Royal Enfield Classic 350 - Ownership Review After 12 Months And 4000 Km - How Has It Been ? 

Hi Lucias, I have to admit that I have not even polished my engine casings. I have only washed and dried the bike so far. I removed a bit of grease from them when the bike was new ( you know, mechanics ! ) and since then have just washed and dried the bike. I do use a "detailing spray wax" on the paint, it's possible that I might have rubbed the cases with that cloth when I was done, but I can't say that I have ever spent time cleaning the cases. This is just how they are. Bear in mind, I haven't ridden the Classic in full on rain, so it has led a charmed life. I used Autosol on my old Bullet's engine and it seemed to work well. Maybe try it on a small area first ? What you don't want to do is use something too abrasive and end up putting micro scratches everywhere. Maybe somebody else here has a suggestion for you, I'll pin your comment in the hope that plenty of folks see it 👍🏻 Cheers Lucias, ER

@@economicalrides Mine has had to deal with the UK winter, so that could be it! I'm pretty sure its just a gentle layer of Aluminium oxide, but i don't clean with any detailing products. Might have a try see if they buff up nice. Only part of the bike I've found to go a bit lackluster due to weather. Everything else holds up very strong. Thanks for replying :D

@@luc1as Good luck. I do find detailing spray very useful on bikes, because it is clear, so there is 100% no residue. So it's a nice way to get a bit of wax onto the bike. I just wash the dust off, dry the bike and then do a bit of a spray on and rub off over the shiny bits myself. It doesn't take too long. If you decide to try a detailing spray anyway, give it a go on the cases. They usually contain chemicals for removing dirt, grease, bugs etc. because believe it or not, they allege that you can apply it directly to a dirty bike instead of washing - Eeek 😱 Not something I'd do but clearly there are cleaning chemicals in the spray as well as liquid wax, so if it works on the oxidisation of the cases, it would be a very easy solution and will leave them protected for a while afterwards too. Anyway, good luck with it, I'm sure they will come up fine. I did use Autosol on my Bullet engine cases back in the day and infrequent use thereof did no damage. I think you shouldn't use it on chrome though. Just read the instruction on the packet before getting to work with it 🙂 Cheers Lucias, ER

I've bought autosol marine polish. Get it from yacht chandlers . Its finer than the normal and is even suitable for boat gel coats On alloy its way less abrasive so a mirror finish is much easier to obtain

@@Lee-70ish Thanks for that Lee, hopefully Lucias sees your comment 👍🏻 I didn't know that such a product existed but it sounds like a great option ! Cheers Lee, ER

Hi Richard, glad you are enjoying yours. Apart from the speedo issue mine has been totally reliable, it has always been ready to go when I have needed it. At the end of the day that is the main thing. I am used to far worse from my days with my Bullet 500. It's great to have two bikes which just work whenever I have time to go for a ride. Both bikes still look like new too, the quality of the paint and chrome is really not bad at all. Easily comparable with other brands. It's getting harder and harder to buy a bike from any other manufacturer, well, for me at least. RE bikes have always been great value but now they are dependable and last well too. Keep on enjoying your Classic Richard, good luck and stay safe ! ER

Hi Jean-Marie, yes, all of the RE 350s are delightful motorcycles, so much character, so easy to live with, reliable and economical. They prove that actually, for most of us, 350 cc and 120 kph top speed is enough ! I've tried most of the RE 650s, thinking that maybe I should upgrade, but every time I go out on one, I just feel like it does nothing that my 350 can't do, it just adds weight and expense ! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed my summing up of my Classic 350 Jean-Marie. Thank you. Take care. Ride safe. Garry

Hi ZenFloater, It’s a great bike, economical and reliable with an engine which has a lot of character. If you’re not looking to exceed 55-60 mph very often, you should find the performance to be adequate. This engine also copes pretty well with a pillion onboard, you really only notice that it’s carrying extra weight when on an incline. Otherwise it barely feels any different to riding solo. I think you could well fall in love with this bike because you have realistic expectations of it and are looking to downgrade to something more manageable. I would recommend the Classic 350 to anybody. You‘ll find yourself just enjoying every ride ! I would suggest not selling the Harley until you are sure that the Classic covers all of your needs. There might be something that it doesn’t do as well as you had hoped. So if it’s an option for you, buy the Classic, ride it for a while and if it covers everything you need, go ahead and sell the Harley. Oh, one more thing. The Classic feels over-geared when new. From about 1200 miles the engine really starts to loosen up and by about 2400 miles it is producing decent torque and the gearing matches the engine perfectly. So please don’t judge the Classic‘s performance too early, as some reviewers have done, it will improve quite a lot over time. Good luck deciding. If I can help you with anything, just let me know 👍 Cheers ZF ER

Put a side car on it . Much easier to deal with. Much cheaper than a trike or a trike conversion. Your 🐶🐕 dog will love 💕 it. Women love sidecars better than riding pillion .

Hi Foregone Conclusion, that's great to hear. Yes, apart from the speedo issue I am not hearing of any common faults with these bikes. That is a great testament to the quality of Royal Enfield bikes these days. They have sold a lot of these 350s and so far no major issues ( although the Classic speedo issue is ALMOST a major issue, particularly since RE still doesn't seem to have figured out why it is happening ). But in terms of starting when required and getting you to where you need to go, the REs seem to be doing very well, which is why I would recommend the brand to anybody who is interested in buying one. The bikes are also well painted and chromed, the finishes are holding up really well, so great value for money. Cheers FC, ER

That's pretty impressive 3x. Yes, these bikes seem to be well made and reliable ( apart from the speedo thing ! ). Great to hear that you are enjoying yours too ! Cheers 3x ER

Thanks Brett, glad you found it useful 👍 I subsequently sold the Classic because I wanted a bike for exploring trails. But the Classic didn’t disappoint and I would have kept it if I could have. Apart from the very common sticky speedo fault, these bikes seem to be devoid of any major issues, look great, sound great, are fun to ride and sip fuel. If you seldom ride above 60 mph, you’ll probably love this bike 🥰 Thanks for watching and commenting and if you have any unanswered questions, please feel free to get back to me ! Cheers Brett 🍺 ER

Great job JONG SECCO, great to hear that you are REALLY using your bike, that's impressive mileage in such a short time ! Have you had the sticky speedo issue at all in that time ? Cheers JONG SECCO 👍🏻 ER.

Cheers James. If you don't park the bike in the sun for too long ( unlikely in the UK 😂 ) you may never have the speedo issue. If you do ever park in the sun, leave a glove or something over the speedo. That's what I do. The problems really start when the speedo gets properly hot, so keeping it in the shade may well prevent it from happening in the first place 👍🏻 Thanks James, keep those videos coming ( although maybe not, I think I am behind with them, AGAIN ! 🤗 ) ER

Hi Phil ! Thanks and you are welcome. The Classic did seem to take longer to start to feel torquey than the Meteor did, for whatever reason, but there is not much difference between them now. Bear in mind that all of these free flow mods will inevitably lead to an increase in fuel consumption to compensate, so they will reduce your range on a tank of fuel. As the range is decent enough anyway, it's probably an acceptable compromise for a bit more oomph though. I won't be doing it, just because I HATE buying petrol 😂 Cheers Phil, ER

Hi Paul, sorry, what are you referring to ? Cheers, ER.

Hi pals ! Don't worry about watching and replying, we all have busy lives, take your time, no pressure at all Scott and Wolfie 🙂 I'm glad to hear that the sticker arrived safely, that's great news. That arrived quicker than I expected really. Ruby is still working her way through the mountain of sossidges I was able to buy her, thanks to your kind donation. She is such a fan of sossidges, she gets so excited ! Even when she gets one off camera, I always tell her that these are from Scott and Wolfie. It has reached the point whereby now, when I mention Scott and Wolfie in any other context ( like "Daddy's sending this sticker to our friends Scott and Wolfie" ), she just gets terribly excited 😂 It's almost as if the term "Scott and Wolfie" has now become hard-wired as "sossidges" in her brain 😛 So there you go, you have achieved your objective you two ! The Classic feels pretty good now that it has loosened up fully, it is now pretty close to the Meteor in terms of outright performance although it did seem to take a while to get there. I think your bike will continue to improve for a while yet Scott, you probably still haven't seen the best of him/her. As you say, they seem to stay nice with just normal cleaning. My Meteor literally looks brand new and that is almost two years old and has 8000 km on it. I can only conclude that RE are extremely well made bikes for the money, the finishes seem to hold up really well, so kudos to them ! As a preventative measure against the speedo issue, please consider leaving a glove or something over the speedo "glass" whenever you have to park the bike in direct sunlight. I really think that it helps. Since I did the "fix" I have always left something covering the speedo when I have been unable to park in the shade and so far no reoccurrence. So to prevent it ever happening to you in the first place, take something with you to cover the speedo and I suspect that you will never have the issue. It does seem to be heat related in most cases I've heard of. Something under the glass seems to deform if the sun has been beating down on the glass for long enough. Take care you two. I hope you get some decent riding weather soon 🤞 So far our spring has been much drier than last year, they are already talking about water usage restrictions in the summer. Unfortunately it has also been extremely windy, so still not great for riding or recording audio ! But after last spring where it rained for about ten weeks solid, I am quite happy to see that it isn't going to be like that every year from now on, which is what I feared last year ! Please look after each other ! Love from Spain, big hugs for Wolfie ! Garry & Ruby ❤🐕

That's good to hear Zoyd ! If you are worried about the speedo issue, maybe consider covering it with a glove or something anytime you park the bike in sunlight. I think that will help. Since I did the connector cleaning fix, I have continued to lay a glove over the speedo whenever I have to leave the bike in direct sunlight. So far no reoccurrence and I think that doing this might actually stop it ever happening in the first place ! The CEAT tyres on all RE bikes seem absolutely fine. The only caveat would be that cheaper tyres are often pretty good when new(ish) but dry out and become very hard over time, probably more so than the more popular brands. So I will definitely be keeping an eye on the state of the rubber as the bikes get older. As long as they still feel soft and juicy, they should be fine 🤞 Thanks Zoyd, good luck and be careful with those dodgy conditions over there ! ER

Yes, thanks, I'll keep an eye on the tires. 🙂

Thanks Shardlake, yes, definitely a looker and now also a performer. It took a while for it to get there but now it feels ALMOST as good as my Meteor ! Ruby does love her sossidges and yesterday when I was out in the garden filming for next week's video she kept deliberately walking through my shot ! Honestly, she really enjoys being on RU-vid, I'm convinced of it, maybe due to the sossidges ? Anyway, expect to see plenty of Ruby in the next video !!! What a diva !!! ❤🐕 Cheers Shardlake 👍🏻 ER & Ruby ( "no, that should be Ruby and ER, Dad !" 🐕)

Hi Jonathan, nice to hear from you as always ! Yes, the fact that almost all Classic 350 owners have had similar issues does at least show that RE are consistent in their manufacturing ! Fortunately none of the issues are what you might call major, nothing to stop you riding, just the odd little niggle. I still find it strange that RE is mounting the gear lever in that position, surely they have heard by now that just about EVERYBODY in the West is moving it up a position ?!?!? It is a bit baffling that they still haven't changed their processes when building Classics for export with this "normal" shifter. I always maintained that I would have been happier if RE had delivered my Classic with the heel and toe shifter. I know it doesn't completely fit the look of the bike, but at least it works well. The "normal" lever looks like a last minute "we need a standard shift lever for export bikes" rush job. It doesn't look very nice, isn't the right shape or length and to top it off, they fit it at an odd angle. Oh well, that's what RU-vid is good for. We soon find out how to fix these things ourselves ! Cheers Jonathan, I hope you are getting some decent riding weather now ! Take care, Garry & Ruby.

Danke DIR fürs Zuschauen Andreas ! Bis auf das Tachoproblem solltest Du nichts zu befürchten haben, die Classics scheinen sehr robust und zuverlässig zu sein. Um das Tachoproblem zu vermeiden, empfehle ich Dir einen Handschuh oder so ähnlich drauf zu legen ( mit Gummiband gegen Wind gesichert ? ) falls Du die Maschine an einem heißen Tag in der Sonne parken musst. Als vorbeugende Maßnahme nur. Das Problem scheint bei starker Hitze hinter dem Glas erst zu entstehen. Ich wünsche Dir viel Spaß mit deiner eigenen Classic Andreas, war sicherlich eine gute Wahl👍 Alles gute, ER

That's good going Bob, would probably have got close to that myself in TWO years, if I hadn't had the Classic to share the mileage ( or should that be "kilometerage" ? ) with ! Yes, Buddy is still being Buddy, never causing me any problems and always putting a smile on my face. As nice as the Classic is, I am not attached to it in the same way as I am to Buddy. I do have a real relationship with my Meteor for reasons I don't quite understand. It is a special bike indeed 🥰 Cheers Bob ! Garry

Hi CMD, oh the Classic sounds better I think, a bit more old school "the rockers are coming into town !" 😂 Cheers CMD / CC ER

Cheers preppy, I'll be sure to let Warro know 😂👍🏻 Take care buddy, ER

@@economicalrides very confused how I did that. I enjoyed your video as well, but I watched it after commenting on Warro's or so I thought. I am loving my Classic 350, but only 100 miles so far.

@@preppy890😂😂😂 No problem preppy, these things can happen 😙 I‘m glad to hear that you are enjoying your own Classic 👍 Happy Easter and take care buddy ! ER

Thanks Quenten, yes, the Classic has grown on me. Particularly now that it is more or less a match for the Meteor, performance wise. It seemed to take an age to shake off its sluggishness but it's almost at the Meteor's level now, the difference probably really only down to the mild over-gearing caused by that larger rear wheel. It came over the big mountain from Almeria in top last time, something it had never managed before, whereas the Meteor always managed it. I was actually shocked when that happened. I think a new air filter probably helped. That was replaced at 12 months and that coincided with the bike feeling a lot more torquey than it had been ! Cheers Quenten, good luck with your Classic down under ! Garry

@EconomicalRides The roads in Sydney during the daytime are not biker friendly. Most of my riding is done Sunday morning as day breaks. But I am doing a lot of riding vicariously via you, Warro, and Mr Taym. The Classic has got some magical charm, which difficult to describe, unless you recognise it. Loved seeing that your bike is kept spotless and looking so good after 4k kms. I like bikes to be pretty standard, but I am going to invest in a metal sum guard. Otherwise going to leave it as it came from the factory. The roads in your neck of the woods look absolutely fantastic! Quent

@@quentendawson81 Thanks Quent, not sure I'd be any good at early morning rides, rock 'n roll lifestyle and all 😂 Like the Meteor before it, the Classic is holding up really well, both bikes still look brand new. They might be "cheaper" bikes but clearly the level of finish applied is right up there with the best. Even the fasteners are rust free, which is quite rare, certainly rusty fasteners are something you often see on bikes from other "budget" brands. RE seem to be building these bikes to last, and to remain looking great, which is great to see. I think after nearly two years with the Meteor, we can safely say that ! Like you, I am not a fan of mods. I modded my Bullet 500 a lot because we basically had to build a new bike that actually worked ! I replaced everything bar the bottom end really. Piston, barrel, head, carbs were all swapped or modded. The bits that fell off were replaced by bits from other bikes which were modded to fit the Bullet etc. Honestly, by the end of that saga I'd had enough of modding and just wanted a bike which was fine from the factory. That was the case with the Meteor, I did nothing to that for ages before eventually mustering the courage to fit hard cases to it. But that was it. Oh and a change of key ring and a couple of go-faster stickers of course 😂 The Classic remains absolutely standard. I really like the fact that both the Classic and Meteor can be enjoyed and admired with zero mods. They are bikes which you can happily ride for years without changing anything. I really appreciate that. My kind of bikes they are ! The sump guard sounds like a sensible mod for you if you are worried about bottoming out on some dodgy dirt roads somewhere, definitely. Cheers Quent, glad to hear that you are enjoying my rides, hoping to get out on Buddy over Easter, he is feeling neglected ! Take care and stay safe, ER & Ruby

Thanks Keith, lots of love for my bike cleaning in this comments section, very kind of you to say so 🤗 I did worry that after I took it off-road that time and got it absolutely covered in dust, that it would never be clean again, but fortunately the dust came off pretty easily and I've kept on top of things ever since. My Meteor is nearly two years old and I think that also looks brand new. I suppose here it is mainly just dust, grease and insects which need washing off, which probably means that the nooks and crannies stay relatively clean and of course they are the areas which are a sod to clean once they get dirty. And that would definitely happen if I rode in all weathers, all conditions. But as things stand, I think I can keep these bikes looking nearly new for a good few years yet, before I give up trying 🙂 I used to think that taking care of your bikes meant that you'd get more money for them when the time came to sell them, but in my experience it doesn't. But now, keeping the bikes clean has just become a habit. I probably spend far too long cleaning bikes when it is probably a pointless exercise but I just enjoy having them clean, it gives me a warm feeling inside 😛 I am really going to struggle to leave my future trail bike dirty but I am determined to try. I will try to convince myself that "dirt protects the paint" 😂 Cheers Keith and thanks again ! ER

I’m hoping we’ve reached the end of the salt on the roads for this year! We’ve had so much rain lately I think it’s all been washed away. Like you I’m determined to keep the bike looking pristine. My OH says why can’t you spend some time cleaning the car ? Silly question!

@@keithwheeler3049 😂😂😂 Women, will they ever understand ? 😛 I'm sooo glad I don't have to battle the effects of salt here. Leaving the bike for one night unwashed with salt on it would keep me awake all night, I'm sure of it ! Cheers Keith, ER

Thanks ABD ! Actually it is CLEANER than when I picked it up, 100%. When I picked it up it was covered in oil and grease ( as usual ! ) and also straw from the packing crate 😂 Bear in mind that when I took the Classic off-road, it got absolutely covered in dust and I did think at the time that it would never be clean again 😱 Fortunately the hosepipe did a decent job of washing most of that dust right off and I was able to restore that factory fresh shine I so enjoy 🤗 The Meteor is nearly two years old now and also looks better than new IMO. If I ever get a trail bike, I have promised to leave it dirty, because that's what it's there for. But I just KNOW that I am going to struggle to do that !!! Cheers Aussie, the sticker sticking on the Fabulous Fridge Door of Friendship will be ceremonially filmed and featured in a future video, I'm just too busy at the moment, so the sticker remains unstuck, waiting for its big moment 😛 Love to all, big hugs to Buddy ! Garry & Ruby ❤🐕

@@economicalrides Hi ER, so for the late reply… I don’t know where the time goes these days 😳 they say time goes faster the older you get…I must be getting bloody old fast then 😂😂😂 yes you will have to let your dirt bike get dirty mate..or I’ll worry about you😁 Looking forward to the sticker going on your fridge too, yours hasn’t arrived yet.. customs may be deciding what to do with it 😁 Cheers 🍻👍

@@aussiebikerdude6563 Hi Aussie, no worries mate, always glad to hear from you, whenever that may be ! I'm in the same boat, I had a lot of stuff I was determined to sort out in the first quarter of 2023 and it was exhausting but I did it. AND I kept the videos coming the whole time ! Knackered now but everything is nicely poised for me to REALLY enjoy my bikes this summer, they can be my main focus now, which is great ( well as long as nothing else goes mammaries skywards that is ! ). So yes, I feel your pain and I'm really looking forward to a few days off over Easter although I've already come up with a long list of jobs in the house and garden that I'd like to get done. Knowing me I won't allow myself any chill days and I'll be doing stuff instead of relaxing and recovering ! We'll see. Hopefully your sticker will be arriving soon mate. The one I sent to a friend in California, at the same time, arrived about 10 days ago, so hopefully you won't have to wait too much longer 🤞 I can just imagine your excitement, it must be unbearable 😉 Take care mate, love to Mrs Aussie and your little "helper" Buddy too ! Garry & Ruby ❤🐕

Thanks Mr TAYM 🙂 Ruby was hilarious in this one, she knew darn well what she was doing ! She is so clever and a proper wind-up merchant. She does all sorts of things like that, just to get a reaction from me. She's such a fluffy person ! Take care out there, I hope it's not too wet at the moment 🤞👍🏻 ER & Ruby

@@economicalrides I was thinking you ought to do a long term review of Ruby 😊 I think the few issues you’ve had with it are nothing more than most brands have and the slightly poor designed elements like the gear lever (and excess to altering it) are found on most bikes. But because RE tend to be less money people seem to complain more and are negative about them. I think it’s just life😊 I sometimes think I should have been born a dog😂😂😂

@@TAYM A long term review of Ruby is an excellent idea TAYM, one for the days when I am struggling to get out on a bike. Duly noted, thanks ! Sorry, I got a bit confused by RU-vid's time travel when I talked about Ruby deliberately doing things to raise a reaction. That is in the Meteor/Classic comparison video, which should be coming out next Tuesday. I filmed for that on Monday in the garden and Ruby deliberately kept running through the shot 😂 But hopefully you'll see for yourself next week. You have to be impressed by the quality of the finish on these REs, you really do. My Meteor is nearly two years old and not a rusty fastener in sight. These bikes seem very easy to keep clean and the finishes seem very durable. I think Buddy was an incredible buy at 4000 EUR back in the day, with Tripper plus GEAR INDICATOR !!!! I would still recommend both bikes to anybody, they have both been essentially reliable. Nothing has happened to stop me riding either one of them and they are holding up really well. The little niggles are nothing to get too upset about, as you say, no bike is going to be perfect ! Thanks TAYM. I will definitely do a long term review of Ruby some day ! Cheers 👍🏻 ER

@@economicalrides excellent 😊 Milo can’t wait for you to dig the dirt Ruby 😂😂😂

@@TAYM 😂😂😂 Oh yes, I have a few stories to tell Milo ! Cheers you two ! ER & Ruby

Hi Christopher, whereabouts in Dorset are you ? I'm from Poole myself ! I think the new air filter at the 1 year service made quite a difference to my Classic, I suppose Spain is a dusty environment, so maybe the air filter could be changed every six months, instead of annually, just to keep the bike working at its optimum. It's something I will look into. With your service, make sure you give the dealer enough time to set the valves on a COLD engine, otherwise you could have issues. If the dealer knows his stuff, he will probably have asked you to drop the bike off the day before. If not, maybe suggest that to them. If they rush it, trying to do it the same day, they inevitably set the valves before all of the metal has contracted and they will most likely end up being too tight, which will lead to poor idle and the engine cutting out when cold. You probably know that, just letting you know what to watch out for. Good luck ! For the valve adjustment I always take my bikes in the day before, so they can cool overnight. My Classic felt a lot better and the valves were a lot quieter after the 12 month service ! Cheers Christopher, ER

@@economicalrides Born in Poole, lived in Sandbanks then Broadstone then family moved to Cotswolds in 68. I moved back down to Bournemouth 11 years ago.

@@morrisminor56 Small world ! I lived just down the road from Broadstone, down the hill towards Creekmoor ! 😛 Left aged 23 and haven't been back since. 13 years in Germany and now 16 years here in Spain. So I've spent more time abroad than at "home" by now. Thanks Christopher, interesting to hear ! Say hi to the "old country" for me ! Cheers, Garry

Thanks Steve, I will admit to having polished the spokes of the wheels at least once 😂 I also usually lie on my back in a pool of dirty water to clean the underside of the bike and the centre stand ! I think maybe I overdo things a bit but the reasoning behind it is simple. I don't actually enjoy cleaning vehicles, so when I do it, I can't make that effort and then not be happy with the end result. I can't say "oh, that's clean enough" or "looks a bit cleaner, that's ok", I have to put the bike back in the garage thinking "ok, looks like new again, it was actually worth the effort of cleaning it !". So I'm my own worst enemy really but at least these days, the channel forces me to ride the bikes. In the past I have been reluctant to ride them and make them dirty again 🤨 But having to make a video for the channel each week means that I do ride at least once per week, which is good for me and for the bikes too of course. If I'm careful and there are not too many bugs about, I can usually ride four or five times before I feel the compulsion to wash the bike again 😂 Thanks Steve, yes, I would have fitted the heel/toe shifter myself by now if I didn't have to buy it from India. Stuff from India gets stuck in Spanish customs and then they rip me off with the duty and make me send them loads of paperwork to get it released, it's simply too much hassle for me to import stuff into Spain. The standard shifter is a pretty poor design, the part that sticks out needs to come out a bit further and the lever itself could maybe have a better shape and be a bit longer. It's serviceable once you move the lever up one tooth on the spline but it's still far from perfect. The heel/toe shifter would be much nicer, I really enjoy the one I have on my Meteor ! I think the RE 350s are fine as a leisure motorcycle or an urban motorcycle. Anybody who has to do a lot of riding on fast connecting roads should probably look elsewhere. Obviously a bike with a top speed of 118 kph is going to struggle to maintain 110 kph into any sort of headwind or up a hill. These bikes are fine in a city or for weekend rides on minor roads but people expecting them to munch big miles on fast roads are being unrealistic. A great hobby motorcycle though, a lovely toy and of course the great fuel economy means that you save money every time you go out, which always puts a smile on my face 🙂 Cheers Steve, glad to hear that you are happy with yours too ! 👍🏻 ER.

@@economicalrides thank you for your complete & honest reply. I’ll make certain to subscribe & appreciate your time, energy & commitment. Ride safe & enjoy life. It’s very short.

@@stevesanelli90 Thank YOU Steve, I really appreciate the support. Ride safe and enjoy too buddy 👍🏻 Cheers, ER

All bikes should have dual disc brakes for safety 🦺.

Hi PA Gallagher and thank you, glad you appreciated the video ! Actually this was a particularly GOOD day. On this day there was relatively little wind. We've had a surprisingly dry spring so far, which is great, but unfortunately we have had some terrible winds, so terrible for filming on or off the bike, for the most part. I think the winds are gradually subsiding and at least the sun is out most days now. It definitely feels as though we are over the worst of the winter 🤞 I'm sorry to hear that the weather is still unkind in beautiful Somerset ( from Dorset myself so we are neighbours really 😉 ) and hope that it dries out for you soon. It seems as though northern Europe is getting the wet spring we had here last year, where it rained for almost two months straight ! 🤞 you get some beautiful riding weather to go with that beautiful countryside soon. Cheers PA, ER

@@economicalrides Yes, I think we've probably had your share of rain and some more, roads are filthy ....... I've spent more time cleaning the Hunter than riding it :) You've certainly kept your Classic looking immaculate!! Looking forward to some nicer weather soon and longer rides, Dorset will certainly be seeing my 'gleaming' new Hunter :)) That lovely dog of yours is cheaper to run than the Classic ...... 1 sausage a day :) "SAUSAGES!!" Wasn't that little phrase from the Esther Rantzen TV show, back in the day? Cheers for now Phil.

@@PAGallagher Hi Phil, yes indeed, that's where we got it from, 'That's Life', the "talking" dog, well spotted ! 😂 I really like the idea of the Hunter, to sit on it feels like a proper lightweight motorcycle, sort of like a Brit 250 single would have been back in the day, just with decent brakes and reliability ! A fun machine to manhandle around I'm sure. I would try to get a demo ride on one but it's probably better if I don't, you know, for my bank balance 😛 RE have done an amazing job to bring out three 350s with totally different characters. They certainly know what they are doing over there and they must be absolutely raking in the cash these days ! Cheers Phil and say hi to Dorset for me next time you cross the border ! Garry & Ruby

@@economicalrides That was it, 'That's Life' and the talking dog ..... brilliant!! To be honest, Gary, having test ridden the Classic, before I bought the Hunter, they don't really ride that differently and the brakes feel about the same too. My front brake doesn't have much initial bite but the back brake feels quite strong and, in urgency, if you apply them together the bike pulls up just fine. You hit the nail on the proverbial head with the look of the Hunter. I had a BSA C15 (250), back in the 70s, but always fancied a RE Crusader 250 and, to me, the Hunter is a modern day Crusader (with an extra 100cc) So, you don't need to spend any more money on a Hunter ....... unless you really want to. You'd have the complete set then, Meteor, Classic and Hunter :)) Safe riding and cheers for now, Phil

Hi Lance 😛 yes, the spring so far has been fairly dry here, way better than last year where it rained for about 10 weeks solid. Very little rain here so far this year, but very cold winter and now, when it's warmer, usually very strong winds which make filming/riding unpleasant. Still, at least it is drier this year, that's definitely a bonus ! Unfortunately I had expected more rain at this time of the year and had decided to spend this quarter sorting stuff out for the future. I've had A LOT on my plate and unfortunately very little time to enjoy the surprisingly dry weather this spring. I think that from April onwards things should settle down a bit, I should have more free time, so I expect the rains to arrive precisely THEN 😂 Cheers Lance, I hope that you can emerge from your motorcycle hibernation soon ! Love to Leo. Garry & Ruby ❤🐕

@@economicalrides Life, and the weather, are like that. Wise folks tend to "go with the flow". 🙂 Take care.😎

Hi James, I've decided that the CEAT tyres on both bikes are good enough for now. Presumably you only changed yours because they were getting worn ? I will be doing the same thing, going with a more readily available brand once the CEAT tyres need replacing. Do sintered pads help with initial bite ? I was thinking of trying them on my Meteor but somehow never got around to it. Definitely something I'd consider if you say they make a difference. I think generally the RE master cylinders are a bit rubbish. Apparently the brakes are transformed with a decent master cylinder. Yes, when I lived in the UK and then Germany, it was much harder to keep the bikes clean. If you didn't ride when the roads were wet, you basically never rode 😂 Over here my bikes just get dusty and more and more bugs on them over time. That's pretty easy to hose off, so I don't have to spend hours cleaning the bikes when I do. Just hose off and wipe dry then polish. I do appreciate that because washing vehicles ( which I used to enjoy ) has now become a bit of a chore to me ! Cheers James 👍🏻 ER

The rear tyre was worn although perfectly legal, the front one plenty left but I thought it would be nice to match the front. I ride on a lot of wet mucky roads so well worth it I think. The sintered pads do give more initial bite, especially noticeable on the rear.

@@jamesbarrie2458 OK thanks for the info James. I will definitely give those sintered pads some consideration. Of course it is particularly important to have fresh decent tyres on the bike if you are out in all conditions 👍🏻 Over here my main problem is the tyres ageing prematurely and developing cracks in the sidewalls due to the heat. It's extremely rare that I change tyres because the tread is worn down, usually it is because the rubber has gone dry and started cracking ! Cheers James, ride safe ! ER.

Kaveeer God

Hi Herve, I pay 170 EUR for the annual inspection, where they change the oil and also adjust the valves, which is a big job. I usually pay about 80 EUR for the six month service WITHOUT AN OIL CHANGE. No oil change is required at the six month service, although many dealers do one anyway ! My dealer changed the oil at six months the first time but then I showed them that the official service schedule only requires the oil to be changed every 12 months. My dealer didn't know this, I had to prove it to them ! So basically for the six month service I now pay 80 EUR for a bunch of safety checks and chain lubrication and maintenance ( no oil change ). That is a bit expensive for a bunch of things I could easily do at home. I also have the inconvenience of having to take the bike to the dealership, which is one and a half hours from where I live. I do wish that RE would just adopt 12 month service intervals, like most other brands. These six month services are I believe an unnecessary expense and inconvenience to RE owners ! Cheers Herve, Garry

Danke Stephan ! Es ist auch schön dass Du immer noch vorbei schaust, auch wenn Du kein RE mehr besitzt. Das weiß ich zu schätzen und es ist immer wieder schön mit Dir zu schwätzen. Ja, ich weiß, ich bin ein Dichter 😂 Ich hoffe dass Du bald wieder ans Fahren denken kannst, dass das Wetter langsam ein bißchen trockener wird. Mein letzter Wissensstand war dass es bei euch dieses Jahr bisher sehr feucht war ! Hier im Gegenteil war es bisher recht trocken 🤞 allerdings oft kalt und extrem windig. LG Garry

Hi Garry, ich habe garnicht aufgehört zu fahren. Ich bin bis jetzt in jedem Monat gefahren. Die BMW habe ich ja seid Ende Oktober und bin bisher 2400 km gefahren. 😂 Letzten Freitag war ich damit noch auf Arbeit. Ab Mitte April habe Urlaub und hoffe das es dann trockener wird, damit ich eine Tour durch Deutschland machen kann. LG nach Spanien Stephan

@@stephanl.4857 Aha, super ! Ich hatte befürchtet dass Du frustriert wärst weil das Wetter immer so feucht war. Dann bin ich erleichtert. Ich drücke Dir die Daumen dass Du für deine Tour schönes Wetter hast und dass die Tour tolle Erinnerungen schafft 👍🏻 Viel Glück damit, bitte berichte wie die Tour gelaufen ist ! Ich hoffe dass ich eines Tages auch so etwas machen kann aber momentan ist das etwas zu schwierig ! ❤🐕🌭 Liebe Grüße aus Spanien, auch an die BMW 🙂 Garry & Ruby

@@economicalrides Dankeschön, werde ich machen 👍. Mit kommt auf jeden Fall die Kamera und 3 Action Cams.

@@stephanl.4857 Dann bleibe ich gespannt ! 👍🏻

Thanks Jeff 🤗 Very busy here right now, for reasons which will become apparent (!) but I am at least finally getting ahead with my videos ! I know, it only took me nearly TWO YEARS to get to this point ! 😂😂😂 Love from Spain, El Otro y Rubita bonita ❤️🐕

Interesting 🤔 Flat out myself, but slowly getting on top of things 👍🏼 Love from sunny Cornwall 🤣

Hi David, if you check out this video, you might be able to see it better than I can explain it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2G7s4eSi3tg.html There is a red tab that you have to pull down and then the connector just pulls apart. In my case and for many others, it was a real struggle to get it apart. I just pulled it apart and wiggled it backwards and forwards at the same time. If you can find the join, pull the two halves away from each other whilst wiggling it slightly. But you will have to slide the red tab down first, otherwise it won't come apart at all. Good luck with it. Just be gentle and pull on the two halves of the connector without straining the wires and you should get it apart eventually. Cheers David, Garry

@@kostasmichaleas5596 Thanks Kostas, this was just me sharing my own experience with the bike, so glad to hear that you found it useful. The Classic 350 will definitely happily hold 100kph when run-in ( @3200 km ). Maybe not into an extreme headwind or up a steep hill, but on a normal highway in normal conditions it will hold 100kph happily, although it won’t have a lot left to give. For me it felt in its element at 90 kph, sp I tended to stick to 90 on the highways but it will do 100 just as well. Just a bit revvier than I liked, so I usually dropped down to 90kph. I think it should suit you well and of course it’s cheaper, easier to handle and more economical than the Triumph. The RE 350s are fine all day at 100 kph, certainly. I think they hit the sweet spot. Just about enough performance for just about everything. Don’t judge one too early though because these engines improve quite a lot in the first 3000km. They can feel a bit gutless when new but over time the torque improves significantly and suddenly they feel just about powerful enough for any kind of riding. I hope that helps you in your decision Kostas 🤞 Thanks for your kind comment ! Cheers, Garry

@@economicalrides thank you!! All the info I needed.

Hi Stephen, you should see my Meteor ! Nearly TWO years old and still perfect ! It's a shame that RE couldn't help you out, they missed an opportunity there, that's for sure ! Presumably though that is the importer's fault - RE USA ( or whatever they call themselves ) - rather than the manufacturer itself, right ? Or did you have contact with RE in India ? Anyway, the Guzzi will have more power and is also a "special" bike, an enthusiast's bike, so it probably all worked out alright in the end. 🙂 I'm sure you'll love it ! Keep healing, stay positive. Really looking forward to seeing how you get on with the new Guzzi ! Cheers Stephen 🙂 Garry

Hi Frank, apparently that foot rest bracket can vary in position by up to 1cm in any direction. So if you get lucky with the position of that bracket and the position of the engine in the frame, you probably can just about get the lever off the spline, without loosening frame bolts. But not on my bike and many others. I think you are SUPPOSED to be able to remove it easily but in reality there is a variance in the position of the footrest bracket and the engine in the frame. Not much, but enough to cause unforeseen problems like this one. On my new Himalayan the wiring looks like a total rat's nest and yes, access to the battery is difficult. The quality of the welds is not nice, nothing like as good as on the Meteor and Classic 350s. But that is the case with all Himalayans and Scrams. I notice that those bikes are made in a different factory to the newer 350s, so I imagine that would explain the different levels of quality they accept. Compared to the 350s where pretty much all of the wiring connectors are in the side panel, the Himalayan appears to have connectors stuffed into all kinds of gaps behind the engine, but still exposed to the elements. The rubber socks which are supposed to be protecting them don't cover them adequately either. I don't like the wiring on the Himalayan at all, it does look like a pre-production prototype "bodge" as you say. I'm just shutting my eyes and hoping that it keeps on working because I've no idea how I'd go about diagnosing an electrical fault on that bike ! It has a three year warranty, so if it gets through the three years ok, my guess is that I should continue not to worry about what it looks like ! Cheers Frank, interesting input 👍🏻 Garry

Hi Lee, thanks for your comment. My dealer never touched the valves at the first service on either 350 but in fairness neither did they charge me for doing so ! The schedule does say 'Check and adjust if necessary'. I think the dealers interpret that as 'If they are not clanging about, they're ok, move onto the next job' 😂 Everybody says that the valves are set tight from the factory and I think this is done deliberately. They know that the valves will bed in considerably in the first 1000 miles or so and they don't want the valves getting too loose between pickup and the 12 month service where they will be checked again. I think this is why the dealer rarely does them at the first service. They know that the valves won't be loose yet and a tad too tight is ok as long as cold running is still ok. I can sort of understand why they do what they do 🙂 Obviously, if you are mechanically gifted like yourself, you can do these things yourself and always have them spot on. If I touch my bikes I am more likely to break something than make it better 😂 The CEATs are really good. I now have a totally different type of CEATs again on the new Himalayan and even the CEAT knobblies inspire confidence. Again it feels as if they are using a nice soft compound for their tyres. Be patient with your Classic's performance and by 2500 miles it will feel like a different bike. They really do take a while to loosen up fully and can feel pretty gutless to begin with but once they loosen up, the performance feels very decent for a 350, no complaints from me. I experienced the same with the Meteor 350's engine. Cheers mate, enjoy your bike and if you park your bike on a sunny day, lay something over the speedo to give it some shade ( you might have to MacGuyver something with an old sock and some elastic bands but it will be worth it not to bugger up the speedo, need a new one and then lose your original odometer reading 😛 ). I've also heard of some Classic's randomly jumping out of gear at speed but that's not an issue I ever had with my gearbox. Take care mate and thanks again for watching and commenting ! ER

I was surprised to learn that not just the frame but the J1 engine was actually designed in their UK tech centre. I suspect the remit was keep it a long stroke thumper but refine it hence the fantastically effect counter balance shaft. The one in my old Yamaha XS 650 was virtually useless at calming the viabrations down🙄

@@Lee-70ish Yep, there was a promo video about that after the Meteor was announced and before it was launched. You can probably find it on RE's RU-vid channel somewhere. Just go back to the beginning of 2021 ( or end of 2020 ), there should be a video about the development of the Meteor 350 and the J Series engine in the UK 🙂

@@Lee-70ish P.S. The J Series engine is a great engine. Amazing fuel economy, obviously very low emissions, smooth and with different exhaust systems capable of producing all kinds of different soulful sounds. They also have a sound chamber where they spend ages tuning the exhaust systems to get the sound they want for that particular bike. Very impressive ! Lots of people are hoping for a J Series 500cc ( me included ! ) but so far no indication that it might be coming. It might be too difficult to get a 500cc version of the same engine through the emissions tests and they don't see a ROI on what it would cost to develop.

Hi Erkut ! Glad you found the video useful 🤗 On the Classic, my guess is that you have about 80 km left when the light first comes on. If you push it, and ride gently you might make 100 km. This is based on relaxed cruising at 80-90 kph. If you ride faster than that then the fuel consumption rises by about 30-40%, so probably look to fill up about 50 km after the light starts coming on. That’s what it feels like to me. Max 100km if you are riding economically and 50-60 km if you are riding above 90 kph. In either case, you should have enough range to be able to find fuel before you run out ! I hope this helps. These would be my ballpark figures 👍 Cheers Erkut, Garry

@@economicalrides thanks so much Gary. Most of the bikes have a range about 40 to 50 km. So hearing this has nearly double if you go slow, it’s quite amazing. But either way I will play it safe and consider I have enough fuel to go 50 km at a speed of no more than 80-90kms.

@@erkutgurun You should never get into difficulties doing that Erkut 👍 That should definitely be on the safe side. These bikes sip fuel at 80 kph. I managed to do 500km on a tankful with my Meteor, riding normally, so 70-90 kph. It still had two litres left in the tank. The fuel pump needs at least one litre to work and not get damaged. So I had one litre of usable fuel left. So in theory 530 km was possible but I really didn’t want to risk damaging the fuel pump by running the tank too low ! I think the Classic has one litre less capacity. In general I used to refuel once it hit 350 km on the trip meter 👍 Stay safe and have fun ! Garry

@@economicalrides Thanks a lot Garry. I will keep what you say in mind. I have refueled all my previous bikes once they pass the half tank mark anyway so I don’t think I’ll have any problems. But good to know the capacity. Thanks.

That's an interesting one Ian. I have heard of a few people feeling as though the rear brake pedal was in a bad position but obviously way more people complained about the gear lever. The original gear lever position might actually work better with larger feet. I found that it forced me to point my toes down at an uncomfortable angle all of the time. So with my petite size sevens 🤗 I needed the lever to be a bit higher up to be comfortable. Thanks Ian, the Classic is a bike which doesn't seem to fit all people out of the box but we all manage get it there in the end ! Cheers, ER.

Thanks pinkiewerewolf, yes, the Classic has been a slow-burner for me. Initially I thought I'd bought a lemon but then I discovered that a lot of people were having similar issues and found the fixes for them. After that initial spell of fettling to get the bike how I needed it, apart from the slight annoyance with the speedo, the bike has been perfectly reliable and fun to ride. I now really like it, almost as much as my Meteor, which I wouldn't have believed back when it first arrived ! And of course I love cleaning it because the end result is always worth it, it looks stunning when it is nice and shiny ! I envy you having the time to ride a lot. I would love to be in a similar position but currently I am lucky if I can get out once per week. Actually, that's a bonus of having the channel. It more or less forces me to find time to ride because otherwise I wouldn't have a new video every week. But I would love to do some longer trips and some long days in the saddle someday ! Cheers pinkiewerewolf 👍🏻 ER

@@economicalrides Retirement has opened up more time for me to ride when I’d like but Ms Wolf transferred 500 miles from me which is where most of my mileage comes from. You and I are alike in a passion for riding,combined with knowing it is far more economical to ride a motorcycle than any other mode of transport show through pride in our bikes. You take amazing care of your Royal Enfields. Truly two beautiful motorcycles. I have one beautiful bike but my main mile muncher is always function over form. I envy those beautiful bikes and a more relaxed pace. Ride safely and have fun! John, aka pinkie

@@pinkiewerewolf Thanks John. Yes, definitely hard to keep a commuter bike clean, I probably wouldn't bother. But these are my babies, they are toys, so I take the time to keep them clean and pretty. Stay safe out there John and thanks for the update ! Garry (ER)

Hi Mark, absolutely. It is the bike I wish my Bullet 500 had been !!! A really easy to live with "classic bike", at least classic in essence. Lots of people seem to really enjoy making these bikes look even more classic and buy the riding gear to match. It's a really nice hobby bike and I imagine that it will always fool a few people at a bike meet into thinking that it is a genuine classic bike. I hope you can find one near you, that would definitely give you something to think about Mark 😉 Cheers, ER

@@economicalrides I was wrong; there are Classic 350s for sale, but no one has a Chrome Red like yours; that's the one I want. As I said, it's reminiscent of my old Kawi W650. It had the classic bike look and riding experience, but it had modern, reliable tech. I envision the new RE Classic 350 being similar. I just wish I could find one in Chrome Red...

@@markymarknj Ah ok, I understand 🙂 Surely only a matter of time before one becomes available, they've been out for long enough now ! 🤞

@@economicalrides I would've THOUGHT that one of the dealers within 2-3 hours of me would've had a Chrome Red by now! Alas, they haven't. I also like the Stealth Black, but it comes with the cast wheels; they totally ruin the Postwar aesthetic of the Classic 350. I'd have to get wire wheels from another vendor, which is a bit of a pain. RE does send Stealth Gray and Stealth Black Classic 350s with the spoke wheels to some markets, but not here to the US... :(

@@markymarknj Yes, cast wheels would definitely not be ideal. I suppose some people will only buy bikes with tubeless tyres because they hope to be able to repair punctures easily at the roadside. So I get the reasoning behind cast wheels as an option for some but they are definitely not in keeping with the general design of the bike, I agree. Sorry Mark, must be extremely frustrating for you but it's definitely best to wait for the one that you want, otherwise you might regret it if you are too impatient. Good luck 🤞 Garry

Hi Dave, yes, many Classic owners seem to have had identical experiences, which I suppose speaks for the consistency of manufacture of these bikes 😀 The speedo calibration does vary in the range of 0-2 kph. Sometimes it goes to spot on 0 and sometimes it stops just above. But since the speedo is not even accurate to 5 kph that inaccuracy is not really an issue. I suspect that they all do it to a degree. But when it stops at 30-40 kph then of course that is a problem ! Ruby is in one of her beds beside me, snoring away. We just got back from our walk and she stopped to play with her doggy friends for a bit, so she is now properly knackered 😂 Take care Dave, love to Willow from both of us ! 👍🏻 Garry & Ruby

Haha, I can just imagine you taking the speedo apart Dan, getting stuck right in ! Have you tried cleaning the connector then and it didn't help ? You might be onto something with your theory, a few people have suggested something similar. In most cases it seems to start when the bike has been stood in direct sunlight for a while ! I also think that on some bikes the heat is causing a dodgy contact in the connector, whether it's grease in there becoming liquid or something along those lines, I've no idea. My guess is, being an electronic speedo, the instrument is EXTREMELY sensitive to mild fluctuations in current, hence why sometimes, giving the connector a blast with contact spray can make things work better for a while. As far as I am aware, RE still hasn't got a grip of the problem, I don't think there is a revision of the speedo which is immune to the issue, which is surprising really. Anyway, I hope your fourth speedo is a charm 😛 Oh, and a tip for your next speedo. I have gotten into the habit of always leaving a glove over the speedo when I park the bike, just to keep the sun off it. I know that shouldn't be necessary but it might help to make your next speedo last a bit longer. Just an idea, could help, working for me so far 🤔 Love to Valentino ! Garry & Ruby

Hallo Alain, ja, ich denke dass es eine weise Entscheidung war keine Chrome Version zu kaufen. Würde ich auch nicht wenn ich bei jedem Wetter fahren müsste. Lack ist leichter zu putzen und pflegen als Chrome. Es freut mich zu hören dass auch deine Maschine deine Wünsche erfüllt Alain. Ich bin auch sehr zufrieden mit der Classic ( bis auf das Problem mit dem Tacho ! ). Danke Dir Alain ! Grüße aus Spainen, ER

Hi William, yes, the six month service interval is a pain. For me a trip to the dealer is a three hour round trip, plus the time I have to spend waiting there. With two RE's, that's already four trips per year to the dealer and each trip basically costs you an entire day ( or indeed a day and a night for the 12 month service - I have to drop the bike off the day before, just to give them time for the engine to go cold ! ) so if I could HALVE that number of appointments it would definitely make a big difference to me. Particularly since the 6 month service is only a glorified safety check. They don't actually change anything, not even the oil. They just check cable play, chain tension and a few nuts and bolts. Basically stuff that anybody could easily do at home. I think they could indeed scrap the six month service altogether and just insist on the 12 month service where they do the valves, oil, air filter etc., the stuff that really matters in keep your bike running well ! Cheers William, I hope you can get your RE soon 🤞 ER

@@economicalrides Yeah other brand names do some thing els. like 10'000km or once a year BS. hope i'm able to get the 650 soon too 😀

Hi Sexy 😛 Yes. The pre-delivery inspection probably goes something like this "Tank, bars, one wheel, two wheels. Yep ! It's all there, tell the customer he can pick it up !" 😂 By all accounts RE still haven't understood the speedo problem, which as you say, is a bit embarrassing. As far as I am aware there is no new revision to the speedo which is immune to this issue, which is somewhat surprising to me. To be honest, apart from the fact that my bike always comes back to me covered in grease and oil, I'm happy with the servicing the dealer does. Just don't ask them to fit bar end mirrors 😂 With regard to your last question, next week's video should be the big 12 month Classic/Meteor comparison video, where I will indeed answer that very question !!! I know that I will risk alienating half of my viewership with my final decision but it's just my opinion, others are entitled to disagree and feel differently. Both are great bikes, viewed in isolation. So tune in next Tuesday and you should have your answer ! Cheers SSDS, ER

Hi Gene, I agree, the mirror arms do seem to be a bit short. I can JUST ABOUT set them to see behind me if I move my head but I can't really set them to give me a rear overview out of my peripheral vision. Normally I would recommend the RE bar end mirrors, which offer an excellent rear view on both sides but these are currently only available in black, which wouldn't really suit your bike. Hitchcock's Motorcycles in the UK have chrome mirror extenders for the Classic 350. Just search for their part number 92569. Weirdly I find that the offside mirror is worse than the nearside mirror. I find that I can set the nearside mirror to give a reasonable view behind but the offside view always seems to have mainly shoulder in it ! Good luck, I understand the problem and a couple of other people have mentioned having difficulty setting the mirrors properly in the Classic 350 👍🏻 Cheers Gene, ER.

Nice one Phil. You must be one of the lucky ones. Apparently the footrest bracket can vary in position by up to 1cm in any direction, so it is possible to get a bike where the lever clears the spline without touching the footrest bracket. Also the position of the engine within the frame probably varies a bit ( side to side ), so again, your gearbox only needs to be a few mm more over to the other side for you to get the necessary clearance. It would be nice if we didn't have to move the lever in the first place though ! Cheers Phil 👍🏻 ER

yer most people I know that has the 350 has had to move it 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Hi Miros, thank you. Don't be too sad but I did eventually sell the Classic 350 because I wanted a Himalayan for off-road riding instead. I loved my time with it though and did manage to make a lot of videos in the 13 months that I owned it. To answer your question : If you wash and rub the bike with a microfibre cloth before the dust has been adequately washed off, you will be causing micro scratches when you rub with the microfibre cloth. Before rubbing or drying the paint and chrome, you need to be sure that there is as little dust left on there as possible. To remove dust I always use a hosepipe and brush over the paint very gently with a microfibre cloth at the same time to move the dust. You want as much water on the cloth as possible to reduce the risk of making scratches and keep the hosepipe running over the area as you wipe. It is impossible to remove every speck of dust and often more dust lands on the bike as you are washing it ( particularly if it's a windy day ) , but by keeping the paint soaked with water as you brush very lightly over the surface with the microfibre cloth, you should keep micro scratches to a minimum. Once you are sure that there is no dust left on the paint, you can tackle the areas where you need to rub harder, like dead insects and such. But before applying pressure to the cloth you should always make sure that you have washed as much dust away as possible. Once I have washed and dried the bike, I use a finishing spray ( a clear spray-on wax ) to give the paint and chrome some protection. It also makes it easier to wash off the dust and dirt the next time you wash the bike. You just spray it on and wipe it straight off. It's very easy and leaves a protective wax layer on the paint and chrome. I also always put all of my cloths in the washing machine immediately after washing the bike. You don't want any dirt or grit in the cloth next time you wash the bike or you will start to make scratches. It's just common sense really. Use lots of water and very light pressure when wiping until you are sure that there is no more dust left on the surface. Then you can use lots of water and rub a bit harder in those areas with dead insects etc. on them, without damaging the paint or chrome. I never use a pressure washer on my bikes. A normal hosepipe is sufficient, even for my Himalayan, which is often extremely dirty ! I'm sure you'll be fine but if you have any further questions, just ask me :) ER

One more thing. You asked if a hosepipe is safe. Yes it is but do not spray the speedometer with it. I did this the first time I washed the bike and ever since then, the glass would always steam up on the inside on a hot day. So if you are going to use a hosepipe, make sure you cover the speedometer with a plastic bag and a rubber band or something, just to keep the water out of it ! That is the only issue I ever had when using a hosepipe ! Cheers Miros, ER.

Wow. So complete answer. Thank you very much for your time. It’s rare. I really appreciate ! I’ll try to do it with all your advices. The previous owner let it 2 month outside so I hope to make it as clean and immaculate as I can. Even if there is some squeaks at low speeds.. For the spray wax, some people say that it’s forbidden if you want to repaint after. Don’t know how true is this.. I’m thinking about replace the bike in few years by an Himalayan ( or customise it in a scrambler style for off road ) so I’ll gladly follow your next trips 😁 Cheers, and ride safe. Kevin

Thanks Kevin, the Himalayan thing is a nice coincidence ! Don't worry about waxing the bike. Wax is nothing that a course polishing wheel won't be able to strip off after all 😀 I find that it does make it easier to rinse the dust off. Dust doesn't stick as well to the wax as it does to the lacquer of the paint. I also enjoy seeing beads of water whenever the bike gets wet 😍 And NO, I don't wax the Himalayan 😝 That gets an occasional hose down and dry and then it's back off into the dirt again 😂 Welcome to the channel Kevin and if I can help you with anything, just let me know ! Cheers Kevin, good luck with your Classic ! Garry

Hi Elwood, sorry to hear that, what a bizarre issue !!! In general the speedo issue is the only thing many of us here have had in common. Other than that, there seem to be no other common issues. Obviously your issue was an extreme one-off, an incorrectly made exhaust obviously crept through RE quality control and into production. I will keep my fingers crossed that this season you get to ride your Classic without any interruptions and are finally able to fully enjoy it. Commiserations for your bad luck, but hopefully that is behind you now ! Cheers Elwood 👍🏻 ER

@@economicalrides me too! I also had the speedo replaced under warranty

@@fderbar1 Hi 3x, well, the dealer had a replacement speedo for me, but before they fitted it, I tried to fix it myself because I didn't want my odometer set back to 0 km. My "fix" worked ( I just cleaned the speedo connector on both sides ), so I told the dealer to send the replacement speedo back. So I am still on my original speedo although RE were happy to replace it under warranty ! Cheers 3x, ER

@@economicalrides oh great. This sucks I had mine replaced and sure enough it was reset. Now I have to do mental math to know where I am. So my odometer says 4097 but I know I'm at 10k...... because the original has 5903

@@fderbar1 Yes, that was something I was keen to avoid ! Fortunately cleaning the connector seemed to fix it for me. If you have to park in the sun, just lay a glove or something, maybe take an elastic band to secure it, over the speedo 'glass'. I think that should stop it happening again. These speedos seem to react badly to getting very hot for some reason 👍🏻 Cheers 3x, ER

Cheers 🤗

Hi Simon, yep. "Two wheels, handlebar, tank, seat, engine, all there. Call the customer and tell him it's ready for collection !" 😂 My last two REs even had some of the straw from the packing crate stuck in them when I picked them up ! Oh well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It seems to work for them ! Cheers Simon, take care and thanks for the sossidges ❤🐕 Garry & Ruby

Hi Jason, I'm not aware of a lower seat for the Classic. Because of the way the seat is mounted, the only way a seat will be lower is if it has less padding in it, so my guess would be that it would less than one inch lower than the standard seat, should such a thing even exist (?) The standard seat is narrow at the front though, which helps with shorter legs. What's your inside leg measurement ? I am 30 inches and with the standard seat my feet were HALF FLAT on the floor, i.e. I could get the balls of my feet on the ground but not my heels. Perhaps you should consider the Meteor 350. That has the seat mounted directly to the top rail of the frame, that seat is as low as you can go with this frame design. On the Classic they have added a mounting bracket to the top of the frame, which is why the seat is a lot higher on the Classic. The frame was clearly designed for the Meteor, for the seat to sit on top of the upper frame rail. When they decided to use the same frame for the Classic, for authentic looks they needed the seat mount to be higher up, so they welded an extra bracket onto the top frame rail. The Meteor seat is significantly lower. Definitely sit on one before buying, if you can. It would be a shame to buy one and then discover that you can't cope with it. My guess is that you'll be on tip toes with the Classic but will have the balls of your feet on the ground with the Meteor. I hope this helps. Any further questions, just ask. Good luck Jason, ER.

@@economicalrides hi royal Enfield do a lower seat for the classic 350 which they have sent to the dealership for me to try

@@jasonreynolds7948 Ah ok. The official Low Ride seat. Apparently it lowers the seat height by 32 mm. I see it still uses the high top mount bracket of the standard seat, so it doesn’t sit on the frame rail like the Meteor’s seat does. It’s not a lot lower but maybe low enough that you can get more of the front part of your foot on the ground. I think it will still be a fair bit higher than the Meteor’s seat. If they have a Meteor you can sit on one for comparison. The problem with the Classic is that they use a high mounting bracket to attach the seat and unfortunately there is no way of getting around that. Good luck, I hope it makes the Classic manageable for you 🤞 ER

😂 You're kidding right ? Nope. I think the 300 mile "check and adjust" tends to be interpreted as "listen to hear if they are clattering about and only adjust if the owner is complaining about it !". I am hearing that the valves are set over tight from the factory. My guess is that this is done deliberately to reduce the probability that the dealers will have to adjust noisy valves during the first service. By the end of the first year the valves are usually bedded in to the point where they are quite audible and need resetting. This they do automatically ( and charge you for it ) at the 12 month service. But I think to keep the servicing costs down, they try to avoid doing them at the first service if they can. 🤷‍♂ To be fair to them, "check and adjust" could be interpreted as "have a listen and adjust if necessary". They certainly don't interpret it as a requirement to actually get the feeler gauges out ! 😂 Both bikes survived without having the valves checked at 300 miles and when they did them at 12 months, on both bikes they did a decent job, the bikes were noticeably quieter afterwards. To cut the dealer some more slack, if I'm being honest, once the bike is out of warranty and I start doing my own maintenance, I too will probably only adjust the valves when I can hear that they need doing. I don't think I'll be doing them according to a schedule, just as required, so kind of like the dealer does it at the first service 🤗 Cheers Alan 👍🏻 ER

@@economicalrides no, I'm not kidding 😁 Some (few?) dealers are reported to ask for the bike to be dropped off the evening before so that they can be sure the engine is cold when they do the tappet check. Mine said that they would do the 300 mile service during an afternoon while I waited, so I was pretty sure that they weren't going to do it. I had a peak through the workshop window whilst it was being done and can assure you that they did not remove the tank, which is necessary to gain access to the rocker cover. The "service" cost £135. Having ridden the bike home afterwards I left it overnight and then set about checking the valve clearances the next day ("Ride with Warro" has a very useful video on this). I found that the inlet valve had ZERO clearance and the exhaust was about half the 0.18mm specified by RE. (Warro also found similar on one or both of his 350's). Even though I would expect a professional tech to do this faster than I can, it is still quite a time consuming procedure, although not difficult, which could account for some riders (in the US as I recall) reporting that their first service cost $500 - $600. As you say, many people would baulk at such a cost for a bike which only costs around £4000 when new....

@@horspiste Yes. I personally don't know of ANYBODY who had the valves properly checked at the first service and as you say, if they were intending to do them, they would really have to ask the customer to drop the bike off the day before. That might actually happen in the UK but it would never happen over here. People are far too careful with their money to pay for "unnecessary" work like that. If it ain't sounding like a bag of nails, it's working fine ! So were you CHARGED for a valve adjustment or would the service have been even more expensive with a valve adjustment ? I paid 60 EUR or something for that first "service" ( read oil change ! ). Yes, they seem to set the valves very tight from the factory, I suspect that it is done for this reason. They guesstimate that it will be 12 months before the valves open up enough to become audible if they set them like this. I mean, the bikes still idle when cold, so even if the valves are tight, it doesn't seem to have too much of a downside. I suspect that it is deliberate and that the dealers really only touch the valves at the first service if they hear something or the customer is complaining about a noisy engine. It is probably important that this first, compulsory service is not too expensive for the customer. The big bill can come at 12 months by which time the owner is hopefully already in love with his bike 😛 Cheers Alan, ER

@@economicalrides the invoice just states "Carry out 300 mile service" - it doesn't specify if they used a pine or hardwood coffin 😄 But at their labour rates there is no way they would have done the valves at that price. I'd be concerned about burning the over-tight exhaust valve so I'm more than happy to check and adjust them myself (indeed I'd be happier to do the whole service rather than trust them if it weren't for the warranty..)

@@horspiste Yes, it does seem fairly normal that dealers are leaving the valves alone at the first service. As you were able to check them yourself, you're golden. I'll just shut my eyes and hope that it doesn't go bang for now 😂 No, I suspect that SO MANY bikes are being maintained in this way, that they are pretty sure that there isn't going to be an issue. The fact that the valves are not set correctly from the factory is telling IMO. Time will tell and ultimately I am perversely looking forward to doing my own maintenance. It's just that under warranty I'd rather they broke something than me doing it 🤗 We're probably equally as ham fisted but if they break something, at least it's going to be their responsibility to sort it for me 😛 Cheers Alan, Garry

Hi GearsGeek, sounds bad ! I remember back in the early days of the Meteor, so when the J Series engine first came out, there were a few people complaining of something similar. They were from South America and I think the problem may have been the type of fuel they were using, because RE reprogrammed all ECUs for those markets because the fuel was damaging the engines. I think they were getting pre-ignition and it sounded nasty. Maybe two people mentioned it in my comments. They also had the same problem, the dealer saying "they all do it". Well clearly they don't, not when they are set up right. The only rattles I hear are my keys jangling in the ignition switch and the tab washers on the centre stand and gear lever shaft ( I believe ). You can rattle those about when you are cleaning the bike, so when the engine is running, they jangle about a fair bit. There should definitely be no terrible noises coming from the engine. Your best bet now would be to try to find somebody who has a 350 which doesn't do it. Then ride to the dealer with them and say "I want mine to sound like his". I know. Not an easy ask. If the noise is genuinely coming from the engine and not somewhere else, then there is definitely something in there that needs adjusting ! I hope you get it sorted. Unfortunately I don't have a solution for you because it's not a common problem. Maybe try to identify exactly where the sound is coming from, maybe that will help the dealer to identify the problem. Good luck, ER

Hi Lumir, yes, I would say that it is as comfortable as any other bike really. Bear in mind that the Classic with cast wheels and tubeless tyres ( also available ! ) will be a harsher ride. I had the Classic with tubed tyres and spoked wheels. The spokes and inner tubes do add some cushioning to the suspension. For me the Classic with the spoked wheels never gave me a harsh ride, the suspension was fine. I haven't tried one with cast wheels and tubeless tyres, but based on my Meteor, which has those, it will ride a bit harder. So go for one with spoked wheels and I'd say the ride is as good as any other bike. I never found the ride of the Classic harsh at all. Even through potholes it felt no worse than any other bike would. I hope this helps. Cheers Lumir, ER

Thanks ER. I already have a hwy bike, a bmw r1200rs, but good part of my riding is rural/local roads with less than ideal paved surface. I am finding myself in 4th or 5th gear most of the time, the beemer is definitely not meant for this kind of riding. I thought I’d solve this with a scooter, bought myself a Yamaha XMax 300 last year, which turned up to be a big mistake. The front is so, so, but the rear is so hard that it is killing my back/spine (I am 77). I am definitely keeping the RS, but need to trade the scooter for something more “senior friendly”. Moreover, I love the classic/retro looks of the 350 Classic. The red chrome is my favorite. Cheers

@@lumirbakota501 Honestly, the spoked wheel Classic feels no worse than any other bike I have owned. Probably even on the more comfortable side. Definitely try to get a ride on one before deciding though, that way you’ll be sure. It’s a shame that the scooter didn’t work out for you. I love my scooters too 🥰 I think you’ll be happy with a red/chrome Classic, just try to get a test ride first if you can 👍 Good luck 🤞 ER

Oh dear, that's not great ! I always read the manual because I know that the dealers do not know what is required ! For instance, at the first six month service, they changed the oil. I pointed out to them that according to the schedule, there is no oil change at six months, it's just check and adjust cables, drive chain etc. They looked at my manual and agreed with me, but clearly they didn't KNOW that until I mentioned it. I mean, they are only official dealers right ? It's not like they should be expected to know how to service the bikes they sell ! ? ! ? 🤔 Anyway, after that, the six month service was a bit cheaper because they stopped changing the oil 😂 I was happy to change the oil personally, I don't think it would do any harm, I just wanted to point out that according to RE it wasn't necessary. They clearly didn't know that until I mentioned it ! Cheers 3x, glad you've still got a trustworthy mechanic to fall back on ! My dealer is ok really, it's just that I don't trust them to know enough about the bikes they are selling, so I always do the research for them and I try to educate them as we go along 🤗 I also recommended that they stop replacing defective Classic speedos, that they should try just cleaning the connector, because in my case that solved the problem ! There is no extra charge for my services, I just hope that I can help them to help other customers more effectively 😛 Stay safe 3x ! ER

@@economicalrides I do read the manual right after I buy a motorcycle but I had forgotten

@@fderbar1 To be honest, it was only my mistrust of the level of knowledge these dealers had which made me check the schedule before every service. Normally it shouldn't be necessary but when I ordered the Meteor it became apparent to me that I knew more about the bike ( which was a new model at the time ) than they did ! So ever since then I made sure that they did everything as they were supposed to do 🙂

Hi John, yes it does and the Meteor does too and that is almost two years old now ! The finishes on these RE bikes seem to be very durable, it's not hard to keep them looking nice. Even the fasteners on the Meteor are still shiny, no rust to be seen anywhere. Not bad for a budget bike ! Thanks, Ruby will be stroked imminently 🙂 Take care you two, hope you can do some riding soon 🤞 Garry & Ruby

Hi there, yes, that seems like a fair price. My dealer has one and has it for sale at 4400 EUR, so 4000 EUR with just 3000 km is a decent price ! Enjoy your Classic when you get it 👍🏻 Cheers, ER

I eventually bought my 350 Classic brand new in the same exact colour. I absolutely love this bike! Greatings from Italy. BTW, love your channel.

@@mr2bmw Hi there, thanks for getting back to me and letting me know. Yes, I think that's why my dealer had trouble selling my Classic for a while. He priced it so high that most people preferred to just save a bit longer and buy a new one with the full 3 year warranty. With these cheaper bikes, often the price difference between new and second hand is not that large, so a lot of people end up buying a new one 🙂 Congratulations on your new bike. A lovely looking bike in chrome and red ! I hope you have many happy years together. I also hope that you will continue to enjoy my channel for many years 😉 even if my own Classic has now left the channel. Cheers and Merry Christmas to you and your family there in Italy ! ER & Ruby

😛 In India they actually fit the heel/toe shifter to this model for this very reason, you can change up and down in sandals and you will not hurt your toes. Strangely this shifter is only for export models and it seems as though it was a last minute bodge job. It's a bit short and also mounted in the wrong position on the spline, for most folks at least. I think it was a rush job after they decided fairly late in the day NOT to fit a heel/toe shifter to the export models because it wasn't in keeping with the olde Brit bike aesthetic. Ironically, lots of export model owners are now ordering the heel/toe shifter from India and fitting it to their bikes in place of the standard lever 😂 I would have fitted one myself by now if I had been able to order one in Europe. Unfortunately you only seem to be able to get them from India and I'm not going through that hassle. Cheers bro, Garry

Because I had trouble with the Classic gear lever I asked the dealer to move it up a spine. What a difference! So much easier and it is now on a short list between this and the Hunter. Without the shifter being moved it would definitely be a deal breaker for me.

@@brahnseer3512 I'm glad that moving the shifter helped you to get on with the Classic Brahn. I don't know many people who own a Classic who haven't done the exact same thing ! They've either moved the lever up one position or they have replaced it completely with the heel/toe shifter ! Good luck deciding, both are great bikes. Just go with the one that speaks to your soul the most would be my advice ! Cheers Brain, ER

Erm no Frank. A gear indicator tells you which gear you are in, first through to fifth. Not all bikes have those. A neutral light just tells you that you are not in any gear 🙂 All bikes have those. Cheers, ER

@@economicalrides the himalayan had a gear indicator. I just saw the green N & thought it would display gears. Normally for neutral they just display a green light.

@@frankpinion4937 Ah ok. No, that would be a bit too high tech for RE. The N is just a green idiot light, like those surrounding it. If they have an actual gear indicator, they usually put it into the LCD display because that’s relatively easy. The LCD display on the Classic is deliberately kept small, so they apparently didn’t have room to add the gear indicator on this model‘s petite LCD screen. Cheers Frank Garry

Haha, thanks Peter. I know, honestly, I'm not sure how I do it ! I recall that after I took it off-road, it was absolutely covered in dust and I thought "that's it, it'll never be clean again !" 😂 I've no idea. I think copious usage of a hosepipe to wash the loose dust off and then wet rubbing with cloths and then drying. OK, I'll admit that I do lie on my back ( usually in a pool of dirty bike water ) and wash the underside of the engine, the frame rails, the centre stand, usually after a quick blast of degreaser. My Spanish friends shake their heads when they see my bikes. The Meteor is nearly two years old, has 9000km on it and is actually cleaner than when I picked it from the dealership ( they always deliver the bikes covered in grease ( and straw from the packing crate ! ) over here ) ! Both REs have been surprisingly easy to clean, to be honest. I don't really enjoy washing vehicles but with these two bikes it has never really seemed like the chore it used to be 🤷‍♂ I dare say that you are going to keep Spitfire nice and clean, despite your intentions to the contrary Peter. Although that mud bath you gave him must have been annoying ! Cheers Peter, one video down, two to go 😉 Love from Spain, Garry & Ruby

​@@economicalrides Well you wouldn't catch me lying on the ground because I'd be hard put getting up again! No, Spitfire only really gets a good wash down once every 5 or so rides and in between I just clean the chain and other important things, then lube. Hurricane is still awaiting a run out... Definitely dry roads in sunshine bike!

@@Lanes-Explorer5733 😂😂😂 Oh, it's not a proper bike washing session without lying on your back in a puddle Peter 😛 You need to be able to see your reflection in the centre stand before it can be called "clean" 🤗 Is your hangar nice and clean ? The annoying thing for me is that both of my garages are terribly dusty. So my bikes get dirty being parked in the garage. I do have covers for them but over time the covers get covered in dust and then of course it gets transferred to the bikes every time you put the cover on or take it off. Maybe I should get some covers which can be washed, although with the amount of dust in those garages, I'd probably have to wash them every week, which seems excessive 🤔 Also, in the summer, by the time I get 100m down the road, the bikes will be covered in ambient dust anyway. So no, probably best to carry on as I am. It is annoying though, washing the bike, putting it away and then when you come to ride it, it is dusty already. 🤬 Hopefully I will soon have a bike which is allowed to be dirty 😉 Oh, that thing and the sticker I want to send to you, I haven't managed to send yet. Far too busy. I'm hoping to get around to it next week though, once I've sorted out "everything else", if you know what I mean 😛 Cheers Peter, love from Spain Garry & Ruby

Yep ! If I could get one in Europe it would be on there already ! Cheers FC 👍🏻 ER

Yes, I easily managed that with my Meteor when I only had the one bike. It took longer with the Classic because I had to share the mileage between the two bikes. The Himalayan has taken three months to hit 2000km but I think that’s still more than I managed in the first three months with the Classic 🤗 Enjoy yours. I hope you never have the annoying speedo issue 🤞 Cheers, ER

Wrong on all counts. It’s an Indian motorcycle ( where they use kph ) in Spain ( where they use kph ). Why on earth would I use MPH ??? Give your head a wobble mate. Staggering comment.

❤❤❤​@@economicalrides

@@rachitanandhiremath2234 🤗😇