Evolution Of The Classic Range: Royal Enfield’s Greatest Hit

In 2025, Royal Enfield stands as one of the most successful two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. It is known for making retro motorcycles that not only carry the brand's heritage value but also bind the owner emotionally with its characterful dynamics. Ever since the Bullet was introduced back in 1932, Royal Enfield has enjoyed an ever-growing cult following from all around the world. It's one of the longest-running production motorcycles, but back in the early 2000s, the brand faced tough competition from established Japanese manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki. 

Introduction of the Classic 500

In the 2000s, Siddhartha Lal joined the Eicher group as CEO of Royal Enfield. At the time, the brand was on the verge of bankruptcy. Despite enjoying a cult following worldwide, Royal Enfield was struggling to improve its sales figures. The Bullet 350, which had been on sale since the late 1950s, looked obsolete compared to more performance-oriented and technologically advanced motorcycles, especially several Japanese ones that were a lot more affordable as well. Sure, under the guidance of its new CEO, Royal Enfield introduced quite a few interesting models including the Electra 500 with the first 5-speed gearbox since 1965 and the Thunderbird 350 with the AVL motor. But none of these motorcycles were good enough to revive the brand from a disastrous downfall. But then, in 2009 the all-new Classic 350 and the Classic 500 were launched - two entirely new motorcycles.

The major talking point was the introduction of the new UCE model engine, which was more modern, reliable, powerful, and refined than the old cast-iron motor. The 499cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine in the Classic 500 produced 27PS and an impressive 41.3Nm. A notable aspect of the riding experience was the torque rush that was unmatched in its segment. As for the Classic 350, its laidback dynamics, affordability and the heritage design were its greatest strengths. It wasn’t really a spec-sheet warrior but it more than made up with its characterful engine and the iconic thump. It was a bike that’s meant for leisurely appreciating the surroundings on a journey rather than the destination. Royal Enfield got the meditative riding experience right down to the T. It also looked like nothing else in the market, and these qualities helped it become an instant hit. Soon enough, month after month, year after year, the Classic 350 became the best-selling motorcycle from the brand, utterly dominating the 350cc segment.

Once A Classic, Always A Classic

Royal Enfield also capitalised the customers undying love for the Classic by building a community of like-minded enthusiasts, and organising rides. The brand knew exactly what makes a buyer go for the Classic, so it kept the mantra intact over the years to come. The bike was updated over the years with just the bare minimum, to tick off all the legalities - such as ABS, fuel-injection and emission norms. The only newsworthy change (in terms of features) Royal Enfield ever did was to replace the iconic Ammeter with the low fuel and engine check light in the BS6-compliant model.

Instead of meddling with the design or features, Royal Enfield played the marketing game rather tactfully. It introduced several new colour variants, some affordable, some exclusive. The underlying mantra for all the newer variants was the brand’s place in history. Royal Enfield capitalised its eventful history in ways that not only got Indians talking about the brand, but also learning a bit more about the brand’s legacy. We witnessed the launch of the Redditch editions (which still exists till date), Signals series (pays homage to the country’s armed forces), and in the Classic 500, the iconic Desert Storm, the Pegasus Edition (throwback to the World War 2 era), and Tribute Black Limited Edition to name a few. Of course, these two big and heavy motorcycles also got their own share of properly chromed-out finishes too.

Fading into irrelevance:

The tightening emission norms made it challenging for Royal Enfield to continue with the UCE platform, so the first motorcycle to get the axe was the Classic 500. Royal Enfield had to take the tough call for a reason - it had something even better as its replacement in its mind, and the brand was playing the long term game. The Classic 500 was finally discontinued in 2020 just before the BS6 emission norms kicked in. While the Classic 350 soldiered on amidst the pandemic, things were about to take a turn for the best for the baby Classic too.

Classic 350 Reborn

Pandemic or not, the Classic 350 had been performing exceptionally well in terms of sales figures, but it was long overdue for an update. In 2021, it finally received one and was rebranded as the Classic 350 ‘Reborn’. Although the design was kept intact (with only ever-so-slight revisions), the Reborn boasted an all-new chassis and a new J-series engine. The new motor proved revolutionary for the Classic 350, offering significantly smoother performance and impressive power delivery. In terms of specifications, the Reborn featured a 349cc single-cylinder, air-cooled motor producing 20PS and 27Nm. While the power figures were similar to its predecessor, the new motorcycle felt noticeably less stressed, thanks to the counterbalancer. Additionally, the Reborn addressed the poor braking performance that had plagued the older Classic 350 models too. Royal Enfield managed to capture the essence of the Classic 350 very well in its modern avatar.

Of course, the Classic’s fanfare also meant a thriving custom motorcycle scene. Royal Enfield took its own sweet time, but the wait was well worth it as it launched the Goan Classic 350 in November, 2024. It’s a funky bobber, and a true factory custom designed to encapsulate the fun-loving vibe of Goa. The motorcycle gets a smaller 16-inch rear wheel, white-walled tyres at both ends, a mini ape hanger handlebar, and some really creative shades as well. it’s also the only Classic motorcycle to get spoke wheels with tubeless tyres.

Classic 650

The 650 twin platform heralded a new age for Royal Enfield. It offered refinement and performance that were light years ahead, and the bikemaker wanted to make sure it gets everything right when it blesses the Classic with this heart. So it started things off with the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 twins in 2018, learnt from feedback, learnt the market even more as more motorcycles came into the scene. After witnessing five motorcycles featuring this 650cc motor, we finally saw the Classic 650 unveiled at EICMA 2024. Royal Enfield bestowed upon it the iconic look, and managed to make it extremely beautiful and appealing. Based on the popular Super Meteor and Shotgun platform, the Classic 650 also features the 650cc motor, making it the largest Classic series motorcycle to date. The Classic series finally gets a powerful motor it needed, which goes well with the overall character and heritage of this motorcycle.

Royal Enfield In 2025

Since the introduction of the Classic 500 and Classic 350, Royal Enfield has undergone significant evolution as a brand. Siddhartha Lal, the CEO, has been instrumental in driving this transformation, redefining the brand's direction. In 2021, B. Govindarajan took his place as CEO of Royal Enfield but the prime objective did not change. As for the Classic’s legacy, we expect Royal Enfield to later add new colour variants of the Classic 650 in the future, and some perhaps with alloy wheels or spoke wheels with tubeless tyres too, depending on the customer demand. Now with rumours of the 750cc powerplant doing rounds on the internet, we wouldn’t be surprised if Royal Enfield has something planned for the Classic as well. That’s a long way down in the future, but exciting nonetheless.