The new Bonneville T40 brings more power and modern electronics to the 350 cc retro segment, but the Classic 350 fights back with a much lower price
The Triumph Bonneville T40 is the latest entrant into India’s fiercely competitive 350cc retro motorcycle segment. It follows the classic Bonneville formula but uses a dedicated 350cc liquid-cooled engine, while the Royal Enfield Classic 350 sticks to its familiar J-series motor and old-school character. The interesting bit is that both motorcycles weigh 195kg, but the Triumph packs considerably more performance and equipment. The price gap, however, is significant.
Triumph Bonneville T40 Vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Price And Specs
Specification | Triumph Bonneville T40 | Royal Enfield Classic 350 |
Price (ex-showroom) | Rs 2.55 lakh | Rs 1.87 lakh to Rs 2.23 lakh |
Engine | 350 cc, single-cylinder | 349 cc, single-cylinder |
Cooling | Liquid-cooled | Air-cooled |
Power | 29 PS | 20.2 PS |
Torque | 31.2 Nm | 27 Nm |
Gearbox | 6-speed | 5-speed |
Kerb/Wet weight | 195 kg | 195 kg |
Fuel tank | 14.5 litres | 13 litres |
Front wheel | 18-inch | 19-inch |
Rear wheel | 17-inch | 18-inch |
Seat height | 790 mm | 805 mm |
Front suspension | 43 mm telescopic fork | Telescopic fork |
Rear suspension | Twin shocks | Twin shocks |
Front brake | 310 mm disc | 300 mm disc |
Rear brake | 255 mm disc | 270 mm disc |
ABS | Dual-channel | Single/dual-channel, variant dependent |
On paper, there is no contest when it comes to performance. The Bonneville T40’s 350 cc liquid-cooled engine makes 29 PS and 31 Nm, compared with 20.2 PS and 27 Nm from the Classic 350. The Triumph also gets a six-speed gearbox, giving it a closer spread of ratios for both city riding and highway cruising.
The Classic’s engine, on the other hand, is tuned for a much more relaxed character. Its peak torque arrives at 4,000 rpm, which suits the laid-back riding experience that has become synonymous with the Classic 350.
The two motorcycles follow a remarkably similar formula. Both get round headlights, teardrop-shaped fuel tanks, spoke wheels, twin rear shocks and an upright riding position. The T40 does have a lower 790 mm seat, compared with 805 mm on the Classic. It also carries a larger 14.5-litre fuel tank. The Triumph uses an 18-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel combination, while the Classic gets larger 19-inch and 18-inch wheels.
This is where the T40 starts to justify its premium. The motorcycle gets a 4-inch colour LCD display with turn-by-turn navigation, phone and music connectivity, three riding modes, traction control and ABS. The more expensive T40 Black takes the technology package further with five riding modes, lean-sensitive cornering ABS and traction control, along with cruise control.
The Classic 350 keeps things simpler. Higher variants get features such as dual-channel ABS, an assist-and-slipper clutch, USB-C charging and Tripper navigation, but it doesn’t try to match the Triumph feature-for-feature.
The Classic 350 remains the value choice. Its starting price is nearly Rs 67,000 lower than the Bonneville T40, and it offers the familiar Royal Enfield experience with a massive ownership ecosystem.
The T40, however, is aimed at riders who want something more premium. It offers almost 9 PS more power, a six-speed gearbox, a larger tank, a lower seat and substantially more technology.
