If good old-fashioned motorcycling is where it’s at for you, then the latest Classic 350 is hard to beat
One of the Classic 350’s most endearing assets is that it doesn’t feel like a small-capacity motorcycle. By that I mean it’s a bike that feels robust and roomy. Where motorcycles in this category can often feel small, narrow and light, the Royal Enfield is wide and weighty. It feels substantial as you’re perched atop its thick, plush seat reaching out to the ends of its wide handlebar. That’s the legacy of an ancestry we can trace back to the late 1940s, when the bike’s early predecessors – the Bullet 500 and Model G2 – were big bikes and cutting-edge.
In another way, it feels every bit a small-capacity motorcycle. The peak 15kW (20.2hp) and 27Nm available from the 349cc single-cylinder engine is hardly noteworthy, especially when you consider KTM can extract 120 per cent more power and 80 per cent more torque from a 399cc single with just a 14 per cent increase in cubes. Importantly, though, the thump and the feel of Royal Enfield’s 72mm x 85.8mm single is as much a part of the Classic 350’s character as that late-1940s styling – and it all works together to form a relaxed machine with a big personality celebrating the very essence of motorcycling.
In any case, by comparing the latest from Royal Enfield to the latest from KTM we are soaring quickly into apples and oranges territory. It completely misses the point.
The point of the Classic 350 goes far beyond just another retro-styled LAMS-approved option in an increasingly crowded and lucrative segment. For Royal Enfield’s domestic market of India, this bike is something of an icon – it’s their most popular model. In fact, the firm sells almost as many Classic 350s in a single month than Australia sells new roadbikes during an entire year.
After the launch of the Meteor 350 in 2020, which marked the introduction of the J-Series engine to replace the ageing TwinSpark UCE 350 mill, a year later the Classic was the first bike in the existing 350 line-up to benefit from that update. Since then, we’ve seen it applied to the Bullet 350 and, most recently – although not currently available in Australia – to the custom-cruiser-styled Goan Classic 350 (see sidebar).
A handful of years later and there has been a handful of more updates applied to the Classic 350, most of which are cosmetic to bring the bike in line with the rest of the fleet. The updates aren’t groundbreaking, but they rarely are in Royal Enfield’s world and that’s just the way they like to do things. But how these updates are applied across the model line-up does seem, to me anyway, a little convoluted.
WHAT’S NEW
The Classic 350 is split up into a five-tiered range depending on the paint finish (see sidebar), with individual features and updates then applied accordingly. Common to all five variants for 2025 are new grips and switchgear (including a USB-C charging port), as well as a new LED headlight and a gear-position indicator visible on the LCD section of the dash.
The two top-tiered variants, comprising the Dark ($8690 ride away) and Chrome ($8790 ride away) options, gain further improvements in the form of the firm’s Tripper navigation pod, adjustable levers and clear-lens LED indicators.
The three lower-tiered variants, which includes the Heritage ($7990 ride away), Heritage Premium ($8290 ride away) and Signals ($8390 ride away), have received orange-lens incandescent indicators, non-adjustable levers and a branded chrome blank sitting where the Tripper pod would otherwise be. It makes sense to me that not everyone would want the Tripper pod, and I even get that traditionalists would prefer the older-style indicators, but not giving every bike adjustable levers seems a bit pedantic, especially when the difference between the second and third tiers – which is the difference between getting the extra bits and pieces and not – is only a hundred bucks.
The only other differences you need to be aware of are that the Dark model gets cast wheels, where the Heritage, Heritage Premium, Signals and Chrome all roll on wire-spoked affairs, while the little chrome brow mounted atop the headlight appears only on the two Heritage tiers and the Chrome but is absent on the Dark and Signals variants.
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Whether the application of the updates across the range seems confusing or not doesn’t matter in the slightest once you’re cruising along some of your favourite roads on whatever version you’ve decided on. With that robustness I spoke of earlier comes a ride that’s stable, relaxed and predictable. The 19-inch front wheel adds to this lazy charm as you poke along to the beat of the single, pleasantly surprised by how many heads turn to admire the bike’s authentic retro styling.
“Is this an antique motorcycle club?” one well-to-do woman asked me while we were stopped at Flinders Jetty in the southeastern corner of the Mornington Peninsula…
All models roll on Ceat Zoom tyres, a 110/90-19 on the front and a reasonably narrow 120/80-18 on the rear, adding to the bike’s predictable handling characteristics. The 195kg of kerb weight (for the apples-and-oranges context, the Duke 390 is 30kg lighter) is suspended on a no-name, non-adjustable 41mm fork with 130mm of travel, which does a great job of the task it’s presented with. This isn’t surprising if you’ve seen what it’s asked to do on both the city and rural roads in India. Likewise, the rear’s pair of twin-tube shocks with six steps of adjustable preload and 90mm of travel don’t seem too flash on paper, but on even the worst-maintained roads in Australia you’ll be more than happy with their performance, given the type of riding you’ll be doing and the speed you’ll be travelling at.
The Classic 350 will sit on 110km/h all day long; you can reach 115km/h if you need it, but the 5km/h increase is the difference between a relatively happy engine and a busy and strained one. Acceleration is confident but unhurried, the ratios of the first four of the five-speed gearbox fairly evenly spaced, with fifth gear’s ratio quite high to get the most out of your relaxed Sunday cruise.
There’s no tacho. Instead you’re met with a simple analogue speedo mounted into the headlight nacelle, sitting above a small but informative LCD screen that boasts a fuel gauge, a gear indicator, a clock and a consumption indicator, as well as a two trip meters and an odo. This is flanked by two similarly sized circles; to the left is the ignition and, depending on which version you’re riding, either a Tripper Navigation pod or a branded chrome cover. All models benefit from the addition of a USB-C charging port positioned at the bottom of the left-hand switchblock, too, as a result of the switchgear and grips update.
PURE APPEAL
With the introduction of the J-Series engine in 2021 came a much-improved braking package provided by ByBre, which remains the same today. A 300mm front disc replaced the 280mm unit, which is gripped by a twin-piston caliper, while a 270mm disc and single-piston caliper replaced a 153mm drum rear brake. Much like the suspension package, the result is satisfactory and well suited to both the application and price point.
There’s the obligatory ABS on all models, a non-switchable two-channel system that’s neither intrusive or lean-angle sensitive, but there’s still nothing in the way of traction control or any other electronic gadgets, and that suits both the DNA of the bike and the price tag.
There are two small parking lights sitting either side of the top of the new LED headlight. These are colloquially referred to as ‘tiger eyes’ in India and have been a feature on Royal Enfield models since the mid-1950s. To me, it’s these small but considered inclusions that really makes these largely inexpensive motorcycles uniquely authentic.
If we’re talking authenticity, we need to talk about the colour-matched fork covers, the traditional sausage muffler, the extended fenders and stays, the keyed sidecover, the tank’s knee pads, the inclusion of a centrestand, the premium finish and the clever way the different versions can make one bike look so completely different. When you stop and think about how much market potential Royal Enfield can extract from a single affordable model, it’s easy to see why the brand is going from strength to strength.
In terms of colour options, there’s pretty much something for everyone. From the dark and moody Stealth Black through to the classical and chrome-covered Emerald, there’s plain colours, two-tone options and even a military-inspired Commando Sand version. Starting at $7990 ride away for the plain-coloured Heritage versions and peaking at $8790 for the Chrome version, the Classic 350 is a really solid motorcycle for the money, backed by a three-year warranty and three years roadside assist.
If you’re a rider who prioritises the essence of motorcycling over the thrill and adrenaline that comes with higher-powered machines, and you’re watching your pennies, then the Classic 350 might be your bag.
Royal Enfield has once again done a terrific job of balancing modern features and an entry-level price with that rich and unrivalled legacy.
PROS – Authentic, inexpensive and a total celebration of back-to-basics motorcycling.
CONS – For the small price difference, all models should have received all updates.
The 2025 Classic 350 line-up
Heritage $7990 (ride away)
Features – New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight and gear-position indicator.
Colour options – Madras Red or Jodhpur Blue.
Heritage Premium $8290 (ride away)
Features – New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight, headlight brow and gear-position indicator.
Colour options – Medallion Bronze
Signals $8390 (ride away)
Features – New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight and gear-position indicator.
Colour options – Commando Sand
Dark, $8690 (ride away)
Features – New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight, gear-position indicator, Tripper navigation, adjustable levers, LED indicators and cast wheels.
Colour options – Gun Grey or Stealth Black
Chrome, $8790 (ride away)
Features – New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight, gear-position indicator, Tripper navigation, adjustable levers, headlight brow and LED indicators.
Colour options – Emerald
BOBBER HOPE
APE-HANGERS and white-wall tyres aren’t features many Australians would associate with the Royal Enfield brand, but they’re all features of a Classic 350 derivative called the Goan Classic 350.
Speaking to the custom-cruiser scene, the 18-inch rear wheel of the standard Classic 350 is replaced with a 16-inch hoop for a more squat rear-end, it’s got a 55mm lower seat height, an ape-ish U-style handlebar and the cross-spoke rims allow for tubeless tyres.
It’s available in lairy colour schemes – think metallic purple, red with pinstripes, teal and orange, as well as a tough black option – and it’s yet another example of how Royal Enfield can cleverly forge many different models from a single platform.
According to Royal Enfield Australia, it’s not 100 per cent decided on whether it will introduce the Goan model to the Aussie market, but they did reveal it would probably only be in small numbers if it did.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine
Capacity 349cc
Type Single-cylinder, SOHC, two valves
Bore & stroke 72mm x 85.8mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Cooling Air/oil
Fueling EFI
Transmission Five-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Final drive Chain
Performance
Power 14.87kW (20.2hp) @ 6100rpm (claimed)
Torque 27Nm @ 4000rpm (claimed)
Top speed 115km/h (measured)
Fuel consumption 2.7L/100km (claimed)
electronics
Type Not applicable
Rider aids Two-channel ABS
Rider modes Not applicable
CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame type Twin-downtube cradle
Rake Not given
Trail Not given
Wheelbase 1390mm
suspension
Type RE
Front: 41mm telescopic fork,
non-adjustable, 130mm travel
Rear: 2 x twin-tube emulsion shock absorbers with six-step adjustable preload, 90mm travel
wheels & brakes
Wheels Spoked/tubed or Alloy/tubeless
Front: 19 x 2.15 Rear: 18 x 3.0
Tyres Ceat Zoom
Front: 100/90-19
Rear: 120/80-18
Brakes ByBre, ABS
Front: Single 300mm disc,
twin-piston caliper
Rear: Single 270mm disc,
single-piston caliper
dimensions
Weight 195kg (kerb, claimed)
Seat height 805mm
Width 785mm
Height 1090mm
Length 2145mm
Ground clearance 170mm
Fuel capacity 13L
servicing & warranty
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 5000km
Major: 10,000km
Warranty Three years,
unlimited kilometres
business end
Price From $7990 (ride away)
Colour options Emerald, Stealth Black,
Gun Grey, Commando Sand, Medallion Bronze, Jodhpur Blue or Madras Red
