Modern Vespa

I'm still a bit 'butt-hurt' about my experience with the beautiful little Royal Enfield 350 I bought two years ago...and soon sold

Nothing at all...'wrong'...with the RE 350 I had, other than my hopes and expectations concerning it's engine performance left me hopelessly underwhelmed.

By contrast, I was never, not once, disappointed with the performance of my GTS 300 HPE, and I often found myself asking, as I zipped down the road on it, "I can't believe this little shit can run like it does on only 278 cc's?",smooth, refined, and seemingly unstrained.

Anyway, today I stumbled into our local RE/Kawasaki dealership to treat myself to a free bottle of cold water from their phrijerator, and parked right there by the front door was this interesting new RE 350, obvious geezerbait, and I partially succumbed to it's colorful charms before snapping out of it and regaining my senses.

The sales guy asked what I thought of it, and I told him that I liked it cosmetically, and would like it even more if RE had bothered to put an engine in it, sooooo something like.....oh...their 47 hp 650 twin perhaps?

It ain't all butterflies and Unicorn poo though, I don't like the bars, and I don't like the footpegs and foot controls that far forward, but other than those few things, I think it's a visual home run.

Too bad about that engine though.

Disclaimer: The RE 350 is loved by many, and I recognize and appreciate that fact, my 'issues' with this particular machine are more 'between MY ears' than anywhere else. I'm old and crotchety, and easily forget the fun, adventures, and yes, even the thrills I had on an 8 hp Honda in another time.

This isn't to everyone's tastes, but it's nuts enough to appeal strongly to mine.

I just noticed that it also has spoked tubeless wheels. I approve heartily.

Let's take a look, shall we?

This pretty much sums up my impressions of the Moto Guzzi bikes equipped with the 750 engine. Sexy AF, hopelessly anemic.

I did like the V7 I had for a few seasons five or six years ago. I think it was 52 or maybe 54 hp, don't recall, but it was quite at home riding the Black Hills region and I found it reasonably satisfactory for that mission as long as things weren't pushed too far, but it handled and rode decently, if not exceptionally.

I did appreciate it's mechanical simplicity, and relative ease in general maintenance chores, what with only two valves per side, and those adjustable with a couple of common tools.

As anemic as it was, the Guzzi somehow managed to be 'snappier', if that term applies here, than the heavier, larger, and slightly slower revving Kawasaki W800, and also the RE 650', both 47 hp.

I did love all three of those bikes however.

Have you seen the other color scheme?

They have one of these at our dealership.

JB....I think you should take both the RE and 310 for a ride before deciding which to bring home

The RE 350 looks are not to my taste and it's performance will definitely rule it out for a lot of people.

That leaves it's badge and it's price to help shift units.

The one in my photos is priced well under $6000, so they have that going for them, and non-current 650's are similarly priced.

Can you get a new 310 for under $9000?

I've owned an RE 350 and ridden several others, so I'm quite familiar with that model, and based on my experience with my own GTS300, it's all.ost a certainty that I would like it.

The RE 350 is alright, certainly a big step ahead of the 500 bullet they built for many, many years. The supposed 20 HP engine (About 16 - 17 HP at the rear wheel) rides OK at a leisurely pace on back roads, but lets you down as soon as you hit a hill or good headwind. At 410 pounds, it's a bit heavy for its class. It was and is built for the home market of India where the low down torque from the under square engine is needed when the road conditions are less than ideal. So, it is what it is and to my eyes, a bit too flashy, but still a good looking machine.

In the UK we can, no idea what the situation is in your country with import taxes and tariffs.

Non-discounted 310 here in the UK is about £6,600 so about USD 9000.