MotorcycleDaily.com – Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Awaiting Launch of 750cc Twin, Royal Enfield Introduces New Graphics for Classic Model

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:

Instagram


43 Comments

  1. ONE UPPER says:

    Whats maybe 40 hp ? Slow and will vibrate as all of these Royal Pieces of it do!!!!!

  2. Santanu says:

    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!

  3. Frank says:

    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.

  4. TexinOhio says:

    I’ve always wanted an RE. With a 750 coming soon I may need to take a look at them again.

  5. Grover says:

    Zuko from “Grease” said it best, “What a hunk of junk!”

  6. azi says:

    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.

  7. MGNorge says:

    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

  8. Larry Kahn says:

    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.

  9. George Catt says:

    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.

  10. Wendy says:

    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.

    • Bob says:

      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.

  11. VEGA says:

    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…?

    • VEGA says:

      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…

    • Harish says:

      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..😔

    • mickey says:

      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

      • mickey says:

        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!

    • Bob says:

      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.

      • Jeremy in TX says:

        Apparently, 50% of marriages were conceived in the same way, thus the divorce rate.

        • mickey says:

          oh man that was funny. Good one Jeremy

        • Norm G. says:

          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.

      • Bob says:

        Yup, blame it on irrational thought driven by hormones instead of brains.

    • Jeremy in TX says:

      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.

  12. Martin B says:

    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.

  13. joe b says:

    So will this bike cost more or less than the new 250/300’s from japan?

  14. oldjohn1951 says:

    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.

  15. Jeremy in TX says:

    The REs are great looking bikes. That is about all I can say.

  16. Provologna says:

    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?

  17. Bob says:

    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!

  18. John says:

    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…

  19. Don says:

    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.

  20. MGNorge says:

    I always like the old Interceptor. Quirky but interesting to look at.

wordscape cheatgun mayhem 2 unblocked gameshttps://agar.chat/agariopaperio.network