The Royal Enfield Bullet has been in continuous production for nearly a century, making it synonymous with the Royal Enfield brand itself. It was one of the last to be updated to the J-platform, sharing its mechanical components with the Classic 350. If you're considering the Bullet 350, here's what works in its favour and what might give you pause.
Reasons to buy Bullet 350
Smooth, characterful engine
The Bullet 350 is powered by Royal Enfield's refined J-platform 349cc single-cylinder engine producing 20.2hp and 27Nm. If you aren't intent on living life in the fast lane, this is about as good as engines get at this price point. The engine is torquey, easygoing, smooth, brimming with character and churning out a great exhaust note. That laidback character is backed up by the chassis too, which offers great ride quality and does a top job of keeping you well isolated from the mess underneath. While this is definitely no corner carver, like the Classic, it is pretty tolerant and obliging if you decide to hustle through some bends.
Comfortable ride quality
The Bullet 350's handlebar is 20mm higher than the Classic's, offering a more upright riding position. The seat features more padding than the Classic 350's split seats, making it a comfier saddle. Your backside remains comfortable even after cross-city commutes, while the Classic's seats tend to make you sore a little sooner. The suspension setup delivers great ride quality, keeping you well isolated from poor road surfaces. This makes the Bullet an excellent choice for daily commuting and long-distance touring.
Still an authentic Bullet
The Bullet 350 is light on modern features, with no LED lighting or TFT screens. But that isn't what this bike is supposed to be about anyway. It retains the classic halogen headlight with its characteristic warm glow, staying true to the Bullet's retro heritage. For buyers who want the authentic Bullet feel without unnecessary complications, this stripped-back character can be quite the asset.
Reasons not to buy Bullet 350
Lacks uniqueness, too similar to Classic 350
The new Bullet is nearly identical to the current-gen Classic 350, sharing the same engine, frame, suspension and brakes. Royal Enfield hasn't even tweaked the state-of-tune this time around, so it's the exact same 20.2hp and 27Nm as the Classic. In the range-topping Black Gold scheme especially, with the blacked-out engine, exhaust and wheel rims, it looks very much like the Classic – perhaps a little too close. The lower variants do a better job of bringing in a more unique visual identity with single-tone paint schemes and more chrome, but overall, this new Bullet could use a little more identity of its own. A different tail-lamp, like the previous generation had, would have helped differentiate it further.
Considerably more expensive than before
The similarities to the Classic also mean that the pricing has shot up quite a bit, to the point where the dual-channel Bullet is pretty much on par with the dual-channel Classic. This is by no means a poor motorcycle – it's actually a very nice one – but the significant price increase over the previous generation makes it less compelling.
Ved Janve
Dinshaw Magol
