Royal Enfield Classic 350 – first review

Purring around the Provence
Royal Enfield seem to have a great sense of timing.
While Northern European countries were being terrorised by the winter storm ‘Eunice’, a group of motorcycle journalists from the Netherlands, Belgium and France were whisking around in the sun and 20° degrees Celsius. While enjoying this magnificent weather and the all new 2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350, it was hard to imagine the roofs flying off buildings 1000 kilometres away.
I was among the lucky ones who were able to focus on this new bike rather than seeing my bike-shed being tortured by heavy winds (it survived fortunately).

A true classic
The Indian manufacturer has managed to create an astonishing machine which is far better than any other new € 6.000 motorcycle that’s currently being sold out there. It possesses everything to melt your heart at first glance. It is the exact blend of modest power, high quality and retro styling harking back to the glory days of British motorcycle manufacturing.
As with its predecessor, the Classic 500, the 350 series are magnificent backroad companions that will offer you the exact same ‘Zen’ feeling while chugging away miles of country roads below 100 km/h.

Forget massive torque
The absence of the tremendous power many other motorcycles have on offer, will not take away any pleasure whatsoever from the experience of riding the Classic 350. You only have around 20bhp at our disposal in combination with a five-speed gearbox. This will provide riders with a top speed just slightly over any the national limit. This by itself will give you peace of mind. No real need for apps on your devices that alert you for radar or police operated laser guns.

The relaxing sound of the single 350cc engine will send you back in time and will have lookers on smile at you rather than lifting their middle finger showing their dismay at the noise of your machine. This is 50’s nostalgia in its purest form.

The Royal Enfield has all elements on board to enhance that feeling. The sound of the engine is unmistakably Royal Enfield, despite the effective job of the exhaust. Even purists like ourselves love it! Besides the purring engine it comes with a properly styled metal tank, chunky mudguards, spoked wheels, a single clock in the very traditionally styled dashboard. I am pretty sure riders will be finding themselves answering questions about the age of the bike, any time they park the Classic 350.

Frame, suspension and braking
The Classic 350 is fitted out with non-adjustable 41mm forks and six-stage preload adjustable twin shocks. In combination with the spongey, spring fitted rider’s seat, you will have sufficient damping to take care of most potholes in the road. A few days before the trip to France I strained my back and it really hurt when traveling all the way to Avignon, France. I had my doubts on riding the country roads, but truth be told, I had no problems whatsoever! I think the Royal Enfield technicians deserve a big compliment from me and my aching back!

The Classic 350 is endowed with a brand new, double cradle frame. It was specially designed for this new motorcycle, giving it much needed stiffness. As with the suspension, the R&D department have done an excellent job. It feels incredibly well built. Just have a good look and take in the sight of the glistening tank, polished mudguards, and fancy panels and you’ll find almost no plastic. Instead, it’s a mixture of chrome (except for the ‘blacked-out version’ – which is kind of nice with its red stripes) and gloss, with chunky metal brackets and a solid finish. Observing all little details you will notice the quality. No gaps in between panels, crooked mounted elements or shady welds. The bike even comes with a centre stand for easy maintenance.

All hunky dory
I am a sucker for vintage and retro, so it is easy to charm me with a bike like this. With the price tag being what it is, you get a tremendous amount of value for your money. Is there no room for improvement? Of course there is. But not a lot.
Even though the 350 comes with ABS as a standard, the Bybre brakes are not phenomenal. But they do what they need to do. A little bit of ‘oomph’ might help you feel a bit more confident when you are on the highway. But that’s about it really.

My suggestion, don’t focus on those minor issues, just enjoy the motorcycle in its natural habitat. This might be zooming in an urban environment or chugging on a country road. If you want a mischievous grin and the adrenaline pumping, go for something larger. If you want to smile and have time to take in the beauty of the world around you, this is your ‘go-to’ motorcycle.

Make sure to check out the Royal Enfield website

Technical details
Engine:
350 cc, 4 Stroke, Air-Oil Cooled Engine, Spark Ignition, Single Cylinder (similar to the Meteor 350)
20.21 Bhp @ 6100 rpm
27 Nm @ 4000 rpm
5-speed gearbox

Tank
13l

Fuel consumption:
41.55 kmpl (!)

Chassis:
All new designed steel twin downtube spine frame
Weight
195kg (wet)

Suspension
non-adjustable 41mm forks
six-stage preload adjustable twin shocks

Wheels & Tires:
Spoked rims
Optional: alloy rims
Front : 100/90 – 19,
Rear: 120/80 – 18

Braking
Bybre brakes
Front: a 300mm single disc and two-piston floating caliper
Back: 270mm rotor and one-pot caliper
Twin channel ABS

Top speed:
110-120 depending on conditions
Sweet spot is around 90 where you are treated to the nice purring sound

Colour schemes:
Chrome Red
Chrome Bronze
Dark Stealth Black
Dark Gunmetal Grey
Halcyon Green
Halcyon Grey
Halcyon black

Photo credits:
Florian Meuret
Rodolphe Herpet