The Military colors of the Bullet 350 have been removed, and the prices have been hiked. The affordable model among the lot remains the Battalion Black variant. The Bullet 350 retains almost the same charm with some minor updates and features the same engine and variant lineup.
Royal Enfield once again rocked the classic motorcycle segment by upgrading the price tag of one of its flagship models-the Bullet 350. Few motorcycles are as old-school, or beautifully appealing, as the Bullet 350, which will always have a place in the hearts of retro-motorcycle lovers. The latest price increase, however, may arouse the buyers into looking for alternatives in Royal Enfield's collection.
In addition to raising prices, the company has discontinued two specific colours from the 'Military' variant- Military SilverRed and Military SilverBlack. These colour trims were part of the visual allure that attracted buyers towards the Military variant, and, with them, the vehicle is now available only in four variants: Battalion Black, Military, Standard, and Black Gold.
Among these, Battalion Black is the only one with unchanged price tags. It became the least expensive version of the Bullet 350. In contrast to the other three, which saw a price bump, Royal Enfield made no mechanical or visual updates with the revised pricing.
Each of these variants is identical in styling, while the paint schemes will set them apart visually. Interestingly, the Battalion Black retains classic elements that tie it with the previous generation Bullet 350 which will be a likely consideration for enthusiasts of the older design-the iconic rear tail-light and heavily contoured single piece seat.
In terms of braking setup, they have been equipped with a front disc and rear drum brake with single channel ABS for both the Battalion Black and Military variants. On the flip side, Standard and Black Gold variants have disc brakes on both ends and dual-channel ABS providing that added safer braking performance.
All variants of the Bullet 350 have the J-series engine from Royal Enfield. This engine is a single-cylinder, air-cooled motor with a displacement of 349cc. This counterbalanced engine has been delivering much more refinement and makes 20.2PS of power and 27Nm of torque. It remains the same across all versions, offering a consistent riding experience irrespective of the variant.
The marginal price hike from about Rs 1996 and Rs 2482 might just affect, to a small extent, buyers on a budget; for a bike that starts from Rs 1.74 lakhs on-road, however, this increase may not be much of a deal breaker.
Hunter 350 Factory Black variant is a wallet-friendly price of Rs 1,49,900 (ex-showroom, Chennai). For purists, however, the Bullet 350 gives that retro experience unmatched by a majority of motorcycles.
Royal Enfield Hikes Price of Himalayan 450 Tubeless Wheels to Over Rs. 40,000
Summary:
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Royal Enfield has raised the price of the Himalayan 450 tubeless wheels to Rs. 40,645 for current owners.
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New buyers can still buy them for Rs. 11,000 during booking.
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There may be a reduction in inquiries about accessories due to the price hike.
Royal Enfield has revised its prices officially for a set of tubeless cross-spoke wheels made for the Himalayan 450. The company, which had been selling the wheels to existing owners as an accessory at far lower prices, intends to now sell them at a rate much higher than before. The tubeless wheel set and its accessories are priced at Rs. 40,645, and this revised price shall be applicable to all Royal Enfield showrooms.
The crux of this hefty price revision is aimed primarily at those current Himalayan 450 owners who had chosen not to have the tubeless wheels initially and are now considering an independent purchase of the wheels as an accessory. The earlier price of Rs. 11,000 for these wheels for existing Himalayan 450 buyers was introduced by Royal Enfield in September last year. This price was effective for over eight months with enough time for customers to buy the wheels at discounted rates.
Interestingly, the new rate increment is not valid in an equal opportunity manner. A new buyer of the Himalayan 450 who selects the tubeless wheels at the time of the booking will still obtain the setup for the old rate of Rs. 11,000. This will be true whether the booking is made online or through the Royal Enfield dealership.
This decision is surely going to ruffle a lot of feathers among existing owners of the Himalayan 450. Those who were a tad late in buying the tubeless wheels felt this price change as a bitter pill. With now over three times raised pricing, a steep decline is anticipated for inquiries regarded as accessories for these wheels. Perhaps the owners who were considering the upgrade will now back out due to the pricing.
However, the company would have provided a nice window of almost nine months for the interested ones to make the purchase of the previously subsidized rate. The brand's stand for justification of the hike perhaps lies here. Riders who really understood the importance and advantages of tubeless wheels must have taken a decision much earlier for the purchase even before the increase.
And now a wide disparity has been created in this new price structure between the newly minted buyers and the already existing owners. While the former buyer is still entitled to the coupon price on booking, the common existing owner is now expected to pay handsome amounts for a tubeless setup, which completely reverses Royal Enfield's pricing strategy for accessories.