The vehicle may not be light and nimble, but comes with substantial design changes and an engine that now oozes character
Growing up, my father would take me to ride his cast-iron Bullet 350 or diesel-powered Taurus, and he’d tell me all about what makes him special and what it’s like to ride. Now, 20 years later, it is my turn to do so, but with Royal Enfield’s all-new Classic 350.
If not for this gorgeous red and chrome color scheme, it would be hard to tell that this is a brand new classic even by a bike or two lengths. It’s funny because the truth is that every single panel and surface on this motorcycle is new and there is no part carry-over from the old classic.
Manufacturers often avoid messing with the fundamental design elements of their most sought-after offerings, and to be honest, can you blame Royal Enfield? It’s a design that changed the destiny of Royal Enfield and more importantly, it’s already going to look so good.
Royal Enfield has used this opportunity to make a huge improvement in the fit and finish, and the overall quality of the components. The first things you notice are the updated switchgear cubes, levers, balloon-grips and neat bar-ends. The Switchgear Cubes are identical to the Meteor 350, and they look and feel much better than the ones they replaced. That said, we wish the pass-light switch was a little easier to operate. They have finally got rid of the unsightly tail-light and number plate assembly and opted for a much simpler set-up. It has cleaned the rear of the motorcycle. Speaking of cleanliness, for 2021, the bike features much cleaner welds, uniform use of Allen bolts, and no exposed wires.
The 2021 update also sees the departure of the 346cc UCE, and is replaced by the ‘J-platform’ 349cc engine. The engine is similar to the one that made its debut on the Meteor 350 last year, but Royal Enfield has said that it has its own ignition timing, exhaust layout and fueling map on the Classic. Map? This is a word that my father did not use to describe his Royal Enfields.
The pushrod-valve system of the old Classic is replaced with a SOHC two-valve head, and while the engine remains air-cooled, there is an additional internal oil circuit within the cylinder head to aid in cooling. The new engine has an increased bore, 2 mm and a reduced stroke, 4.2 mm, while also receiving a primary balancer shaft. Like the Meteor 350, these changes were made to increase the usable range of torque, as well as to take out off-put high-rpm vibrations, and the results are quite clear.
Royal Enfield was not after performance numbers when designing this engine, but it still achieves 60 kmph in 5.25 seconds and 100 kmph in 16.23 seconds, while the outgoing one in 6.49 seconds and a sluggish 25 seconds respectively. does. However, what Royal Enfield enthusiasts will appreciate the most is that its engine is still packed with character. Yes, it doesn’t have the loud bangs of older engines, but it still has a sweet-sounding exhaust note. It’s also the first Classic that can sit at around 95-100kph without feeling like it’s falling apart. I would even go so far as to say that this bike outperforms my old UCE Classic 500 in every way. The 5-speed gearbox is smooth and works well with this motor, but the clutch feels heavy, especially in bumper to bumper traffic.
The 2021 Classic doesn’t leave the same long-lasting impact when it comes to fuel efficiency numbers. At 32.7kpl (city) and 36.7kpl (highway), it gives the same results as the old one on the highway, but slightly lower in the city.
Royal Enfield has also made major improvements in the chassis department. The biggest change comes in the double-downtube frame that replaces the original single-cradle unit. Like the Meteor 350, the ground clearance on the 2021 Classic 350 has climbed by 35 mm to reach 170 mm. As a result, there is also a big jump in cornering clearance. While the suspension components may look the same as before, Royal Enfield has said that they are not; And the new Classic has a thicker 41mm telescopic fork. Even when compared with the Meteor, the Classic has a bit more moisture, resulting in a slightly firmer ride.
The bike has a relatively firm feel to its ride quality, but it’s not stiff or too harsh. What has come as a by-product of this suspension set-up is more confident handling. That being said, it still doesn’t feel quite as tight and light on its feet as the Meteor 350. Different tire sizes, as well as different rider ergonomics, are probably the reasons for this. It uses 100/90 tyres at the front and 120/80 section tyres at the rear. Ceat tires behave quite well in the rain.
The Anchorage comes with 300mm front discs and 270mm rotors at the rear with dual-channel ABS – though there’s a base model with rear drum brakes and single-channel ABS. Braking performance is good with heavy traction, but the front brake feel is sluggish, just like the Meteor. Despite this, the 2021 Classic 350 managed to get from 60-0kph in 16.47m, which is not only better than the outgoing model, but also respectable when you consider its hefty, 195kg weight.
Owners of the Classic 350 will no longer be ridiculed for not having a fuel gauge. The latest update has added a small LCD below the analog speedometer that displays the odometer, two trip meters and a long-overdue fuel gauge.
The top-spec Chrome variant also gets the company’s tripper navigation display as an optional extra. Using Google Maps data, the system works when connected to the Royal Enfield app, and we found it quite intuitive and helpful. However, it does not give you any call or SMS related notifications. It is also difficult to read directly above the Sun. The company has said that it will introduce tripper navigation as an optional accessory on the lower-spec model in a few months.
Compared to the outgoing model, the 2021 Classic 350 gets major improvements in engine, frame, suspension and brakes, but without compromising on the expectation of the customers. They have also added some features and improved the fit and finish while they were at it. The single-channel, ABS-equipped Redditch variant is competitively priced with a starting price of ₹1.84 lakh. The Halcyon, Signals, Dark and Classic Chrome variants are progressively more expensive. The good thing is that since Halcyon, all models are more or less the same under the skin. As a package, the Classic 350 has been modernized and improved in almost every way. However, RE has also managed to retain the qualities that classic fans love and that makes this motorcycle a safe, yet worthy successor to the original.
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