New classic and new clobber is coming from Royal Enfield
If you have looked at the new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and liked the engineering but wasn’t keen on the cruiser styling, the factory may have something coming to tickle classic tastebuds.
An all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350, based around the Meteor power plant, has been launched in the Indian market and should be coming to other countries next year.
The design inspiration of the Classic range comes from the 1948 Royal Enfield Model G2, the first full production motorcycle to have swinging arm rear suspension. Royal Enfield has been influenced by the G2 before, selling three million of its Classic 500 models between 2008 and 2020. In a promotional video shot in Redditch and London, Siddhartha Lal, managing director of Eicher Motors Ltd, the owner of Royal Enfield, said: “Throughout our history, we have been consistent in our pursuit to build timeless, beautiful motorcycles that are great fun to ride, and the new Classic 350 does just that. The all-new Classic 350 combines this quintessential, retro design with a modern and refined ride experience. We are confident that the all-new Classic
350 will once again redefine the mid-size motorcycle space, globally.” Royal Enfield in the UK has not yet said if or when the 350 Classic will be launched here.
Royal Enfield has also announced a tie-in with legendary British clothing company Belstaff. A range of clothing includes two limited-edition Royal Enfield Belstaff waxed jackets, styled on the waxed cotton Trialmaster jacket and the Brooklands armoured motorcycle jacket. Every jacket is styled with a special commemorative ‘Royal Enfield 120-year Anniversary’ patch on the right-hand sleeve and an additional ‘Limited Edition’ riveted metal plaque on the inside zip. Just 500 of the Belstaff jackets will be produced but prices are steep – between £450 and £525.