Turn on, tune in and drop out

The latest offering from Royal Enfield is a bobberinspired, mini-ape handlebar-equipped take on the Classic 350. It's for those who like to take it easy and look good while doing it

Sun, sand, beaches, beautiful narrow roads, hippie trails, Dil Chahta Hai and Royal Enfields.

These are just some of the things one associates with Goa. For years, people have come here to turn on, tune in and drop out. And one of the ways people choose to express themselves is through their motorcycles. We've seen some unique creations over the years, in fact, I distinctly remember walking into a RE showroom in my early teens and looking at all those 'Leave Home' campaigns, one of them was of a custom Bullet from Goa, just saying 'Trip' on the top right of the picture.

It had a lasting impression on me, freedom of expression and riding a motorcycle were intertwined in my head. Tapping into its rich history, Royal Enfield has decided to create a unique factory custom experience, similar to the Shotgun 650. Enter the Goan Classic 350, a bobber-inspired motorcycle that promises to be an easy-going trip machine. So, what's it all about and, more importantly, how different is it from the Classic 350? Right at the front, there's a shorter fender, and there are cross-spoke tubeless wheels as well as whitewalls, which I must say look fantastic.

RE has added LED lighting all around the motorcycle, and then we come to the most obvious additions, the raised handlebar and slightly forward-set footpegs.

In terms of colour options, the Goan Classic 350 is available in four - Shack Black, Rave Red, Purple Haze and, my personal favourite, Trip Teal, which looks gorgeous. Shack Black and Rave Red colours come with a special RE logo which is said to be inspired by the sun. Regarding dimensions, the Goan Classic 350 is 15mm shorter than the Classic 350, but 40mm wider, albeit without the mirrors. In terms of height, there's a 110mm advantage in the favour of the Goan Classic. Furthermore, the Goan Classic is 2kg heavier than the Classic, but the ground clearance and fuel tank capacity remain the same at 170mm and 13 litres, respectively.