Launched at a starting price of Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai), the new 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 is now available in a total of 5 variants and 11 color options.
Decade Evolution!
Launched at a starting price of Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai), the new 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 is now available in a total of 5 variants and 11 color options.
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Review
Let's start with an interesting fact! The Royal Enfield Classic was actually an export-only model when its production first started in the year 2008. But little did the company know that the bike will not only get a great response in India, but will also go ahead. The best selling model in the company's line up with monthly sales still exceeding 15,000 units per month. After 13 years, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 has received the biggest update ever and I know for a fact that many of you have been waiting for it for a very long time. With over 3 million units sold worldwide, the Classic has indeed come a long way and Royal Enfield has taken the word 'update' very seriously for the new 2021 model. So, let's take a closer look at what has changed everything and more importantly, how the new Classic rides!
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Design, Features: Classic but not classic
First things first, design! When the design team of Royal Enfield started the 2021 Classic 350 project, they received a directive from Mr. Siddhartha Lal that the new-gen Classic should look like the Classic 350, but not the Classic, and needless to say that Hopes fulfilled. . In simple words, this means that the next generation Classic 350 looks exactly like the previous generation model from afar, but when you look closely, the changes are quite evident. Speaking of which, the new Classic 350 gets a similar looking round headlamp but a multi-reflector clear lens unit on the new model. The unfortunate part here is that the headlamp illumination could have been better and you seem to lack confidence from the setup when riding on those pitch dark expressways during the night. The entire lighting setup is new and now you get hazard lights on the new Classic 350 as well.
The second major change is in the instrument cluster. The previous-gen model had one of the oldest looking cockpits that you would have seen on the motorcycle and with the new model, while the company has tried to keep the layout the same, it now gets a more premium looking speedo , a small digital screen that houses the odometer, twin tripmeters, clock and, finally, a fuel gauge. Apart from this, there is also a tripper, but this is only available with the Chrome variant, however, the company says that these will be offered as optional extras with all color options at a later stage. Coming to its performance, the Tripper worked fine most of the time during our tests, but it suddenly disconnected 2-3 times even when there was full internet connectivity in the city. The handle lock has now been integrated with the ignition switch for added convenience, but on a downside, the kick start option has now been removed from this motorcycle and we believe a lot of people, especially the Classic 350. The faithful will not like this fact.
When we contacted Royal Enfield to find out the exact reason for removing the kick start, they said that it was done to make the engine compact and it also gave them freedom in terms of positioning the footrest which would otherwise be constrained by the location. Could have been. Kickstart output shaft. In addition, the company said that the removal of kick start also contributed to the reduction of NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) levels on the engine, noted the company. The switchgear on the new Classic 350 remains the same as that of the Meteor and handlebar grips and the clutch and brake levers are now a bit elite-looking as well. There has been a significant increase in the overall fit and finish and the Classic 350 now stands out as a truly premium product. The good thing is that RE has corrected the rough edges and now it is difficult to notice any irregularities anywhere on the motorcycle.
The overall attention to detail is also great and from the appearance, the new Classic 350 comes across as a modern motorcycle while retaining all the old school bits. The new 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 also shares its brakes, swingarm and frame with the Meteor 350, but with completely new wheels, suspension, fuel tank, seats, handlebars, side panels, exhaust and even footpegs. and I'll get into the details of exactly what little has changed in these areas.
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350: Engine Specs, Performance
The Classic 350 now says goodbye to the good old UCE engine that has been serving it for years and is now powered by the company's brand new J-Series engine which also powers the Meteor 350. Power and torque outputs remain the same at 20.2 HP and 27 Nm on the latter and hence, the new 2021 Classic 350 now sees an increase of 1.1 HP and a drop of 1 Nm in comparison to the previous-gen model. Thumb the electric starter, swing a foot on the bike, put first gear, release the throttle and you'll immediately understand that the 2021 Classic 350 is a completely different motorcycle. The revised gear ratio means you don't have to change gears as frequently as on the old model. The low and mid-range is strong and the bike now feels quite energetic and lively as compared to its predecessor. Plus, when you start from a standstill and you're going to really like it, there's a bit of urgency now. Thanks to the new hardware, the Classic 350 has also become faster and now you can easily overtake other vehicles in the city and do quick overtakes whenever you want.
And while doing so, the thump of the exhaust note playing at the back of your head creates a melodious feel to the ears and the Royal Enfield should ideally be in tune with the sound. The biggest attraction here is that there is absolutely, absolutely no vibration when you move towards the top end and it is a really nice feeling when you are really looking good in the rear view mirror even at a speed of 100 kmph. and can see things clearly. Surprising isn't it?! The ideal cruising speed or rather the sweet spot of this motorcycle is 95 to 105 kmph and at this speed, you can cover hundreds of kilometers on this bike in a single day. However, during our tests, we realized that the new Classic 350 took a bit more time and effort to reach 100kmph than the Meteor, but we don't think anyone would really notice that.
On the engine performance front, it is a whole new level of experience and the new Classic 350 will definitely make you think twice whether you are actually riding a Classic or not. There has been a drop of 0.5-litre in the fuel tank capacity of the bike and hence, the Classic 350 is now hungry for 13-litres. The company is claiming 37 kmpl (ARAI-tested) fuel efficiency and we have achieved 32 kmpl during our tests which constitutes about 60 per cent highway and 40 per cent city riding.
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350: Seat, Comfort, and Ergonomics
Comfort is one area that has been addressed well by Royal Enfield. The rider and the pillion seats have been optimized for better comfort with enhanced cushioning and the latter is now wider as well. The handlebar has now been moved a bit forward in favour of better weight distribution, speaking of which, it is now 46:54 for the all-new Classic compared to 44:56 of the previous-gen model. Despite that, there is hardly any change in terms of the rider’s triangle and the riding position. The seat height on the new Classic 350 is 805mm and the company is even offering an optional low seat that further lowers the saddle height by a good 32mm. If you ride the previous-gen and the new model back to back, you will clearly feel a significant increase in terms of overall comfort.
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350: Ride Quality and Handling
Before handing over the bike back to Royal Enfield, I was able to clock over 1,000 km on the new Classic 350 and thanks to the 2,000 km Delhi Jaisalmer road trip that I did on the previous Classic 350 a couple of weeks back, the changes between these two became quite apparent. The new Classic 350 felt a lot more comfortable and one can easily do over 200 km on this one without having the need to take a break. Moreover, I would like to mention that the new-gen Classic 350 also handles the bad roads and potholes much better than its predecessor and the reason behind that is the fatter 41mm forks upfront and the suspension travel at the rear that has also been increased by 10mm. The tyres also offer a decent grip and even in the wet conditions, I didn’t had anything much to complain about.
Royal Enfield has increased the width of both, the front and the rear tyres for the new Classic 350 and that’s the reason the bike now feels more planted at those highway speeds. Despite all these changes, Royal Enfield has managed to keep the kerb weight of the bike almost the same at 195 kg. Now, to the big question – “Royal Enfield Classic hai, toh ispe Leh Ladakh jaana toh banta hai, what about that?” Well, the answer to that is – the new Classic 350’s ground clearance has been increased by a good 35mm, which means you can now do those trips more confidently. Even the cornering clearance of the bike has been improved so if you notice, the rear brake pedal of the bike has now been re-routed from over the exhaust compared to the previous model in which it used to come out from under the exhaust. With the new platform, the new-gen Classic 350 also feels considerably more flickable in traffic and more agile on corners as well. Another bit that makes it hard to believe that it’s a Classic!
Now, coming to the point that used to be the Achilles heel of the previous-gen Classic 350 – the brakes. The setup on the older model lacked instant feedback and bite but I am happy to report that this area has also been very well addressed on the 2021 Classic. The size of both, the front and the rear disc has been increased and you now not only get sharper bite and feedback at the lever but also the confidence that the bike will come to a halt wherever you want it to. The overall ride quality is brilliant and keeping just a couple of niggles aside, the new-generation 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 has improved on almost every parameter, and in fact, in my books, it is one of the best examples of how motorcycles should evolve with time.
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350: India Price and Verdict
The new 2021 Royal Enfield Classic has been priced at a starting of Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai). For this new generation avatar, Royal Enfield has tried to improve the bike in almost every area and, after riding it for four days and over a thousand kilometres, I must say that they have been successful in doing that. More importantly, Royal Enfield has been constantly taking customer feedback and has implemented a lot of that on this motorcycle to actually make it the best Classic 350 yet. Gone are the days when the Classic 350 actually felt like a typical old school and an outdated motorcycle, the new one feels and rides like a new-age Royal Enfield packed with good rideability and features and hence we believe this is going to attract even more customers. So if you are thinking of bringing home this one, well, we don’t think there is even a little chance that you can go wrong with that decision.
Variant-wise pricing of 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350:
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch – ₹1,84,374
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Halcyon – ₹1,93,123
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals – ₹2,04,367
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Dark – ₹2,11,465
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Chrome – ₹2,15,118
All prices are ex-showroom, Chennai. Price includes a standard 3-year warranty and 1-year Roadside Assistance (RSA)
Fact Check
Engine – 349cc, single-cylinder, air-oil cooled
Power – 20.2 hp
Torque – 27 Nm
Gearbox – 5-speed
Tyres
100/90-19 57P (Spoke/Alloy) – Front
120/80-18 62P (Spoke/Alloy) – Rear
Brakes
300mm disc (front)
270mm disc, 153mm drum (rear)
Single-dual channel ABS
Ground Clearance – 170mm (+35mm)
Fuel Tank Capacity – 13-litre (-0.5 litre)
Seat Height – 805mm
(Can be lowered further by 32mm)
Wheelbase – 1390mm
Length – 2145mm (-15mm)
Width – 785mm (-5mm)
Height – 1090mm (No Change)
0 to 60 kmph – 5.01 seconds
0 to 100 kmph – 14.8 seconds
Top speed – 114.6 kmph
(All, Claimed)
Warranty – 3 year/30,000 km
Extended warranty available for 4th & 5th year
Kerb Weight – 195 kg (Almost same as before)
