Rajdoot 350: The biking community in India witnessed a historic renaissance yesterday, as the legendary Rajdoot range of motorcycles sprang back to life nearly three decades after it was pulled off the market.
Infront of a glitzy showbiz extravaganza in Gurugram, the brand-new Rajdoot 350 made a spectacular entrance to a nostalgic round of applause; as the so-called segment “king” was here, by its own reckoning, to once again sit at the top of the podium and this time, with what the company’s canny executives kept explaining as “full dhakad power” – an inflection that perfectly conveyed the bullish force and strength of the motorcycle in question.
Rajdoot 350 It is History Reborn, with Soul Of To-day.
The original Rajdoot is a mythical bike if you’re unfamiliar with Indian mordcycling history. Produced by the Indian automobile giant, the Rajdoot 175 (fondly referred to as “Bobby” after the star bike of the 1973 Bollywood blockbuster) was the epitome of hardiness and consistency, and provided to everyone from rural postmen to urban travelers with unwavering steadfastness.
And that’s where the resurrected Rajdoot 350 comes in, promising to embody that spirit while of course offering appreciably more up-to-date engineering and performance.
We didn’t want to launch just another retro-style bike,” stated Sushil Kumar Jain, CEO of the new company, Rajdoot Motorcycles India.
Our goal was to bring back what was great in the first one: Its indestructability, its versatility − and give it performance and features that today’s rider wants.”
Aesthetic Design and Appearance Philosophy
The Rajdoot 350 demands attention at the first glance, for its striking looks. The latest generation maintains the functional and robust design of the previous model but further enhances its powerful stance with bolder proportions.
The timeless styling of the Scout is a perfect complement to the legendary power of the liquid-cooled 69 cubic inch V-twin design, with wires diverting critical for a sleek, minimalistic look with nothing standing in the way of the engine s V-twin song.
The motorcycle itself looks best in the new “Dhakad Green”, a deep forest green with gold pinstriping that’s a part of company representatives told us will be the flagship color, there’s also a maroon that will be immediately recognizable to long time fans of the brand, among other five color schemes.
Chrome highlights are tastefully applied to the exhaust, mirrors and handlebar, adding visual appeal without overshadowing the cut-and-thrust character. Aluminum rims certainly add to its timeless look, and with 19-inch front and 18-inch rear finders, baobab/ avo skin lovers can enjoy the best of both worlds with a classic and modern design theme.
Powerhouse Performance
It is also modern under the Rajdoot 350, behind the round headlamp and other old-school design elements is an air-cooled 346cc single with which Royal Enfield too has been making waves.
It makes 20.4 hp (15.2 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 28 Nm (20.6 lb-ft) of torque at 3,500 rpm – numbers that favor rideability over peak output.
“The Rajdoot was never really about top speed,” said Chief Engineer Prakash Sharma, during the technical presentation. “It was all about relentless reliability and the kind of torque that would let you conquer the nature, you see? We’ve contrasted that ethos into an engine that produces its ample torque in the rev range that riders enjoy on a day-to-day basis.
This long-stroke design also contributes to excellent low-rpm torque, which is such an essential element in pure road bikes, whether riding in city streets or winding along open country roads.
The gearbox is a 5-speeder with widely spaced ratios, designed for India where you have portions of a journey spent at crawling speeds – so a high first gear to provide a crawl ratio and, for city riding, the assist-and-slipper clutch to offer lighter lever feel during long commutes.
Arguably the most impressive is the refinement of the engine. While retaining the signature thump that fans of this engine LOVE, vibrations have been effectively controlled via two counter balancers and rubber engine mounts to the engine permitting a cruising highway speed with little more effect from the vibration than a laptop computer.
Chassis and Road Manners
The Rajdoot 350 has a double cradle frame which is designed to take the beating of Indian roads. And the chassis geometry is a good compromise between stability and maneuverability, because with a 1, 410mm wheelbase, the SVR doesn’t even itself out at speed and is still usable for low-speed lane-splitting.
Telescopic forks of 41mm diameter and 130mm travel at the front and twin gas-charged shock absorbers with 5-step preload adjustments at the rear takes care of the suspension duties.
This arrangement offers an absorbent ride over rutted surfaces but remains stable when cornering hard – attributes that are just about ideal for India’s mixed bag of roads.
Brakes come with a dual-channel ABS as standard and the system can be set to single-channel mode for off-roading.The front gets a 300mm disc with two-piston floating caliper, while the rear gets a 240mm disc.
The system offers progressive stopping power that communicates well through the lever – something that helps inspire confidence in unsure riding conditions.
Thoughtful Modern Amenities
Despite retaining its functionality, the Rajdoot 350 comes with intelligent features that one might expect from a modern motorcycle. The instrument cluster adds the analog speedometer and a digital display which displays important informations such as fuel level, gear position, trip meters and service indicators.
LED lighting is found throughout, meaning better visibility and less draw on the electrical system. The USB charging outlet, located inconspicuously beneath the seat, is one of many modern touches which make life a bit easier for the leisure rider without disturbing the timeless looks.
Special notice deserves the generous not to treate seat, to provide comfort all day long, with a supportive shape and high quality texturing to avoid rider tiredness even during longer trips.
The ergonomics are spot on, managing a mix of upright comfort and committed control, the comfy seat, moderately rear-set pegs and wide bars delivering an authoritative riding stance.
Positioning in the Market and Value Proposition
Offered at an introductory price of ₹1.85 lakh to ₹1.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for select colours, the Rajdoot 350 is now the most affordable mid-displacement motorcycle that undercuts several brands with comparable or lower performance and relatively inferior build quality.
These prices have been set in a value-first manner as per company representatives, who wish to democratize the Rajdoot experience rather than having it defined as a premium niche offering.
Advertisement The usual 3-year unlimited kilometre warranty also bolsters this value proposition, and probably negates any residual fear a few punters might have over the new brand’s reliability.
The first markdown will be done through 25 exclusive showrooms in key cities with numbers increasing to 100 by the end of the year. These are to include heritage sections in their showrooms that showcase the original Rajdoot models and their cultural significance, allowing them to create an emotional connection rather than limiting it to financial transactions.
Rajdoot 350 Market Reaction and Prospects
The initial response from the biking fraternity seems to be overwhelmingly positive, with social media teeming with nostalgic posts from past Rajdoot owners and the curious younger crowd who’ve just been acquainted with the badge.
Prominent motorcycle influencers present at the launch spoke highly of the balance it achieves as a blend of heritage and dynamism.
Industry analysts see the launch of Rajdoot 350 as a potential disruptor in the middleweight segment, especially given its aggressive pricing and the heritage emotional value attached to the nameplate by older consumers who might be influencing buying decisions within the family.
Even if the Indian motorcycle space has been growing beyond just mobility and into lifestyle and emotional space, the Rajdoot 350 ticks all the boxes for authentic heritage, strong engineering, value-end pricing, which could make it a legitimate “segment king” with a slamming “dhakad power” that was the previous, long-reigning wild child of Indian roads.