I purchased my dream bike the Royal Enfield Classic 350 on the 25th of May 2016 after waiting for a period of 3 months. The initial service provided by the people from Royal Enfield was very good. And now on 5th of November 2016 after riding my bike for a distance of over 4000kms, here is my review on the Royal Enfield Classic 350.
Style
Me being a fan of old school bikes, I find the Classic 350 one of the best looking bikes out there in the market. But this is a personal opinion. But the styling of the bike is such that it is sure a head turner and it kind of makes the personality of the person riding it enhance. The only drawback is that Royal Enfield should make the Matte color available in the 350cc version.
Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox
The engine performance is good, but not to be compared with other bikes. The pickup is okay and could be better. On long journey the engine heats up and it can be felt on legs. The fuel economy issue for the Classic 350 is quite debatable. I have known people from my riding group who are getting a mileage of 25-30 kmpl whereas for me, I easily get a mileage of about 40-41 kmpl in city and about 43 kmpl on highways. The gearbox of Classic 350 is okay. Not too smooth and not to hard either. Its easy to put the bike in neutral gear unlike many bikes in the market, but sometimes on the open road the need for 6th gear is felt badly.
Ride Quality& Handling
The ride quality of Classic 350 is exceptional. I have taken my bike for long rides and the ride has been quite comfortable for me everytime. The engine is at its smoothest at 50-70 kmph range. The vibrations are manageable till the 110kmph mark and after that the bike seems to be underpowered. The handling of the bike weighing about 190kgs is awesome. Its easy to guide it through the city traffic and in the ghats. Cornering is quite difficult due to the weight and the stock tyres but the bike doesnt disappoint on highways and even on bad roads. Breaking power is just okay but the locking of disc seems a likely event while applying emergency breaks.
Final Words
Overall the Royal Enfield Classic 350 seems to be one of the good bikes out there in the market, second only to the Harley Davidson Iron 883(my personal opinion). Its good for daily commute as well as weekend rides with your friends.