Is 350cc Enough? Is it too Gutless? We Test The Royal Enfield Classic, Hunter, Meteor & Bullet 350's
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ม.ค. 2024
- We did a real scientific test to find out whether a 350 Royal Enfield has enough power, torque, speed and acceleration to be a viable motorcycle in the real world!
Is it too slow?
Is it gutless?
Can it go up hills?
Can it keep up with motorway traffic?
Is it too dangerous?
We have reviewed all of the Royal Enfield 350's, many times, and know these bikes inside out. Speaking from experience, coupled with a once-and-for-all test, we answer the big question.
This review may surprise you!
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Great review as per normal, thank you. I just bought the new Bullet 350 to a great extent based on your brilliant reviews for the Classic 350. I'm in the Cotswolds and it should be perfect for the back lanes/ B Roads which is all I'm after. Figured if it was good enough for you at your stature then it would be good enough for me at 6ft 15st. Cheers, Christian.
Awesome to hear, enjoy your Bullet 👍🏼
Humans love power, thats the problem.
the only difference between classic and bullet is the crank of bullet is heavier then other bikes of royal enfield and yes no doubt bullet 350 needs extra maintenance as compared to others.
@@bibekjung7404 what is your poetry relevent with RE Hunter 350?
@@tanmayamishra6183 does new bullet have heaver crank like older version?
I've been riding for well over fifty years. I've road raced, I've toured. I've pretty much done it all. Loved every minute of it. Then I bought my Classic 350 and fell in love with motorcycling all over again. City riding, back lane country riding... It does it all! I took it last summer on a three day, 1100 mile tour through the canyons and mountains of Arizona and Colorado and it was a fabulous steed! Take your time and stay off the freeways and it'll will be plenty of motorcycle and you will always be happy to get on again the next morning. I've owned it now for about a year and a half and I'm NEVER disappointed in the bike!
I think what it's all about is enjoying the pleasure of riding. Here in South America there is a biker, Pablo Imhoff, Argentine, who is making the journey from Argentina to Alaska, and he is doing it on a Honda C-90, at the moment he is already in Guatemala.
So if the question is whether 350cc is enough, of course it is.
Been riding bike in the North Texas area for almost 25 years and honestly im looking forward to stepping down to a 350. I have no desire to chase power or speed anymore. I am not interested in freeway/interstate roads either with high speeds and incompetent distracted drivers. Give me a classic 350 and the backroads around my neighborhood and county and ill be a happy camper just putting along at 40mph
When I first rode motorbikes a 50cc to125 cc was classed as a small bike, a 350 cc to 500cc was a mid range bike a 750 upwards was a large bike. I drove hgv on motorways for 45years at 60 mph then with tachometer 56 mph , I’m quite happy sitting at 60mph with my 350 classic on the motorway ,there is slower things than me there . Love your prog, keep up the good work.
60mph on UK motorways on a bike will put you in the maximum danger zone. Might be ok in your lorry at 100kph, but as you say it’s 56mph/90kph I believe.
I've ridden for over 50 years now. I've had all sorts of bikes and some really beefy sports bikes.
Those are still out there if you need power. For me, this bike is more fun than damn near anything I've ever owned (Royal Enfield Classic 350).
If/when I feel the need in my 60's to go faster, I'll just get a 2nd bike.
Stop and smell the roses - or coffee. If that's not your thing, move on...
Ride Safe 🙏🏼
Well said, I’ve been riding for over 40 years and have had some very powerful bikes but the 2 that were the most fun to ride was my wife’s BMW F650CS and my RE Himalayan. I don’t know why people have to spend their time bashing something, if it’s not for you then move on.
i rode a royal enfield 350 electra 2001 model all over India. i did approx 25000kms on her and she never once let me down. i went from south to north. east to west. if she is capable of climbing the himalayas and navigating the sandy dunes of Rajasthan then that is more than enough. theres a reason enfield has survived so long in india. she is arduous, easy to repair, beautiful and by no means the least she purrs when she talks. nothing but love
That's very true - however the roads in the UK are NOTHING like India. Here everywhere except for back roads are packed, absolutely packed and countless HGV vehicles. Although I love the concept of the 350 it certainly presents challenges to safety in many situations
I'm from the US and I think it's so interesting that people wonder if a 350 is enough as that was a pretty decent size when I started riding, back in 1972. Back then, a 650 was as big as things got (except for the Harleys which were obviously insanely large at 900 and 1200). We took trips of hundreds of miles on bikes as small as a CB-175. A bike like a CB-350 or GT-380 was considered to be a fine touring machine for two-up. I do recognize that the 55-mph national speed limit was a big help, for smaller bikes, but the bikes themselves were fine.
I rode a CL 350 Honda from Charleston S.C. to Rhode Island twice back in 72 and 73. Not one issue except the crappy weather in November. Bought it brand new in 71 for 850$ and sold it in 74 for 800 $ with 13k miles on it. The most reliable machine I have ever known.
Putting a DNA filter kit on these 350s will increase power by 10%. It does work and can make all the difference on these low powered bikes. Just completed 600km trip in the mountains of British Columbia with mine. No issues.
Totally agree guys
Whats the biggest selling bike of all time ?
The Honda Cub, and the biggest engine size thats ever come in is just 125cc but more have been bought as 50 and 90cc
Yet its sold over 300 million because those buying them know what they are best suited to and want them for that job.
I'm 71 and I have 2 250's and a 400. I like them all. I don't drive on highways, so the smaller bikes are perfect for me. I just ride for fun and relaxation.
Agreed. I've never owned anything bigger than a 600 since '72. My adventures only last a day and I'm in no rush to get there. Sometimes it's not the number of miles, but where you do them. I have the Meteor 350 and a Honda Navi currently.
Unless you're riding on a track, or motorways constantly, then it's more than powerful enough. Too many are obsessed with power.....
No, that's not why I ride motorcycles. Less power than my mower, it's gutless.
Depends from person to person, it's literally up to you and your budget what you get. I dont get this stupid debate.
Power is nice to have in reserve. A lifetime on bikes and perhaps my most fun was as a 17 year old on a 29bhp Kawasaki KH250 some many years ago.
But city riding isn’t fun, mummies in X5s will try to kill you without even thinking. For that you need agility, power, shit hot brakes and good tyres. Those mummies are still out there on country roads too taking little Jonny to private school. For that you need more power to keep away from them.
I tend to disagree. I don’t need much power either, but having a bit of a reserve is nice to have. I, for example, live in a very hilly area and overtaking a tractor or so would be almost impossible with that bike.
Also, I’m a bit disappointed with the „uniqueness“ of the engine. For me it’s not characterful enough for the lack of power. Other people might like it, because it’s quite smooth and so, but for me, if I don’t have power, I at least want to have something else going on (some more vibration and sound) to make up for it.
Probably the reason, why I have a V7 as a daily. For me it’s the perfect combination of character and uniqueness with enough power to actually use it everywhere.
There is lifting power too. If a bike struggles to maintain above 65mph on flat or rolling lowlands, then it is likely to bog horribly on steep highways and roads.
Nobody keeps a RE long near me for this reason. If you remain in the village they are perfect, but outside of the small town the most enjoyable roads climb from 1200ft to 6000ft. Maintaining 45 and 50mph is a struggle with an adult rider on this 350 and the exhaust gets very hot. Typically the bigger motor new Himalayan handles it better....but not everyone wants a dirt bike dual sport for long paved rides.
Nice bike design, and well balanced, but basically an old Rebel 250 (234cc) equivalent with 1/4 more static weight.
For most riders in most rolling country riding then it is just fine.
I'm 55 now . I'll be getting one of these this year . It's got more than enough power for me 👍👌
It's got enough power. It's not as if there are not a million other bikes for those that say "If only it had another X hp". I'm currently riding a 950 cruiser but often bitterly regret selling my 125 VanVan, I think you've got to be open minded & be prepared to adapt, if you are then these RE 350's look immense fun.
Thank you for this great video from you... the Royal Enfield Hunter is currently the only motorcycle that combines classic elements of the 70s with the emotion of the unique single-cylinder at an affordable, reasonable price...
Of course you can't expect miracles from the small engine, but as a biker like me, I'm 50 years old, it manages to conjure up a SMILE on your face every day... wonderful
The Classic 350 is my favorite although I also love the Hunter and ride it every day. Luckily I'm in the position of having bought 3 of these great RE models...
Importantly, I would like to say THANK YOU that there are people and TH-cam pages like yours. You convey the feelings and situations so clearly that as a fan of classic motorcycles I say thank you and you make the whole thing authentic and great...
Thank you for your great reports.....
Clemens from Saarland / Germany
😎🤗👌👍👍👍👍
Hello Clemens! I am American and have an office in Wiesbaden. I have seen two of your posts now and so thought I'd say hello!
I have the Hunter 350 and a Triumph 900 scrambler plus some proper classics. For all my local riding, back road scratching and the like, I much prefer the little Hunter 350, definitely has enough power to be FUN!!
Look...it's simple. If you are riding with others who have much bigger bikes you simply can't keep up. Alone? You can always keep up with yourself.
I have an HNTR 350. Last summer I was going in the moutain with my girlfriend in the back. A lot of motorcycle going along with us, nearly all more powerful than mine, but we reach the top of the moutain at the same time. No need to have a lot of horse power to cruise along beautiful moutain road
After a certain age, most don't care about speed, and care more about the scenery and the entertainment, which answers the question, at least for my case.
YO - Just the comment i came here for..
I think there's a lot of snobbery in motorcycle, phrases like "for beginner riders", and "not for the experienced biker" always pepper the comments section of TH-cam whenever small capacity (not even, I've read comments about 900cc bikes being too slow) bikes get talked about, yet no one says
"Only a 1.6? You want a 3 litre car, that's for experienced drivers!"
And I think this puts people off, especially people coming into motorcycling, that somehow you're not a real biker unless you can hit 60 in under 3 seconds and shed the head off your rear tyre at the lights.
I'm always heartened when I read a comment that says "I used to ride a Hayabusa, but I have just as much fun on my Royal Enfield" because there's an experienced biker who's chosen a bike for their enjoyment, not because they must have all the power.
So let's just say, "different bikes for different bikers" and enjoy the ride.
I use my meteor 350 daily and its just shy of 17,000 miles. I've never bothered with the valves and do the oil changes myself. Its been fantastic and has never let me down, it never gets cleaned and lives a fairly tough life especially starting as an ex demo. Ive been on long tours and it goes down the motorway everyday, im often in the outside lane but simply come back to the inside lane when things move at a higher pace. I think the obsession with power is ridiculous, Royal Enfield have never made high powered motorcycles. A sub 4 thousand bike out the factory is what it is, theres always the choice to buy a sportsbike etc but lets face it most of those just end up poodling to the local cafe in the summer for a tea
Sensible review! A 350 (in my case an AJS Model 8) has all the performance needed for more than 95% of the riding I do and doesn't burn more petrol than necessary. I imagine these RE machines would fit the needs of most people riding in a suburban environment.
I’ve owned many bikes and scooters, from Honda Spree’s and Elites to DRZ400s, GSXR’s, to a CBR 1100XX and my modded 100hp HD Fatboy to name a few. I seen a RE 350 Classic Signals desert sand at a dealer last week and I can’t stop thinking about going back to buy it lol
In India we take these bikes to the Himalayas via Khardungla pass and Umingla Pass in Ladakh which is the highest motorable road in the world at 19000ft above sea level where the temperature is -40 degrees celsius in winters and -20 in summers.
So these are not just city bikes but you can take them wherever you want to
You can't maintain the minimum high way speed with these 350's
@@james_isaac Highway speed over here in INDIA 🇮🇳 is around 80-100kmph depending on state to state and this bike can do 100-110kmph all day long and top speed is around 120kmph.
@@AnindyaMukherjeeTheGamer i know that but in European countries minimum high way speed is 75 mph /120
RE=Junk
The 350 series of motorbikes by Royal Enfield have enough power for having fun. For enjoying the ride. For stopping not only to smell the roses but to have a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top and a glass of iced tea.
In other words, Royal Enfield's 350s have a reasonable amount of power to get you "there and back again". And by "there" I do mean the memories of days long past and by "back" I do mean "home". And "again" means over and over. There's a kid inside each of us and it only takes a certain smell, sound or scenery for that kid to surface and remind us that no one dies alone so long as they have a lifetime of memories within them.
A Royal Enfield 350 is perfect for jump starting the kid in you.
SS
I use my classic 350 on the freeway and it's a blast. Also lots of fun dropping down a gear and overtaking on said freeway. Too many people hung up on data sheet specs rather than riding.
Thanks for the honest review on the smaller Royal Enfields. I live in the Northeast US and these bikes interest me, I prefer riding the rural country roads. That 411 Scram really interest me.
Ridden many different bikes here in the UK both large and small capacity. For me the smaller cc bikes are my preference, because I don't go on motorways unless I need too and I'm not interested in racing around everywhere. My bike is my primary transport as I don't drive cars, so the fact they are mostly very economical on fuel, cheap to tax, insure, maintain and will do everything I need them too is why they are my preference. Nothing against the bigger bikes and I get why many folk like them, but they just aren't for me.
I agree. I live in Houston Texas and my Meteor 350 is a great city motorcycle. However, it is wonderful on back road day trips. I agree that it's not the best on freeways but if forced to ride on one for a few exits, it will do the job just fine.
No no no! You won’t be left behind because you can use all of the power on the roads! Also, if you fit the DNA filter and intake, Hitchcock’s stainless steel free flow exhaust system and FuelX lite, you will undo most of the euro 5 nonsense and unlock most of the engines potential. I’m now getting ready to fit the Kent cam to my Classic, which should get me up to 24 or 25 hp at the wheel. This is much closer to what the designer of the engine had in mind before the bureaucrats got involved. Bullet 500 performance from a 350! Just as it should be. Having said that, these bikes are great, out of the crate. It’s just that in my 48th year of riding I can’t bring myself not to tinker and improve my ride… btw, 70mph all day long, no problem, even stock.
I suspect the 350 is choked by engine mapping, for longevity and emissions. An overhead valve 350 should be capable of higher speeds, but that's kind of missing the point and other bikes are available if speed's a priority. Other tweaks will squeeze a few more bhp out of the thing.
@@borderlands6606 tinkering and tweaking is half the fun!
@@borderlands6606 the J platform engine is an overhead cam engine, and was originally intended to be capable of 90mph, which is well within the design capabilities. It was restricted with a speed limiter that works off the ABS ring and ECU. This was done to satisfy insurance regulators in the Asian market. My information comes from Hitchcock’s, who in turn had the information from sources involved with testing the Hunter prototypes. The only thing we can’t fix yet, is this speed limiter, but I suspect somebody will find a way before long. There is a rumour that the Hunter ECU does not have a speed limiter, but as yet I have no solid proof of this, but there are people looking into this.
@@TheNorfolkThunderbolt Yes, I agree with all that, and always thought the J-platform would make an inexpensive club racing class if someone could unlock the ecu. A Classic with clip-ons, rear sets and a racing tank would be a head turner. Then a racing cam and improved breathing would make for a fast little bike.
@@borderlands6606 well, you never know what might happen in the future! Maybe some enterprising people might do just that. It would be a marvellous thing!
great video showing the limitations of these bikes not too many posting this kinda content. Still amazing machines that fill a role for riders.
It's really funny. Here in Taiwan Royal Enfield failed and basically laid a giant goose egg. They entered our market in 2012 and in 2019 withdrew with the distributer still with stock he is unable to sell.
We had three Royal Enfield flagship stores in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsuing. The first to close was Taipei followed a few months later by Kaohsuing with Taichung holding on for another two years to 2021. I should mention the same happened to Ural when they entered Taiwan in 2010 4 years later they pulled out..
There were a a few reasons why the failed miserable.
First issue: Price vs what you get. So for example the Continental GT sold for NTD499,000 (around £12,500) and the Classic 500 sold for NTD450,000 (around £11,300). All imported motorcycles over 300cc have high duties and import taxes. And for Enfield it was higher than let's say Yamaha or Honda or even Harley Davidson. The reason why Enfield bikes had higher tax and duty is because the volume of bikes they imported at one time was far less than the three I mentioned and others.
Second issue: Service was a major factor. All the other brands the longest you can wait to get major parts is maybe a few minutes to an hour for parts as they have a very efficient distribution network which covers most of Taiwan. Enfield was taking upwards to 6 to 8 weeks to get the parts sent from India. There was one parts supplier for Enfield that gave up supplying Enfield parts as he felt the Indians were just too slow to get anything out.
Staying with service if you have a break down anywhere in Taiwan. With in 12 hours usually, they will come and collect you and bring you to the closest service centre.
Third issue: Many customer complaints and bad press over service issues. In some cases Enfield had to buy bikes back from customers at full price for not being able to provide repairs and spare parts in under 3 weeks. So because of this problem even second hand dealers would not touch Enfields.
Fourth issue: Resale and devaluation, which is connected to the first three. A second hand Classic 350 for example with less than 10,000km in it can be found for as little as NTD80,000 (around £2500), after maybe a year earlier was bought new for NTD300,000 (around £7500). More than half its value in a year or two.
So it basically came down to why get an Enfield, when for just a bit more you can get something with more power and better service. Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Ducati, BMW, Harley Davidson and Triumph. Also provide courtesy bikes if repairs are longer than 5 days. If you live further than 20km from the service centre they will also send you a car to bring you back home and pick you up when the bike is done. So service is always number 1.
I can give you an example of service I was dealing with last June. One of my bikes is a 2015 Yamaha MT09. It was having an issue with the clutch. I should also mention this bike at the time had over 40,000km on it. I rode the bike to the Yamaha service centre at 8am on a Saturday morning. The part they needed had to come from Yamaha in Taichung, which is about 130km away from Taipei. This was a part that Yamaha just didn't keep in Taipei. They called me at noon saying they part that needed to be changed would be arriving in Taipei by 5pm. At just after 530 they called me to say it had arrived and thought it would be ready by Monday or Tuesday. So I went out to dinner with friends and just after 10pm when we were leaving the restaurant at Taipei 101 the Yamaha service centre called me to say the mechanic had finished the job and that i could collect the bike. I arrived at their service centre 45 minutes later when I went to pay. They told me to come back Monday and take it out for a test ride Sunday first before paying. This is the kind of service Yamaha and the others provide and isn't unusual that Royal Enfield was unable to do while they were in Taiwan.
I can give you another example with Harley Davidson in Taiwan. I'm not a fan of Harley, but the people here are super nice. if you want a test ride you can just show up and a test ride is about an hour or two. You can also sign up for the weekly Harley test rides on the weekend, which are a full day. They bring you on the highway mountain roads and so on.
So here in Taiwan it's all about service service service.
Now just just isn't unique to Taiwan. In Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and in other parts of East Asia. When i have been to the UK, US and Europe. I'm a little shocked at how poor service for anything is compared to here. Royal Enfield did try, but even their local partner was getting frustrated.
It comes down to sue to the high prices we pay with import duties. For example the price that a Harley Davidson Pan-America is in Taiwan. For that price we can buy two in the UK. Same with my Honda CB1000 Black Edition I bought in 2022. The bikes are double and even in some cases three times the price in the UK. They have to offer top quality service.
During Covid, which affected economies everywhere. Here in Taiwan, because we didn't have any lockdowns and everything was normal to the rest of the world and because borders were shut and no one was traveling. Harley Davidson, which entered the Taiwan market in 2002. At the hight of Covid world wide. Harley in Taiwan their best sales years ever in 2021 and 2022. Demand was so high Harley bikes at dealerships in Singapore and Thailand were sent to Taiwan just to meet demand. Since then even after Covid ended and borders around the world re-opened the momentum has kept going.
Prior to 2021 the five top selling brands were
Yamaha
Suzuki
Honda
Triumph
BMW
During and after Covid Harley actually now ties with Triumph.
If Enfield had done a bit more research they would have had a better time.
In Japan Enfield is also not doing well. It's expected they will pull out in a few months over the same issues they had in Taiwan.
Same with Many other brands in India too. Import taxes are at 100% which effectively doubles the price, pushing many great motorcycles & cars out of market.
@@Citizen-5349 it’s not the same at all. Here in Taiwan people don’t care about the price and people don’t mind that it’s sometimes double or three times the price they don’t mind at all. As long as the service can equal that.
That’s why brands like Honda, Hardy, Davidson, and San and so on offer the kind of service of people expect . They could raise the prices by 20% people will still pay it they don’t mind paying the price.
I think in Taiwan and places like Vietnam need that on the road again quick service is important with bikes being a main mode of transport.Here in the UK these bikes are mostly for leisure use and weekend rides.
@@wheels2fun526 I Agree with you. Service is important and everyone does care about it. The service harley offers in Taiwan is light years ahead of what it offers in India.
Same with many Triumphs, Kawasakis and SUzuki's{Luxury ones}.
Even Honda's big wing has gotten so bad when it comes to service in India.
Each country has its own specific preference of vehicles and for India it is 100-300CC segment.
Brands like UM too closed after the bad sales.
As Hunter 350 owner, I can say this - lets be honest. More power is not about speed, it is about safety for overtaking which RE´s 350 lacking. Even for city riding, 350 is missing acceleration advantage over cars. I do understand Classic 350 - beatiful classic bike. You do not expect dynamic ride but Meteor and especially Hunter are underpowered to be practical.
This!
I think the real question is: what bike can you buy today with a retro look and that 1 cylinder thump sound? To me, the RE 350s are the only answer. The new triumphs are liquid cooled and lack the sound, the Honda rebel is a 2 cylinder and so on...
the world is different, bcos where i live in asia, even 250cc is more than enough for commuting, we use motorcycle, moped and scooter around 110-160cc everyday, we rarely hit 60mph on city riding.
we carry passenger, go on a intercity trips, going on hills and countryside with a scooter, sure bigger cc is better but the weight of the bike also rise.
of course it's enough, you get from A to B, humble on fuel, for rural and small towns navigations - superb, for cities - superb.
*Is 350 enough?*
Me who live in a 3rd world coutry where 70% of motorcycles are in between 150-250cc and people travel the country with those machines
Yeah is good enough
Yeah, I'm doing 300km travels with my 160cc, my actual dream is those 350cc.
The thing in Europe is that even on country roads the traffic is quite fast. In Germany you are allowed to drive up 100 km/h outside of cities. Not even talking about the Autobahn which is unrestricted (unless it isnt). I can tell, with a 125cc you would be in the way of people and it wouldnt be a pleasant ride. Also, not so good for the bike itself if you have to drive it on its engine limits. Not talking about hills/mountains. ;)
Smallish b-roads and city traffic is of course fine.
The UK main roads are bumper to bumper and 80mph as a daytime norm.
350's and 500's are awesome compromises of power and economy. Years ago I owned a 500 bullet and I was thrilled every time I rode it. I also had a Triumph 1200 bagger for big trips but that 500 was all about the simple fun. I'd ride a 350 version without complaint in they ways you've shown it in this video. Thank you for uploading this video.
I completely understand when people say that the 350 classic is underpowered and cannot hold 70mph+ on motorways. BUT this is not the bike for those people.
I spent 40 years travelling this country (UK) and others, constantly having to get places on a schedule and as a consequence at the fastest legal speeds. Travel was just that, travel. Not fun and not really interesting for the most part.
The RE 350 for me, knowing its limitations means that I plan my routes using A roads, B roads and lanes with dual carriageways only occasionally. Now after buying a Classic 350 following excellent reviews such as Mr Darcy & the Ol' Man I am enjoying the journey, the scenery and making stops whenever I choose. This for me is travelling for pleasure and enjoyment, higher speeds would detract from that.
Where I live they all say "You need aleast 800cc to get anywhere" and some doesnt greet you if they believe your bike is less than 500cc. I have a blast on my 300cc!
I rode all of the 350s and I agree. Out here, they are just not strong enough to be practical. Imagine, however, how perfect a 500cc version of the Classic would be. Stay with the same frame, wheels, etc... and bore it out to 500, and you'd have a bike that WOULD pull those hills in all five gears (even with my fat ass on it) and would run down the road, easily, at 70+.
I have thousands of miles of back roads and 50 mph country highways. Before I bought my Classic I had already determined not to ride freeways. I ride for pleasure, not necessity. I also determined not to ride two up, so I got my wife her own bike, and I couldn't be happier with my 350. Got to admit I am fascinated by the possibility of a Classic 650 though. But just from a hypothetical standpoint. If I had to ride two up on the freeway...
It's available but not yet released in UK
I’m new to the Classic 350 (love it!), the only tricky part with this engine / its power is the run-in period. If you follow RE’s guidelines / rev limits, it’s hard to pull hills without angering drivers behind you (and where I live hills are hard to avoid). And the run-in period is a good 1000 miles, where at that point the engine really comes to life and opens up from what everyone says.
I’ve had fast bikes. They’re awesome. But honestly, not sure why, I’m having way more fun on this 350 lately.
Strange how that happens, one of my mates has had all sorts of bikes , at the moment he's got a Honda Shadow 750 cruiser , lovely condition and very smooth, he has two classic B S A s an ( A7 ) & an ( A6 ) he bought a classic 350cc Royal Enfield last year and he loves it , like you say its really all about what puts a smile on your face 😀.
Touch slow compared to my little Fantic, but it’s not an issue for me to wait a few seconds at junctions for the Meteor to catch up. It’s not that much slower and as I don’t feel rushed, I get to survey my surroundings and take in the views. Slower progress really is a lot more pleasant than the mad dashes on litre bikes I was doing 5 years ago. I used to feel I was heading out for a race, I’d get back so full of adrenaline I couldn’t sleep. Now at Meteor pace it’s just relaxing and still fun.
Beauty of this bike is that It does all the riding (i mean less gear changes due to enough torque) whereas this lets the rider to enjoy the scenery and the ride itself.
I have a 2022 classic 350. I had it for about a year and a half and coming up on 4500 miles. The bottom line is just that: here in the US if you want to ride on the highway, yes, you would need a more powerful bike unless you want to be holding on for dear life at 65 or 70. I do a lot of city and back road riding here in Seattle and a bit on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s perfect for that. It’s not bad that it gets 85+ miles to the gallon as well. handling is fantastic. Very agile.If speed is not your thing. I would highly recommend it. Cheers from the Pacific Northwest!
I came to the Classic 350 from much more powerful bikes. To make decent progress up hills - especially with a pillion aboard you have to think about what you're doing. In this way it's actually more engaging than simply twisting the throttle in almost any gear. The experience takes me back to my early days of riding in the 1980s. And in today's motoring environment, bikes like the RE350's are actually becoming more and more relevant.
As a matter of personal reference, I spent about a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina late last year with my brother on his Himmy, and me on my Hunter 350 doing some moto camping, and traversing the mountain roads and routes with absolutely no problem whatsoever going up any grade, and cornering, which was it’s strong suite. At no point in time did I feel like I needed more power to tackle those roads. As a matter of fact, more power would only have gotten me into trouble I’m afraid. Now true, it’s not a bike for interstates here. It will safely do the speeds for 5 or 10 miles or so if need be without struggling, but it’s certainly not about blowing down the super slab with your hair on fire. It’s about pure enjoyment on back lanes where scenery and the riding experience is most pleasurable and memorable. I really do love my Hunter. It never fails to make me smile when I’m riding it.
When I was a lad, my father road a BSA pre-unit 650 Spitfire, which with 40hp, was considered a superbike back then. It was perfectly adequate on U.S. roads then, and had we not all grown so hungry for power it would be just as good now.
I started on one hp 49cc mopeds, and had a wonderful time. I rode my Bonneville 900cc up and down the east coast and mountains of the US, and had a wonderful time. I now have a Classic 350, a Continental 650, and my 900 Bonneville. The one I have the most wonderful time on is the Classic 350. I know what my bikes can do, and I choose the one that fits my planned trip. The Classic does it perfect to well enough.
That is the perfect stable. I’m just about to pair my classic 350 with a T100, but expect to use that only in the long distance jaunts and tours. All local riding will be with the glorious 350.
I love my Meteor, it does everything, as long as you aren't in a hurry. When riding it I put my mind into "1950s" mode. I toured europe on a BSA B31, the Enfield is faster and more reliable too!
#metoo Fireball Yellow 🟡 25,000 trouble free KM.... Love it ❤
*CRAP GAME* 🎉
My R1200RT does the "go fast and haul everything" duties. My RE Classic 500 is pure fun on the side roads and is just a complete grin every ride. It's just a really neat, durable, utility motorcycle for when the destination doesn't matter much, rather the experience getting there is the true purpose.
I have been riding 43 years and have a Signals 350. Back to basics motorcycling and a sublime riding experience along with authentic looks. Makes you feel good !
I have always riden bikes since 1970 250 to 1300cc for fun, touring and courier work . At 70 I recently sold my 1250 RT as due to my wife's health we no longer tour. I bought an NC 750X Honda which is a brilliant do it all tool. Thinking ahead with health and age related issues myself I also own a RE Hunter for riding in my dotage. My point is I've always enjoyed riding bikes of all types and intend doing so for as long as physically possible.
You don't need 200bhp to have fun 20bhp is plenty. It's being on two wheels that matters.
I've got a Meteor 350 and i ride it everywhere. I used to have a Honda Monkey 125 and i rode that thing everywhere too,its all about managing expectations and knowing how to use the power that you have.
I took my meteor touring 2 up around the mountain ranges of the picos in northern Spain and the Pyrenees on the French/Spain border. I thought it did extremely well up hills especially considering it was loaded to the max payload. The only two problems were overtaking slower vehicles and downhill braking when getting exuberant. I felt I was right on the limit of the brakes and a couple of times had gone past the limit and had to slow down because of the lack of brakes. It's the only time I've had that concern around all other roads the brakes were fine.
I had a RE Interceptor 650 and while it was pleasant enough I just got a bit bored of it. On occasion I want to open the throttle and feel a bit of proper power, its what bikes are about for me. Just saying.
I now owner the 350 meteor, why? I can't manage the bend in my false knees on the other models, just done Rallymans rally in Elland, 74 miles no issues and plenty fast enough for me
I'm happy to hear your final analysis. I'm reminded that friends of mine in Colombia and Venezuela tell me that bikes with half that displacement are the norm, and they're going up and down hills everywhere they go. I think, as you say, it depends on your expectations. Here in the States we of course expect to go fast, without any impediment, no matter anything at all. The rest of the world is not generally afforded that luxury!
That being said, I just wanted to question one thing: you said in your pre-hillclimb introduction that we would notice the revs drop off in 3rd gear, but... you were in 4th. I heard you shift into 3rd at 3:37, and you stayed there past the oncoming car, and then at 3:55, you shifted into 4th. So it was in 4th gear that the revs didn't increase, but I actually didn't hear them decrease.
We've all read that these REs are not very powerful on a hp-to-displacement basis, but [almost] everyone still seems to love them. They seem to have gotten a lot right. :) Thanks.
Another excellent, honest review. All I can say is that I've gone from a fast 120bhp bike to one just under 30 bhp. Of course the smaller bike is slower, but enjoy the back roads so much more now not having to hold back constantly and dodging the potholes and getting stuck behind car's anyway...
I Know where youre coming from in terms of powerful bikes often being tremendously frustrating on British roads , due to our abysmal roads, poor standards of driving, congestion, speed cameras, lousy weather etc., etc...
Back in the 70’s I rode a Honda cb100 from Los Angeles to New York, then to South Dakota, pikes peak, Arizona, then back to Los Angeles. Never one problem. It just depends on what you are willing to put up with in order to ride!
@The Ol' Man: Thank you for this video.
I personally love small cc motorcycles!
Because you have to "work" for your speed and for your momentum. On a big cc bike you can pretty much ride as sloppy as you want and still be able to get away with it.
I think a 350cc can be enough. You might experience that more power still would be usable though. And fun.
That being said for me a 350cc in a classic trim is a perfect 2nd bike when you already have a modern big cc motorcycle as your 1st bike.
With how the bike looks small between your legs, it looks like you have more torque in your chest than it does.
First video of yours that I see, and I'm glad I see a motorcycle enthusiast that isn't all about speed and can be enthusiastic about smaller bikes 👍
I'm in Melbourne, Aus & started with a Honda Grom (cool, but limited application as wasn't very stable after 80km/h). Then bought a Honda CB500X to get into a bigger bike, but didn't gel with it; it was like a two wheeled 4x4 & I realised I wasn't going to tour on it. Next bought an RE 350 Classic Reborn in gunmetal & love it. Has so much charm, peppy in the suburbs & just feels as though it's your friend & will look after you. Yes, I was also concerned about the weight/power, but it goes far better than you'd think.
I prefer riding my Classic over my Bonneville and Interceptor. Not to mention the Thunderbird Storm I sold last year. Moving into my 70's on smaller machines. I live in rural Orange County North Carolina, so almost all my Classic riding is country backroads with the occasional stretch on a dual carriageway
What do you really need?
I have ridden quite a few different bikes in my 21 years as a motorcyclist. From 125cc Yamaha Virago over an Yamaha R6, KTM Duke 690, Suzuki Hayabusa and now a Honda Africa Twin 1000cc. Also I took my hayabusa to the circuit and was a hobby motocross and trials rider.
When it comes to Royal Enfield I test rode the Classic 500 and the Himalayan 411 (first one).
Let me tell you that for riding in western countries like central EU, US or Australia, you do not need a bike with 100 hp or more. What do you want on the streets? Racing? Flexing? Here in Europe most countries do not let you ride faster than 100 km/h except on motorways / autobahn. And whoever did that for more than 30 minutes knows how boring that is.
I learned on the street it is about enjoying the ride, not specs or being fast.
Modern REs are cheap to buy, maintain and they have a very low consumption. Don't let the "shorter" servicing intervalls fool you, even if you do traveling with your bike. Except if you really do motorcycle trips of a few thousand km / miles a year. Then I can reccomend the Africa Twin or a GS.
I was sceptical about these low hp and torque numbers but when you are sitting on a RE you do not care. It is a pure joy to ride. No electronics war, no pricing like for small cars. For me RE captures the essence of riding motorcycles.
In India they ride classic 350s around everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE, even in terrain. The Himalayan is the perfect adventure bike. Just enough power to have decent travel speed on good roads but not too much. Whoever rode offroad will agree that if it is about conquering terrain, less hp is better.
If you feel the 350cc is not enough, get one of their 650cc.
I am very happy with royal enfields concept. I am thinking of selling my Africa Twin and buy two REs for my wife and myself.
Some people can’t believe the terrain I have tackled on my 350 classic, it’s a great machine. Writing another chapter of my life in the dust of the mighty Himalayas
People who think 300 cc is not enough power, I drive a 125cc Bajaj bike, it is good for city commuting and gives a great mileage of 70km/ltr. Plus it is lighter and feels like you are gliding 😂
Love your channel gents! Really help me in deciding to switch from long time riding Vespa to Classic 350 Signals (Marsh Grey), and I already did a short road trip with my girlfriend, around 300 km, and it did just fine, regional and back roads. I live in Croatia, so we have a decent amount of hills, and I would say, for a nice 80-90 km/h ride it is great, even with passenger. It is a relaxing kind of a ride, and even if you are stuck behind the bus that drives 90-100 km/h you will probably stay behind, but you will have a good wind cover.
If you approach to the Classic 350 as an "old timer" bike with new stuff (like fuel injection and ABS) then you are fine. And I said, I ride 1983. Vespa 200 ccm and I went on Vespa club road trips all around Europe just fine. When I ride Classic 350 it feels like another dimension, more comfortable, more secure ride. I am not a biker, I must admit, so anything over 100 km/h scares me a lot on motorcycle, so 350 is a perfect spot on. And it is even slower than a new Vespa GTS 300 which has 150 kg and 23.8 HP.
Great to hear 👍🏼
I ride I-95 everyday and it's great. Handles well. At 60 mph it purrs. At 70, it holds its own very well. I recommend running 65 mph and you will have no troubles.
For city riding i would go for a vespa but i thing the wright power for this is at least 500cc but i suppose they have other models with that size engine
My classic 350 does everything and more, often 2up with a 20kg bag strapped on as well! 3 years on the rugged roads of the Himalayas in Nepal, my ego would love a 500, but honestly the 350 pulls better than a Thai bar girl up these monstrous hills and mountains
Well, let’s just say that it goes really well in the chaos of Kathmandu as well, that low down grunt pulls you out of many situations, it’s a great little all round machine.
I bought Classic 350 stealth black 8 months back. Im absolutely loving the ride quality and experience
I'm happy with my Signals 350, even with the occasional Interstate miles. It's a matter of riding strategy, IMO; an experienced rider will, over the years, develop different strategies for managing different riding conditions. So, although it's a great beginner motorbike, its also a motorbike that expeienced riders can enjoy under conditions that beginners might find daunting or intimidating. In the end, like all motorbikes, all the C350 variants are fast enough to kill inexperienced newbies and inattentive veterans alike.
Well said! I’m thinking about an RE 350 myself. I’m 67 and just sold my ‘04 Fatboy (which I loved, due to moving).
My Honda 650 seems to sit in the garage a lot these days since buying a Hunter as my every day work horse.
I did take it for a 200 mile trip not so long ago, just to see how it worked out motorway riding, & it seemed to hold out quite well, although overtakes had to be planned well in advance.
Shalln't lie to you though - it really could do with an extra 5HP.
I love the style and simple elegance of the bike.
I love my classic 350 ,it is a great bike. I wanted a basic utility machine, something that I could use everyday and it fits the bill perfectly. Today's motorcycles have become toys to a certain extent,my two bikes are transport pure and simple. A lot of my friends have said that it is too underpowered for modern traffic and a 125cc machine can reach 70 plus mph. True, some can, but my 350 is not as franetic at its top end as those bikes. As for travelling hundreds of miles on a motorway, I can't think of anything more tedious on a motorbike, that's why I have a car ! Great video as always 👍
South East Asian here. I love my 350. Will I buy another RE? Probably not. Prices are way too inflated and maintenance costs are a bit too much. In India, RE bikes are treated as practical bikes with low cost maintenance but not here. It’s treated like on the same level as Triumphs and Harleys.
TBH as a returning rider, I don't care about their motorway capabilities....I hate motorways, especially the deadly 'smart' routes. Give me back lanes anyday. These engines are tinkerable as you'll already know, to provide a tad more oomph.
Just about to head off to Spain and ride up the length of France to Normandy on my classic 350. For the roads were travelling on it’ll be just fine. It’s already done John O’ Groats to Lands End, including riding to JOG from Devon to start and a tour of Brittany last year.
Go slow, enjoy the journey and take your time. Simples.
Awesome have a great ride 👍🏼
Those who think 350 CC ain't enough, let me tell you I've seen people riding 125 CC 'Splendor' on Himalayan roads. Most locals in remote Himalayan villages can't afford RE bikes. You'll see lot of 125CC bikes & scooters up there.
That’s because of the power to weight ratio. The problem with RE classics is power to weight ratio. The engine is underpowered for the mammoth weight of the classics due to its all metal parts. Splendors or scooters on the other hand are plastic parts hence lighter. The engine has lesser weight as well so the best power output which is typically around 10-13 bhp would suffice. RE Classics are good for plains. Just relax and ride, no stress.
@@kaustav4070 maybe you're right about power to weight ratio. But then, RE is the first choice for riders wanting to traverse high mountain passes in India.
@@challenger13_31 Before the introduction of RE Himalayan, riders (not all) used to prefer RE classics however I have seen them struggling during the trip because the tires, suspension, weight and riding postures are simply not made for that kind of trips.
@@kaustav4070 I think maybe you're biased. Why? Here's the answer. My Honda 125 makes 11hp, with me that's a total weight of 205kg. If I was on a RE at 185kg the total would be 270kg. thats 5.3hp per 100kg - vs the RE at 7.7hp per 100kg. You 'say' that you've seen ppl struggle but does that mean it's the bike? Any why are the tyres a problem like you say? I'd rather something with bigger air capacity on mountain passes - far more important there than in a town
These are some of the best level-headed real world focused bike reviews on TH-cam. Certainly been using them to decide which royal Enfield to buy in the future.
Thank you 😊
I love the 350 Classic's look. I own a 500 Classic. The 350 is FAR more comfortable to me (test ride) but I kept wishing it had just 5 more horsepower. I hear that is obtainable with some simple add on mods... that makes it far more appealing.
Hitchcock's cam gives you 5 hp at the wheel. Made a huge difference on my Classic.
Royal Enfield is the world's beautiful bikes
I really enjoy your videos and the honest bikers opinions you both share.
As an experienced rider I still appreciate the simplicity and purity of a simole bike. Wheels. Engine and a petrol tank.
I recently bought a little Hunter 350. It’s simply brilliant.
Perfectly fine for everyday riding to work and fun on the local lanes. Plus they are simple to service and maintain meaning further time and money savings.
Well built too.
Now I’m tempted to chop in my Transalp 750 for a BMW R18 for a simple riding pleasure on a grander scale. 👍
An interesting and honest review, thanks people often make out these are everything to everyone and they just aren't. Maybe i'll consider one when I can't handle a fast bike anymore
Tbh I’d happily have a classic 350,think they look and sound fantastic,and I’d much prefer using the lanes than motorways,the hunter coped with that hill fine,great honest video.
Thanks guys ….Classic 350 is definitely enough and that’s even on faster roads around Sydney - because the ride is so satisfying - there’s a lovely sense of torque with the sound and feeling of the engine even though it’s not powerful …it’s soulful 😊
Omg I just love the footage of the hill climb!!! I love the look of the Hunter and the price is sorted but I can’t want to own one with that power figure. The smallest bike I had fun on was the Husqvarna 401 Svart - similar capacity but it revved and made twice as much power. Now on my R9T I’m finding it hard to want to go back to a bike that feels like it could be bullied in some kinds of traffic and road situation.
Ive just returned from a 1700km trip along the East Coast of Australia earlier this week, me on a Fatbob and my lad on his meteor, didn’t miss a beat, and he was more than happy doing his first long trip on the 350, was great fun
They sound amazing and 350 is a very serious contender. In Cornwall with all the hills a 500/600 it’s a very interesting dilemma
The 350s can't be considered "all-rounders", not in Europe or North America anyway. They are out of their depth on motorways, since getting tailgated by HGVs is not a relaxing situation to find yourself in. However they do have a certain appeal that belies their terrible performance on paper. Their charm comes from their smooth, low-revving and pleasant sounding engine, and they provide a unique riding and ownership experience that will be a revelation to a lot of bikers who are weary of overpriced and overpowered plastic missiles. Another 5 horsepower would be welcome, though, I'm not gonna lie.
I can't speak to the RE since I don't have one, but I find i am gravitating toward smaller cc machines. I'm not even getting elderly, I'm 39 years old and have no problems managing my 900 lb tourer, I just find that it's not necessary to have the biggest and fastest motorcycle to have a lot of fun. What I find, in fact, is that cost of operating smaller bikes is much less in tax and maintenance, and leaves more money to enjoy the experience in travel and eats.
It’s as if you guys read my mind. Just saw the Bingley Wheeler’s video where he rated the Classic 350 as the best Royal Enfield out right now. It made me wonder what you guy’s think about the lack of power and then I come across this video. Gonna watch now. Should be interesting!
…he may rate it as the best but he actually owns a 650 SM and has just got a MG V7.
If your going out for a ride & not a race ,there is plenty of power & speed for the real world . One of my bikes is a Honda Innova 125 carb job with 9 • 3 hp & a top speed of 60 - 65 mph & climbs up hills with my 18 stone on it . If that can cope then a 350 thumper with more horse power should easily cope . A small capacity machine will be doing similar speeds to large capacity machines 80 % of the time even on national speed limit single lane roads due to the numerous sharp & switchback bends , junctions & other types of hazards . Unless the journey consists of long boring motorway journeys ,or carrying 3 pie eaters plus loads of luggage plus kitchen sink their is no point in owning a large powerful motorcycle ,even more so with 20 mph limits & a national speed limit of 70 mph . It makes more sense now more than ever to own & ride bikes from 125 - 500cc these days .
How many riders here are over fifty, and you've had the sports bikes and big cruisers and are just looking for laid back riding without the cost and weight?
Great review, and an insightful view of the reality of riding lower powered bikes. I have a 2016 (17 registered - last of the Euro 3) Bullet 500 which I bought with just 200 miles on the clock, and it now has well over 10,000. It's racked up most of those miles with my wife as pillion, and bar the odd place where it's damn tricky to use another route, has not seen a motorway or major A road dual carriageway. It bimbles along through the North Essex countryside finding little places of interest and nice places to stop and eat, enjoy the view etc - and for this, it is just perfect.
I've done a bit of touring on it, too - through the South Downs and over Beachy Head, through the Cotswolds, Norfolk and through into Lincolnshire. I would really love to bring it to Wales with me but I think that is a stretch too far staying off the major roads and I suspect it would do my head in on the M4 for any length of time.
I've said this a lot to people that ask me about it. It's about the worst bike I've ever owned, but somehow it's the one that I class as the best. It's got me back to the 'pure' feeling of motorcycling. No bravado, no ego, no rush to get anywhere, just relax and enjoy the ride.
Really good review -
realistic - honest with no BS.
Thank you.
Very honest and accurate review,. A Change of exhaust, DNA air filter and spark plug from Hitchcock's, they do a CAT delete exhaust pipe and you get a modest but useful increase in performance, it pulls much better. My mate has the Classic 350 and he travels all over the country on it no problem. It holds a steady 60mph all day long, a mile a minute still gets you around and it's an absolute pleasure to ride...
or you could just get either a lighter or more powerful bike lmao
In the western United States the speed limit are 80mph on the interstates. On many highways the speed limit is 70mph. Most citys in western states are below 50,000 people so the chances are you will need to go at least 70mph. I think a 350 is the bear minimum size of bike for the above reasons. Aloso for the above reasons I think the a 650 is the right size bike for any occasion.
I've been a vespa (PX) for 30 odd years and I'm finally selling up & getting a hunter. Done a test ride and it delivered everything I wanted. Looking forward to buying my RE this year.
Lovely lil bike, spot on presentation as usually 👌
Thanks for your restless w, Ol'Man 🙏