India's Best Neo Classic Motorcycle

When the Royal Enfield Classic 500 was launched in the beginning of last year, it really took the Indian motorcycle industry by storm. Here was an absolutely as-cool-as-ice retro looking bike armed with the most advanced engine the little Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer had ever produced. The 500cc air-cooled push-rod driven single cylinder mill features all-aluminium construction and a digital fuel injection system, the first on any Royal Enfield bike. So as expected, the output of this engine is quite phenomenal - 27 PS  of power and a whopping 41.4 Nm of torque - the highest in any Indian-made bike. What this gives the Classic 500 is incredible straight line performance and even more unbelievable in-gear roll-on acceleration. This new Unit Construction Engine (UCE) is also by far the most reliable engine RE has made in India. But more than the brutal performance, the Classic 500 is more about making a statement as you thump along on the road.

It is uncanny, the number of people on the streets, even those in extremely expensive cars, turn their heads to catch a glimpse of the Classic 500 has chugs by. The styling, and there is no better way to explain this, is drop dead gorgeous. The single seat design, the beautiful, yet simplistic, paint schemes give this machine a retro charm that is absolutely universal, appealing equally to women and men, young and old. On the flip-side though, there is the sky-high price - almost a lakh and a half on-road. And as if that weren't enough, the incredibly long waiting period is enough to put of a lot of folks. But surprisingly, that doesn't seem to have stopped any of its potential buyers from putting their money down and getting in queue for what is certainly one of the coolest looking and most fun to ride motorcycles made in India today.

Quick Facts

Engine: Single cylinder, fuel injected

Displacement: 499cc

Power: 27.6PS @ 5,250rpm

Torque: 41.3Nm @ 4,000rpm

Transmission: 5-speed

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 1370mm

LxWxH: 2130 x 800 x 1050mm

Weight: 187kg

Performance

0-60 km/h: 3.98seconds

Top speed: 124.64km/h

Fuel efficiency (overall): 40.78 kmpl

Variants

Royal Enfield Classic 500 EFI: ` 1,24,000 (ex-showroom Delhi)

Cheers:

1. Fantastic styling which is just dripping with old world charm

2. Great throttle response and performance from the 500cc engine thanks to modern electronic fuel injection

Sneers:

1. Its extremely high on road price tag of almost 1.5 lakh Rupees doesn’t feel completely justified

2. Mind-numbingly long waiting period to get one could seriously put off some buyers

1st Runner Up

Electra 350 TwinSpark

The Electra features styling cues from the ‘standard’ Bullet and adds its own unique style with slightly simplistic paint schemes and features.  The chrome bits and the single-tone paint job look brilliant. The engine is the same 350cc UCE found on all other Royal Enfield bikes except the Classic 500. This reliable new engine is complemented by optional front disc brake as well as gas filled shock absorbers at the rear, which go a long way in ensuring comfortable ride quality.

Other Rivals

Classic 350

The Classic 350 is the smaller sibling of the Classic 500 EFI. Externally there is no difference between the two, though their hearts are quite different. Powering this bike is the 350cc twinspark UC Engine which first came on the new Thunderbird. But unlike the 500 which runs electronic fuel injection, the fuel system on the 350 uses a CV carburetor. If you are ok with sacrificing the performance of the 500, this 350 offers the same beautiful retro styling.

Bullet 350 UCE

The age-old Bullet 350, also known as the Standard, has finally been upgraded with the 350cc UCE engine which does duties in the rest of the Royal Enfield range. The only real downside to this bike is its antiquated suspension and drum brakes at both ends. Other than that, aficionados of the old ‘Standard’ will find much to like with this bike as nary a thing has been changed apart from the engine. Don’t expect the renowned ‘thump’ of the old cast iron engine though.