BSA Bantam 350, a direct rival to Royal Enfield Classic 350, has been unveiled with production starting in India at Classic Legends facility in Indore.
Classic Legends has launched the BSA Bantam 350 at a price point of £3,499 (Around Rs 4.08 lakh) in the UK. It is the third motorcycle in the BSA portfolio after the Gold Star 650 and Scrambler 650. Based on the Jawa 42 FJ, BSA Bantam 350 is produced by Classic Legends in India while exported to multiple international markets including the UK. Presently, there are no plans to introduce the Royal Enfield Classic 350 rival motorcycle in the Indian market. The company has revived the ‘Bantam’ nameplate after more than 75 years as the Bantam D1 used to sell in 1948.
Bantam 350 is the most affordable BSA motorcycle in overseas markets. It will be the brand’s entry-level motorcycle as it uses a re-engineered chassis of the Jawa 42 FJ. Just so you know, the original Bantam D1 retailed between 1948-1971 was a 2-stroke model with engine displacement between 123-173cc. It was a highly successful motorcycle in terms of sales volumes.
Coming to the BSA Bantam 350, it is powered by the same 334cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled Alpha2 petrol engine which we have already seen in the Jawa 350 and Jawa 42 FJ. It generates max power of 29 bhp at 7750 rpm and highest torque of 29.6 Nm at 6000 rpm while coupled with a 6-speed transmission. However, the Bantam 350 gets a single exhaust pipe as compared to the dual-exhaust setup of the Jawa motorcycles.
Tipping the weighing scale at 185 kg, BSA Bantam 350 is packed with 135mm telescopic hydraulic front forks and dual-shock rear suspension with 5 step adjustable function. The stopping power comes from 320mm front disc and 240mm rear disc brakes which work alongside a dual-channel ABS. The fuel tank capacity of the bike stands at 13 litres.
Riding on 18-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, BSA Bantam 350 can be availed with both tubed and tubeless tyres. The bike has a wheelbase of 1440 mm while the saddle height is pegged at 800 mm. The bike is offered in five colour options namely Avalon Grey, Oxford Blue, Firecracker Red, Barrel Black and Victor Yellow.
At present, BSA retails its models in 12 countries namely India, UK, Turkey, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the USA, Australia and Japan. Initially, the bike will go on sale in the UK while reaching the European and American markets at a later stage. Despite undergoing production in India, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 rival will not be launched here as Classic Legends retails multiple Jawa and Yezdi bikes in the same segment with a greater appeal.
