Royal Enfield Bullet 350 vs Classic 350: The Better Icon Is?

Royal Enfield’s rich heritage would have been turned to dust had it not been for the introduction of the Classic, a motorcycle that truly changed the company’s fortunes. Through its various iterations and loads of ‘character-building’ traits, the Classic has evolved into a thing of beauty. The current J-platform iteration is a smashing success, marrying old school charm with modern sensibilities in a classy manner.

But just as important as the Classic is to Royal Enfield, the Bullet is equally prominent. It happens to be the longest continuously running production motorcycle in the world. It has been a worthy partner to the Classic, doing its bidding silently and strongly. Hence, when Royal Enfield rolled out the new Bullet 350, we were left a bit miffed. Or at least I was because there seemed to be something missing.

So, which icon is more relevant in 2023? And which is our pick?

A Bit Lazy Engineering

One of my primary reasons to be a little disheartened by the new Bullet 350 is just how very little it is visually different from the Classic. The mudguards are flared, the tank misses out on rubberised grips, the single piece ribbed seat replaces the split setup, there’s no ‘topi’ for the headlight nacelle and you get 3D badging on the Bullet.

Hence, in my eyes, the Bullet has lost out on its sense of originality and uniqueness that made it differ from the Classic in most mannerisms.

The same continues with the way these two ride. Out on the highway, both bikes will easily do 100 kmph, both are just as much of a challenge through tight spots as they require a bit of muscle to operate in traffic and both aren’t bothered with corner hunting. These two are pure classics (pun intended) and deserved to be ridden in the same manner.

Tad Bit More Comfy

Where I have to give the Bullet the edge over the Classic is in the ergonomics department. The handlebar is an inch taller on the Bullet and hence a little less effort needs to be put in while riding the bike. Plus, the single piece seat has a much firmer cushioning, as it supports your bottom in a better manner on longer rides.

On the Classic, you will have to opt for the Touring seats from the accessories catalogue for the same kind of support. And even though you might dismiss the need of the tank grips on such a motorcycle, I found myself sliding a whole lot less in the saddle, seated in the same spot for far longer.

One thing that you cannot shrug off on both bikes is just how heavy they are. Tipping the scales at 195 kilos each, you will need to have muscle to move the bikes around in the parking lot, or prop them up on the main stand.

The One To Get Is…

What really tickles your fancy. Yes, we might not have the clear cut verdict here for you but that’s what the case really is. Arun really prefers the Bullet 350. Despite being offered in three different shades of black and two of red, he feels that the Bullet does the job of chilling the best at a slightly lower asking price. And if he had to get one, it would’ve been the Standard Maroon mid-spec variant, which is roughly Rs 5,000 more affordable than the Classic’s corresponding trim.

And if you were to ask me, I would sell you on the Classic. It is the more charming and evocative motorcycle of the two. And there are more colours to base your purchasing decision on. My preferred version is the dual-channel ABS version of the Halcyon Green.

So, ultimately, the choice remains with you. Because either way, the two motorcycles aren’t distinctly different and yet one will speak to you a bit more than the other.