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Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review: The Quirky Everyday City Ride
Royal Enfield and Goa have a long association with each other. The seaside state on the Indian western coast has always been a mecca for riders of all ages and is also the host of Royal Enfield's Motoverse event.
Goa has also been a hub for India's motorcycle customization and riding scenes, which till a few years ago inevitably meant an association with Royal Enfield's lineup. It is this spirit of customization and Goa itself that Royal Enfield is honouring at Motoverse 2024 with the launch of its brand-new bobber - the Goan Classic 350.
So when Royal Enfield invited us out to Motoverse 2024 and offered up the keys to the new Goan Classic 350, we hopped into the saddle and went exploring the streets of Goa to see how this tribute to customizers across the country rides in the real world.
Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review: Design & Features - A "Classic" Bobber
The bobber style of custom motorcycle first came into being in the 1930s. These motorcycles used the same unmodified frame as the original they were based on but removed or modified other parts of the bike for the sake of performance.
Later in the 1940s and 50s, Bobbers started to become the bikes we know them as today with elaborate paint jobs, raised handlebars, smaller stylized fuel tanks, single seats and chopped, slightly upward-pointing exhausts. This formula has remained mostly unchanged for both show bikes and road-going easy riders and this is what Royal Enfield has adopted for the Goan Classic 350.
Based on the Classic 350, the new Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 sports quite a few changes that give it that distinct Bobber look. The new Goan Classic 350 sports a chopped front fender, a 19-inch spoked front wheel shod with a tubeless whitewall tyre.
Further up you'll find a circular LED headlamp and LED blinkers along with new Mini Ape Hanger handlebars with metal switch cubes from the 650 twins lineup, semi-digital instrumentation and the tripper navigation display, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, forward set footpegs from the Meteor 350 and a lowered single seat (the pillion seat is an optional extra).
The Goan Classic 350's chopped rear fender is mounted to the swing arm and plays host to the rear LED lighting setup - round taillight and blinkers. The rear wheel on the new Goan Classic measures 16 inches in diameter, down from the "regular" Classic 350's 18-inch rear rim.
The Goan Classic 350 is offered in four distinct colour schemes. Shack Black is the most understated of the quad with a pure black paint scheme with gloss black graphics and gold badging including the RE chakra badge. Next comes Purple Haze, which sees the fuel tank adopt a deep metallic Purple colour and custom graphics for the badging.
Next is Rave Red, which adds a vibrant Heavy Metallic Red to the stylized tank, both fenders and the anodized rims. The Rave Red colourway adopts silver badging. The wildest of the colour schemes is Trip Teal. Said to be inspired by Goa itself, it features a base Teal paint with a contrast orange for the fuel tank (which also features mandala graphics), fenders and anodized rims.
Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review: Specs & Dimensions - A Few Essential Tweaks
Royal Enfield has carried over the 349cc engine and the 5-speed gearbox from the Classic and its other 350 siblings over to the new Goan Classic 350. The air-cooled, 349cc, SOHC engine pushes out 20.2bhp at 6,100rpm and 27Nm of peak torque at 4,000rpm. Royal Enfield claims that the new Goan Classic 350 will deliver a mileage of 36.2km/l.
The new Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 also carries over the twin downtube spine frame setup with conventional 41mm telescopic front forks and the twin shocks at the rear that offer 6 steps of preload adjustment. The front fork offers 130mm of travel while the rear shocks offer 105.3mm of travel, 15.3mm more than the regular Classic 350.
Braking duties on the new Goan Classic 350 are carried out by a 300m disc at the front with twin-piston callipers and a 270mm disc at the rear that is clamped by a single-piston calliper. The brakes are aided by dual-channel ABS.
Where the Goan Classic really differs from the regular Classic is the choice of wheels and tyres. While the front wheel is the same size at 19 inches in diameter, the Goan Classic's rear wheel is a 16-inch rim (the Classic 350 sports an 18-inch wheel). The spoked wheels are shod with tubeless whitewall tyres from Ceat - 100/90-19(front) and 130/90-16 (rear).
The Goan Classic measures 2,130mm long, 825mm wide and 1,200mm tall and features a 1,400mm long wheelbase. The new Goan Classic is 15mm shorter, 40mm wider and 110mm taller and features a 10mm longer wheelbase compared to the Classic 350.
The ground clearance is the same at 170mm but the seat height of the Goan Classic is 55mm lower than the Classic 350 at 750mm. The new Royal Enfield Goan classic 350 tips the scales at 197 kilos (kerb weight).
Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review: Riding Impressions - Custom Everyday Ride
The Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 stays true to its bobber roots while incorporating subtle updates compared to the regular Classic 350 and on the go it really does draw the eyeballs, especially if you opt for one of its louder colourways.
The ape-style handlebars of the Goan Classic combined with the lower seat and the front-seat footpegs offer what looks to be a relaxed riding position at first glance. And while that is true for short commutes in and around the city, it's less forgiving on long journeys as the weight tends to strain the lower back.
Shorter riders too may feel ill at ease with the handlebars, but an accessory option provides a shorter variant to address this issue. The bulge at the back of the seat (which is where the optional pillion seat slots in) can cause discomfort for those who already have issues with their lower backs.
Out on the road, the Goan Classic's familiar engine offers that familiar low-end grunt that we've come to expect from it, especially across the first three gears. However, once you get into the higher gears, the lack of power and the weight of the Goan Classic mean that you don't enjoy it in the higher gears. Vibrations from the engine are noticeable at higher revs but remain manageable.
The gearbox, however, is smooth, ensuring an easy ride through city traffic and the exhaust delivers the familiar thump, even at a steady 40 km/h in top gear-a detail sure to delight Royal Enfield enthusiasts.
The overall suspension setup leans towards extremes; the front feels soft and absorbs city bumps effortlessly, while the rear is stiff and can catch you off guard on unseen bumps, even throwing you slightly off the seat if you take a bump or rut at too high a speed.
Despite the Goan Classic's relatively low ground clearance, it manages to avoid scraping its underside, a notable win for our rough urban roads and it is quite good at taking corners, offering balanced and easy handling.
When it comes to stopping power, the front brake of the Goan Classic lacks bite and offers a somewhat muted response. The rear brake is sharp and aggressive though the rear ABS does kick in a bit too much for our liking.
Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Review: Final Thoughts & Verdict - A Quirky Everyday City Ride
Overall, the Goan Classic 350 offers a familiar riding experience with a few quirks that may just not be what every rider is looking for. However, if you know your way around a bike and are not looking at a long-distance cruiser and like to show off your style on a bike that looks like it's the perfect custom ride, then the Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 may just be the one for you.
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