Royal Enfield releases all-new Classic 350
Royal Enfield’s modernisation of their range continues with the release of an all-new version of the Classic 350, that combines this model’s signature old school look with a completely new chassis and drivetrain.

Unveiled in January, the all-new Classic 350 promises a smoother, more comfortable riding experience, thanks to a new 349cc single-cylinder engine, a new frame, revised suspension and braking, and improved ergonomics.
The Australian and NZ markets have really taken to Royal Enfield since the brand started to grow its presence here in the previous decade. The number of retail outlets has more doubled since 2016-17 and are set to expand to around 70 in the near future. There are more than 30,000 Royal Enfield customers across the Asia-Pacific region, with over 10,000 of those in Australia/New Zealand alone.

Considering the Royal Enfield range is firmly in the middleweight category – nothing smaller than 350cc or larger than 650cc is offered internationally – the brand’s success is even more remarkable.
The key to that success, it seems, is largely due to the range’s accessibility, ease of riding and classic looks. As such, any modernisation of the lineup has to tread a fine line between maintaining that classic aesthetic while offering features that riders expect in a modern motorcycle.
The old UCE Classic 350 arguably didn’t deliver on all those fronts, but the all-new version does.

New Engine
While the new Classic 350 features an all-new engine, it’s not making its debut with this model. It first appeared on the Meteor 350 cruiser that debuted in India in 2020 and reached Australia last year.
Unchanged from that application for the new Classic 350, the engine is an air/oil-cooled 349cc 4-stroke single with a 72mm bore and 85.8mm stroke, electronic fuel injection and a wet sump. The key visual difference with this Euro5-compliant engine compared to the old UCE 350 single is that there’s no longer a kick starter – it’s electric start only, which may upset some purists, but a kicker really is an anomaly on a road bike these days.

Listed maximum power and torque from the new engine is 15kW at 6100rpm and 27Nm at 4000rpm, which depending on your source, is down from the old engine, but only fractionally – less than a kilowatt and Newton metre in each instance – so it’s near as dammit to what the UCE 350 delivered.
What’s more important, and where the new engine really trumps the old one, is how that power is delivered. Acceleration is smooth and there’s an abundance of bottom-end torque, while the addition of a primary balancer shaft means there’s virtually none of the vibration and buzziness that were flaws with the UCE single.
According to Royal Enfield’s Chief of Design, Mark Wells, the difference between the old and new engine is night and day, with the new 350 single not only greatly reducing vibration but also allowing more of the rev range to be used.
The new engine is matched to a 5-speed transmission, which again is in the style of the old Classic 350, but taken from the modern Meteor 350, with slight changes to the gear ratios.
JUST BIKES had yet to test the new Classic 350 at time of writing, but gear shifting has been described as crisp and smooth, with a light clutch action and good ratio spread for both inner city commuting and highway cruising.

New Bones
Like the engine, the frame on the Classic 350 is all-new, even though it looks identical to the old model. According to Royal Enfield, this new frame has been built to offer superior comfort and manoeuvrability.
Although still in the twin downtube backbone style, the new steel frame is said to be stiffer, allowing more confident cornering at speed and improved stability in a straight line without compromising day-to-day usability.
Suspension remains in the tele fork front and twin shock rear configuration, but in light of the new frame, these have been heavily revised to ensure better rider comfort. Travel from the 41mm front fork is 130mm and while rear travel isn’t listed, it should be around 80mm. For pillion duty, the rear shocks offer 6-way preload adjustability (previously 5-way).

With the same goal of improved rider comfort in mind, the geometry has been tweaked, too, with minor changes to the handlebar positioning and the introduction of wider, plusher saddles, but the riding position remains resolutely upright. It’s unclear if the refined ergos are behind the reduction in fuel capacity to 13 litres, but this is more likely due to working the tank around the new engine.
The wheel and tyre package hasn’t changed, still made up of a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel, in either wire spoke or cast alloy form depending on the model variant.
Braking has been upgraded, though, with the front disc upsized to 300mm and a 270mm rear disc fitted. Paired with a two-piston caliper up front and single-piston caliper at the rear, it’s essentially the same ABS-equipped braking package fitted to the Meteor 350.

More tech – but not too much!
While ABS has been a feature on Royal Enfield models for a while, the brand has studiously avoided a lot of other modern technologies. That’s changed a little on the new Classic 350.
The headlight casquette that’s been a feature of this model dating back to Royal Enfield’s “English era” in the 1950s remains on the new Classic 350 and still houses an analogue speedo, but an LCD display is now incorporated below this for the odometer, fuel level, tripmeter, clock, service indicator and ‘ECO’ indicator. While it looks like a riding mode, ECO actually lets the rider know when they’re operating the motorcycle at its optimum fuel efficiency level via the best engine speed and gear selection.

Flanking the LCD display is the ignition switch on one side and blanking plate on the other that is designed to take the Royal Enfield ‘Tripper’ app-based turn-by-turn navigation system that will be available on the new Classic 350 as an option.
A USB charge port has also been included, positioned below the handlebar.
Four-way Style
While much of the mechanical and tech spec on the Classic 350 has changed, the choice of styling and colour finishes established in recent years carries over to the all-new version.
Starting with the ‘Halcyon’ range, the lineup also includes ‘Signals,’ ‘Dark’ and ‘Chrome’ themes.

Halcyon is the entry-level Classic 350 choice, comprising black, grey and green colour options, painted mudguards and chrome-heavy engine finishes.

The military-inspired Signals version of the Classic 350 can be had in Desert Sand or Marsh Grey and features a blackout treatment for the engine, exhaust, wheel rims, mirrors and other details.

The Dark range is available in Stealth Black or Gunmetal Grey and gives the engine the blackout treatment. It should also be noted that the Dark is the only new Classic 350 offered with cast alloy wheels – the rest of the range have wire spoke wheels.

At the top of the Classic 350 family is the Chrome, which looks like it rolled right out of the golden era of British motorcycling and is available in bronze or red finishes. Each feature chromed mudguards, chromed tank panels and polished rims, with variations in the treatment of the casquette, toolbox cover and other details.

Australian Release and Pricing
Barring the sort of delays in shipping and supply chain that most industries have been experiencing for the past year, the all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350 range should be arriving in Australian dealerships from early February.
A range of accessories to suit the new model will be available, as well as riding apparel and casual wear.

Australian pricing is as follows. Contact your Royal Enfield dealer for availability, pricing and to organise a test ride.
2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350 HALCYON – from $7,990 ride away
2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350 SIGNALS – from $8,290 ride away
2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350 DARK – from $8,690 ride away
2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350 CHROME – from $8,790 ride away