Great review as per normal, thank you. I just bought the new Bullet 350 to a great extent based on your brilliant reviews for the Classic 350. I'm in the Cotswolds and it should be perfect for the back lanes/ B Roads which is all I'm after. Figured if it was good enough for you at your stature then it would be good enough for me at 6ft 15st. Cheers, Christian.

I've been riding for well over fifty years. I've road raced, I've toured. I've pretty much done it all. Loved every minute of it. Then I bought my Classic 350 and fell in love with motorcycling all over again. City riding, back lane country riding... It does it all! I took it last summer on a three day, 1100 mile tour through the canyons and mountains of Arizona and Colorado and it was a fabulous steed! Take your time and stay off the freeways and it'll will be plenty of motorcycle and you will always be happy to get on again the next morning. I've owned it now for about a year and a half and I'm NEVER disappointed in the bike!

Been riding bike in the North Texas area for almost 25 years and honestly im looking forward to stepping down to a 350. I have no desire to chase power or speed anymore. I am not interested in freeway/interstate roads either with high speeds and incompetent distracted drivers. Give me a classic 350 and the backroads around my neighborhood and county and ill be a happy camper just putting along at 40mph

I think what it's all about is enjoying the pleasure of riding. Here in South America there is a biker, Pablo Imhoff, Argentine, who is making the journey from Argentina to Alaska, and he is doing it on a Honda C-90, at the moment he is already in Guatemala. So if the question is whether 350cc is enough, of course it is.

I've ridden for over 50 years now. I've had all sorts of bikes and some really beefy sports bikes. Those are still out there if you need power. For me, this bike is more fun than damn near anything I've ever owned (Royal Enfield Classic 350). If/when I feel the need in my 60's to go faster, I'll just get a 2nd bike. Stop and smell the roses - or coffee. If that's not your thing, move on... Ride Safe 🙏🏼

When I first rode motorbikes a 50cc to125 cc was classed as a small bike, a 350 cc to 500cc was a mid range bike a 750 upwards was a large bike. I drove hgv on motorways for 45years at 60 mph then with tachometer 56 mph , I’m quite happy sitting at 60mph with my 350 classic on the motorway ,there is slower things than me there . Love your prog, keep up the good work.

Putting a DNA filter kit on these 350s will increase power by 10%. It does work and can make all the difference on these low powered bikes. Just completed 600km trip in the mountains of British Columbia with mine. No issues.

I use my classic 350 on the freeway and it's a blast. Also lots of fun dropping down a gear and overtaking on said freeway. Too many people hung up on data sheet specs rather than riding.

Totally agree guys Whats the biggest selling bike of all time ? The Honda Cub, and the biggest engine size thats ever come in is just 125cc but more have been bought as 50 and 90cc Yet its sold over 300 million because those buying them know what they are best suited to and want them for that job.

I'm from the US and I think it's so interesting that people wonder if a 350 is enough as that was a pretty decent size when I started riding, back in 1972. Back then, a 650 was as big as things got (except for the Harleys which were obviously insanely large at 900 and 1200). We took trips of hundreds of miles on bikes as small as a CB-175. A bike like a CB-350 or GT-380 was considered to be a fine touring machine for two-up. I do recognize that the 55-mph national speed limit was a big help, for smaller bikes, but the bikes themselves were fine.

I'm 71 and I have 2 250's and a 400. I like them all. I don't drive on highways, so the smaller bikes are perfect for me. I just ride for fun and relaxation.

Those Royal Enfields are gorgeous, I sat on some yesterday in a bike shop and they are so much nicer than the videos can show, you got to see them in the flesh to appreciate how excellent they look and how extremely well built they are. Power is good but if doing 40 mph up a hill on a more main road you'd have cars up your backside trying to force you off the road but for most people 300-500 CC is more than enough. I'm currently on a Tmax 500 and I think this is fast, more than fast enough for normal people lol. I'd rather ride a slower bike fast than a fast bike slow.

i rode a royal enfield 350 electra 2001 model all over India. i did approx 25000kms on her and she never once let me down. i went from south to north. east to west. if she is capable of climbing the himalayas and navigating the sandy dunes of Rajasthan then that is more than enough. theres a reason enfield has survived so long in india. she is arduous, easy to repair, beautiful and by no means the least she purrs when she talks. nothing but love

I have the Hunter 350 and a Triumph 900 scrambler plus some proper classics. For all my local riding, back road scratching and the like, I much prefer the little Hunter 350, definitely has enough power to be FUN!!

I'm 55 now . I'll be getting one of these this year . It's got more than enough power for me 👍👌

It's got enough power. It's not as if there are not a million other bikes for those that say "If only it had another X hp". I'm currently riding a 950 cruiser but often bitterly regret selling my 125 VanVan, I think you've got to be open minded & be prepared to adapt, if you are then these RE 350's look immense fun.

Just about to head off to Spain and ride up the length of France to Normandy on my classic 350. For the roads were travelling on it’ll be just fine. It’s already done John O’ Groats to Lands End, including riding to JOG from Devon to start and a tour of Brittany last year. Go slow, enjoy the journey and take your time. Simples.

After a certain age, most don't care about speed, and care more about the scenery and the entertainment, which answers the question, at least for my case.

I’ve owned many bikes and scooters, from Honda Spree’s and Elites to DRZ400s, GSXR’s, to a CBR 1100XX and my modded 100hp HD Fatboy to name a few. I seen a RE 350 Classic Signals desert sand at a dealer last week and I can’t stop thinking about going back to buy it lol

Unless you're riding on a track, or motorways constantly, then it's more than powerful enough. Too many are obsessed with power.....

I agree. I live in Houston Texas and my Meteor 350 is a great city motorcycle. However, it is wonderful on back road day trips. I agree that it's not the best on freeways but if forced to ride on one for a few exits, it will do the job just fine.

Ridden many different bikes here in the UK both large and small capacity. For me the smaller cc bikes are my preference, because I don't go on motorways unless I need too and I'm not interested in racing around everywhere. My bike is my primary transport as I don't drive cars, so the fact they are mostly very economical on fuel, cheap to tax, insure, maintain and will do everything I need them too is why they are my preference. Nothing against the bigger bikes and I get why many folk like them, but they just aren't for me.

Look...it's simple. If you are riding with others who have much bigger bikes you simply can't keep up. Alone? You can always keep up with yourself.

I use my meteor 350 daily and its just shy of 17,000 miles. I've never bothered with the valves and do the oil changes myself. Its been fantastic and has never let me down, it never gets cleaned and lives a fairly tough life especially starting as an ex demo. Ive been on long tours and it goes down the motorway everyday, im often in the outside lane but simply come back to the inside lane when things move at a higher pace. I think the obsession with power is ridiculous, Royal Enfield have never made high powered motorcycles. A sub 4 thousand bike out the factory is what it is, theres always the choice to buy a sportsbike etc but lets face it most of those just end up poodling to the local cafe in the summer for a tea

Thanks for the honest review on the smaller Royal Enfields. I live in the Northeast US and these bikes interest me, I prefer riding the rural country roads. That 411 Scram really interest me.

Sensible review! A 350 (in my case an AJS Model 8) has all the performance needed for more than 95% of the riding I do and doesn't burn more petrol than necessary. I imagine these RE machines would fit the needs of most people riding in a suburban environment.

Thank you for this great video from you... the Royal Enfield Hunter is currently the only motorcycle that combines classic elements of the 70s with the emotion of the unique single-cylinder at an affordable, reasonable price... Of course you can't expect miracles from the small engine, but as a biker like me, I'm 50 years old, it manages to conjure up a SMILE on your face every day... wonderful The Classic 350 is my favorite although I also love the Hunter and ride it every day. Luckily I'm in the position of having bought 3 of these great RE models... Importantly, I would like to say THANK YOU that there are people and KZfaq pages like yours. You convey the feelings and situations so clearly that as a fan of classic motorcycles I say thank you and you make the whole thing authentic and great... Thank you for your great reports..... Clemens from Saarland / Germany 😎🤗👌👍👍👍👍

I have an HNTR 350. Last summer I was going in the moutain with my girlfriend in the back. A lot of motorcycle going along with us, nearly all more powerful than mine, but we reach the top of the moutain at the same time. No need to have a lot of horse power to cruise along beautiful moutain road

As Hunter 350 owner, I can say this - lets be honest. More power is not about speed, it is about safety for overtaking which RE´s 350 lacking. Even for city riding, 350 is missing acceleration advantage over cars. I do understand Classic 350 - beatiful classic bike. You do not expect dynamic ride but Meteor and especially Hunter are underpowered to be practical.

It's really funny. Here in Taiwan Royal Enfield failed and basically laid a giant goose egg. They entered our market in 2012 and in 2019 withdrew with the distributer still with stock he is unable to sell. We had three Royal Enfield flagship stores in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsuing. The first to close was Taipei followed a few months later by Kaohsuing with Taichung holding on for another two years to 2021. I should mention the same happened to Ural when they entered Taiwan in 2010 4 years later they pulled out.. There were a a few reasons why the failed miserable. First issue: Price vs what you get. So for example the Continental GT sold for NTD499,000 (around £12,500) and the Classic 500 sold for NTD450,000 (around £11,300). All imported motorcycles over 300cc have high duties and import taxes. And for Enfield it was higher than let's say Yamaha or Honda or even Harley Davidson. The reason why Enfield bikes had higher tax and duty is because the volume of bikes they imported at one time was far less than the three I mentioned and others. Second issue: Service was a major factor. All the other brands the longest you can wait to get major parts is maybe a few minutes to an hour for parts as they have a very efficient distribution network which covers most of Taiwan. Enfield was taking upwards to 6 to 8 weeks to get the parts sent from India. There was one parts supplier for Enfield that gave up supplying Enfield parts as he felt the Indians were just too slow to get anything out. Staying with service if you have a break down anywhere in Taiwan. With in 12 hours usually, they will come and collect you and bring you to the closest service centre. Third issue: Many customer complaints and bad press over service issues. In some cases Enfield had to buy bikes back from customers at full price for not being able to provide repairs and spare parts in under 3 weeks. So because of this problem even second hand dealers would not touch Enfields. Fourth issue: Resale and devaluation, which is connected to the first three. A second hand Classic 350 for example with less than 10,000km in it can be found for as little as NTD80,000 (around £2500), after maybe a year earlier was bought new for NTD300,000 (around £7500). More than half its value in a year or two. So it basically came down to why get an Enfield, when for just a bit more you can get something with more power and better service. Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Ducati, BMW, Harley Davidson and Triumph. Also provide courtesy bikes if repairs are longer than 5 days. If you live further than 20km from the service centre they will also send you a car to bring you back home and pick you up when the bike is done. So service is always number 1. I can give you an example of service I was dealing with last June. One of my bikes is a 2015 Yamaha MT09. It was having an issue with the clutch. I should also mention this bike at the time had over 40,000km on it. I rode the bike to the Yamaha service centre at 8am on a Saturday morning. The part they needed had to come from Yamaha in Taichung, which is about 130km away from Taipei. This was a part that Yamaha just didn't keep in Taipei. They called me at noon saying they part that needed to be changed would be arriving in Taipei by 5pm. At just after 530 they called me to say it had arrived and thought it would be ready by Monday or Tuesday. So I went out to dinner with friends and just after 10pm when we were leaving the restaurant at Taipei 101 the Yamaha service centre called me to say the mechanic had finished the job and that i could collect the bike. I arrived at their service centre 45 minutes later when I went to pay. They told me to come back Monday and take it out for a test ride Sunday first before paying. This is the kind of service Yamaha and the others provide and isn't unusual that Royal Enfield was unable to do while they were in Taiwan. I can give you another example with Harley Davidson in Taiwan. I'm not a fan of Harley, but the people here are super nice. if you want a test ride you can just show up and a test ride is about an hour or two. You can also sign up for the weekly Harley test rides on the weekend, which are a full day. They bring you on the highway mountain roads and so on. So here in Taiwan it's all about service service service. Now just just isn't unique to Taiwan. In Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and in other parts of East Asia. When i have been to the UK, US and Europe. I'm a little shocked at how poor service for anything is compared to here. Royal Enfield did try, but even their local partner was getting frustrated. It comes down to sue to the high prices we pay with import duties. For example the price that a Harley Davidson Pan-America is in Taiwan. For that price we can buy two in the UK. Same with my Honda CB1000 Black Edition I bought in 2022. The bikes are double and even in some cases three times the price in the UK. They have to offer top quality service. During Covid, which affected economies everywhere. Here in Taiwan, because we didn't have any lockdowns and everything was normal to the rest of the world and because borders were shut and no one was traveling. Harley Davidson, which entered the Taiwan market in 2002. At the hight of Covid world wide. Harley in Taiwan their best sales years ever in 2021 and 2022. Demand was so high Harley bikes at dealerships in Singapore and Thailand were sent to Taiwan just to meet demand. Since then even after Covid ended and borders around the world re-opened the momentum has kept going. Prior to 2021 the five top selling brands were Yamaha Suzuki Honda Triumph BMW During and after Covid Harley actually now ties with Triumph. If Enfield had done a bit more research they would have had a better time. In Japan Enfield is also not doing well. It's expected they will pull out in a few months over the same issues they had in Taiwan.

In India we take these bikes to the Himalayas via Khardungla pass and Umingla Pass in Ladakh which is the highest motorable road in the world at 19000ft above sea level where the temperature is -40 degrees celsius in winters and -20 in summers. So these are not just city bikes but you can take them wherever you want to

I think there's a lot of snobbery in motorcycle, phrases like "for beginner riders", and "not for the experienced biker" always pepper the comments section of KZfaq whenever small capacity (not even, I've read comments about 900cc bikes being too slow) bikes get talked about, yet no one says "Only a 1.6? You want a 3 litre car, that's for experienced drivers!" And I think this puts people off, especially people coming into motorcycling, that somehow you're not a real biker unless you can hit 60 in under 3 seconds and shed the head off your rear tyre at the lights. I'm always heartened when I read a comment that says "I used to ride a Hayabusa, but I have just as much fun on my Royal Enfield" because there's an experienced biker who's chosen a bike for their enjoyment, not because they must have all the power. So let's just say, "different bikes for different bikers" and enjoy the ride.

the world is different, bcos where i live in asia, even 250cc is more than enough for commuting, we use motorcycle, moped and scooter around 110-160cc everyday, we rarely hit 60mph on city riding.

The 350 series of motorbikes by Royal Enfield have enough power for having fun. For enjoying the ride. For stopping not only to smell the roses but to have a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top and a glass of iced tea. In other words, Royal Enfield's 350s have a reasonable amount of power to get you "there and back again". And by "there" I do mean the memories of days long past and by "back" I do mean "home". And "again" means over and over. There's a kid inside each of us and it only takes a certain smell, sound or scenery for that kid to surface and remind us that no one dies alone so long as they have a lifetime of memories within them. A Royal Enfield 350 is perfect for jump starting the kid in you. SS

These are some of the best level-headed real world focused bike reviews on KZfaq. Certainly been using them to decide which royal Enfield to buy in the future.

of course it's enough, you get from A to B, humble on fuel, for rural and small towns navigations - superb, for cities - superb.

I’m new to the Classic 350 (love it!), the only tricky part with this engine / its power is the run-in period. If you follow RE’s guidelines / rev limits, it’s hard to pull hills without angering drivers behind you (and where I live hills are hard to avoid). And the run-in period is a good 1000 miles, where at that point the engine really comes to life and opens up from what everyone says. I’ve had fast bikes. They’re awesome. But honestly, not sure why, I’m having way more fun on this 350 lately.

No no no! You won’t be left behind because you can use all of the power on the roads! Also, if you fit the DNA filter and intake, Hitchcock’s stainless steel free flow exhaust system and FuelX lite, you will undo most of the euro 5 nonsense and unlock most of the engines potential. I’m now getting ready to fit the Kent cam to my Classic, which should get me up to 24 or 25 hp at the wheel. This is much closer to what the designer of the engine had in mind before the bureaucrats got involved. Bullet 500 performance from a 350! Just as it should be. Having said that, these bikes are great, out of the crate. It’s just that in my 48th year of riding I can’t bring myself not to tinker and improve my ride… btw, 70mph all day long, no problem, even stock.

I completely understand when people say that the 350 classic is underpowered and cannot hold 70mph+ on motorways. BUT this is not the bike for those people. I spent 40 years travelling this country (UK) and others, constantly having to get places on a schedule and as a consequence at the fastest legal speeds. Travel was just that, travel. Not fun and not really interesting for the most part. The RE 350 for me, knowing its limitations means that I plan my routes using A roads, B roads and lanes with dual carriageways only occasionally. Now after buying a Classic 350 following excellent reviews such as Mr Darcy & the Ol' Man I am enjoying the journey, the scenery and making stops whenever I choose. This for me is travelling for pleasure and enjoyment, higher speeds would detract from that.

350's and 500's are awesome compromises of power and economy. Years ago I owned a 500 bullet and I was thrilled every time I rode it. I also had a Triumph 1200 bagger for big trips but that 500 was all about the simple fun. I'd ride a 350 version without complaint in they ways you've shown it in this video. Thank you for uploading this video.

Touch slow compared to my little Fantic, but it’s not an issue for me to wait a few seconds at junctions for the Meteor to catch up. It’s not that much slower and as I don’t feel rushed, I get to survey my surroundings and take in the views. Slower progress really is a lot more pleasant than the mad dashes on litre bikes I was doing 5 years ago. I used to feel I was heading out for a race, I’d get back so full of adrenaline I couldn’t sleep. Now at Meteor pace it’s just relaxing and still fun.

My Honda 650 seems to sit in the garage a lot these days since buying a Hunter as my every day work horse. I did take it for a 200 mile trip not so long ago, just to see how it worked out motorway riding, & it seemed to hold out quite well, although overtakes had to be planned well in advance. Shalln't lie to you though - it really could do with an extra 5HP.

I took my meteor touring 2 up around the mountain ranges of the picos in northern Spain and the Pyrenees on the French/Spain border. I thought it did extremely well up hills especially considering it was loaded to the max payload. The only two problems were overtaking slower vehicles and downhill braking when getting exuberant. I felt I was right on the limit of the brakes and a couple of times had gone past the limit and had to slow down because of the lack of brakes. It's the only time I've had that concern around all other roads the brakes were fine.

I have always riden bikes since 1970 250 to 1300cc for fun, touring and courier work . At 70 I recently sold my 1250 RT as due to my wife's health we no longer tour. I bought an NC 750X Honda which is a brilliant do it all tool. Thinking ahead with health and age related issues myself I also own a RE Hunter for riding in my dotage. My point is I've always enjoyed riding bikes of all types and intend doing so for as long as physically possible. You don't need 200bhp to have fun 20bhp is plenty. It's being on two wheels that matters.

I ride I-95 everyday and it's great. Handles well. At 60 mph it purrs. At 70, it holds its own very well. I recommend running 65 mph and you will have no troubles.

I have a 2022 classic 350. I had it for about a year and a half and coming up on 4500 miles. The bottom line is just that: here in the US if you want to ride on the highway, yes, you would need a more powerful bike unless you want to be holding on for dear life at 65 or 70. I do a lot of city and back road riding here in Seattle and a bit on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s perfect for that. It’s not bad that it gets 85+ miles to the gallon as well. handling is fantastic. Very agile.If speed is not your thing. I would highly recommend it. Cheers from the Pacific Northwest!

I rode all of the 350s and I agree. Out here, they are just not strong enough to be practical. Imagine, however, how perfect a 500cc version of the Classic would be. Stay with the same frame, wheels, etc... and bore it out to 500, and you'd have a bike that WOULD pull those hills in all five gears (even with my fat ass on it) and would run down the road, easily, at 70+.

great video showing the limitations of these bikes not too many posting this kinda content. Still amazing machines that fill a role for riders.

I started on one hp 49cc mopeds, and had a wonderful time. I rode my Bonneville 900cc up and down the east coast and mountains of the US, and had a wonderful time. I now have a Classic 350, a Continental 650, and my 900 Bonneville. The one I have the most wonderful time on is the Classic 350. I know what my bikes can do, and I choose the one that fits my planned trip. The Classic does it perfect to well enough.

Beauty of this bike is that It does all the riding (i mean less gear changes due to enough torque) whereas this lets the rider to enjoy the scenery and the ride itself.

My R1200RT does the "go fast and haul everything" duties. My RE Classic 500 is pure fun on the side roads and is just a complete grin every ride. It's just a really neat, durable, utility motorcycle for when the destination doesn't matter much, rather the experience getting there is the true purpose.

When I was a lad, my father road a BSA pre-unit 650 Spitfire, which with 40hp, was considered a superbike back then. It was perfectly adequate on U.S. roads then, and had we not all grown so hungry for power it would be just as good now.

I love the style and simple elegance of the bike.

I came to the Classic 350 from much more powerful bikes. To make decent progress up hills - especially with a pillion aboard you have to think about what you're doing. In this way it's actually more engaging than simply twisting the throttle in almost any gear. The experience takes me back to my early days of riding in the 1980s. And in today's motoring environment, bikes like the RE350's are actually becoming more and more relevant.

As a matter of personal reference, I spent about a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina late last year with my brother on his Himmy, and me on my Hunter 350 doing some moto camping, and traversing the mountain roads and routes with absolutely no problem whatsoever going up any grade, and cornering, which was it’s strong suite. At no point in time did I feel like I needed more power to tackle those roads. As a matter of fact, more power would only have gotten me into trouble I’m afraid. Now true, it’s not a bike for interstates here. It will safely do the speeds for 5 or 10 miles or so if need be without struggling, but it’s certainly not about blowing down the super slab with your hair on fire. It’s about pure enjoyment on back lanes where scenery and the riding experience is most pleasurable and memorable. I really do love my Hunter. It never fails to make me smile when I’m riding it.

An interesting and honest review, thanks people often make out these are everything to everyone and they just aren't. Maybe i'll consider one when I can't handle a fast bike anymore

I love my Meteor, it does everything, as long as you aren't in a hurry. When riding it I put my mind into "1950s" mode. I toured europe on a BSA B31, the Enfield is faster and more reliable too!

I'm happy to hear your final analysis. I'm reminded that friends of mine in Colombia and Venezuela tell me that bikes with half that displacement are the norm, and they're going up and down hills everywhere they go. I think, as you say, it depends on your expectations. Here in the States we of course expect to go fast, without any impediment, no matter anything at all. The rest of the world is not generally afforded that luxury! That being said, I just wanted to question one thing: you said in your pre-hillclimb introduction that we would notice the revs drop off in 3rd gear, but... you were in 4th. I heard you shift into 3rd at 3:37, and you stayed there past the oncoming car, and then at 3:55, you shifted into 4th. So it was in 4th gear that the revs didn't increase, but I actually didn't hear them decrease. We've all read that these REs are not very powerful on a hp-to-displacement basis, but [almost] everyone still seems to love them. They seem to have gotten a lot right. :) Thanks.

I'm in Melbourne, Aus & started with a Honda Grom (cool, but limited application as wasn't very stable after 80km/h). Then bought a Honda CB500X to get into a bigger bike, but didn't gel with it; it was like a two wheeled 4x4 & I realised I wasn't going to tour on it. Next bought an RE 350 Classic Reborn in gunmetal & love it. Has so much charm, peppy in the suburbs & just feels as though it's your friend & will look after you. Yes, I was also concerned about the weight/power, but it goes far better than you'd think.

I have been riding 43 years and have a Signals 350. Back to basics motorcycling and a sublime riding experience along with authentic looks. Makes you feel good !

I think the real question is: what bike can you buy today with a retro look and that 1 cylinder thump sound? To me, the RE 350s are the only answer. The new triumphs are liquid cooled and lack the sound, the Honda rebel is a 2 cylinder and so on...

I've got a Meteor 350 and i ride it everywhere. I used to have a Honda Monkey 125 and i rode that thing everywhere too,its all about managing expectations and knowing how to use the power that you have.

I really enjoy your videos and the honest bikers opinions you both share. As an experienced rider I still appreciate the simplicity and purity of a simole bike. Wheels. Engine and a petrol tank. I recently bought a little Hunter 350. It’s simply brilliant. Perfectly fine for everyday riding to work and fun on the local lanes. Plus they are simple to service and maintain meaning further time and money savings. Well built too. Now I’m tempted to chop in my Transalp 750 for a BMW R18 for a simple riding pleasure on a grander scale. 👍

Omg I just love the footage of the hill climb!!! I love the look of the Hunter and the price is sorted but I can’t want to own one with that power figure. The smallest bike I had fun on was the Husqvarna 401 Svart - similar capacity but it revved and made twice as much power. Now on my R9T I’m finding it hard to want to go back to a bike that feels like it could be bullied in some kinds of traffic and road situation.

Where I live they all say "You need aleast 800cc to get anywhere" and some doesnt greet you if they believe your bike is less than 500cc. I have a blast on my 300cc!

I had a RE Interceptor 650 and while it was pleasant enough I just got a bit bored of it. On occasion I want to open the throttle and feel a bit of proper power, its what bikes are about for me. Just saying.

Another excellent, honest review. All I can say is that I've gone from a fast 120bhp bike to one just under 30 bhp. Of course the smaller bike is slower, but enjoy the back roads so much more now not having to hold back constantly and dodging the potholes and getting stuck behind car's anyway...

I'm happy with my Signals 350, even with the occasional Interstate miles. It's a matter of riding strategy, IMO; an experienced rider will, over the years, develop different strategies for managing different riding conditions. So, although it's a great beginner motorbike, its also a motorbike that expeienced riders can enjoy under conditions that beginners might find daunting or intimidating. In the end, like all motorbikes, all the C350 variants are fast enough to kill inexperienced newbies and inattentive veterans alike.

Back in the 70’s I rode a Honda cb100 from Los Angeles to New York, then to South Dakota, pikes peak, Arizona, then back to Los Angeles. Never one problem. It just depends on what you are willing to put up with in order to ride!

I prefer riding my Classic over my Bonneville and Interceptor. Not to mention the Thunderbird Storm I sold last year. Moving into my 70's on smaller machines. I live in rural Orange County North Carolina, so almost all my Classic riding is country backroads with the occasional stretch on a dual carriageway

Great review, and an insightful view of the reality of riding lower powered bikes. I have a 2016 (17 registered - last of the Euro 3) Bullet 500 which I bought with just 200 miles on the clock, and it now has well over 10,000. It's racked up most of those miles with my wife as pillion, and bar the odd place where it's damn tricky to use another route, has not seen a motorway or major A road dual carriageway. It bimbles along through the North Essex countryside finding little places of interest and nice places to stop and eat, enjoy the view etc - and for this, it is just perfect. I've done a bit of touring on it, too - through the South Downs and over Beachy Head, through the Cotswolds, Norfolk and through into Lincolnshire. I would really love to bring it to Wales with me but I think that is a stretch too far staying off the major roads and I suspect it would do my head in on the M4 for any length of time. I've said this a lot to people that ask me about it. It's about the worst bike I've ever owned, but somehow it's the one that I class as the best. It's got me back to the 'pure' feeling of motorcycling. No bravado, no ego, no rush to get anywhere, just relax and enjoy the ride.

Love your channel gents! Really help me in deciding to switch from long time riding Vespa to Classic 350 Signals (Marsh Grey), and I already did a short road trip with my girlfriend, around 300 km, and it did just fine, regional and back roads. I live in Croatia, so we have a decent amount of hills, and I would say, for a nice 80-90 km/h ride it is great, even with passenger. It is a relaxing kind of a ride, and even if you are stuck behind the bus that drives 90-100 km/h you will probably stay behind, but you will have a good wind cover. If you approach to the Classic 350 as an "old timer" bike with new stuff (like fuel injection and ABS) then you are fine. And I said, I ride 1983. Vespa 200 ccm and I went on Vespa club road trips all around Europe just fine. When I ride Classic 350 it feels like another dimension, more comfortable, more secure ride. I am not a biker, I must admit, so anything over 100 km/h scares me a lot on motorcycle, so 350 is a perfect spot on. And it is even slower than a new Vespa GTS 300 which has 150 kg and 23.8 HP.

I now owner the 350 meteor, why? I can't manage the bend in my false knees on the other models, just done Rallymans rally in Elland, 74 miles no issues and plenty fast enough for me

@The Ol' Man: Thank you for this video. I personally love small cc motorcycles! Because you have to "work" for your speed and for your momentum. On a big cc bike you can pretty much ride as sloppy as you want and still be able to get away with it. I think a 350cc can be enough. You might experience that more power still would be usable though. And fun. That being said for me a 350cc in a classic trim is a perfect 2nd bike when you already have a modern big cc motorcycle as your 1st bike.

For city riding i would go for a vespa but i thing the wright power for this is at least 500cc but i suppose they have other models with that size engine

It's not a matter of cc, but power vs weight. For city riding, 350cc could be more than enough (even 125cc) but not at this weight. You'd better take a 250cc, same hp and with 30 or 40 kilos less the gain in manoeuvrability will make a lot of difference.

I wonder how an old 1969 - 1972 Sprint or Aermacchi 350 would go over these days. Air cooled 350 90+ mph top speed and do just over 80 in the 1/4 mile and this was 50 years ago. It also got 70+ MPG fuel mileage. Put a modern 12 volt electrical system on it and disc brakes and it would be so much fun to ride day to day.

With how the bike looks small between your legs, it looks like you have more torque in your chest than it does. First video of yours that I see, and I'm glad I see a motorcycle enthusiast that isn't all about speed and can be enthusiastic about smaller bikes 👍

Great commentary in my opinion. You’re so right that this size and form of a motorcycle is so right for a great life experience! For riding around town or from the country into town and back home on the 45-50 mph road, even a bit smaller engine is maybe ok. That kind of riding is what hooks you in the first place when you’re young, so I think you have to be correct that it will be great now too. If they get bigger, faster, more complicated, more expensive, well, that’s not the correct direction for anything of this kind. More torque solves the hill problem you mention, so if RE eventually might stroke it a tiny bit, every ft-lb helps. Or we can lose 10 kg to help the cause. The only sort of thing that can be a problem is high altitude. EFI helps avoid fussing with jets, but living in the Rockies, for example in Santa Fe New Mexico or Boulder Colorado or something like that, the town is 5000- 7000 feet above sea level and there are hills; outside of town elevation gets serious. O2 is lacking. But even there it can be ok with EFI and, maybe, a but of electronic aftermarket to help control air fuel mixture. And it was there I learned to love to ride on a Honda 50cc cub and a 90cc trail as a kid. It was fine. This RE 350 would have looked like a 1957 Buick in those days. It seems like this sort of RE 350 riding around should be encouraged. Environmentalism with a smile. All this three digit horse power stuff has a place; I have chased that magic rabbit too. But for runabout motorcycles, it really seems maybe better between 350 and maybe a few more, or so, cc’s. (Or even particular 125’s) In a single or twin it is a pretty much magic spot. And runabout is where it’s at 90% of the time. I watched this video 2ce.

My classic 350 does everything and more, often 2up with a 20kg bag strapped on as well! 3 years on the rugged roads of the Himalayas in Nepal, my ego would love a 500, but honestly the 350 pulls better than a Thai bar girl up these monstrous hills and mountains

I love the 350 Classic's look. I own a 500 Classic. The 350 is FAR more comfortable to me (test ride) but I kept wishing it had just 5 more horsepower. I hear that is obtainable with some simple add on mods... that makes it far more appealing.

I've done quite a bit of motorway riding on my RE Himalayan - which is equally gutless. Didn't have a problem. No, you are not going to juggle with Audis at high speeds but I made very steady progress at a constant 56(ish)mph. Clearly it takes a bit longer getting places but you do get to where you are going safely and in not much longer time.

I own an INT650. If I owned a house I would have a Meteor and a Trials 500 and my Interceptor. As it is I travel full time and need the INT650 to haul everything I own and although I try to stay off the highways some I have to travel are 80mph. While having a new tire put on the dealer let me ride a Meteor and I thought it was such a sassy fun bike to ride. Loved your video. Spot on good review. Thank you.

Ive just returned from a 1700km trip along the East Coast of Australia earlier this week, me on a Fatbob and my lad on his meteor, didn’t miss a beat, and he was more than happy doing his first long trip on the 350, was great fun

*Is 350 enough?* Me who live in a 3rd world coutry where 70% of motorcycles are in between 150-250cc and people travel the country with those machines Yeah is good enough

South East Asian here. I love my 350. Will I buy another RE? Probably not. Prices are way too inflated and maintenance costs are a bit too much. In India, RE bikes are treated as practical bikes with low cost maintenance but not here. It’s treated like on the same level as Triumphs and Harleys.

I bought Classic 350 stealth black 8 months back. Im absolutely loving the ride quality and experience

I've been a vespa (PX) for 30 odd years and I'm finally selling up & getting a hunter. Done a test ride and it delivered everything I wanted. Looking forward to buying my RE this year.

I have a 22 Meteor 350. I have the stage 2 DNA air filter, Red Rooster de-cat exhaust, and a Fuel Ex Pro ( set on 5 with the end baffle in, 6 when it's not 😎) I can get up to 75mph fairly easily. I'm 2 people at 270 lbs. My riding consists of the country roads with some trips sticking to the 55mph state roads. I'm averaging 83 mpg. (US). Hopefully this helps answer some questions. ( 11600 miles)

What do you really need? I have ridden quite a few different bikes in my 21 years as a motorcyclist. From 125cc Yamaha Virago over an Yamaha R6, KTM Duke 690, Suzuki Hayabusa and now a Honda Africa Twin 1000cc. Also I took my hayabusa to the circuit and was a hobby motocross and trials rider. When it comes to Royal Enfield I test rode the Classic 500 and the Himalayan 411 (first one). Let me tell you that for riding in western countries like central EU, US or Australia, you do not need a bike with 100 hp or more. What do you want on the streets? Racing? Flexing? Here in Europe most countries do not let you ride faster than 100 km/h except on motorways / autobahn. And whoever did that for more than 30 minutes knows how boring that is. I learned on the street it is about enjoying the ride, not specs or being fast. Modern REs are cheap to buy, maintain and they have a very low consumption. Don't let the "shorter" servicing intervalls fool you, even if you do traveling with your bike. Except if you really do motorcycle trips of a few thousand km / miles a year. Then I can reccomend the Africa Twin or a GS. I was sceptical about these low hp and torque numbers but when you are sitting on a RE you do not care. It is a pure joy to ride. No electronics war, no pricing like for small cars. For me RE captures the essence of riding motorcycles. In India they ride classic 350s around everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE, even in terrain. The Himalayan is the perfect adventure bike. Just enough power to have decent travel speed on good roads but not too much. Whoever rode offroad will agree that if it is about conquering terrain, less hp is better. If you feel the 350cc is not enough, get one of their 650cc. I am very happy with royal enfields concept. I am thinking of selling my Africa Twin and buy two REs for my wife and myself.

I love my Signals 350 - your early reviews helped me determine so much of what I would love (and ended up loving) about the bike. It's my first moto ever, but I'd be very happy if it was my last. It oozes authenticity and charm, but it certainly has enough power to get me where I need to go. I took it on the motorway (highway over here) going out to Lancaster, PA the land of cows and Amish folk! I was lucky to have my wife pave the way in her VW Atlas, and I certainly wasn't getting up hills going faster than 60-65mph at best, but it got me there. It was my first experience on a major highway like that, so a bit white-knuckle, but it handled everything in the open flats where wind buffeting can be bad. My dad owns a Signals in Desert Sand, so when we ride together it's pretty damn cool. The soft putt of thumper engine is just enchanting to me. If you're on the fence - buy it!

I love my classic 350 ,it is a great bike. I wanted a basic utility machine, something that I could use everyday and it fits the bill perfectly. Today's motorcycles have become toys to a certain extent,my two bikes are transport pure and simple. A lot of my friends have said that it is too underpowered for modern traffic and a 125cc machine can reach 70 plus mph. True, some can, but my 350 is not as franetic at its top end as those bikes. As for travelling hundreds of miles on a motorway, I can't think of anything more tedious on a motorbike, that's why I have a car ! Great video as always 👍

Tbh I’d happily have a classic 350,think they look and sound fantastic,and I’d much prefer using the lanes than motorways,the hunter coped with that hill fine,great honest video.

They sound amazing and 350 is a very serious contender. In Cornwall with all the hills a 500/600 it’s a very interesting dilemma

Some really good points made there.. my first bike was 12hp (dt 125 Yamaha) and it wasn’t ridiculously slow around town. I wish there was a more retro version of the hunter with spoked wheels.. I like elements of all the 350’s but there isn’t one that ticks every box for me.. thanks for the video 👍🏻

Like you, I love my Classic 350 for the charm and character. I’ve considered the upgrade cam but not sure I want to do that. I worry it may detract from the inherent character that the original engine configuration has. I know what it can do and I ride within it’s limitations. As it is, it’s up to ME to get 100% out of it. I have to know exactly what it’s capable of in any scenario and it’s up to me to cooperate with the machine to make it happen. It causes me to be more immersed in the experience of the ride than on a power-house bike where all I have to do is twist it and forget it. On a bigger bike I feel I’m just along for the ride. On the 350, I feel like I’m part of the overall experience.

In the western United States the speed limit are 80mph on the interstates. On many highways the speed limit is 70mph. Most citys in western states are below 50,000 people so the chances are you will need to go at least 70mph. I think a 350 is the bear minimum size of bike for the above reasons. Aloso for the above reasons I think the a 650 is the right size bike for any occasion.

Really good review - realistic - honest with no BS. Thank you.

Lovely lil bike, spot on presentation as usually 👌 Thanks for your restless w, Ol'Man 🙏

I owned a classic 350 for about a year. During the first 9 months I was only riding within town and on rural roads, for which it was perfectly adequate. Since I now have to go on the Autobahn for my commute the classic got replaced by an old fazer 600, which is a lot happier at the required speed.