Sent for therapy

Royal Enfield has launched a number of very successful models over the last few years, and it seems to be showing no signs of slowing down, even with the entry-level models to its range

- Dave Manning

It probably comes as something of a surprise to many people - given that the Bullet has been the backbone of Enfield's production for, essentially, the greater part of the company's existence (especially so with regard to machines built since the move to production in India) but the new 350cc Bullet isn't a new machine in entirety. It's based on the Meteor, that was launched into the UK market back in 2021 with the new air-/oil-cooled overhead cam J-series engine. The Meteor itself replaced the Meteor version of the previous pushrod-engined Bullet, which was incredibly popular in the Indian home market, and that was probably the root reason behind the new Meteor being launched ahead of the new Bullet, rather than the other way around.

While not chasing outright power with the J-series, Royal Enfield has developed an engine that is incredibly flexible in its delivery. Impressively for an engine of this capacity, top gear (only five speeds in this 'box) is capable of pulling from as low as 30mph, with no complaints (albeit not at a particularly rapid rate of knots), thus making for a very relaxing ride on twisting country lanes or, for that matter, in busy urban traffic. Although it's in the former rural environment that the bike excels, exploring tight and twisting byways, luxuriating in the slow speed manoeuvrability, leisurely power delivery and relaxing soundtrack.