Kiwi Rider April 2024 Vol.1 | Page 23

ROAD NEWS

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET 350 ARRIVES

Royal Enfield New Zealand has confirmed the pricing of the new Bullet 350 , with the bike starting from an attainable $ 7890 . The Royal Enfield Bullet is perhaps the brand ’ s most iconic nameplate with over 90 years of production history , but it has been missing from the local lineup since the Bullet 500 was discontinued . Enfield fans will surely rejoice to see the Bullet return to the NZ lineup with the introduction of the new Bullet 350 for 2024 , giving a further option to the brand ’ s 350cc lineup . That means at its heart is Royal Enfield ’ s characterful long-stroke 349cc J-series engine which happily chugs along with its torquey power delivery up to a peak of 20.2hp and 27Nm of torque . Going by riding the Hunter 350 which also shares this engine , the Bullet 350 should also be fun to ride in the city . For the 2024 Bullet 350 , the bike receives an updated chassis which comes in the form of a twin downtube cradle frame , which Royal Enfield says helps ensure greater confidence and a more stable riding experience . That should match perfectly with the engine , which happens to be one of the easiest going powerplants for learner riders to get to grips with . Braking comes in the form of ABS-backed 300mm front and 270mm rear disc brakes while suspension is classic simplicity with 41mm forks and twin rear shocks . Accessibility has always been Royal Enfield ’ s strong point and , in addition to the affordable price , the Bullet 350 is physically easy to manage with its 805mm seat height and sub-200kg wet weight . The seat looks comfy as hell too with copious amounts of padding . As always , Royal Enfield is launching the Bullet 350 with a range of accessories to tailor the bike to its owner ’ s needs , with everything from skid plates to windshields and everything in between on offer . New Zealand has the option of three colours for the Bullet 350 , with the bike coming in either Standard Black , Standard Maroon , or the classy Black and Gold .

KIWI RIDER 23