The Royal Enfield Bullet seems to follow the James Bond mantra of ‘Die Another Day‘, having received yet another lease of life! The new Bullet is now available in three variants – the base Military variant (Rs 1.73 lakh), followed by the Standard (Rs 1.97 lakh), and the Black Gold variant at Rs 2.15 lakh (all prices ex-showroom).
Now built on the J-Series platform, the Bullet gets a 349-cc air-cooled engine, churning out 20.2 bhp and 2.75 kgm of torque. This engine is paired with a five-speed transmission. In terms of braking, it makes use of a 300-mm and a 270-mm disc setup at the front and rear respectively. However, the base Military variant misses out on a rear disc. The Bullet also receives a 13-litre fuel tank and an analogue-digital instrument cluster, both of which are also similar to the one on the Classic 350. However, the handlebar seems to be slightly different. The suspension setup is shared with the Classic 350 – 41mm telescopic forks up front and twin shocks at the rear. The switchgear too has been carried over, featuring rotary-type buttons. However, while the Classic 350 receives a split-seat setup, the Bullet retains its single-piece unit with a ribbed pattern.
What’s gone is the kick-starter and the signature tail-light of the Bullet Standard, the latter now replaced with a round unit also seen on the Classic 350. The top-end Black Gold variant in particular replaces chrome bits with blacked-out treatment on the engine, silencer, and other mechanical bits. It also (finally!) gets a fuel-gauge and a USB port across all variants. All said and done, does the new Bullet have the charm of its predecessors? Wait for our review to find out!
