Iconic Royal Enfield Bullet name returns to Europe in new air-cooled retro 350 range

Royal Enfield are bringing the iconic Bullet name back to Europe with a new range of air-oil cooled 350 models, based around the existing Classic retro.

The Bullet name has been synonymous with the Royal Enfield brand since 1932, with this latest range split between a Bullet Standard complete with hand pin-striping, and a more premium Bullet Black Gold featuring a matt and gloss black tank, copper, and gold 3D badging.

Prices will begin at £4629 for the base bike in black or maroon, and climb to £4709 for the Black Gold version.

What European customers won’t get is a full range of Bullets teased online in India last week, which also included a Bullet 500, Bullet Electra, Bullet Sixty-5, and Bullet E. The last air cooled 500 to reach the UK was the Classic, which left the line-up in 2020.

“Undoubtedly, while the Bullet has been a definitive towering symbol of what we call pure motorcycling for generations of riders, it has also been a crucial part of Royal Enfield’s history,” Eicher Motors (owners of Enfield) Managing Director, Siddhartha Lal said. “The Bullet has become a beloved badge of honour and identity for many riders and automotive enthusiasts. Today, as the Bullet rides ahead in a new avatar, we are truly honoured to be able to play a key role in taking its legacy forward.”

Powering the new Bullet 350 is Enfield’s gentle 349cc air-oil cooled single cylinder J-Series engine, which can already be found in the Meteor, Classic, and Hunter. Producing a claimed 20.2bhp and housed in a twin downtube frame, it features a five speed gearbox and a primary balancer shaft to cut down on vibrations.

Also borrowed from the classic are the non-adjustable 41mm conventional forks – as are the spoked 100/90×19 front and 120/80×18 rear rims. The 300mm front and 270mm discs are also shared, with a two piston front and single piston caliper latching on at the rear.

Where the pair differ most notably is in the looks department, with the Bullet featuring a single ribbed bench seat for two reminiscent of older models – that raises at the rear for the pillion perch. The tank is also different, with a 13-litre teardrop design that loses out on the Classic’s rubber kneepads and features a different style of Royal Enfield logo.  

“To me, the Bullet has been an undeniable symbol of resilient engineering and aesthetic,” B Govindarajan, CEO, Royal Enfield said. “It has endured war and peace with unflinching reliability and has been an ally for over 90 years to the bravest of the brave.”

Other shared features with the Classic include the dual spot lights around the headlamp, which first appeared on the brand’s models in 1954. There’s also a part-digital LCD display and a USB charging port located underneath the handlebars.

To help meet homologation standards, both versions of the bike also feature dual channel ABS – with 28 additional accessories also available, including nine specifically designed for the Bullet.

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Royal Enfield fires a shot: New five-strong Bullet range teased in India

First published 25 August 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Royal Enfield appear to be gearing up to reveal a revitalised Bullet range for 2024, with five new models being teased online, ahead of the air-oil cooled 350 reveal.

The new models mentioned online are a mixture of new and old, including a Bullet 350 and Bullet 500, plus a Bullet Electra, and Bullet Sixty-5.

These will all likely be air-cooled singles, with all four names previously seen in Enfield’s line-up in the past. The 350 shares the same gentle single cylinder engine as the existing Classic 350 (seen in the image below).

An air cooled 500cc motor has not been seen in the UK since 2020, when Enfield introduced a Tribute Black limited edition version of their Classic 500, costing £5499. Just 210 arrived in the UK and marked the end of the motor’s use, having first appeared in 2008.

Despite the name and the rumours which have circulated the brand all year, the fifth model being teased, the Bullet E, is sadly not the company’s first electric bike. This is despite Enfield’s parent company Eicher Motors Ltd invested €50 million in Spanish plug-in off-road firm Stark Future SL in early 2023.

It was reported at the time Royal Enfield had ‘several ideas in advanced stages of testing’ when it came to electrification. This tallies up from reports in India, with several outlets claiming to be in possession of a battery-powered concept called the Electrik01, complete with girder forks and classically styled lines.

Royal Enfield CEO, B Govindarajan said: “While they are scaling up and planning their market entry soon, we will support Stark in the industrialisation process.

“We at Royal Enfield will draw on these capabilities for developing our EV platforms and will also plan to share some EV platforms in the future.”

Royal Enfield, have however, confirmed this new mystery Bullet will be a combustion engined model. To see more about the teasers so far, visit royalenfield.com