Many might wonder what I was doing buying a new Royal Enfield Bullet , or even riding a 350cc machine for that matter , when there is now such a wide range of machines on the market in New Zealand , whether adventure bikes , retro classic or cruisers . Not three years ago I joked to a good friend in Auckland that Royal Enfield singles in Auckland were good in traffic as the place was in gridlock anyway , and if a car hit a Royal Enfield single it would come off second best anyway . But a year later I jumped at the chance to buy a Scram 411 as it was the ideal recovery bike for me after the fitting of a pacemaker , and a new knee . It was light with soft power , looked modern and went well but I kept reading about Royal Enfield ’ s interesting history and the odd-looking style of the Bullet rear fender started to grow on me , a bit like the roman helmet style of the early 1960s Triumph front fenders . I guess they are an acquired taste .
RIDING BACK IN TIME Fast forward to Autumn 2024 and I am at AllRoad Adventure in Palmerston North sitting on and studying the new Black / Gold Bullet 350 with the new J Series 350 engine . I was not a fan of the matt black colour but I was impressed with the quality and style of the bike . It really is like stepping back to 1955 , which is what I wanted . So , after test riding a Classic 350 demo I ordered a maroon Bullet 350 because I wanted to have a 350 experience again , and this time on a new machine and get the chance to ride around Wanganui with a group of other 350 owners on their Royal Enfields ... and I seem to remember my first bike was a maroon Jawa 350 twin back in early 1972 .
RIDING EXPERIENCE The seat is super comfy , plush almost , the position low to the ground and the bike light , making it easy to manoeuvre in the shed or when parking in town . With ABS brakes , five speeds and electronic fuel injection , it makes a ride so easy , the light flywheels allowing it to punch along pleasantly at legal speeds . In my first few hundred kilometres , I could not believe how well this modern , classic 350 runs . And the colour has me almost entranced every time I look at it ; it ’ s so very rich with a metallic sparkle . Around town , the suspension is firm and I expected that at first .
KIWI RIDER 75