I like the Classic 350 but am concerned about RE's quality & service

My overall feeling is that Royal Enfield is in a phase of transition where it is learning how to make & maintain quality motorcycles.

BHPian 2wheelsvaga recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

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. Howcome the newer bikes such as the Classic weigh 195 kg? This seems to be too heavy for 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 purpose-touring, would you agree that the Std 350 will suffice, and there’s no need to get the Classic?

Here's what BHPian Cyborg had to say about the matter:

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.

Here's what BHPian Skyline_GT had to say about the matter:

As a Standard Bullet 350 owner, here are 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 at the 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 like a problem except maybe a bit while manoeuvring through city traffic at really low speeds.

If you plan on buying an 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 in 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.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.