The regulation that made CBS/ABS compulsory on all motorcycles manufactured after April 1, 2019, brought into question the future of a handful of motorcycles. Among these were the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and 350 ES. The rest of Royal Enfield's portfolio was either introduced with dual-channel ABS, or updated with a similar system. The Bullet 350 and 350 ES, on the other hand, have been equipped with a single-channel ABS unit. While we still await official prices from the manufacturer, dealers we spoke with have shared price lists that reveal that the Bullet 350 ABS is priced at Rs 1.21 lakh and the Bullet 350 ES is priced at Rs 1.35 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, Delhi). The prices were similar to those shared with us from a dealer in Chennai, as well.
The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 comes with a disc brake at the front while the rear is fitted with a drum unit. Pictures of the bike have revealed that the rear brake features an ABS-like ring on the drum which has been mistaken for ABS on the rear brake as well. However, this is likely a speed sensor that will alter front-ABS actuation based on the speed of the rear wheel. TVS uses a similar system called RLP (Rear-wheel Lift-off Protection) on some of its offerings. The Bullet 350 ES comes with disc brakes at both ends.
Both motorcycles are powered by the same motor that puts out 20hp at 5,250rpm and a maximum torque of 28Nm at 4,000rpm. The safety feature has added a little more than Rs 3,500 to the cost of the Bullet 350 and just above Rs 1,400 to the price of the Bullet 350 ES - a surprisingly minimal hike compared to the premium of around Rs 11,000 that the other models saw when they were updated with a dual-channel system.
Azaman Chothia
