[Foretio]

Disclaimer: This is my very first ownership review so please ignore a few of the mistakes I might have made.

I’m 22 right now and started my motorcycle learning journey when I turned 16 on my dad’s 1968 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 G2. Starting to learn on such a heavy bike and also one that had riding technicalities quite different from usual motorcycles, sure was a unique experience. However, it also ensured that I was able to ride any other motorcycle accessible to me without any fear. I won’t go into much technical details of the G2 but rather focus on what it is like living with this old machine in the current modern world.

The G2 has been with us for the last 35 years and is 55 or so years old by now. During its earlier days, my dad had done many rides ranging from inter-city in Gujarat to rides from Ahmedabad to Rajasthan. The bullet was restored in its later stage of life and was just parked at my dad’s office for many years as the new cars in the garage took over everyday life. Comes year 2017 and the Bullet was brought back to life by bringing it back home. My brother learnt to ride a bike on it and after a year it was me who got to try my hands on it. I had been a car guy since childhood but with time bikes started growing on me.

Riding it to my tuition classes and doing some random short rides around my home was the sole use of the Bullet. We moved houses 4 years back and right now as I move my gaze outside the window, I can see the bullet parked in the garage along with its garage mates, 2004 Honda Activa, 2019 Pulsar 150, 2021 Splendor Plus, 2014 Toyota Fortuner TRD Sportivo, 2009 Mahindra Scorpio and 2011 Toyota Etios (Might as well write ownership reviews of these buddies sometime).

Coming back to this Bullet 350, I absolutely love this machine. The bullet is no longer a primary vehicle at the house but rather it is kind of my duty now (which I enjoy) to take it for occasional short spins to avoid the battery getting drained. The thump from the exhaust and feel this thing gives is something the current classic 350 can’t give you. I ride it once a week now due to my 9-5 internship and it takes a few decompression kicks and 1-2 normal kicks to make the engine roar to life. It never fails to bring a smile to the face when the throttle is pulled on open roads and the thump starts growing louder while taking its own sweet time to gain momentum. The bike does feel heavy when it's your human legs pulling it back and forth over a little slope but you get used to it. It does catch attention on the road quite a bit, I had an incident a few weeks back where a middle-aged man on his new Royal Enfield classic 350 was surprised seeing a 21-year-old me riding this old machine, he told how his own J series engine had lost the character when compared to this old vehicle of my dad, another incident was a 40-year-old man on his old school chetak scooter beside me recognising the old bullet.

The majority of the time it is the men in their 35-50s who recognise this bullet mainly due to its old number plate starting with GJG and some due to their knowledge about the bike. But not all the things about living with this old machine are sunshine and rainbows, sometimes the bike is in its mood to start or the mechanicals requiring attention quite often. The bike was working well for some time without any issues and hence I decided to use it as my office commute half of the days. It is a 37-40 km total commute in a day with heavy and light city traffic combined. Out of 7 total days I took it, it left me stranded 2 days. One was the time its accelerator cable broke mid-way returning home, I asked 2-3 bike garages on the way and none had the wire in inventory so had to call my brother to get it pushed.

The second incident happened when the bike wouldn't start despite kicking until my right leg gave up and tried different things. It turned on after releasing the clutch in first gear while in momentum from being pushed with a leg from the back by another rider. These tales made me not want to take risks of taking it at any longer distances and just keep it as a short weekend fun ride machine.

Likes

• The exhaust thump
• Lively engine character
• Comfortable seating and riding position
• Attention catcher
• Smooth cruise till 50-60 Km/h
• You feel different from all the other classic 350s and Standard 350s on the road

Cons

• Reliability: Needs constant attention, the carburettor needs cleaning many times, the odometer stopped working a few days back and such things would happen now and then so gotta be ready to get your hands dirty any moment and put some money in.
• Poor brakes: The front is useless while riding while the rear is just decent, they are safe till 50-60kph max, riding this machine above 60 is a death wish in case of an emergency braking situation.
• Moody: If the bike has been wet in the rain and the engine is cold then it does take longer to start also might leave you stranded in the middle of the road if it won’t start.
• Gears: Though you can boast about how your friend who wants to ride it would not be able to easily due to the opposite position of gear and brake pads, the gear shifting pattern along with neutral finder, the poor brakes and whatnot, the major issue is that the gears don’t shift many times despite of pressing the pedal properly and you end up revving the engine instead thinking that the gear changed and rolling the throttle but it's like the gear has shifted into neutral and you would have to press it again to engage the gear. I have seen the same gear issue in one other old bullet as well so still unsure whether it's just our bike or it's a major flaw with the gearbox on all old bullets.
• Engine heat up: The engine does heat up more than Pulsar or Splendor in today’s heavy traffic as it wasn’t made for riding in such heavy traffic.

Despite of cons outweighing the pros, this is the only garage Machine that is gonna stay permanently for many years to come.

[navin_v8]

It is always nice to see an old stock RE Bullet in any form, especially the G2 and B1 series. Glad to see that you are taking care of your dad's motorcycle and riding it regularly. With all its temperamental quirks these motorcycles will test your patience to the limit. But believe me, with regular maintenance and upkeep they will keep running for decades.

Like you, I too learned to ride a motorcycle using my Bullet CI (1996 model), which I acquired in 2010. It was quite an experience and I started to respect the weight and handling of this behemoth.

Also consider the fact that your motorcycle is almost 55 years old, so there will be some maintenance issues here and there. If you like DIY'ing then most of these issues can be taken care of at home itself.

Due to safety issues related to braking, I had converted my 1996 Bullet STD CI's front drum brake to disc brake. But the original setup of single leading shoe brake remains on my G2 and B1. I ride them oldies only on Sunday's or on holidays early in the morning. The place where them oldies are parked (at Kharghar in New Bombay) has relatively empty roads compared to mainland Bombay. I also avoid riding em' during monsoons and only take them out when there is a mild drizzle or no rain. The MRF nylogrip tyres tough as they are, don't inspire much confidence on watery slippery roads.

I would suggest you to invest in a good quality battery tender/charger considering you own multiple vehicles at home. Bosch C3 is a good choice. I have been using it for more than 6 years now and it keep the batteries of my multiple motorcycles juiced up.

A well tuned and serviced CI can comfortably do 70 KMPH all day long. But it is most comfortable doing speeds between 50-60 KMPH. This may seem slow considering the speed limit on our highways today, hence not advisable to run them oldies at that speed. For city commutes nothing beats them, as I can vouch that while riding my 1996 Bullet I can putter around Bombay city traffic with minimal gear changes. This is due to the fantastic tractability of the engine and oodles of torque in every gear. Sometimes at speeds as low as 2 KMPH I need not put my foot down as the motorcycle balances itself very well at super slow speeds.

Another difference you will notice is that them G2 and B1 engines come with a heavy crank assembly which takes time to spin resulting in slow pick up speeds. Once it is past the initial inertia and starts catching speed it goes like a locomotive climbing speeds like there's tomorrow and is relatively less vibey at higher speeds than regular CI's with lighter cranks. Although not advisable, I have seen some old Bullets (with modifications) doing 100-120+ KMPH on an open stretch.

Regarding the gear shift issue, I would suggest you to tap very gently on the gear lever before making the gear shift. Once you are ready to make the gearshift just press the clutch and shift the gear. This technique will result in lesser false neutrals and a smoother gear shift. Remember, these are hardy gearboxes from WW2 era and like most of the gearboxes from that era are heavy duty and clunky. As a side note, would also ask you to get the clutch plates checked for wear and tear.

Engine heating might also be due to very lean air-fuel mixture on your carb. It is also recommended to use normal mineral engine oil (Castrol GTX 20W 50) in these old Bullet's rather then semi-synthetic or synthetic oil.

There is moisture buildup in the CB point during monsoon which makes it difficult to start the engine. The technique is to open the CB point cover and clean the CB points with a fine emery/sand paper. 99% of the times the engine will roar to life after doing this.

For the sake of safety, kindly get rid of the front straight bar crash guard. It will do more damage due to its inherent design. Go for a diamond type crash guard upfront. Fixing a crash guard at the rear is optional but recommended.

One last point, this is a very simple motorcycle to work on and almost everything can be fixed/repaired without straight replacement. You will appreciate this in the long run.

Enjoy your motorcycle and keep updating us on your experiences.

[rite2rajs]

My father owned a RE 350 1970 model, we used it till mid 80s as you said RE was and still is very slack on quality parts. The resilience of parts is still a big question even in their latest offerings.

[Foretio]

Originally Posted by rite2rajs

My father owned a RE 350 1970 model, we used it till mid 80s as you said RE was and still is very slack on quality parts. The resilience of parts is still a big question even in their latest offerings.

I recently found a motorcycle spare parts store near my home and got the handlebar grips from there. This was after visiting three different stores because the inner plastic of the original grip had broken.

The left two pictures are new grips I found.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

It is always nice to see an old stock RE Bullet in any form, especially the G2 and B1 series. Glad to see that you are taking care of your dad's motorcycle and riding it regularly. With all its temperamental quirks these motorcycles will test your patience to the limit. But believe me, with regular maintenance and upkeep they will keep running for decades.

...

One last point, this is a very simple motorcycle to work on and almost everything can be fixed/repaired without straight replacement. You will appreciate this in the long run.

Enjoy your motorcycle and keep updating us on your experiences.

I feel the same; every time I see another old Bullet, my eyes sparkle up.

Yes, almost all the maintenance and servicing is done at home, with me, my brother, and dad all getting our hands dirty.

Yeah, I agree. The weight is only felt when the bike is turned off, but as soon as it is on the move, it glides easily.

The motorcycle no longer endures heavy traffic rides, so the brakes get the job done just fine with the original setup. Though I would suggest to my dad about your brake recommendation, he likes to keep things the way they are. And yes, it stays under cover in the monsoon, as the chrome and a few other parts oxidize quite easily.

Even though we have a battery charger for our cars, it's rarely used as we simply remove the battery terminals when the car stays in the garage for a longer period. As for the Bullet, I make sure it never runs out of battery juice by taking it out on a spin.

The bike hasn't seen highways for years. I love the torque it offers, which comes in quite handy in city rides. The bike does a great job in 3rd and 4th gear for city commuting for me.

Yes, I'm quite aware of the technicalities of the G2 engine and its capabilities. As you mentioned, the bike can surely reach high speeds if pushed on an empty highway, but below 60 KMPH is the sweet and safe spot for me.

I'll surely try that on the next ride, and I don't think there's any issue with the clutch plates, but I'll get them checked as well.

It does run on mineral oil. I'll even check the engine oil level next time, as it's been some time now.

We do carb cleaning often when the bike throws tantrums, and yes, it does solve the problem.

I'll see if dad agrees on it. He doesn't ride it anymore, but at the end of the day, it's his beloved machine and his decisions, and I respect that.

Yes, we men of the house work on it together at home when any trouble comes related to this finely aged motorcycle.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice!

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[theqca]

Happy to see yet another old bullet on the forum.
I've been riding my 1963 G2 for 25 years now with no complaints.
Since you guys mentioned highways, I remember riding to Delhi and back (from Bombay).

Trips to Pune / Panchgani / Deolali were comparatively easier rides which the G2 and I handled with ease. Ofcourse I was 20 something in those days and my physical fitness levels were different.
Wish you many years of happy riding!

[Jeroen]

Nice! Love these stories about these old Royal Enfield. When we lived in Delhi I got myself a 1974 fully restored RE Bullet 350. First motorbike I ever owned, first motorbike I ever rode. I did have a different gear box put on. I had the modern five speed box with the shifter on the left side.

I did almost 15000 km on it in less than 4 years. Apart from a few niggles it turned out to be quite reliable. I recall the brakes not being very good, but not necessarily as terrible as yours. Maybe it is also because I am a bit of an old git and I was probably, by far, the most cautious rider in all of India!

Enjoy your bike, it looks gorgeous, brings back many good memories.

Jeroen

[SgtGAWD]

Excellent writeup! It feels great to see another fellow youngster enjoying a CI Bullet. I too had a red '95 Bullet as my first motorcycle and oh boy, it was one hell of an experience (well documented on this forum) If you spend enough time tinkering with your machine, it'll teach you everything you need to know to know to work on most motorcycles. These machines are truly bare-bones and are thus great to learn working on. I still remember taking apart most of my motorcycle out if curiosity only to break some 20 y/o part in the process and running around town at odd hours to source them.

The issues you've mentioned are common on most CI Enfields. I faced starting issues many a times when water seeped into the CB points during washing. I proceeded to buy an OEM Point cover, applying gasket maker on its edges before installation and taping up the edges after installation, put a layer of polythene on top of the point cover and covering it all up with a rubber cap made for the fuel lid of Ambassadors. It worked and I never had any issues with the points again throughout the 2 monsoons that the Bullet saw with me.
The gearbox issue is one that takes time to deal with. My CI was initially running 80W90 gear oil. I replaced it with the recommended grease and 20W50 oil and replaced the clutch plates. That and a little bit of practice resolved the problem by a large extent.
I made sure to replace all the cables with new ones as soon as I got the Bullet. This was entirely preventive maintenance as the old ones were working perfectly and I lubed them up and stored them in the toolbox as spares as these are hard to source on the fly and especially when you're stranded.
Your Bullet looks impeccable and I'm curious about what sort of FE are you getting? Also, what does the paperwork scenario look like?
Wishing you a happy ownership experience. Thump on!

[Burjis Zaveri]

Dear Foretio,

I had a great time reading your experience with your bullet. Very happy to know that there are others in their twenties who are riding older CI bullets. I am all of 25 and am using my 1975 Bullet which now dons a fresh coat of paint.

My dad happened to have a G2 Bullet, an original Japanese 39BHP RD and a Yezdi at the same time in his youth. Hearing tales of those bikes made me we want to have them too. Considering the prices people have been quoting for these bikes, as a teenager with 'not so deep pockets' the Yezdi was my only option.

I did occasionally get a ride or two on an old bullet but landed up getting one for myself only a while ago. I started with my first Yezdi right after my 12th (HSC) Board exams to keep myself occupied during the vacation. After having ridden Yezdis and Jawas for most part, the Bullet as a daily was quite a change. It took me time to get used to the opposite gear system and its weight in traffic. I have surely been enjoying myself.

With regard to one of your cons which discusses false neutrals, I have experienced the same. A clutch setting has surely helped make matters better. They do still occur but the frequency has gone down.

Have attached a picture of my Bullet. Still have some pending work to get it where it should be.

Regards,
Burjis

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Foretio

Bullet 350 G2.

Wonder how many know what the G2 stands for.

[*]Poor brakes: The front is useless while riding while the rear is just decent, they are safe till 50-60kph max, riding this machine above 60 is a death wish in case of an emergency braking situation.

You have a rare bike. Can you share some pics of the front and rear brake drums and the unique speedo gear from rear wheel driving the speedometer. Not many would know that.

[*]Moody: If the bike has been wet in the rain

There was a specific rubber cap/cup kind of accessory made the distributor cover. It prevents condensation and water drops entering the distrib cap. Also, please educate yourself about cleaning and setting the points.

[*]Gears:...........the major issue is that the gears don’t shift many times

The best solution for this was I used to mix half a KG of wheel hub grease with 20W40 engine oil and use instead of the recommended gear oil. Worked wonders in both smooth shifts and more importantly no leaks .

[*]Engine heat up:

I have heard some people adding 10ml to liter of petrol, helps to lubricate the piston better, but of course needs plug cleaning a lot more.