[2wheelsvaga]

Hi all. I am writing to get updates on where Royal Enfield stands with the quality control of their newer motorcycles and the overall service and ownership experience.

I’ve had a long experience with the cast iron bullet 350s, which I loved to ride. I sold my 350 for various reasons. One reason was to do with having to meet the mechanic too often, to keep it running up to my standards.

Recently, I’ve been considering getting the CB 350 over an RE. But I find myself unsure of RE’s competence and service experience. Two issues come to mind right away—the Himalayan disaster (cracked frames and broken footrests), and the badly designed front footpegs of the 650. My overall feeling is that RE is very much in a phase of transition where they are learning how to make and maintain quality motorcycles.

Before 2010 or so, the best RE mechanics were the private ones. Should I expect the same now, or are you impressed with the service/maintenance in their dealerships?

One characteristic that has intrigued me has to do with the burgeoning weight of the bikes. As far as I can remember the cast iron Std 350 used to be 167 kg dry, and 172 kg wet. How come the newer bikes such as the Classic weight 195 kg? This seems to be too heavy to me. Why weren’t they able to use newer technologies to actually decrease weight?

I like the Classic 350 but feel that the weight might be too much to handle once it is loaded with luggage and a pillion. What is your experience?

Does anyone have a single-channel ABS? If one plans to stay below 90 kmph, won’t a front disc and rear drum suffice?

Why is RE playing around with the front footpeg placement? I find that the old bullets had the most natural and comfortable front footpegs. The Meteor is too much of a cruiser, and the Classic also seems to have rear set front footpegs. Perhaps that is why the Classic feels more compact when you ride it.

I think the J series engine will debut on the Std bullet 350 soon. For general purposes touring, would you agree that the Std 350 will suffice, and there’s no need to get the Classic?

Thanks!

[advstreak]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

Does anyone have a single-channel ABS? If one plans to stay below 90 kmph, won’t a front disc and rear drum suffice?

Please don't sacrifice safety on our chaotic Indian roads. Do get the Dual channel ABS version as that extra layer of safety is worth more than the extra amount you will pay for it.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

I’ve had a long experience with the cast iron bullet 350s, which I loved to ride. I sold my 350 for various reasons. One reason was to do with having to meet the mechanic too often, to keep it running up to my standards.

Does anyone have a single-channel ABS? If one plans to stay below 90 kmph, won’t a front disc and rear drum suffice?

There was a time when there were not many choices available, nowadays that isn’t the case. After improving your relations with the mechanic due to Royal Enfield issues why would you want to go down that road again. You have mentioned the Honda CB 350 yourself, why not buy that instead of rolling the dice again with the same company. I wouldn’t, but your call.

Due to technological advances becoming more prevalent and mainstream, always buy a bike with dual channel ABS at the very least. It can be a lifesaver and should not be ignored.

Cheers

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by advstreak

Please don't sacrifice safety on our chaotic Indian roads. Do get the Dual channel ABS version as that extra layer of safety is worth more than the extra amount you will pay for it.

Sure, I get what you mean about safety, and I agree. It's just that with the bike loaded I plan to take it easy. Given that the front brake sees the most use, I felt going for a drum is likely not a compromise.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

There was a time when there were not many choices available, nowadays that isn’t the case. After improving your relations with the mechanic due to Royal Enfield issues why would you want to go down that road again. You have mentioned the Honda CB 350 yourself, why not buy that instead of rolling the dice again with the same company. I wouldn’t, but your call.

Due to technological advances becoming more prevalent and mainstream, always buy a bike with dual channel ABS at the very least. It can be a lifesaver and should not be ignored.

Cheers

That's a valid point. Well, I plan to tour, and it's reassuring to know that RE has a large number of dealerships in case I run into issues.
Honda has its own set of reliability issues, and one is really on their own in case of a breakdown in the hilly states.
The simplicity of the RE gearing and the usable torque have also made me actively consider RE.
And, I am keeping an open mind on this one : )

[Skyline_GT]

As a Standard Bullet 350 owner here’s my two cents on whether it’s a good option over the Classic.

My Bullet is a BS 4 UCE however it shares almost the same specs as the current BS 6 UCE, the only difference being mine doesn’t have a self start so Kick start only and no ABS just drums rear and front.

To start with the weight yes the Bullet is heavy and so is the Classic! It weighs around 199kgs and if you plan on touring with it you’ll most likely do some mods that help you carry additional luggage and that will make it heavier. My Bullet has rear leg guards and a rear pannier fitted and while that does add weight it never really feels the same while riding it. Reason being the Bullet feels sturdy and planted enough be it city roads or highways so the weight of the bike rarely feels a problem except maybe a bit while manoeuvring through city traffic at really low speeds.

If you plan on buying a RE right away I’d suggest you go for the UCE Bullet over the J series Classic. Reasons being Bullet has a heavier crank compared to the lighter one on the Classic, so you get plenty of torque and less frequent gear changes at the cost of slightly less top speed compared to the Classic. The UCE engine is a mile muncher on the highways and can cruise effortlessly for hours at decent speeds.

Lastly I’d suggest you go the double channel ABS route. From my personal experience on my Bullet the ~200 kg behemoth is a task to bring it to a halt in emergency situations with the drum brakes and i would any day prefer having ABS on my bike over the current Drum setup.

My final verdict would be go for the RE over the Honda, no one makes better cruisers than them IMO and if you plan on touring often, nothing can give you the riding comfort, torquey engine to carry all that added touring luggage the way a Bullet/Classic will.

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

To start with the weight yes the Bullet is heavy and so is the Classic! It weighs around 199kgs and if you plan on touring with it you’ll most likely do some mods that help you carry additional luggage and that will make it heavier. My Bullet has rear leg guards and a rear pannier fitted and while that does add weight it never really feels the same while riding it. Reason being the Bullet feels sturdy and planted enough be it city roads or highways so the weight of the bike rarely feels a problem except maybe a bit while manoeuvring through city traffic at really low speeds.

That's how I see it too. Given that I am planning on going 2-up, along with a luggage rack, an already 195 kg new RE will become too heavy.
I know it's quite stable and planted on straights. But what about situations where there could be soft ground or pebbles when one puts a foot down? Or, if there is any slippage due to an oil spot. I know this is not common, but an 180 kg or less motorcycle feels more manageable.

If you plan on buying a RE right away I’d suggest you go for the UCE Bullet over the J series Classic. Reasons being Bullet has a heavier crank compared to the lighter one on the Classic, so you get plenty of torque and less frequent gear changes at the cost of slightly less top speed compared to the Classic. The UCE engine is a mile muncher on the highways and can cruise effortlessly for hours at decent speeds.

Interesting that you should recommend the older model over the J series engines. On paper and from what I can see from the tests the torque has improved in the J series engine.
Are you suggesting that the J series will not be as good a highway cruiser as the UCE engine?
It seems to be me that the newer models cruise effortlessly at 80 kmph, not so the older bullets.

Lastly I’d suggest you go the double channel ABS route. From my personal experience on my Bullet the ~200 kg behemoth is a task to bring it to a halt in emergency situations with the drum brakes and i would any day prefer having ABS on my bike over the current Drum setup.

My final verdict would be go for the RE over the Honda, no one makes better cruisers than them IMO and if you plan on touring often, nothing can give you the riding comfort, torquey engine to carry all that added touring luggage the way a Bullet/Classic will.

Yeah, I am not set on the Honda, yet.
I have to say I am looking forward to the launch of the Standard bullet with the J series engine, to see how much weight they cut, and how it performs overall.

[vn11]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

Honda has its own set of reliability issues, and one is really on their own in case of a breakdown in the hilly states.
And, I am keeping an open mind on this one : )

This issue was fixed via an ECU update. You can check vlogs of people taking cb350 to hills and they worked perfectly.

[2wheelsvaga]

yes, of course. I had other issues in mind--the abnormal wear of the disc brake pads, issues with the Tata batteries.
But if there's a breakdown to do with any part/the engine, then one is really on your own in the mountains.

[JatinKishore]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

If you plan on buying a RE right away I’d suggest you go for the UCE Bullet over the J series Classic. Reasons being Bullet has a heavier crank compared to the lighter one on the Classic, so you get plenty of torque and less frequent gear changes at the cost of slightly less top speed compared to the Classic. The UCE engine is a mile muncher on the highways and can cruise effortlessly for hours at decent speeds.

This is an interesting take.
I do not have much experience with REs neither the old or the new. But with what limited interaction I have had with the UCE and the J1 classics, I found the old ones to be uncomfortably vibey and "this is going to dismantle itself" feeling near and above 80kph speeds. Also, the quality levels were not as good.
The new one however I find much better with quite low vibrations and better build than before. From the test ride I did on the meteor, I found it to be quite smooth and calm with ample torque and from what I have seen in reviews and articles they seem to do a good job even post 100kph cruising, speeds which even some reviews didn't do on the old bikes.

Now this is an honest question and not a mockery.
Have you given a fair chance to the new breed of REs or are you just being a nostalgic fanboy for the old? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I realize everyone has their own preferences but in case of the old vs new REs I have found that more often than not, the conversations end at "old is gold".

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by JatinKishore

This is an interesting take.
I do not have much experience with REs neither the old or the new. But with what limited interaction I have had with the UCE and the J1 classics, I found the old ones to be uncomfortably vibey and "this is going to dismantle itself" feeling near and above 80kph speeds. Also, the quality levels were not as good.
The new one however I find much better with quite low vibrations and better build than before. From the test ride I did on the meteor, I found it to be quite smooth and calm with ample torque and from what I have seen in reviews and articles they seem to do a good job even post 100kph cruising, speeds which even some reviews didn't do on the old bikes.

Now this is an honest question and not a mockery.
Have you given a fair chance to the new breed of REs or are you just being a nostalgic fanboy for the old? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I realize everyone has their own preferences but in case of the old vs new REs I have found that more often than not, the conversations end at "old is gold".

I don't have much experience with the UCE engine bullets. But the ones I rode always seemed to have quite a bit of noise emanating from the engine block. I think this happened when they went all-aluminium.
I agree that the new bullets seem overall well-built when it comes to quality and lack of vibrations. I test rode the classic for a little while and I can confirm that this was the case.
That said, I've heard from at least a few friends about the low-quality chrome on the newer bullets. I think this was maybe a UCE TB, but I was suprised to see it starting to fade in just a year and half of decent use.
Let me also tell you that my used 1998 model Machismo 350 had top quality chrome which didn't start to fade despite years of use. Overall, my impression is that these neweer J series bullets are not built to last, though I may be wrong here. Notice, for instance, the plastic (!) mudguards on the Hunter.
Re: vibrations. I should also point out here that contrary to perceptions nothing comes close to the smoothness of a well-built CI 350 engine. I had one and it was quieter and smoother than a Splendour. The catch was, of course, that your mechanic had to be experienced at building engines, and you had to keep visiting him to keep everything tight and in order.
Lastly, I find it funny when reviewers, and often automotive journalists, remind us of the famous bullet thump on the J series bikes. Either they have no idea of the sharpness of the exhaust strokes, or they want to help RE benefit from all the nostalgia. A well-built CI engine had clearly separated and very sharp strokes. Maybe we can get something like that on the J series with the older mufflers, but with the 85 mm stroke, I doubt that.
The reliability and hassle-free engine are of course a major gain. But hey, what's going on with the weight?! No one picked up on that from my original post. There is no reason for an RE to tip the scales at 195 kg.

[rajshenoy]

Newer RE appear to be better(less niggles) compared to their past new releases. I ended up buying CB350 after waiting for reborn Classic 350 due to its long waiting period and the price being actually higher than the honda. Apart from that the bike itself felt nice and smooth. Only negative I had was weight distribution on the bike was bit off compared to a Honda which felt like 150cc bike in city conditions.

Now after over 6 months, no regrets of buying the Honda. Just make sure you have the service centre near you and Bigwing service centres are doing much better job than average RE centres.

Always go for Dual channel ABS, safety doesn't come with speed or warnings !!

[shridhan]

Meteor after 2500 kms started having mild vibrations. Also it's mileage was reduced to 26 kmpl . I bought Meteor as it is a RE with minimum vibrations, but these mild vibrations are irritating at specific RPMs.

RE service guys tell that "Sir these are very low compared to old UCE engine". They don't acknowledge the problem and hesitate to do the engine related work.
May be after repeated requests they will do.
Currently living with mild vibrations, reduced efficiency and altered handling dynamics due to once-in-a-while jerk.

[2wheelsvaga]

Originally Posted by shridhan

Meteor after 2500 kms started having mild vibrations. Also it's mileage was reduced to 26 kmpl . I bought Meteor as it is a RE with minimum vibrations, but these mild vibrations are irritating at specific RPMs.

Sorry to hear that. It's interesting that these vibrations occur at specific rpms. I would be surprised if the service mechanics solve this issue. Why don't you ask them to put you in touch with an engineer from the company?
26 kmpl is way too low. I assume you got around 35 earlier, which is a figure I've heard quoted vis-a-vis Meteor.
We should start a long-term Classic 350 and Meteor ownership thread. The J-series is rightly praised but its long-term performance needs to be seen.

RE service guys tell that "Sir these are very low compared to old UCE engine". They don't acknowledge the problem and hesitate to do the engine related work.

That's so typical. I had that experience with RE mechanics years ago. Looks like nothing's changed. It's exasperating to hear them either dismiss your observations as subjective perceptions, or say that it's not as bad as previous models.
The best bullet mechanics usually used to be ones who had their own service centres and specialised only in bullets. The increasing reliance on electronics etc. has meant they don't get as much traffic as before.
I have to say that it's likely not just RE which has these half-hearted poorly trained mechanics. This has been my experience across brands.

May be after repeated requests they will do.
Currently living with mild vibrations, reduced efficiency and altered handling dynamics due to once-in-a-while jerk.

The jerk suggests that this could be due to fuel injection issues. I saw a review where they were complaining about how the Classic continues to move for a bit even when you take your hand off the accelerator.

[alexgv]

Originally Posted by 2wheelsvaga

We should start a long-term Classic 350 and Meteor ownership thread. The J-series is rightly praised but its long-term performance needs to be seen.
That's so typical.

My experience with Classic 350 J Series has been good so far. I am servicing it in Bangalore Lal Bagh road (though it is 12 km from house) but having long term experience with RE.

[rahulcmoulee]

Have had my Meteor 350 for 10 months and have covered nearly 5000kms so far. I use it for my daily office commutes and for short weekend rides in and around the city. No mechanical issues at all so far. There is only mild vibrations on the footpegs post 90kph, below that is very smooth and refined. Getting a mileage of 32-35kmpl in the city depending on traffic and get 38-40kmpl on the highways. The only issue I have had is the mirrors coming loose a few times, but it can be easily tightened at home.

Having ridden extensively on UCE Enfields prior to buying the Meteor, I can confidently say that RE has come leaps and bounds ahead with the J platform. The quality and finish levels are in a different league.

I think you can confidently go for the Classic Reborn and you will love the bike. But do go for the dual channel ABS variants.