Redditch Classic 350
These are pictures of the Indian market Classic 350 from Royal Enfield with new paint and monogram inspired by 1950s bikes first produced in Redditch, England. We find these Classic models (including the Classic 500) achingly beautiful, and more true to the retro design ethos than just about anything else available today.
Royal Enfield will soon offer considerably more performance from the newly designed 750cc air-cooled twin. The first model will likely be named “Interceptor”. The new bike will not break any horsepower records (expect something similar to a Moto Guzzi 750, i.e., in the neighborhood of 50 horsepower), but will nevertheless offer the torque and street acceleration that will take it a big step up from the current Classic models.
More Redditch Classic 350 Colors
See more of MD’s great photography:
Whats maybe 40 hp ? Slow and will vibrate as all of these Royal Pieces of it do!!!!!
I have been enjoying the discussions here whenever I get to this site. Being an Indian, having ridden Indian-made Enfield Bullet long long time ago in India, and born with the motorcycle gene/bug, I am excited about the 750cc product on the horizon. At this juncture in my life, I have spent half & half of it in the US and India and have owned several motorcycles, mostly sport-touring including a ’00 ST2. My current ride is an ’03 ST1300. While we were back in India for several years about 8 years back, I visited a local Enfield store to check out their stable. I clearly remember the awe and disbelief in the salesman’s eyes when I asked him if Enfield had any plans to launch a larger displacement and possible twin-engine motorcycle! He looked dumbfounded and asked me why would I want that since it would drink more ‘petrol’. I simply answered, ‘for fun’. He looked more confused and commented that in his several decades of dealership, he had never ever encountered a crazy question like mine. I gave up on owning a motorcycle in India and settled for a Montague Hummer bicycle as a consolation award. This is a foldable mountain bike that I had purchased in DC during a trip and carried back as an oversized luggage. The news of Enfield 750cc flashed a series of memories including the unforgettable look on the salesman’s face. I am sure India has changed a lot since 2004 and motorcycle enthusiasts are getting a better opportunity to satisfy their thirst. BTW, this is a really civilized and sane site where people generally enjoy talking motorcycles with occasional disagreements. Sorry about the long post.. just got excited about this motorcycle!
Gorgeous bikes. The original British Enfield 750 was one of the bikes I lusted after in my youth. How about we wait to see what this remake is like before passing judgement or making comparisons. I’m hoping like most it’s a significant step up from previous models.
I’ve always wanted an RE. With a 750 coming soon I may need to take a look at them again.
Zuko from “Grease” said it best, “What a hunk of junk!”
Could they of built anything uglier? Bucket of bolts..
A reborn RE Interceptor with fuel injection sounds just like a Kawasaki W650/800 with less refinement, and outclassed by the new Bonnevilles and V7s. W series sold poorly in the States. I think RE has an uphill battle with regards to sales.
Talk of a possible new RE Interceptor takes me back to another bike from the era, The Laverda/American Eagle 750 – https://eglivincent.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/1967-laverda-750-sf.jpg
I always marveled how its cylinders and heads looked like they’d been lifted off of a Honda 250/300/305 of the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5o5yXf4atI
When I took a ride on a 500 what came to mind was I’m pretty sure a 1970 Honda Sport 90 I had would have smoked it.
Hyperbole, or truth? I rode many miles on Trail 90s and Super 90s, so my question is not just academic. (You meant the Super 90, right?)
🙂
Rode a rented new 500 thru Ladok, India two years ago. Among our group, only the tour leader suffered a failure on his personal bike. We beat the scrap out of them and they kept on ticking. Not enough power for US roads, tho.
I read a review of the original RE Interceptor in one of the British Vintage magazines. Even with their rose tinted goggles, they couldn’t find anything good to say about it, other than looks.
They were never as popular as Triumph, BSA and Norton, and arguably for good reason. That said, the introduction of a new Interceptor gives them the the perfect opportunity to do it better and salvage the reputation of the name. Triumph did it, and I think Mahindra will do it with BSA since they now own the brand.
Oh… Gee, should I get an Indian made motorcycle with cheap details and components with visible welds, unreliable electronics, glitchy EFI, leaking crankcase and… Err… Loose nuts and bolts, perhaps?
Or…
Should I get a supposedly ‘pure’ Italian Moto Guzzi V7 with near perfect fueling, “insane” reliability (for an Italian ‘exotica’) and that signature and somewhat exotic looking longituidnal V-Twin. And lets not forget about the build quality and the character and of course, the ‘kudos’ and stares and what not you get when you buy an Italian Retro Bike. A great conversation starter…
That pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it…?
So, what would YOU rather have…?
I may sound a ‘little’ biased but…
Ironically, thats the truth in plain black and white…!
Think about it for a second, if you must…
Agree with you throughly….just change in the look is no good…wen you can’t fix the performance you are inviting more flack than praise..I am a victim of the EFI and poor customer support…Customer support is not responding to emails alone. Without floor support responding to complaints thru email alone does not bring any smile on customer face..😔
Lol someone has been drinking the Italian Kool-Aid. Although I will admit I’d rather have the Guzzi because I think it’s a better bike than the RE… Not because I believe all the hype about ” character” and the quantified reliabilty comment, not that I think of it as Italian exotica, and not because I care about who looks at or comments about the motorcycle I am riding.
If fact I’d rather have any number of Japanese inline 4’s for their proven reliability, performance, braking ability, dealer network and lower price in purchase or service, and parts availabilty
or Japanese parallel twins for that matter, but I prefer a 4
BTW your complaints about the Indian bike are the exact same complaints my son has about his pure Italian exotic Ducati.. dodgy electrics (they went out), persistant oil leaks, unreliability (locked up transmission), cheap parts (like his platic tank)..and add a persistant squeaky rear brake to the list too..now that’s charachter!
In 53 years of riding and buying motorcycles, I have never bought one based on a logical and objective evaluation of the specifications, or even the performance. Leave that to Mr. Spock. My decisions are based on emotions, visual appeal, and other subjective criteria that those who decide another way wouldn’t understand. Of course, I own a Bullet.
Apparently, 50% of marriages were conceived in the same way, thus the divorce rate.
oh man that was funny. Good one Jeremy
re: “Apparently, 50% of marriages were conceived in the same way, thus the divorce rate.”
ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together, and give a warm MD welcome to…
(wait for it)
BIG PICTURE THINKING.
Yup, blame it on irrational thought driven by hormones instead of brains.
If someone on an RE pulled up next to a V7 in a parking lot, I would wager 10:1 that the RE would be the bigger attention grabber and conversation piece.
I’ve ridden a V7 and an RE Continental, and I don’t consider either one to be a particularly good motorcycle. But I agree the Guzzi is much better in every way save maybe for an individual’s preference as to which design is prettier.
See
http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/bikes/87755825/royal-enfields-affordable-twowheeled-time-capsule
For a recent review of this self-same Enfield Classic. The suspension and brakes have received some attention, and overall it makes a very pleasant ramble in the countryside kind of bike. And it looks so pretty! Indian manufacturing is improving all the time in leaps and bounds. This is much better than the older Enfields. Just keep it off the major highways/motorways where the reduced performance, compared to a modern bike, could be a limiting factor. Enjoy it for what it is, not what it couldn’t possibly be. It is a true vintage bike, improved and refined over the last few years. Much better than an actual classic.
So will this bike cost more or less than the new 250/300’s from japan?
More.
I hope whatever they bring out; be it an Interceptor and/or Constellation, its styling is faithful to its heritage–a true “bridge” bike that picks up where they left off 45 years ago.
The REs are great looking bikes. That is about all I can say.
Wow, just totally retro, and true to the original. Only exception may be the front disc brake (can’t tell whether the rear is disc or drum). The bike makes such moderate power, I wonder how much would braking performance really suffer w/a state of art ventilated front drum brake?
That drum might very well cost much more than a disk setup. Look great if done right, but spendy too.
Good point!
Rear brake rod and lever at rear wheel indicates a drum on the back.
All the bikes shown are 350’s
I had an early 500 Bullet, still with a drum brake, that I bought new. I traded my Muz Scorpion for it. I’ve had a long line of singles (because I’m just weird that way). Anyway, I agree that the Bullets are achingly beautiful, and at idle they remind me of a beating heart. But I have to admit, it was a piece of junk. I’m a fool, however, and just like with women, I won’t give up. I would love to give Royal Enfield another chance. Maybe with the new 750!
Very interested in seeing how the new RE 750 turns out…and when RE builds the 750 twin Himalayan, that just might be, finally, my “retirement” bike…
In 1973 I test rode a lightly used 750cc Royal Enfield Interceptor. It was a beautiful bike that handled great with the single down tube frame but I couldn’t afford the $500 asking price. Ouch.
I was going to say I had a buddy with a RE 750 Intercepter in 1969. Didn’t look anything like this. Reminded me more of a Triumph or BSA.
http://www.2040-motos.com/Royal-Enfield/Interceptor/1969-royal-enfield-interceptor-750-mk2–259522/
I always like the old Interceptor. Quirky but interesting to look at.
beautiful bike.
If they go retro and the new Interceptor has style cues taken from the original, I’m in.