Bike Review | Launch, 2025 Royal Enfield Classic 350

Inspired by the Bullet 350, Royal Enfield introduced the Classic 350 in 2008. Powered by a 346cc unit-construction engine it remained a mainstay in the firm’s line-up until it became the first existing model in 350 platform to benefit from the latest J-series 349cc power plant in 2022.

After being launched with the J-Series engine in 2022, the Classic 350 has been updated for 2025… We tested the Madras Red Heritage version, $7,990 Ride Away as tested.

Now, a handful of years later, the Classic 350 has received a minor refresh with some styling, ergonomic and tech upgrades as well as new colours available across what’s now a five-tiered offering.

Read our previous Classic 350 content here…

India’s domestic motorcycle market surpassed China as the largest by sales volume at the end of the last decade, consistently selling between 15 and 20 million units annually. Because fuel efficiency is a key driver for Indian buyers, around 80 per cent of those sales are 100cc and 150cc bikes, but there’s been a shift towards so-called premium bikes – 250cc-500cc – in recent years, with offerings from Royal Enfield, KTM and Honda gaining ground.

Royal Enfield’s Classic 350 has been the firm’s highest selling bike for some years in its domestic Indian market.

Which goes some way in explaining why Royal Enfield’s Classic 350 has been the firm’s highest selling bike for some years in its domestic Indian market. Somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 Classic 350 find new homes every month in India – that’s more than 1150 every single day – and while Australia’s sales figures pale into insignificance comparatively, the features which make the Classic 350 so popular in India are just as relevant and pertinent here on Australian shores.

Somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 Classic 350 find new homes every month in India – that’s more than 1150 every single day…

For me, and I suspect half a million Indian buyers annually, the Classic 350’s standout features are its styling, its affordability, its heritage and, thanks to that new J-series engine, its reliability. For the 2025 model year, all versions gain a new LED headlight which not only provides better illumination but there’s less draw on the battery, and there’s now a USB-C charging outlet, which is a result of the upgraded grips and switchgear to bring the Classic 350 into line with the rest of the Royal Enfield line-up. As well as this, two of the five tiers also get adjustable levers, LED indicators and the firm’s Tripper Navigation pod as standard fitment.

LED headlight.

Tripper Nav is an option, you can see the space for it where the logo is.

LED taillight and indicators.

Instantly recognisable as a Royal Enfield, the firm’s styling department has done a terrific job in applying various personalities to create a five-tiered line-up in a bid to attract a variety of buyers. Another important point to note given the economic climate we’ve found ourselves in is that both the base model and the flagship models’ prices remain unchanged at $7990 and $8790 (ride away) respectively, despite the upgrades for 2025.

There are seven colours across five packages for the 2025 Classic 350.

It starts with the single-coloured $7990 Heritage version, available in red or blue options, there’s then the two-toned Heritage Premium and the military-inspired Signals versions which carry a $8290 and $8390 price tag respectively.

All three benefit from the new headlight and grips/switchblock arrangement. Further up the line is the $8690 Dark, which is available in either a grey or matt black option. There’s no chrome to speak of, the traditional headlight visor is missing and modern-looking cast wheels replace the chrome wire-spokes of the other versions.

Base pricing has remained unchanged from the previous model, which is a bonus in the current financial climate.

Lastly, the Chrome version sits at the top of the pile with an asking price of $8790 and, just as the name suggests, sparkles with chrome bodywork, polished engine cases, as well as a chrome exhaust and details. Both the Dark and the Chrome versions come standard with the Tripper pod, the LED indicators and the adjustable levers.

The Chrome version sits at the top of the pile with an asking price of $8790.

Elsewhere, the engine and running gear remain the same. Power is supplied by the lazy but characterful 349cc single-cylinder engine whose tractability is perfectly and equally suited to the style of the bike and the chaotic and poorly maintained Indian roads. Matched to a wide-ratio five-speed gearbox, the peak torque of 27Nm [19.9ft-lbs] occurs at just 4000rpm, and maximum power is 14.8kW [20.2hp] peaking at 6100rpm.

It doesn’t sound much, and it’s not – especially when it’s propelling 195kg plus rider of weight – but getting from A to B on a Classic 350 is less about performance and urgency and more about kicking back and enjoying the ride.

“The thick wide seat is all-day comfortable, as is the wide one-piece handlebar”…

The ergonomics play a really important role in this regard. Where some small-capacity learner-approved bikes can feel small and flimsy, the Classic 350 exudes a real sense of sturdiness. The thick wide seat is all-day comfortable, as is the wide one-piece handlebar and, while I’m only 164cm tall, the ergonomics feel really roomy. With all that kerb weight comes some confidence-inspiring stability, too, a real impression of a machine well and truly planted to the road.

“There’s plenty to love about the Classic 350, it really is a bike that is far more than the sum of its parts”…

The Classic 350 rolls on a 19-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear, which suits both the styling and the character of the bike, and they’re wrapped in CEAT Zoom rubber. Despite the name, CEAT was established in 1924 in Italy’s Turin and is now an Italian-Indian multinational tyre manufacturer, meaning these hoops are more than up for the job the Classic 350 presents.

The suspension set-up is a great match for the Classic 350, and it can handle the bumps, being tuned for Indian roads…

Likewise, the no-name suspension comprises a 41mm non-adjustable telescopic fork with 130mm of travel, matched to a pair of preload-adjustable rear shocks with 90mm of travel. Given how planted and stable the Classic feels – and what they’re designed to endure on Indian roads – the suspension package is a great match for the 350.

The brakes remain unchanged from the 2022 update when disc brakes by Brembo’s Indian subsidiary ByBre replaced the disc/drum set-up on the Classic 350’s predecessor. Complete with the mandatory two-channel ABS system, the 300mm from disc is gripped by a twin-piston caliper, while a 270mm disc and single-piston caliper look after the rear stopping duties. Once again, there’s nothing powerful or urgent about the stopping the Classic 350, but the performance is well-suited to both the application and the price point.

Much like the bike, the dash is a practical blend of old and new. There’s a large analogue speedo mounted above a smaller LCD screen. That speedo was happy to sit on 110km/h – the maximum signposted speed limit in urban areas – but there wasn’t much left after that which, given the relaxed nature of the classically styled machine, really shouldn’t worry many riders.

There’s plenty of info in the small LCD screen; a fuel gauge, clock and gear-position indicator are all must-haves, as well a the usual trip and odo readings.

Having spent time with the Classic 350 previously, I know that the measured fuel consumption figure is 2.7L/100km, which means you’ll get a healthy 450 kays out of the 13-litre tank before you’re looking for a fuel station, which really speaks to the priority the Indian market puts on fuel efficiency.

There’s plenty to love about the Classic 350, it really is a bike that is far more than the sum of its parts. Loaded with character and a rich heritage, the Classic 350 is an inexpensive retro-styled offering that’s comfortable, accessible and authentic. And half a million Indian motorcyclists annually really can’t be wrong… If you are in the market for a retro-styled bike, it’s worth test riding one…

2025 Royal Enfield Classic 350 stable

HERITAGE
Colours: Madras red or Jodhpur blue.
New for 2025: New grips, switchgear, USB-C port and LED headlight.
Price: $7990 (ride away)

Madras Red.

Jodhpur Blue.

HERITAGE PREMIUM
Colour: Medallion Bronze
New for 2025: New grips, switchgear, USB-C port and LED headlight.
Price: $8290 (ride away)

Medallion Bronze.

SIGNALS
Colour: Commando Sand
New for 2025: New grips, switchgear, USB-C port and LED headlight.
Price: $8390 (ride away)

Commando Sand.

DARK
Colours: Gun grey or Stealth Black
New for 2025: New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight, Tripper navigation, adjustable levers and LED indicators
Price: $8690 (ride away)

Stealth Black.

Gun Grey.

CHROME
Colour: Emerald
New for 2025: New grips, switchgear, USB-C port, LED headlight, Tripper navigation, adjustable levers and LED indicators.
Price: $8790 (ride away)

Emerald.

2025 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Specifications

www.royalenfield.com.au

Price: From $7990 (ride away)
Colours: Emerald, Stealth black, Gun grey, Commando sand, Medallion bronze, Jodhpur blue or Madras red
Claimed power: 14.8kW [20.2hp]@6100rpm
Claimed torque: 27Nm [19.9ft-lbs]@4000rpm
Kerb weight: 195kg
Fuel capacity: 13L
Fuel consumption: 2.7L/100km

Engine: Air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder, two-valve, four stroke, 72 x 85.8mm bore x stroke, 349cc, 9.5:1 compression, cable throttle  Gearbox: Five-speed  Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

Chassis: Steel, twin-down tube cradle
Rake: N/A Trail: N/A
Suspension: 41mm non-adjustable telescopic fork, 130mm travel (f), Dual rear shocks, preload adjustable, 90mm travel (r)
Brakes: Single 300mm rotor, twin-piston caliper, ABS (f), single 270mm rotor, single-piston caliper (r)
Wheels & Tyres: Wire-spoked tube-type or alloy tubeless (model dependent), Ceat Zoom, 100/90-19in (f), 120/80-18in (r)

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1390mm
Ground clearance: 170mm
Seat height: 805mm
Overall height: 1090mm
Overall length: 12145mm
Overall width: 785mm

Instruments & Electronics: ABS and analogue/LCD dash.