One of India’s most iconic motorcycles, the Royal Enfield Bullet, has undergone a thorough makeover in 2023. Royal Enfield has launched the newest iteration of the motorcycle, carrying a starting price of Rs 1.74 lakh. There are five colours on option – the range starts with the Military Red and Black options (Rs 1.74 lakh), rising to Rs 1.97 lakh for the Standard Maroon and Black options, and tops out with the Black Gold, priced at Rs 2.16 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Sales and test rides of the new Bullet will begin in India on September 3. The brand plans to launch the bike in the UK by the next quarter, and will also subsequently roll it out in Asia-Pacific and American markets.

The motorcycle is now built around Royal Enfield’s modern J-platform featuring the brand’s latest chassis and 350cc powertrain that was first introduced in the Meteor 350, followed by the Classic and the Hunter 350. While the underpinnings are all-new, the design of the Bullet 350 remains largely the same, maintaining the classic elements that are appreciated by motorcyclists worldwide. The motorcycle continues to feature pinstriping on the fuel tank and side panels as it did when it was first introduced. The bike retains the old-style badging on either side of the fuel tank, the ribbed saddle and the Amp meter as a part of the instrumentation.

The new Bullet 350, at 195 kg, is about four kilogrammes heavier than the electric-start version of the outgoing model. Ground clearance is rated at 170 mm, while seat height is 805 mm. Fuel tank capacity is pegged at 13 litres.

Powering the Bullet 350 is the J-series powertrain that displaces 349cc, is a single-pot, SOHC unit that is capable of producing 20.2 bhp of max power at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The motor comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The mill has earned itself the reputation of delivering smooth, efficient and torquey performance while retaining the character of the previous engines manufactured by the company.

Coming to the cycle parts, the new Bullet 350 now built around a double-cradle chassis, is suspended by a 41mm telescopic fork setup at the front and a twin-shock absorber setup at the rear. As all Bullets that have rolled out of the factory, this one too continues to ride on wire-spoke wheels (19-inch front, 18-inch rear) with a 100/90-section front tyre and 120/80-section rear tyre.

There's a disc-drum setup for braking (with single-channel ABS) on the entry-level Military Red and Black. The Standard Maroon and Black variants, as well as the top-spec Black Gold get disc brakes at both ends (300mm front; 270 mm rear) and are equipped with dual-channel ABS.

Bookings for the new Bullet 350 have commenced and the motorcycle will be available across all authorised dealerships in India shortly. On the competition front, the Bullet 350 doesn’t have any direct competitor in its class apart from its own 350 siblings within the Royal Enfield family. On the displacement front, however, the motorcycle rivals the Honda H'ness CB350 and the Yezdi Roadster.