The Classic 350 has a lot of significance in India, from popularising the small-size modern-classic sector to changing the fate of the C

The Classic 350 has a lot of significance in India, from popularising the small-size modern-classic sector to changing the fate of the Chennai-based company. It was first released in 2009 and has stayed largely unchanged till this year. RE has made a great step forward for 2021 by completely overhauling the Classic 350, which is built on the company's new 'J' platform. It has a new 349cc air/oil-cooled engine, which replaces the earlier 346cc UCE engine.

Looks and built 

The switchgear cubes, levers, balloon grips, and tidy bar-ends on the new Classic 350 have been updated. The twin-spring setup under the rider's seat has also been replaced with a fixed cantilever mount. Apart from the new colours, the design has a small tail light unit, a clear lens headlight cluster with tiger eyes on the top, and new turn blinkers that are higher and closer to the headlight.

Riding ergonomics

For improved stability and contact patch, the redesigned Classic rides on slightly wider 19-18-inch wheels and tyres. The front suspension has a 41mm diameter and 130mm of travel, while the rear dual shock absorbers have 10mm greater travel at 90mm. It stops better because of larger front and rear disc brakes of 300mm and 270mm, respectively. While the speedometer and tachometer remain in a single spherical analogue unit, the clock now has a small LCD beneath it. It has an odometer, two trip metres, a clock, a fuel gauge, and an Eco indication. The Tripper Navigation system is standard on the top-of-the-line Chrome.

Engine and Power

The pushrod-valve mechanism of the original Classic is replaced by a SOHC two-valve head, and while the engine remains air-cooled, an additional internal oil circuit within the cylinder head aids cooling. The new engine features a 2mm larger bore and 4.2mm shorter stroke, as well as a primary balancer shaft. It produces 20.2bhpp of power and 27Nm of peak torque when paired to a five-speed gearbox. The Royal Enfield Classic accelerates to 60 kph in 5.25 seconds and 100 kph in 16.23 seconds.

Safety Features

Royal Enfield Classic 350 comes with a single and dual channel ABS for braking and has a ground clearance of 170mm to ensure riding across different terrains.