LAUNCH TEST – 2022 ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC 350 - JUST BIKES

LAUNCH TEST – 2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350

Words: Phil Suriano

Photos: Courtesy of Urban Moto Imports

How do you improve on a classic? Ask Royal Enfield, as they have impressive form in making old things new again. Case in point being the Classic 350 presented here, which has been given some key changes for 2022 that make it more of a modern motorcycle without impacting its retro looks or the Royal Enfield ethos of simple, pure and accessible motorcycling.

LAUNCH TEST – 2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350

The Classic 350 has been a staple of Royal Enfield’s range for more than a decade, but its origins can be traced to before World War II. What was known as the Bullet 350 back then provided the template for today’s Classic 350.

After WWII, the Bullet was modernised with the addition of a proper swingarm with hydraulic shocks – pretty radical stuff in the late 1940s.

When the Indian Army ordered 800 units of the Bullet 350 in 1952, it set in motion the next phase in the Bullet’s evolution, with India moving from importing to CKD assembly, then full manufacture after the model was discontinued by Royal Enfield in the UK.

Royal Enfield’s ‘English era’ died in 1971, but the Indian operation continued, and while the brand became a staple in its home market, it was rarely seen outside the subcontinent.

All that changed in the new millennium, when a revitalised Royal Enfield, now part of the Eicher Group, began expanding the brand overseas.

That expansion led to the development of the UCE (Unit Construction Engine) 350cc and 500cc singles that were released in 2008. Other improvements, like a rear disc brake, followed and led to the Bullet being rebranded as the Classic for most export markets, including Australia.

The UCE served as the main powerplant in Royal Enfield’s lineup for more than ten years, but as good as it was, the engine had its issues. Ever-tighter emissions regulations, specifically Euro5 and the Indian equivalent BS VI, meant its days were numbered as the 2010s edged toward the 2020s.

More recently, we’ve seen the UCE Royal Enfields either updated with new engines or phased out, with the Classic 350 the last to make that change.

New All Over

So, we come to 2022 with an all-new Classic 350, but the new features on this LAMS motorcycle doesn’t start and end with the engine, as I discovered at the Australian media launch this past February.

The ‘J-platform’ engine is the key difference, but the new Classic 350 also has an all-new frame, upgraded suspension, better brakes, revised geometry, improved ergonomics and a pinch of modern technology.

Looking at the lineup of Classic 350s as they sparkled in the sun at Marnong Estate winery in Mickleham, none of those new features were obvious. For all intents and purposes, the new Classic 350 looks identical to the old one, but move around to the offside and you’ll notice there’s no longer a kick starter. The modernisation of the Royal Enfield range means the anachronism of a kick starter on a modern road bike is gone. Look closer and you’ll notice that the UCE’s carburettor has gone in favour of EFi for the J-platform engine. Look closer still and you’ll see a small LCD screen incorporated into the instrument panel and you may even spot the USB port tucked under the handlebars, too.

But, for all its new features, the Classic 350 still looks like an old bike and Royal Enfield are fine with that. Like Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield are well attuned to the expectations of their customers, and with the Classic 350 being such a landmark model – the introduction to the brand for many – they were never going to mess with the aesthetics for this re-invention.

The new Classic 350 is offered in four different styling themes – Halcyon, Dark, Signals and Chrome – all defined by colour and detail touches. Seeing all the themes together at the launch, it was a bit of a kaleidoscope, with green, red, bronze, chrome, black and military-hued colours all vying for attention. Nothing was garish or over the top, though, with the colour treatments all quite restrained and well thought-out when viewed individually. My personal favourite amongst the nine colour options was Chrome Red, with its red and black paint accenting lashings of brightwork and wire spoke wheels. Speaking of wheels, all the new Classic 350s run wire spoke rims, except the Dark, which features cast alloy wheels.

Giving the lineup a close visual inspection, the fit and finish looked excellent across the board - exactly what you’d expect from the modern, established motorcycle brand that is Royal Enfield today.

Comfort and Confidence

Newcomers to motorcycling won’t find anything intimidating about the Classic 350. That starts with the riding position, which despite some tweaks to the geometry on this new version, remains neutral. Having ridden other Royal Enfields in the past, I didn’t find anything too different, although I was told the handlebar position has been slightly altered and the saddle is now wider and better padded.

Seat height is 805mm, so it was easy for my 1.78m (5’10’”) frame to straddle and should be comfortable for shorter riders, too. Different seats are available from the Royal Enfield accessories catalogue and it’s worth noting that all Australian- and New Zealand-delivered Classic 350s will come with a pillion seat as standard.

The switch gear was all easily identifiable and simple to use without the need to go searching with your thumbs. As there's no rider-assistance tech, apart from ABS, this adds to the simplicity.

As mentioned, an LCD screen has been added into the casquette headlight’s instrument set-up, bringing a touch of modernity to the Classic 350.

Displaying fuel level, odometer, trip meter, clock and service indicator, there’s also an ‘ECO’ indicator, which was baffling at first, but Royal Enfield explained it’s designed to show when the rider’s operating the bike at its optimum fuel efficiency. Is something like that needed on a basic commuter? Probably not, but it’s there regardless.

The speedo is analogue and there’s no revcounter, while flanking the LCD/speedo display is the ignition on one side and a blanking plate for the ‘Tripper’ app-based navigation screen on the other. The Tripper is standard on Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350, but will only be available on the new Classic 350 as an extra-cost option.

Mellow Power

Thumbing the electric starter (remember, no kicker) to bring the Classic 350 to life, I was greeted by a lovely note from the retro-look peashooter exhaust. The 349cc SOHC air/oil-cooled single is exactly the same as that on the Meteor 350 cruiser released last year, so that means maximums of 15kW at 6100rpm and 27Nm at 4000rpm. Granted, those numbers aren’t that impressive compared to similar capacity bikes from other manufacturers, but it’s in line with Royal Enfield’s ethos of pure, accessible motorcycling.

For the mixture of low and higher speed running, as well as straight stretches and twisties, that made up the launch test ride, the engine performance was perfectly adequate, so I imagine it would be fine for daily commuting and short trips, too.

Clutch action was light and shifting through the five-speed gearbox was smooth and easy. Given that lack of power, I did find myself working the gears more often than I expected, but it wasn’t a chore.

After an initial burst of power on acceleration, throttle response was more mellow, meaning I did have to wind it on when shifting up. Again, not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of.

Top speed is claimed to be in excess of 100km/h, so the Classic 350 will handle highway work, but you’d need to have the throttle pinned to both reach and hold those kinds of speeds. Based on my experience, the Classic 350 felt most at ease around the 70-90km/h mark.

Perhaps the most noticeable element of the engine performance was the lack of vibration, According to Royal Enfield, this was a target during the J-platform development, as the old UCE single was notorious for vibration at speed. The addition of a balancer shaft and some other tweaks have mostly – but not entirely – removed vibration being transferred to the rider. I was pleasantly surprised that the engine was not as rough as previous Royal Enfields I’ve ridden.

Steady as She Goes

In terms of handling, the Classic 350 felt stable, at both low and cruising speeds.

The suspension package is made up of 41mmm telescopic front forks that offer 130mm of travel and twin coilover shocks that don’t have a listed travel range, but I believe is around 80mm. The upgrades applied include revised internals and the shift from 5- to 6-way preload adjustability for the rear shocks.

Some other journos on the launch found the suspension to be a little too firm, but I thought it matched the bike’s capabilities and was well-tuned to handle both sealed and rough roads.

That suspension also has to handle a wet weight of 195kg, which is on the porky side for a 350 single, but that bulk isn’t something I really felt when riding this bike.

The Classic 350 corners well, although on occasion, I did find myself using a little rear brake to provide additional stability when I entered a bend too hot. It should also be noted that more adventurous riding in right-hand bends will bring the exhaust system into contact with the ground, but I can’t see most Classic 350 owners doing this on a regular basis.

Response to steering input was good and the bike tracked well through the corners we encountered during a short blast through the Macedon Ranges. A bit of rain added to the adventure and allowed the Indian-made CEAT tyres (all Classic 350s are fitted with these as standard) to prove their capabilities.

Again, the rubber copped some flak from others on the launch. I didn’t have any issues with them, but I would be intrigued to see if a set of stickier, sportier tyres unlocks some more performance.

Stopping Power?

Perhaps the biggest gripe to come from others on the Classic 350’s launch was the performance of the brakes. Those used to more immediate bite upon braking application were surprised by the amount of force required to bring the bike to a stop quickly.

Royal Enfield did upgrade the front disc size to 300mm for this new Classic 350, so that’s perhaps an acknowledgement that the old Classic 350’s front brake wasn’t up to scratch. The front disc has a two-piston caliper, with a single-piston caliper on the 270mm rear disc. Both calipers are from Brembo offshoot, ByBre, and dual-channel ABS is standard and non-switchable, which is smart for a LAMS bike.

But getting back to the criticism of the braking performance, it’s all relative. I found the set-up ideal for both the style of bike that the Classic 350 is and the sort of riding that most owners will be using it for.

Remember, this is not a sportsbike and has no aspirations to be one, so most Classic 350 buyers should treat it accordingly.

Simple is Best

For anyone already familiar with modern Royal Enfield motorcycles, they’ll find a lot to like about the new Classic 350. It’s a simple, reliable machine that doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not.

Rider-assistance tech is kept to a minimum, which means the price is kept to a minimum, too. The range starts at $7,990 ride away, rising to $8,790 ride away at time of writing. That’s more than the old Classic 350, with some of the price rise attributable to the new and updated components this model now carries, while sky-high shipping costs (that are affecting all industries at the moment) accounts for the rest.

The pricing slots just under the Meteor 350, which makes sense as that model is similar in most respects, but gets the Tripper navigation as standard, which the Classic 350 doesn’t. Were the Classic 350 to be fitted with Tripper from the get-go, I wouldn’t be surprised if pricing was identical.

If you were tossing up between the new Classic 350 and one of the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, consider this: those models are currently going for between $2,500 and $3,000 more than the Classic 350. So choose the Classic 350 and the thousands of dollars you save can be put towards goodies from the range of Royal Enfield genuine accessories that include crash bars, different seat options, bar-end mirrors, a touring windscreen, hardshell panniers, a carry rack, deluxe footpegs and even faux underseat springs.

The Learner’s Friend

With less than $1,000 difference in price across the new Classic 350 range, and the same mechanical spec, buyers will mostly be responding to paint and trim when purchasing this bike, so it’ll be interesting to see which of the Halcyon, Dark, Signals and Chrome families the local market favours.

I found the Classic 350 easy to ride, it handled well, wasn’t overly powerful (good for a LAMS bike) and has the safety of ABS as standard – that makes it perfect for first-time and returning riders, in my view.

For returning riders, especially those with some understanding of and affection for Royal Enfield’s history, it’s hard to imagine a better bike to get back on two wheels with than this one.

New riders will likely look at modern and sporty LAMS alternatives, but I’d urge them to at least test-ride a Classic 350. As an urban commuter, it ticks a lot of boxes and may surprise those with pre-conceptions that a “classic” may not be the best fit for their riding and lifestyle.

Royal Enfield have carved out a decent niche for themselves in Australia over the past five years with motorcycles that appeal to a large number of riders. I can see the all-new Classic 350 adding to that success.