Hey there riders, Moto Journo Kris here and let’s talk the arrival of Royal Enfield’s updated
Classic 350, we’ve just had pricing announced here in Australia and the bike looks set to introduce
updates first seen on the Meteor 350. I’d say that’s an exciting announcement
because while the older bikes certainly ticked all the boxes as far as authenticity
for old retro bike feel, they could have done with some modernisation, which normally
delivers a slightly more refined package. Now pricing has been announced here in Australia,
as well as UK, with the 2022 Classic 350 starting at $7,990 Australian ride-away for the Halycon
versions, $8,290 for the Signals, $8,690 for the Dark and the Chrome versions are $8,790.
In the UK in comparison, the Halycon sits at £4279 pounds,
the Dark at £4359 pounds and Chrome at £4439. When it comes to the Classic 350 in 2022,
we get the updated powerplant seen on the Meteor 350, with EFI,
power just over 20 hp and 27 Nm of torque, alongside a balancer shaft that’ll smoothen
out running vibes if perhaps at the expense of a little character. The 350s and 500s
have had an excess of character though, so I think most riders will appreciate the change.
The gearbox remains a five-speed, and a 13 litre fuel tank is fitted.
On the chassis side of things, we’ve seen the single-tube frame,
become a twin downtube affair, with 41 mm forks and dual preload adjustable shocks.
Wheels are a 19 inch front and 18 inch rear combo, with most variants running spoked rims, while the
two Dark variants run the alloy wheels. Disc brakes are larger 300 mm front rotor
with two piston caliper, while a 270 mm rear unit with single piston caliper is fitted,
alongside a dual channel ABS system. A more high tech dash now adds an LCD
and a USB charging port, alongside an analogue speedo, with Australian bikes
carrying a three year, unlimited kilometre warranty and road-side assist package.
Obviously the Classic 350 is LAMS and A2 compliant with that power output, and there’s a definite
focus on the traditional and retro elements of this bike, with styling remaining old school.
We’ve seen improvements, with the move from the 35 mm forks to the new 41s,
the larger disc brakes, and the new EFI engine but Royal Enfield have retained the spirit of their
350 and 500 cc machines, which I’d say brings people a lot closer to a true retro machine – for
something new – than we can typically expect from the many neo retro offerings.
That’s certainly been a success too, and I’ve seen plenty of the Royal Enfields out and about here in
Sydney, while I’ve always enjoyed testing them. The one caveat is that they are fairly expensive
for the luxury of a true retro machine, the most expensive of the Classic 350s in India, works out
at about $4000 AUD with a currency conversion and while there’s obviously the many additional costs
of importation and such, they end up similarly priced to the KTM 390 Duke for instance, or the
Ninja 400. When Yamaha brought the SR500 back out it was a similar story too, with these retro
machines seeming to demand a bit of a premium in some ways, mainly considering the performance and
tech included, or relative lack thereof. Now maybe that’s a reflection of these bikes
being a popular option for discerning older riders who might have a bit more cash to throw around,
but for those riders, especially new riders, who wouldn’t mind a classic style bike,
but are also considering the more modern options, it makes for a tough situation
when trying to pick a machine. Anyway let me know what you think
of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 updates and pricing, and as always stay safe out there and
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