Royal Enfield Bullet 350

The Royal Enfield Bullet 350’s styling is probably one of its biggest selling points. But it looks so classic and retro because it is basically very old. The design is almost 70 years old and has changed very little in that time. It was created to fulfill the needs of the military and it shows. The design is as no-nonsense as it can get. The fuel tank is a classic teardrop shape. The headlight is round and uses halogens. The indicators are bullet style. The battery is literally housed in a square box. But this lack of modernity is a big part of the bike’s appeal. The fuel tank is decorated with a large wing logo with minimal and tasteful pinstriping. The engine looks as mechanical as a pre-war gun and the pea shooter style exhaust only compounds that effect. The thick seat is as comfortable and supportive as it looks. There are splashes of chrome on the headlight surround, the indicators, the rear view mirrors and the exhaust that looks classy. The headlight housing also has the instruments integrated into it which are basic in keeping with the overall look of the bike. Similarly, the 19” wheels with 3.25 tires are spoked. The bike is also quite sizable at 2140 mm (L) X 810 mm (W) X 1120 mm (H). In many ways then it looks and feels like something from the industrial age. But it has a good finish and while the build quality could be better, it does feel solid. There is, however, only one color on offer here – black.

The Bullet 350 affords a very comfortable and relaxed seating position thanks to its high and wide handlebars. The seat is deep and supportive with the small bump for the pillion seat working well for back support. Speaking of pillion seats, the Bullet 350 is very comfortable for the pillion rider. The chassis uses a single downtube type frame which uses the engine as a stressed member as a weight reduction measure. The suspension setup up front uses 35 mm telescopic forks with 130 mm of travel. The rear is provided with twin shock absorbers that are 5 step adjustable for preload and afford 80 mm of travel. The handling is surprisingly nimble for not just for its weight but also its riding posture. While it is no streetfighter, it will allow you to carve through traffic with confidence. The ride also remains stable at highway speeds and plush on road imperfections. 135 mm of ground clearance make it suitable for bad roads just as well.

The Bullet 350 uses a 346cc single-cylinder air-cooled and carbureted engine with twin spark ignition. It produces peak power of 19.8 hp at 5250 rpm and peak torque of 28 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5 speed transmission. This huge motorcycle with a huge single cylinder engine comes with a kick starter only, in keeping with the classic theme. While the power might not seem impressive, the torque is indeed plenty. And the torque is available from the low end. It is enough to push this 183 kg bike on an unhurried wave of torque that can build up to a tidal wave very easily. While cruising down the highway this makes for a very relaxed and comfortable experience. This is then punctuated by a thumpy exhaust note. But this engine can use a lot of refinement. Vibrations are harsh at lower revs and never really go away at any speed. The fuel tank holds 13.5-litre and with a fuel economy of up to 30 kmpl makes for a decent range.

Frighteningly enough, this age old motorcycle comes with equally dated brakes. New riders would be advised to keep in mind that this 183 kg bike comes with drum brakes both front and rear. The rear setup is even worse with a single internal expanding type drum brake. You can just as well forget about ABS.

While there are some aspects of this motorcycle that give it an old world charm that is hard to find, there are other aspects about it that should have been left in the past. Additionally, the 500cc version of this bike is only slightly more expensive than this and improves upon it in a lot of aspects. But Royal Enfield has kept the Bullet 350 unchanged to preserve experience and a legacy. This is probably your last chance to be a part of it.