The retro-inspired design language gives it a unique road presence for sure.
3) Double Discs & 2-Channel ABS
Royal Enfield Classic 350 uses a front 280mm disc brake with 2-piston callipers and a 240mm disc brake with single piston calliper for the rear. This makes it an ideal RE to drive as cutting speeds become easy and driving at higher speeds is more promising than before. Dual-channel ABS further take things to the next level. It has a different handlebar than the Bullet series, providing the rider with more confidence while manoeuvring in high traffic. The tyres are MRF 90/90-19 and 110/90-18 on Classic 350. These are years ahead of those found on the Bullet 350 and helps the rider attain new levels of grip on the road surface.
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Royal Enfield Classic Signals with 2-Channel ABS[/caption]
4) Electric Start
RE provides the option of electric start on the Classic 350 as a standard feature. This helps many potential riders that are not much familiar with the kick starter to enter the RE family and enjoy riding the motorcycle in all conditions. This option also helps those who are scared of the reverse action of RE’s kick-starter, which is considered quite dangerous on old Bullet motorcycles.
5) Powerful Headlight
Royal Enfield provides the Classic 350 with 60W/55W halogen headlight that is twice as bright as normal bulbs in most motorcycles. They are extremely useful in bad weather conditions and night time driving. The presence of a pass light switch makes it even more powerful and helpful in rough conditions.
6) Excellent Mileage
Everyone won’t be familiar with this term for a Royal Enfield motorcycle but many riders have claimed a mileage of around 40 kmpl from their Classic 350. The average value never drops below 35 kmpl in most riders while with careful driving and fuel efficient throttle value, it can seriously touch 40 kmpl without any hesitation. Riders do not need to worry about super constant refills as the motorcycle happily provides 500 kilometres of riding range in a full fuel tank with medium hand on the throttle.
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RE Classic 350 Rear Disc Closeup Shot[/caption]
Cons of Classic 350
1) Heavyweight
RE Classic 350 weighs 192 kg and that makes it a lot heavier than bikes of this class. For some near comparisons, we can consider the
Jawa 300 that weighs around 170 kg. The 22 kg more weight makes it a bit slower in overall top speed terms. Royal Enfield is actually not known for figures like top speed or acceleration but lowering its weight from some parts could provide an even better ride quality in the coming times.
2) High Price
Basically a Bullet 350 with different design and added features, RE Classic 350 commands a price tag of INR 1.48 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The addition of disc brake and electric start, along with MRF tyres makes it expensive for sure but the gap is of around INR 20,000 in comparison to the Bullet 350. Royal Enfield should have provided a lower price tag as many buyers skip the same because the on-road price in most of the cities crosses INR 1.70 lakh. The Signals ABS version can be had for INR 1.62 lakh (ex-showroom).
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Classic 350 Redditch Edition[/caption]
3) No Fuel Gauge
Well, royal feel is a different thing but a fuel gauge could have been a better addition on the RE Classic 350. What if someone takes your bike for a ride and unfortunately switches the fuel knob to reserve due to some reason? You won’t even know when your bike gets out of fuel as there would be no indication of anything before the unfortunate halt.
4) Refinement Issues
Royal Enfield should work over the refinement issues faced by thousands of fans in terms of engine noise, harsh vibrations and false neutrals. Although RE machines are made to stay longer, not every user actually knows how to go through such a phase when you spend INR 1.70 lakh (on-road) and still are not satisfied with the noise of the engine when idle.
