You won't miss what's missing from Royal Enfield's new Classic 350

No kick start lever here. Classic 350 is electric start only.

 No. you don't get a kick start lever with the new Royal Enfield Classic 350. Oddly, this is not the first time the Classic has gone without a kickstarter.

Let's have a show of hands: how many of you remember that the 2009 Royal Enfield Classics sold in America were electric-start only? That didn't last long.

The Classic was first sold outside India and, as one wag put it, "who ever thought you could sell a motorcycle in India without a kick start?"

So the kick start returned in 2010 for India and everywhere else. It was traditional and even useful, as earlier Royal Enfield attempts to add electric start had not been considered reliable. The version used in the Classic since 2009 is apparently good enough and probably few riders ever bother kicking anymore.

For 2022, your thumb will have to go it alone.

The kickstarter is not the only thing you won't get (at least for now) on the 2022 Classic 350. 

"The Classic 350 for the US/Canada Markets will not have the Tripper. The Meteor 350 will continue to have it as well as the new Himalayan." Bree Poland, Royal Enfield marketing lead for America wrote me in an email.

Tripper is Royal Enfiel's Bluetooth navigation device that, synced to your smart phone, gives turn-by-turn instructions on how to get where you're going.

Tripper was supposed to be installed in the face of the Classic 350 nacelle, the spot once occupied on Royal Enfield Bullets by the ammeter gauge. It's not going to be there on U.S. models. The worldwide shortage of chips has been blamed.

Round plug reminds you that you have a Classic 350.

This leaves a hole in the Royal Enfield casquette. U.S. Classic 350s will fill that hole with a round piece of metal labelled to remind you that you are riding a Royal Enfield Classic 350.

I call it a "plug."

"You mean an electrical plug?" my wife asked.

"No," I replied. "I mean it plugs the hole, like a cork."

"You can't call it a plug," she said. "'Plug' has too many meanings."

"What would you call it?" I asked.

"Oh, nice way of turning it around on me," was her answer. "Consider my comment a bit of useful feedback and ignore it at your own risk."

"OK. It's a... cover," I added, uncertain.

But here too, there is a Royal Enfield precedent to follow. I knew I had seen this sort of cover thingee before, on a vintage Royal Enfield.

Graham Scarth, chairman of the Royal Enfield Owners Club UK, told me the 1964 Royal Enfield  Crusader sent to the U.S. had the forks and headlight assembly of the better equipped Continental GT but didn't get a tachometer.

"The twin-clock top yoke had speedo only, with blanking disc in the rev counter hole," Graham wrote.

Royal Enfield used a blanking disk on 1964 bikes that lacked a tachometer.

That's it: It's called a Blanking Disk!

Some disappointed buyers may consider the dashboard plug on the Classic 350 a blankety-blank disk. 

But three points:

First, I think it's an intriguing oddity that one day will distinguish these Royal Enfields. Whatever appearance shortcoming it has is possibly compensated for by the fact that the blanking disk will never become obsolete, as electronic gizmos quickly do.

Secondly, won't it be fun to see what accessories creative people find to fill the hole? Wouldn't a matching analog clock or thermometer be nice? For mountain use, why not a barometric altimeter?  There is a thread on the Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum regarding replacing Tripper with a tachometer. It's said to be easy to do, and looks nice.

Thirdly, speaking personally, the dashboard should be the last point on earth I should be staring at as I near a corner on a motorcycle. Hello, cross traffic!

Better riders may have the bandwidth to absorb live navigation. I'm better off getting lost.

What you DO get on the new Classic 350: the time-honored Royal Enfield casquette and its small pilot lights. What are they good for? Nothing else is better at telling the world, even at a distance, or at night, that a Royal Enfield is coming.

Why I'm so excited about the all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350

Royal Enfield Classic 350 remembers motorcycle history and its own heritage.

 I'm excited. Royal Enfield brings its all-new Classic 350 motorcycle to U.S. dealerships starting in May. 

"Dealers are now available to order and will receive the units in May," America's marketing director Bree Poland informed me, in an email. 

There's plenty of information out there about the new Royal Enfield Classic 350, most of it positive. Scroll down if what you want are colors, specifications and prices. What has me jazzed goes beyond specs and (almost) beyond cost. 

I can not express my expectations better than this paragraph, from the Royal Enfield website:

"The All-New Classic 350 continues to embody the traditions and craftsmanship of the past as it is reborn. Inspired by the post war G2 model, first born in 1950s, the all new Classic 350 continues to be a testament to the timeless design (that awed) the motorcycling world back in the heyday of British motorcycling. The Classic teardrop fuel tank, the distinctive thump and the hallmark casquette headlamp - all harmonize as one, rejoicing in the masterpiece that is the timeless Royal Enfield Classic."

There's a cliché about things that seem to define their category: If you look the word up in the dictionary, its picture will be there.

That is so true of the word "motorcycle" and the Royal Enfield Classic 350. It looks like a motorcycle. Any other sort of motorcycle, pictured in the dictionary, would raise questions. The looks of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 only answer questions.

Is the Royal Enfield Classic 350 getting by on its looks?

Yes!

The evidence is that it is coming in, eventually, nine different color schemes.

I'm saying it's "right," not that it's perfect. Other motorcycles are no doubt more comfortable and capable, faster, flashier, lighter, even lovelier for that matter.

What you get with the Classic 350 is a connection to motorcycling history.

Think not? Well, note that two of the nine color schemes are "Signals" models, with military-style paint jobs. These even come with individual military contract numbers on their tanks. They are tributes to the role that Royal Enfield motorcycles, looking not too different, performed in World War II.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals models could pose for a vintage photo.

If the brakes could be better and the suspension more supple, well, they're far better than they were in 1950 (or even 1999) and a reminder that the rider still has a role to play.

In a critical review of the Classic 350, European writer Pieter Ryckaert notes with tongue in cheek that "the front brake is also classic."

But he gets it, writing "It’s hard to explain how this kind of (motorcycle) can be so much fun in a world where 180 horsepower allroads with all possible bells and whistles rule the day. Admittedly, for this money there are (motorcycles) that sit better, steer better, brake better, spring better and get uphill more easily. But I can’t imagine any one that can make me as happy as the Classic 350 from Royal Enfield."

2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350

Dark Stealth Black $4,599.

Dark Gunmetal Grey $4,599.

Signals Desert Sand $4,599.

Signals Marsh Grey $4,599.

Halcyon Forest Green $4,499.*

Halcyon Black $4,499.*

Halcyon Blue $4,499.*

Chrome Red $4,699.*

Chrome Brown $4,699.*

*Coming later in 2022.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the missing instrument

What would you put in place of the Tripper navigation system? 
(Photo from Shifting-Gears)  

 Despite its all-new motor and frame, and plethora of new color schemes, the new Royal Enfield Classic 350 remains a dead ringer for the Royal Enfield Classics that came before.  The biggest reason for this, I believe, is its iconic nacelle.

 Call it the casquette, the console, or the dashboard: it's the distinctive headlight housing that has distinguished Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles since 1954.  It carries the twin pilot lights (Royal Enfield India calls these "tiger eyes").

 Down through the years it has had openings for the round speedometer, an amp meter and either a big light switch or the keyed ignition.  When electronic ignition lessened need for the amp meter, that opening was filled with low fuel and engine or ABS warning lights.

For the new Classic 350, Royal Enfield added a new opening for an LCD screen that provides the odometer, two trip meters, a clock, and fuel gauge. The screen even has an ECO light to salute you for riding in the correct gear for your speed, and a maintenance reminder. 

Warning lights for battery, ABS, engine and low fuel move into the round speedometer housing. A bright "N" there lights up when the gearbox is in Neutral. 

Royal Enfield thought of everything (well, it didn't think you needed a gear indicator to tell you what gear you're in; can't you count?). 

Royal Enfield Classic 350 with LCD screen and Tripper in time honored nacelle.

Of course, space was reserved in the nacelle for the Tripper turn-by-turn navigation system powered by Google Maps. It goes into the round hole once occupied by the amp meter.

That is, space was reserved, but not necessarily filled.

As announced, Tripper is an option, at least on most models of the new Classic 350 (it was to be standard on the Chrome edition).

So, what happens to that circular space on the nacelle if you don't buy Tripper?

You get a plug. It's a simple round plug, labelled to remind you that you are riding a Royal Enfield Classic 350.

Cover for missing Tripper tells you what you're riding, not where.

It also reminds you that you were too cheap to spring for Tripper. Like the "radio delete plate" on a 1964 Plymouth Valiant, it's an inelegant substitute. Literally a "stop gap."

Even for those who know where they are going, and don't need Tripper, it's an obvious waste of dashboard space.

I feel certain that Royal Enfield did not intend to diss riders

My guess is that Tripper was supposed to be standard equipment. It is standard on the related Royal Enfield Meteor 350 model and the 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan.

Perhaps supplies of Tripper are limited by the worldwide chip shortage. Predictions are that the shortage will end this year, although supply chain effects will linger through 2022.

If supplies improve, maybe Royal Enfield's export markets will never see that "plug" when the Classic 350 is introduced here.

Which, in a way, is almost too bad. I mean it. It's kind of cool.

Here's why I say this. I knew I remembered seeing a previous example of a plug on a Royal Enfield but couldn't remember when it was. Graham Scarth, chairman of the Royal Enfield Owners Club UK, filled me in:

"The 1964/65 USA market Crusader (a parts bin special) is based on the 250 Clipper rolling chassis and has Clipper engine numbers but is to a higher spec. The 1964 model had the Continental forks and headlight assembly. The twin-clock top yoke had speedo only with blanking disc in the rev counter hole."

He even sent a photo of the 1964 "blanking disc" in place. Certainly makeshift and, yet, sort of interesting. Intriguing in a way.

1964 Royal Enfield Crusader came to the U.S. with a blanking plate.

The same is true of the Tripper modesty patch. Like the one-year-only patch on the Royal Enfield Crusader, it could become an historical footnote all its own.

It might even prove a place for customizers to add some inspiration of their own. Presumably there is electricity beneath it to run a mini-tach or head temperature gauge.

Tell you what I'd like: just a more-or-less matching thermometer to tell me how sweltering hot it is riding in Florida.

Five ways Royal Enfield's new Classic 350 is special

Royal Enfield's new Classic 350 is not one motorcycle: it's five motorcycles. 

Royal Enfield announced that its all-new Classic 350 motorcycle will come in a wide array of color schemes. 

Why so many? The reason appears to be that the new Classic 350 is not one new model of motorcycle but actually five "unique and exciting editions." 

In effect, there are five different Classic 350s, each with multiple color options. Each will carry different standard equipment and different price tag to serve a wide range of customers. 

This actually is pretty amazing. It's unknown whether we will get all five different models when the Classic 350 comes to American in 2022. Choice is good, but I don't think we'd need or even want them all. 

Judge for yourself: here, from least to most expensive, are the five Classic 350 "editions."

The Redditch series is the price leader and comes with single-channel ABS while the other Classic 350 lines feature standard dual-channel ABS. Could this model be intended for fleet sales? Sales to racers or customizers who don't care about ABS? The heritage of the "Redditch" name might appeal to the international customers of tour or rental operators.

The Halcyon Classic 350s reflect the look and feel of the 1950s, celebrating nostalgia for those happy days. Maybe the 1950s weren't so great, considered on their own merits, but the motorcycles of the time were worth celebrating. Those were the motorcycles of my youth and, even though I couldn't afford them at the time, they still summon fond memories. Based on photos, the Halcyon Classic 350s are among my personal favorites.

The Signals Classic 350s pay tribute to Royal Enfield's long association with the armed forces of India, Britain and other nations. Royal Enfield's previous military-look motorcycles have been very popular in the U.S. and these are bound to be in demand. The Signals Classic 350s report for duty with stenciled and unique numbers on each motorcycle.

The Dark Classic 350s are meant to be a youthful series, with the appeal of customized motorcycles. They offer tubeless tires and alloy wheels. No doubt they will be very popular but I feel blacked-out-everything is overdone these days. Modernizing a frankly "retro" motorcycle with alloys abandons the flashing wire wheels that are part of Royal Enfield's special appeal. But that's just me.  

Classic Chrome is the premium series with badges and graphics that create a unique retro look. Here Royal Enfield is speaking my language.

Royal Enfield has set itself a formidable task. The Classic, a huge seller in India and known at least to some degree in 75 other countries around the world, needed no introduction. So, instead, Royal Enfield has decided to introduce five different Classic 350s!

There are complaints, in India, from customers who have waited months for delivery of the Royal Enfields they ordered. That's a phenomenon of Royal Enfield's immense home market. Presumably the company will not have any problem meeting the far more modest demands of export markets.

Pick your favorite Royal Enfield Classic 350 color

The all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350 will appear in a near-dozen color schemes in India. How would you like to be the one who decides which colors will come to the Americas in 2022?

Or will we get them all?

While that is hard to imagine, it is still fun to window shop. So below are the announced Royal Enfield Classic 350 colors.

The two "Redditch" colors are reserved for Classic 350s with single-channel (rear wheel only) instead of dual-channel (front and rear wheel) ABS.

The two "Signals" colors for military themed Classic 350s come with numbers prominently emblazoned on the fuel tanks. The number will be unique to each motorcycle.

Here are each of the colors individually. Which is your favorite? Leave a comment below.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals Chrome Bronze. Distinctive.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Chrome Red. It will sell big.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Dark Stealth Black. Blacked out everything.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Gunmetal Grey. Made Like a Gun.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Halcyon Black. Halcyon refers to a time of joy.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Halcyon Green. British racing green.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Halcyon Grey. Close to original Classic pastel.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch Grey. A nod to history.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch Sage Green. An unusual color.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals Desert Sand.
The Special Air Service (SAS) called it "pink."

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals Marsh Grey. Officer present!

New Royal Enfield Classic 350 is reborn retro

Royal Enfield's new Classic 350 is a new motorcycle 
that clings to its classic retro styling.  

 The all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350 will come to American markets in the 2022 riding season, Royal Enfield North America announced Sept. 1.

 The press release aptly called the Classic Royal Enfield's "iconic" motorcycle.  More than the Himalayan, more than the 1960s inspired 650 twins, more even than the Bullet model that remains on Royal Enfield's India website, the Classic has indeed been classically beautiful.

"The Classic launched in 2008, was a modern and capable motorcycle that symbolized the timeless post-war styling from the heydays of the British motorcycle industry. Its captivating design language and simplicity coupled with dependability catapulted the Classic to global popularity," Royal Enfield boss Siddhartha Lal is quoted, in the press release introducing its "all-new" replacement.

Royal Enfield video introduces the new Classic
with a nod to the timeless beauty of the original.

In fact, Lal is shown mounted on a 2008 Classic at the beginning of the video launching the new Classic.

Probably there were video production reasons for that; but the impression I get is that he feels a little bit as I do. And that is this: It is impossible to tear your eyes off the 2008 Classic and its sculpted UCE motor.

The new Classic 350 is undoubtedly more modern, with a double down-tube frame and the 349cc air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder motor first seen in the new Meteor 350. This motor looks like a powerplant, not a piece of sculpture.

There are retro-style nods to the original Classic, including the nacelle with its twin pilot lights and circular, analog speedometer. There are triangular toolboxes and oval side covers and wide, comfortable looking single seat. Flashing wire wheels are shown in some photos although modern trends toward blacking out mechanical parts and wheels also appear in photos.

The new Classic 350's retro styling still shines from some angles.

There is no kickstart lever; the motor is electric start only. Royal Enfield's India website shows a bewildering selection of attractive and imaginative color schemes, and there are "Signals" versions that look like military issue motorcycles.

The new Classic 350 certainly qualifies as a standard, naked motorcycle, with upright seating position and retro design.

It's just not as pretty as the Classic it leaves behind.

Maybe it's the increased ground clearance, or the fact that the new motorcycle carries its engine above the lower frame rails instead of down between them. This new Classic looks short-coupled in comparison to the original: chunkier; beefier, somehow more angular. Is that a bash plate visible between the front down tubes in some photos or just a modesty panel? (Answer: it's an accessory sump guard of heavy duty aluminum plate and is removeable for cleaning.)

Signals models will display tank  "census" numbers unique to each motorcycle.

Those who have ridden the new Classic 350 praise its handling, torque and quality of construction. Digital read-outs and on some versions the Tripper navigation feature are shown in the nacelle. Who can deny these have advantages?

I stumble though, at this: we know that the same motor in the Meteor 350 , praised for its beefy torque, provides a top speed only barely acceptable on U.S. Interstates. The Royal Enfield buyer will still need to move up to the more-than-capable INT 650 or Continental GT 650 if he or she wants to go far.

Could this mean there is a 500cc or perhaps even 650cc motor in the Classic's future? Or am I missing the point?

Royal Enfield's new retro Classic invites you to be new, too.

Leave it with this: Sid Lal is not just the guy who makes the decisions at Royal Enfield. He is the company's chief philosopher and keeper of the flame. It's worth reading his recent message, on the occasion of the new Classic 350, posted on Instagram:

"The last 18 months have been devastating for many and life altering for everyone. The pause in all our lives has allowed us to reset ourselves. To gain clarity in our individual purposes and priorities.

"I want to see the world with fresh eyes. Be wonderous and inquisitive like a child once again. To savor every moment and enjoy the slow passage of time. And to begin a new journey, one that is truly me, yet in congruence with the energy of the world around us.

"Royal Enfield has always stood for exploration; of the world outside and that within ourselves. We have put our heart and soul into creating a new machine that is familiar, and yet at the same time, totally new. The all new Classic 350 is the most timeless and classic form in motorcycling, yet it is fully equipped for everything you throw at it; and a little bit more.

"Your ally for the new you."

To which I would only note that Royal Enfield's catch phrase for the new Classic 350 is "Be Reborn."

Watch the launch video for all the details (features and colors described are those announced for India).