Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review - The Coolest RE Out There

We’re in Goa where Royal Enfield has launched its latest bike aptly called the Goan Classic 350. This bike is based on the Classic 350 and the first bobber bike from RE in the 350cc space as it already has the Shotgun 650. The Goan Classic 350 is all about making a style statement and it does have the right appeal. So let’s find out if the Goan feels as special as Goa or not by riding the new bobber on the beautiful inner roads of Goa. 

Design

The biggest talking point about the Goan Classic 350 is its styling and that’s not surprising. Since it’s a bobber there are some different styling elements like the ape hanger handlebar, the front and rear mudguard are different and it gets a floating seat. The bike comes standard with a pillion seat which is detachable. The taillight is a round unit lifted from the Meteor 350, the exhaust muffler gets a slash cut design and you get a bracket at the back. The white wall tyres add to the old-school look and the rims on this colour variant gets this nice red finish. 

Talking about colours, there are four colour options (Shack Black, Purple Haze, Rave Red and Trip Teal) and the bike we’re riding had a nice dual tone finish on the tank and mudguards which is very 1970s. The blue teal gets chrome finish on the exhaust pipes while the other variants get a matte black finish. 

While the Goan does look good, I feel the handlebars could have been taller and the mudguards were chopped. I agree the above changes aren’t too functional but you don’t buy a Bobber for it being functional and it’s all about the visual appeal. 

Features 

The semi-digital instrument console and switchgear has been shared with the Classic 350 and it also gets a Tripper pod for turn-by-turn navigation. The Goan Classic is also the first 350cc RE bike to get all-LED lighting and tubeless spoke wheels. So the feature list isn’t extensive, but by Royal Enfield standards, the bobber has a good bunch of features. 

Ergonomics 

The seat height of the Goan Classic 350 is very low at 750 mm whereas that of the Classic 350 is 800 mm. So the bobber is very accessible for short riders and I feel it can be very popular among female riders too owing to this aspect. The riding posture is different as the footpeg position is similar to the Meteor 350 and the ape hanger handlebar is taller. The riding posture is very relaxed and comfortable. The floating saddle is large enough to accommodate riders of large size as well. 

Performance 

The engine tune is the same as the Classic 350 and the Goan likes to take things in a chill manner like a typical Goan patrao. We were riding around the narrow inner lanes of Goa and the bike felt easy and relaxed. The low end torque makes the GC feel effortless to ride even if you're a gear or two higher. The refinement levels are similar to the Classic, vibes set in around 100 kph but they aren’t jarring. 

Cruising speed is between 80-90 kmph, a zone in which the bobber feels very relaxed and settled. The Goan Classic isn’t about fast riding and it prefers to keep things calm and cool. And this nature of the bike made the ride even more enjoyable as we rode through the beautiful backroads of Goa absorbing its beauty and it really offered a proper susegad experience on two-wheels. 

Comfort, Handling & Braking 

The basic hardware is shared with the Classic 350, the only difference being the 19/16 inch wheels as opposed to the 19/18 wheels seen in the classic 350. The biggest highlight is the fact that the Goan Classic is the first RE 350cc bike to get tubeless spoke wheels, which means punctures wouldn’t be a challenge. Also, it gets beautiful white wall tyres that enhance the look of the bike. 

The Goan Classic feels easy to handle despite its high kerb weight, I didn't feel the heft as we rode through some narrow and twisting inner roads of Goa. It isn’t a corner carver, but for a bobber, the handling is fine. What I didn’t like was the rear suspension, it’s firm and not compliant like the Classic 350. 

So you would feel all the undulations and jolts on your back if you aren’t riding slowly. It gets dual-channel ABS as standard but the bite and feedback from the front brake is very poor just like in all other Royal Enfield 350 cc bikes. 

Verdict 

The Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 has been priced at ₹2.35 lakh-₹2.38 lakh(ex-showroom, Chennai). So in terms of pricing, it isn’t a proper VFM motorcycle and wouldn’t be scaling up the sales charts of Royal Enfield massively. But for the brand that doesn’t matter, the bobber is more of a style statement and expressing its rebellious side. 

The best part about the Goan Classic for me is the manner in which it marries the cool quotient of a bobber with the practicality of a typical retro bike, getting this balance is very rare. So if you want a bike that grabs attention, and don’t want to get drowned in the sea of Classic 350s, while still being part of the Royal Enfield familia, the Goan does come across as a very cool option.