A new motorcycle based on the Royal Enfield renowned 350cc J-Platform engine has been spotted testing in India. The bobber-styled bike seemed ready for production
As we all know that Royal Enfield is actively working on a slew of new motorcycles. These include a new range of machines using the existing 350cc and 650cc engines along with a brand new 450cc mill which will power the Himalayan 450 as well as its scrambler sibling. A new 350cc bobber was also speculated after a test prototype spotting earlier and with the latest production-ready spy images of the bike, we can confirm its arrival in the near future.
While the bike will be based on the brand’s Classic 350, there will be significant changes to its design. To begin with, it gets an all-new raised Ape Hanger type handlebar while the round headlamp and teardrop design fuel tank is a typical Royal Enfield stuff. Taking a step towards practicality, the Bobber 350 gets a dual split floating seat setup to seat two occupants as we get typically a single seat in most of the bobber bikes.
This dual seat could also be offered as an optional extra. The overall retro styling matches the Classic 350, however, the rear end gets a prominent tyre hugger with the number plate and indicators mounted on it. This really helps to establish the bike’s bobber stance.
As for the ergonomics are concerned, the foot pegs are front set as compared to the mid-set setup in the Classic 350, while the overall riding triangle remains very relaxed. Talking about hardware, the bike will sport conventional forks upfront, dual shocks at the rear and disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS.
Moreover, the bike will share its underpinnings with the Classic 350 and there can be some minor changes to the rear sub-frame. It will be powered by the familiar 349cc J-series single-cylinder air/oil-cooled engine putting out 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque. Mated to a 5-speed gearbox, RE could play around with the gear ratios to match the characteristics of the Bobber.
The test mule of the Royal Enfield Bobber 350 was a production-ready model and some media reports suggest that it will debut by the end of 2023 in the Indian market.