5 things I hate about the ROYAL ENFIELD Classic 350 REborn!
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- You voted for it and here it is, A video detailing my niggles with the 350 Classic and areas I think Royal Enfield could have done better!
Vote for the subject on FRIDAYS Video. / @stuartfillingham
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I agree with you. One of my many pet peeves on motorcycles is the dash design. Get rid of that useless RE logo round thing and put something useful there like a volt meter, fuel gauge, gear indicator, etc., etc.
I'm glad I have a classic 500 from 2007, the last of the 'real' old Enfields. Points ignition, iron barrel, carburettored, not even a neutral light.
If you buy an Enfield Bullet, you expect less modern stuff, not more, you want to be thrust back in the 1940s as almost a time traveller , and all the inconvenience that had. If you buy one of these bikes, you will spend at least 15% of the time with that bike spannering, that is the charm.. It builds up your knowledge of mechanics and how to fix stuff
Great video as always! For the dashboard I quite like the placement of the lcd screen not being in the speedometer. I totally agree with the gear indicator not being present is quite a bother, when riding with people that have louder bikes it is difficult to know where you are at in the rev/gear range at times.
I agree 95% with your comments Stu, although to my old eyes the actual layout of the instruments is fine considering the space available, but that is my personal taste. The other items - especially the plastic - I agree with completely. Come on RE, don't drop the quality or you will suffer!
The paint work issue as you have pointed out is inexcusable however the other niggles are probably down to price point, having said that I think as I’m sure you do it’s still a great little bike for the money, nothing is perfect these days I think, as usual a great and honest viewpoint, nice one Stu, 👍👍👍👍👍
All winter I was planning my bike purchase once I passed my test in May. The Classic was the top of my list even though I had never had a chance to try one. Cue to May and post test. Got a chance to try 7 bikes on a special Stockholm weekend for trying bikes (Start2Ride). Wow. How great to be able to compare Royal Enfields, moto Guzzis, Triumph etc.
well I really liked the Classic but the stupid lower setting of the gear lever meant it was really awkward to shift up (not a problem on the interceptor and meteor - and I know you can adjust it but it ruined the ride). Also it felt like I was riding a moped both power and handling wise compared to more powerful bikes and I was worried I would outgrow it and get frustrated on longer highway rides. The Moto Guzzi was fun and a ton of personality but was afraid it would get old quickly. Where o fell in love was the Bonneville and there was no going back. Got a great price on a 2018 T100 and couldn’t be happier
Could definitely see the Classic as a fun 2nd bike but not a main one. Where it really excels is the engine, the sound and the look
Thanks Stuart for that honest review towards your bike. Since your line or work is paint & body, I can only imagine those imperfections stand out like a sore thumb to you 😵💫! It is also sad to see any production item that was once sturdy metal be replaced with cheap plastics and inferior products. I met a fella a few years back with an older classic 500 and what really impressed me about it was the simple but effective materials and overall build of the bike. I remember it had oil cup reservoirs on the forks, kick start, and what looked to be all steel and metal parts. It was also green (which being an American….yet I must say British by birth…. and superstition 💀, I read that green motorcycles were bad luck?!?! Due to the issues team Triumph had in a race in America years back?… but anyhow his bike looked great and I wish I had it and I still think your 350 looks great. That chrome & red package is an eye catcher.
Anyhow thanks again for another great video. Take care.
Thanks Stu. If they dropped the "Tripper" from the Classic 350 they could've incorporated the LCD info screen in the "spare" location and given us a nice big, round traditional speedo. GPI? Yes, this was missing from my CB300R (since rectified with the 2022 model). But having a rev counter, it was easy to get used to the rpm/speed combinations. Without this additional information on the 350 you're bound to be lifting your foot feeling for gear "5a" 😉.
I don't know about you, but this makes me feel like I'm a complete beginner 😂.
Hi Stu, I have a Halcyon Green, three months old and 900 miles, and the colour coat is excellent but there was a bare spot on the underside of one of the mudguard stays. I actually quite like the LCD display but completely agree with you regarding the gear indicator. Still love this bike though. Keep up the great work I really appreciate your videos.
Sorry to hear of your disappointment with the paintwork Stu. I’m looking at purchasing a Halcyon Green shortly. Now I’m going to closely inspect the paintwork. Thanks
My wife bought the Halcyon Green and the paint work is superb. Very heavily lacquered.
@@davidshort8070 I have read at least one reviewer who said the high-end paint schemes had more quality control issues than the lower-end monochrome models. 🤷🏼♂️
Great video! All valid points, for sure! Hopefully this will inspire RE to reevaluate their QC and future updates to the Classic.
Good vid Stuart! For me, and for the price, you can’t expect top quality issues on everything. So either you put up with the niggles, spend a bit of cash improving what you don’t like, or buy a premium bike in the first place. But wait! That isn’t always the case either. My CRF450L is about 10 grands worth and I’ve still spent a couple of grand extra perfecting it; so be careful on ‘premium bikes’ too!
Hi Stu. Good video. All very valid points. I haven’t got a 350 classic but see where you’re coming from. I appreciate that the Enfields are built to a price and think they very good value. I have a 2022 Interceptor which I am so happy with. I didn’t have issues with paint work, as I had it custom painted to my spec. I do wonder why they didn’t include a gear change indicator and clock in the dash though. Keep up the good work mate. 👍
Totally agree with the suspension adjustment, it's a total pain with the mudguard stay in the way. However it gets impossible when you fit pannier racks supposedly designed for the new 350. The lower frame member stops any adjustment with the spanner at all. I'm experimenting with different shaped spanners to try and get over the problem.
Hi Stuart,
I just found your channel and I'm very thankful for your work! In Febuary/March next year I get my own Classic 350 in Gun Metal Grey. I do hope, that the paintwork will not show these problems. On the other topics I fully agree although it still is a perfect bike to me.
For your next Video I would like to learn more about accessories available. Especially a luggage carrier right behind the single seat instead of a pillion which I like to remove from my Classic 350. Anyway, I can't wait for the delivery - I am very exited !
All the best to you
Michael from small town of Uelzen, Germany
Thank you for your honest feedback! No bike is perfect and I think honest feedback might help sell a bike just as good as praise.
I am from India having a chrome bronze for 9 months now.Rode about 7000kms.
When you fix the suspension tie a microfiber cloth or any cotton cloth on the mud guard part to avoid damage to the paintwork.
You are damn right about the paint issues.I have the same problems, especially the blemishes on the painted parts. I see new spots appear every now and then and at first i thought they were scratches but they are appearing in places where its very difficult to get one.
And the gear indicator i.e. the absence of it.
Pure motorcycle joy anytime I toss a leg over my Classic 350. Quite literally my favorite bike that I have ever owned or ridden.
X2 !!
Lots of new reviews are up today on the Hunter 350. I am in India and can share links if they are hard to find in the uk. It's a 1500 pound bike in India. Nice video. Given the surcharge they get on export re bikes, they should implement a secondary inspection as it is much more expensive and difficult to repair bikes remotely. Plastic is something they really need to step up the game on. If they need it, they should use better quality, or offer a metal bezel upgrade kit
Great review Stuart. To be honest my Bronze chrome paintwork is faultless so maybe yours was on a bad batch, who knows🤔. I've not had to adjust the suspension which seems fine for my 12 stones weight. Being used to riding old Brit iron gear indicators are a bit of a novelty to me. I'm finding the bike a most pleasing ride to the extent I've hardly ridden my T100 Bonneville since I bought it! And yes, the Triumph Bonneville suspension does leave alot to be desired. Keep up the good work Sir! Thank you 😊
thought id chime in here! I have the chrome and my paint work is lovely :) I actually had issues with the way RE had packaged the bike. My dealer showed me where they had wrapped it and it had left tape marks. Luckily, the lad I was working with at the dealership showed me how to clean it up. The linework on the rear mudguard has one slight nick. but the rest of the bike is sublime.
I noticed when I was tearing my bike apart to do upgrading mods there were some issues with my paint as well but they were non-exposed areas like under the covers of the pilot light I noticed this when I took the plate off to replace the incandescent bulbs with LED's... so I just took a little automotive paint I had sitting around and blended the paint chipped areas.
Make the warranty trip and video the experience for us :D
I have been considering trading my 2011 B5 on a Classic 350 - shocks you can replace, I am not buying a chrome, and I agree on the dash comments. There are two other issues that have me concerned, power for overtaking at highway speeds and climbing hills is one concern, the other is a lack of lower seat options.
fair observations to make .... Thanks....I loved the way you pointed towards aesthetical-lackings which do hit me now though , over-all, I honestly love the bike and am going for it soon !!! Have been on Bullets and other models of RE since last 45yrs ....inherited family passion for motorcycling in and around our Lower Himalayan town !!!
Once again good honest opinions from you. I have noticed similar problems on my chrome bronze along with other issues such as poor finish on some of the frame components. if you look closely at the foot peg mounts you will see that they have not finished the paint correctly on the underneath of the welded sections. Have also noticed some poor finishing on other parts of the frame. Also the paint applied at the exhaust on to the header looks like its been applied by a child.
Interesting take, Stu: From photos and video clips (yours included), I get a whiff of "cheap" from the looks of the brightwork on the Classic's instrument panel, and thought they might do with less chrome if looked as mediocre in-person (or worse) as what I'm seeing from afar. And, yeah, adjusting shock preload on that thing looks as hard as I find it on my Vespa GTS: doable, but potentially knuckle-busting.
Next up? I vote for "A" since whatever you're likely to dig up on the new Honda 350 likely won't satisfy what curiosity I have bout it; better to hear about the add-ons for the RE, and how you like 'em (or not).
Interesting review. Looked at both Classic & Meteor last week & have a test ride booked for this weekend on both . Can’t yet decide which to go for.Given your big gripe on the dash area as a whole surprised you bought the bike as surely you’d have spotted this at test ride stage.
Didn't buy it for me! viewers voted which bike to showcase on the channel this year!
Good information! I almost always plan on upgrading the suspension and seat on my bikes since they are designed to be "adequate"...Even bikes costing 20k, I have found that quality aftermarket parts were well worth the money!!!! Same with seats. An uncormfortable seat is a pain. All my stock seats were again challenged and really only good for an hour before a break. All my aftermarket seats WITH SADDLE GEL are amazing and butt pain is not an issue. Again, well worth the money. So plan on making any new bike Yours, by tweeking it a bit and enjoy. Ride safe.
Thank goodness the issue of adjusting the rear shocks has been raised.Wasted 3 hours yesterday trying to adjust mine, in the end resorted to pump pliers which achieved the desired outcome in about 10 seconds at the risk of some marks on the black paint at the bottom. Otherwise apart from being on my second speedometer which has just failed, I was apparently travelling at over 100 mph up the A5 on Wednesday, I love the bike, it only takes 5 minutes riding to restore sanity to the world!
Still running in my 350 chrome bronze -700 miles done .Speedo needle started giving problems from 150 miles -its sometimes all over the place ,sticking at 80 ,90,100mph etc and i'm now running the engine in at max 50mph _ very annoying and more than just a niggle . It may be a heat problem - other owners have same thing happening - have informed the dealer - under warranty etc .
Had to agree with your comments on chrome finish on plastic parts and trying to adjust rear shocks also depending on thickness of boots changing gear as i have yet to ride in sandals. Paint work on my Halcyon Black model is fine so far, going to motorcycle events in my area Ipswich,Suffolk have only had good comments on the bike .165 pleasant miles up still running in trying to find more time to put a few more miles on But as a committee member of the Copdock Classic Motorcycle club our show is only 3.5 weeks away so pretty busy at the moment.
Uncle Stu is grumpy again. Thanks for endorsing the old 500 classic and explaining how you have come to cherish that bike. Bought one of the last batch available for myself and now also become a devoted fan. Checked out the new 350 classic and got to say was disappointed and delighted. General inspection revealed details less pleasing as you have hi lighted. A styling decline for my eyes as well. Was not game to go for a fang! My mate said wow it’s a delight! Next years production bikes will rectify your concerns, RE is on a roll! 👍
I really like your videos Stuart, they are very detailed. Also, you sound a lot like Uncle Colm from Derry Girls, which makes your videos all the more pleasant! :)
Great video !it is a shame about the paint errors, I hope they correct the process for later models.
Hello from the USA. I love your channel. I have 100 miles on my new 350 reborn and have serious reservations about my experience so far. The expectations vs reality are all over the board but lean towards negative experiences with the dealers and lack of dealers. Poor factory communications, A tendency to send any and all enquiries back to the US for answers or parts which is a joke. "None" of the dealers are full Royal Enfield dealers and only pay a token interest past taking orders for sales and making ridiculous demands for service charges. In the US the service department is the major income source bike shops. They don't stock many parts and just order most things. What I am really interested in is doing my own service but can't get hold of service manual. What they have online is a service schedule and expectation that the customer will simply go to dealer for service. That undercuts the whole old-school DIY aspect. Plus it's an inexpensive bike with very expensive service. We in America are being reamed by exorbitant service/parts dealers (except on ebay if you know exactly what you need) and Royal Enfield is empowering them. Additionally there are only three outlets in Ohio which ha a population of 12,000,000 selling them. Neighboring Indiana has no dralers.
PLUS the seat sucks.
Great Video and although I haven’t got the latest 350 I’ve seen it and looks well, can’t comment on the issues apart from the LED display , first thing I noticed not great 😌
I had the Classic 500 brand new and yes looks better when you look down and very similar to my original 1954 bullet which I prefer
But heh all very goods points made
Thanks for taking the time there in Yorkshire around the Hull area 👍👍👍
I think most of these points are quite valid. Having not ridden one of these bikes I will have to take your word on the need for a gear indicator, it's not something I have ever had on any bike I have owned, I just had to get into the habit of kicking down as many times as it would go every time I came to a stop. Where the dash is concerned, I can see your point. It is the part of the bike that you will be referring to fairly often on your rides and having that look good can make a difference. I believe that the biggest issue with this dash is the LCD screen. If they had put a small fuel guage that was more in keeping with the bikes style it would have been a lot less jarring. Personally, if it was an option I would have a circular speed guage in the middle with a more standard fuel guage/trip counter where the badge is and maybe left a fitting to allow the addition of a sat nav below the fuel guage. I would also prefer metals on the guages, plastics I can understand on indicator stalks but this is the dash that you will be looking at and using every time you ride the bike.
Your valid points are all well taken and indeed "niggles" all. Yet there's ALWAYS room for improvement. Still, I think the Classic and other new J-Engine rides are fairly spiffy already as-is for the money. I already have one of their old singles to scratch that "primitivo itch", so if I were to opt for another of their bikes it would likely be a gently-used one of their 650 Interceptor twins. Yet a nice Classic 350 wouldn't disappoint me either. My hunch is they'd be a great affordable "first bike" or "return-to-riding scoot" that folks might like to just hold onto and never bother trading up from.
Hi Stu, thanks for the great videos and reviews. They resulted in my buying a red/chrome 350 and I love it. I have learned a lot from your videos. Like yours, I have some paint masking along the pin striping.
Do you have ideas on how this might be removed short of a warranty claim? I got a little off with wax and waiting for it to soften some but I do not want to hurt the gold pinstripes. Advice from an expert would be appreciated. Thank you.😀
Agree on the instruments and it’s the part of the bike always in your vision, perhaps motone to the rescue?
Hi Stuart, I so love your videos, I like your honesty and to the point reviews with some good humour thrown in. I shall stick to my classic 500 . Off to polish it now 😊
what model 500 have you got ?
@@ChancellorBeeHaw hi Rhys , I have a classic 500 chrome , the same as Stuart's bike . I have had it for 5 years now . Great bike .
@@johnstenning3062 Hi John, you’ve got an absolutely lovely bike. How many kilometers/miles have you done on it?
A second choice would be Benelli imperiale 400 👍
Hi Stuart,
I totally agree re the gear indicator, a silly omission. Just like you, I am often unsure whether I am in fourth or fifth gear ( since the difference in the two ratios is not massive ) and I also find myself trying to change up when I'm already in top gear. It's annoying. It would be nice to be able to look down and make sure that I am in fifth gear already and not wasting fuel in fourth.
Are you sure that the mudguard stripes are actually paint ? I've been looking ( and feeling ) mine and I get the feeling that the entire strip ( so the red, the gold and the brandname ) is a decal.
I realise that you are a paint expert, so if you are convinced that it is paint, then I will take that as gospel. But on my bike I really have the suspicion that these mudguard stripes are a lacquered decal. It would be good to know the score because I've heard of a few owners who would prefer to remove the mudguard stripes because they are a bit OTT. I tend to agree. I think the mudguards would look smarter without the stripe, just in naked chrome.
Sorry to hear about your paint problems, I don't think my bike has any but then again, I am not too precious about these things. If I were I wouldn't ride for fear of getting the bike dirty 😂
An interesting selection of gripes to choose for this video. I probably have a few others of my own and might get around to making that video some day.
Cheers Stuart,
ER.
On some bikes u can adjust the preload without the c spanner simply by gripping the coil spring firmly with 2 hands and twisting in the desired direction.
In terms of pure transport my halcyon black is just about ideal. I ditched the standard shocks for adjustable Hagon items that have their own c spanner and relatively easy to adjust; Night and Day difference in terms of handling and comfort.
I too am an ex pro- vehicle painter(30 years) and I honestly can’t fault the finish on my chrome/ bronze , I’m guessing you got the Indian equivalent of a Friday afternoon job ? Hopefully , you’ve highlighted the issue enough for RE to get it rectified ps I live in Austria so maybe the QC at the importers here sorted the masking tape issue , great work with the videos , keep it up
Trying to click up for another gear is better cured by putting a bigger front sprocket on it. Havent ridden one yet but I found the 2020 350 way undergeared ... so when I bought it I bought a front sprocket 2 teeth up ... then went even 1 more to 19t. Way better geared now.
Spot on, Stuart. Same opinion here...as much as I am content with my classic reborn, I must not be delusional to not notice or be bothered about the issues it gives. And none of these are deal breakers for me either
Agree with the paint and chrome issues in other shades... I guess my choice of Halcyon grey (kind of a baby blue) worked. I am oblivious to much of the painting issues in this light shade and I have over time started to love it more.
That rear suspension stiffness is fine, I wish the seat was a bit lower towards the front. (Need some ballroom to be specific)
The instrument cluster redone is a big disaster. Its incredibly ugly with that cheap chrome, and the worthless fuel indicator that's never right. And then the lack of gear indicators...I get into false neutrals many times and confuses. RE knew classics would sell in spite of a gear indicator being absent
The next is the mediocre design of the rear tail light, compared to other 350cc offerings competing. Benelli again has gone a good job here, and so has honda.
I miss a tachometer in the place of that silly logo. A tiny 48mm dial like the one that MMB Germany makes that perfectly fits in there Even Benelli Imperielle 400, managed to give a beautiful tacho and a more good looking fuel guage.
The stock mirrors are useless, and neither good looking It's sad, that they didn't get even this right.
That's all that bothered. I also wish the second gear was a wee bit taller, but I am not sure if it will feel better after the run in is over. The exhaust note was OK for me untill I heard Hunter's.
And another point - the paint on all three of ours (all different) are spotless and fantastic! One is chrome/bronze, one Halcyon Grey, one Halcyon Green. Must have been a bad day or early built one you got?
I agree it’s not perfect but I really love my chrome red 350 so far. I use it more or less as a scooter around the city since it’s not really fast enough for Midwestern roads but around town it’s great. Your videos make me miss riding in the UK for sure
Hi Stuart matey 👍 it's mark from the Wirral Merseyside 👍👍 and I've subscribed to your CZcams channel about a week ago or bit longer. I totally agree with you about the paint work on the royal Enfield classic 350 it does look abit shabby the masking tape lines and looks like finger prints or water marks between the colour and the lacquer finish so that definitely needs to be put right....
And the dashboard don't think it's a good choice to use plastic chrome finish it would of been better to use polish aluminium instead so i totally agree with that one aswell 👍👍 and maybe redesign the rack on the back of the royal Enfield classic 350 so you can adjust the rear springs....
But overall the royal Enfield classic 350 is still a good motorcycle for the price of it 👍👍👍👍....
Royal Enfield definitely need to get the paint work upto a better standard on all of the lower 350cc models so all of the paint work is all the same through out the whole royal Enfield motorcycles range and sort out the rear luggage rack so you can adjust the rear springs on the back of the motorcycle and to use polish aluminium on all royal Enfield dashboards.... Stop using plastic chrome finish on the dashboards on the royal Enfield motorcycles because it does look cheap looking....
So Stuart matey 👍👍 i totally agree with you on those three things that I've just mentioned about Paint work, luggage rack and chrome finish around the clocks on the dashboard...
But the royal Enfield motorcycles are definitely a great motorcycles for the price because I'm going to get a royal Enfield interceptor 650 next year 👍👍👍.
Anyway Stuart matey 👍 great CZcams video saying about the things that you are not over keen on and I've subscribed to your CZcams channel about two weeks ago or so 👍👍 and i really enjoyed watching them aswell 👍👍👍 thanks from mark from the Wirral Merseyside 👍👍 and there is a royal Enfield dealers not far from where i live on the Wirral Merseyside 👍👍 thanks from mark 👍👍👍 cannot wait for the next CZcams video this Friday 12th August 👍👍👍
One thing you haven't picked up on yet Stu is the waxy gooey substance Enfield coat the relay terminals and innards with.
This leads to electrical faults and electronic degrease spray needing to be used or relays fron European country's being used to replace originals.
To be fair to Enfield however I recently replaced an indicator stalk on a Toyota Aygo car which suffers the same common grease issue.
@@dannyfrumenzi9817
Hi Danny.
Yes it breaks down and causes parasitic draw on the battery and people keep buying new ones when the original one was perfectly good.
@@dannyfrumenzi9817
Hi again.
I see Stu is monitoring this subject.
In most cases the potential problems may arise a few years up the road as the petroleum jelly or what ever it is begins to break down and turn to a watery liquid.
It will at that stage short the terminals at the component it's supposed to protect.
I've just prised open my daughters old Aygo indicator stalk and it's got the goo hidden inside and burnt out all copper covered metal parts.
Bear in mind this fault occurs in every Aygo and two other makes using a common platform and replacements are and have been a lucrative earner for some company.
Along with no doubt thousands of others world wide I examined every fuse in the car to no avail in finding the cause of her flat batterys.
Then I spotted the indicator not working to signal left.
Rather than tinker with it I purchased a new one off ebay for £17 and hey presto after installing it no issues and a multi meter confirmed it.
Use WD40 Danny and soak your relays a few times until the jelly dissolves and as you say you will always have serviceable spares.
Regards Jim.
I’m off to dip my toe in the Enfield pond this morning with a test ride on the 350, looking forward to ownership.
I’m struggling to find the pole but will vote for Friday vid, can I request choice one, the accessories here?
You mention tackling the masking lines left by the painters, is there a video of yours detailing the rectification method ?
Thanks Stuart, look forwards to your entertaining vids on Weds and Fridays.
Another good vid Uncle Stu.
The paintwork is certainly a major stumble in the RE advancement curve. Shame.
I think as the Meteor has a gear indicator so should the 350 Classic. I had to fit an additional DGI device to the RE 650 as with flexible engines it is easy to be in fifth thinking you're in sixth or 'hooking' for another gear while in sixth!
Your info is always welcome watching. Thanks.
Looks to me that a simple solution to the shock adjustment would be to redesign the c spanner by having it bend downwards at the handle. Could possibly be done at home with a hammer and anvil.
After over 1000 klm's with ours,my only niggles are yes the rear units but at the price you can't have Ohlins so maybe some Hagon's or YSS units in the future.Preload isn't a problem as being a Bike mechanic I have really high quality shock spanners,the forks are under damped so an oil change to a heavier grade some time soon.The other thing and I having ridden a 650 came to the same conclusion,they are under geared.I have noticed Hichcocks already list 16/40 sprockets so again when needed they will be fitted,other than that for the money it's a very good little bike.As far as finish I've worked on bikes costing 4 times what this does and the finish on some is dreadful and will unless a garage queen die in very quick time.Generally we are chuffed to bits with our little Enfield,so much so that when the 650 classic arrives my money will be on one instantly.
Hello Stu, Have you seen that Royal Enfield unveiled their new "Hunter 350" models, there are three models of the "Hunter 350". The budget priced "Hunter 350 Retro" and two versions of the "Hunter 350 Metro", the "Dapper" and the "Rebel". The "Retro" is the cheapest 350 model that Royal Enfield is offering, the main differences between this model and the "Metro" is the "Retro" has wire spoked wheels and narrower tubed tyres, it also has a drum rear brake whereas the "Metro" has disc brakes front and rear and cast alloy wheels and wider tubeless tyres. The passenger grab rail also differs, the "Retro" has a basic tubular loop grab rail behind the seat, the "Metro" has a pair of sleeker and modern looking grab handles on either side of the seat. The Metro Rebel has bolder tank graphics than the Metro Dapper. The new models are lighter than the "Meteor 350" and the "Classic 350", all three of the "Hunter 350" models will also cheaper to buy than the "Meteor 350" which was up until now the cheapest 350 offering from Royal Enfield.
I wish my Interceptor had a gear position indicator. All it would have taken was a small LCD window in the tacho similar to that in the speedo. Even with the extra tooth on the front sprocket I sometimes find myself looking for 7th...
I quite like the dash, Ive had no issue with the shocks or paint, I have the halcyon black one. Maybe Im easy to please, agree about the gear indicator though. Great bike for the money. I'd take the bike back re your paint issue, give them the chance to sort it.
I have a Halcyon Green Classic and it's about 11 months old and I so agree with your points about the tacky LCD and lack of gear indicator. I am also not very sure about the fuel indicator functionality here... It keeps on skipping a bar here and there... sometimes it'll start with 4 bars and drop to 3 bars after few minutes... and then it'll be at 4 bars again the next time i start it... So i just rely on the km readings and top up accordingly. I don't know if this problem is specific to just my Classic or is anyone else also facing this.
It’s common the fuel indicator is not accurate
Same with the Meteor.
Probably the worst fuel gauge on a motorbike I've had bars change up and down all the time.
I use the trip and the old fashioned way open the fuel tank and shake from side to side and have a look.
The Classic 350 just recently arrived in my country. I have gone to a motor show with and something similar on the paint quality, I've actually noticed a finger print under the tank not oil marks the finger print was under the clear coat. I don't know if it's similar to yours but I've doing a search if it's the case for other owners..
Very informative, pity about paint work and chrome plastics. Nice looking bike tho. Glad I'm not the only persistent top gear searcher.
Regarding the rear suspension preload, would it be possible to put a very slight crank in the right place on the spanner so it just clears the mudguard bracket, good video, and nice to see you riding around Hull and area.
The paintwork would not be acceptable to me and I would have to take it back to the dealer, no matter what the distance.
The dash area design does looks very poor and all the plastic chrome makes it look even worse. I do like the look of these bikes but what a shame they didn't go that extra mile on the items mentioned.👍
These bikes are very popular. Room for the aftermarket to sell higher quality items perhaps? I hope so.
I agree that there are issues. My top 5 issues: Shock adjustment is awkward but nowt compared with my Tiger XRX 800. Gear change - impossible to adjust on the spline without dropping part of the main frame; Yes the RE fuel gauges are a little frustrating but I’ve always relied on the trip meter from my earliest days, Running-in speed is tiresome, and………face ache from smiling.
Nice Vid Stu. Would you please tell me is the Fill Cap plastic or chrome on the Classic and Meteor? Thank you Sir and Cheers from Salem, Ohio US.
plated aluminium I believe!
Like you I was in accident repair for over 30 years ( Paint Sprayer ) I can honestly say that to pass QC and miss the flaws in the paintwork 3x minimum is not acceptable, seems nothing more that casting a lazy eye was taken on all occasions, I know that every bike should have a proper PDI before the customer collects but to hand over the keys 'to you sir' especially beggars the question what would a normal Joe get as for final QC inspection. The other stuff is false money-saving middle management nonsense.
This just makes me want to find an old classic 500!
Honestly, I've ridden all the bikes from the RE stable and honestly, given the 650 suspension (specially the front one) this is the most sophisticated of the lot. Also, I own the 350 reborn, marsh grey edition, the matte is day-by-day becoming more and more reflective and that's the only thing I hate about it. Other than that, it's a lovely ride.
my son sent me a link to a cleaner that is mad for sation finish, like my gunmeatal grey classic, for just that exact reason
I was waiting for you to say adjusting the rear shock was a twat knacker
As to the top gear issue... When in top gear, is it possible to move the shifter upwards when the bike is in top gear? Some bikes I've ridden, mainly Hondas, allow free lever movement upwards when in top gear. By applying gentle upward pressure on the lever, one can tell if top gear has already been selected. If there is resistance, there's at least one more gear to go.
No not on this one, can on the 500 though!
So, will you be swapping this for the new Hunter later this year? After a test ride of course.
For the record the visible lacquer lines are present on my Red Chrome Classic purchased in the USA. Seems like a systemic problem. Looking forward to your video how to fix this. With the volume of bikes out there Motone needs to develop custom dash parts. Yes, RE, please upgrade and add a gear indicator. I hope to add a tach in the space where the RE logo resides.
Love your channel. Right, I’ll keep it brief. Been looking at the Classic 350 for some time now. I had a test ride on a Bullet 350 a few days ago (no Classic 350 demo model currently available at my local dealer) and ….wow! It was great. It doesn’t care what gear it is in. that torque is marvellous. Bear in mind I’m currently riding a 250 cc 2 stroke! Prefer the looks of the Classic 350, so waiting for one to become available. Here’s the gripe : I love the Halcyon green and black but don’t like the brown seat. And you can’t get a standard black seat anywhere! Touring seat looks great but likely too firm for me in all likelihood. So that’s the thing I hate.
I like your honesty about the misuse of the 'h' word to your benefit, more of that needed in the world 👍🏻
Oh I didn't realize that you did paintwork. If you see this do you think the chrome finish will hold up? I've been wanting to give it a try on the next bike but I live in a very humid part of America and I can't seem to find any reviews on the durability of the chrome finish.
It will be fine if you keep it waxed. Chrome is more resilient than paint.
@@stuartfillingham oh good, thank you.
I was planning on picking up a Scram for a winter project but R.E. USA seems to keep moving the arrival back so I've been thinking of buildings Continental GT (the "Mr Clean" chrome versions) for this winter but I was a little scared off because I remember how bad the chrome on cars rusted in the seventies. Of course that could have just been because of the poor belt quality of American cars at that point in history. Anyway, thank you very much.
How come the 350 bullet in other countries get your carburetor and a Kickstarter especially their home Market ones?
Hello Stuart, it seems that paint is a bit of an Achilles heel for RE. From a distance the paint on my Interceptor looks lovely, it's only when you look closely at the petrol tank, that you can see the Orange peel effect. I'm toying with the idea of getting a 350 classic, so worth knowing as much about these bikes as possible. Mind you the whole of the RE Range of bikes look pretty good.
Just got the same colour bike 2 weeks ago.
Found a chrome solo rack that bolts on the rear saddle mount and rear shock top bolts.
But I can understand why you want a snug to fender rack.
Great video, Stu! Regarding the poll, my tablet does not allow me to access it at all! Something about the device not being able to access community posts.
Stu, the only reason I could think that a gear indicator isn't included is because the display is too small; if RE had put it in there, it might have been hard to read. Secondly, I think that the little, rectangular LCD is better than putting it in the middle of the speedo like they did with the Meteor. Thirdly, I agree about the fender, er mudguard, brace. RE is usually good about being thoughtful about design, maintenance, etc.; they blew it here. Finally, that paint work is bad; they should be ASHAMED of themselves! I don't know why the photos don't suffice. I hope that they'll get you a new tank, as you deserve one. Those are my thoughts...
Hi Stuart regarding suspension adjustment , i thought it was me been clumsy had several goes and gave up !
No its not You!
I’d be pulling out that dashboard trim and trying to colour match it to the headlight cowl with a rattle can
Hi Uncle Stu... that was quite interesting, as I haven't seen a 350 in person yet. one tends to be suspicious when buying an indian (or, if so inclined, chinese) bike. so I was very pleased with my 500 Classic. that's done quite well, in a practical, workmanlike fashion. I certainly wouldn't appreciate that paint issue, or that plastic stuff, even though that's probably industry standard by now (wouldn't know, as I don't collect modern bikes ;) ) well... the rest is, as you said, minor, esp that gear indicator.... said Gen Yeager regarding an "angle of attack" indicator in a F15 "if you need one of those, you shouldn't be flying..." similar thoughts on that gear indicator. routinely checking for top gear isn't an issue and the intermediate gears- one should know if it's right or not.
Brilliant video as always Stuart and I agree totally, its little things that let down Enfields 🙂👍🏻
Very interested on your thoughts regarding the new Hunter 350 and how you think might work within the Royal Enfield Range
This is really useful as a list of negatives for someone who wants one of these bikes. None of these are a problem for me so if this is the worst it might throw at me then it looks like a very very good bike indeed.
I have a interceptor chrome and red and I only nocited that the red paint near the was dull or marked but never went back to the dealer and my next question is sparten still the code for motone custom I need two bike covers cheers
1eyedmattressmamba
@@stuartfillingham thank you so much
Not to change the subject , but I'm really surprised after all the publicity RE has generated in the past few years of bang for the buck has become questionable or somewhat off-putting. I've noticed that many large corporations have also started cutting corners in product volumes while prices have increased here in the states basically overnight. Are we as a country spiraling slowly into another recession and not being informed of these quietly imposed outcomes? Thanks again, Stu for keen eyes and standing firm in truth.
Stu, I have just watched video and the beginning shows your usual view between the bars. I have rr run that portion a couple of times and your handlebars don't look as though their straight! The left side looks lower. Worth checking?. Cheers Richard
camera angle!
@@stuartfillingham AHH ok mate, safe riding.👍
Even to my untrained eye, that paintwork is a shocker! I would hope they'll sort it for you...
Here's my two penn'oth. The rear shocks are stiff, even on the softest setting. Bumpy corners have seen me leave the seat quite often, and occasionally the pegs as well.
The gear lever is in the wrong position from the factory, something I don't recall on any other bike. It needs a couple of splines adjustment.
The clutch is stiff and the lever too far away. This could be my regal hands, but smaller levers are first on the shopping list.
The bike is heavy, for a 350. It needs a solid lift and a flat surface to safely get the bike on the centre stand.
The 350 does need a gear indicator, as you suggest. Never saw the reason for one previously, however low down torque in the middle gears, and lack of a rev counter disguises the need to change up, or down.
All that said, the 350 Classic is a back road bimbler/scratcher par excellence.
67%? That's two short. I'm disappointed in us, boys.
An oil temp gauge is available aftermarket for the RE badge plug on the right, which is the most useful gauge I'd want for that spot.
The LCD display looks not nice to my eyes either. Using the blanked out 'Tripper space' would have been a far better option in my opinion. In the Classic 500 they repurposed the amp meter space here also, so hardly a taboo.... The paint finish on my Battle Green '21 plate Classic 500 is nothing short of astonishing. About as near perfect as you can get to be honest. Flawless. Maybe they went the extra mile with paint quality control on the final bikes, I don't know. The situation with the side panel of your 500 could well have happened at the dealership perhaps...
I too would be disappointed with the finish on your 350. A little extra care would cost very little, especially with regard to the premium chrome versions. As you say, once you see things, you can't unsee them and they niggle away at you...
I agree I try to click up into 5th when I'm not counting gears and no more gears... I was already in 5th.
1; Tape the tool? 2. consider the times and labor situation. 3. Agree- my 06 800cc Vulcan Drifter shifts are sometimes (best guess). Plastic, just say "NO TANKs" I have two 67 Mercury Cougars and a 68 Merc. Montego MX. Late 67-68 was a strike year an models seem be shorted some sound deadeners do to parts suppliers at that time. Interesting times we liv-in.
Uncle Stu,
I came very close to getting the new 350 myself in the Halcyon Grey colour. However , I too couldn't get my head around the following bits. And I held back my money.
1. Tacky chrome plastics of the speedo and RE badge.
2. Removing the big shiny chrome hex bolt with the ugly lcd.
3. I couldn't understand the gearshifts , and missed the gear position indicator sorely.
4. Most of all I missed the simple solid paint of the older bikes. The reborn 350 with the stickers and bad clear coat was too much.
I will wait for a better bike, till then I will kick myself for not getting the previous gen 500.
OK - you did find 5 things, but as you say "niggles" 🙂 Great video as usual, thanks Stu
sounds like knit picking apart from the paintwork. i have a 8 month old meteor and am delighted with it.
This isn't a meteor though is it! Did express these are just my opinions, did you miss that bit?
how do you find it in use without the tachometer? Very confusing for me personally not to see revs.
I listen to the engine
Till The Interceptor it was this Bullet and classics were the only focus for RE everywhere, but now they are looking ahead with modern bike product line up and NOT looking back 🙂