‘It’s just a Classic 350 with an ape-hanger handlebar, how different will the Goan be?’, is how my conversations around the Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 were. And can a Classic be more ‘Goan’ than it is already? I didn’t think so. And spending some time with RE’s Susegan Goenkar completely changed that view.
But before that, I had to make peace with the ‘Trip Teal’ colour that I was going to ride. The oxidised orange on the tank and the rims were a bit too loud for my liking, and didn’t feel ‘Goan’. Sure, the mandala pattern on the tank was a nice touch, but didn’t go with the psychedelic art that RE shown in the teaser and at the launch event. Maybe mass production of something as vivid as a psychedelic artwork is hard, but this colour didn’t feel Goan at all in the parking lot.
The moment I swung my leg over the bike, I almost forgot about the loud, head-turning paint. Surprisingly, the new ergonomics because of the 100-mm taller handlebar, forward-set footpegs and the 750-mm seat height felt so natural and comfortable; it was time to face Goa with this bike that was asking for attention just as the place had started to swarm with… erm, Motoversers. So, blending-in was not going to be as easy.
Just out of the hotel gate, I could hear people screaming ‘Goan’ every now and then. Locals and tourists would pull up besides the bike, awestruck or shell-shocked, but every time it ended with a nod of approval.
Making my way through the narrow lanes of Goa, away from the crowd, I could finally focus on my ‘work’. The handlebar, though tall, was just the right height so as to not give me aching shoulders. And despite being that ‘chilled’, it didn’t really affect the handling, either. In fact, it made me ride this Classic in a way that I usually wouldn’t.
Going around a corner, I scraped the stand without intending to do so. Quick direction changes weren’t any difficult, either. The 19-inch front wheel shod with the new Ceat Zoom Classic tyres gave me enough confidence to do un-Classic things. And one of the un-Classic bits about the Goan Classic 350 was the suspension.
Though the front suspension did its work just fine, the rear couldn’t. The ergonomics made my tailbone very susceptible to the impacts from the broken roads. Going somewhat slow did work, but there was no escaping the aftermath of going through a big pothole.
Thankfully, the charm of the 349cc air-cooled single-cylinder and the calming exhaust note would draw my mind away from the discomfort within a few minutes. For the most part of my ride, I was in third gear, comfortably cruising through the scenic roads.
As I was heading back towards the hotel, the Trip Teal colour grew on me, and looking at the surroundings, it seemed to be in the right settings. But will this wild paintjob feel the same in Bombay? Sure, there are subtle colour options available, too. But for me, in Goa, the Goan Classic 350 felt right at home. The Classic always has been a relaxed and chilled-out motorcycle, and the Goan just made the whole Susegad experience even better.
