Royal Enfield Classic 350 E85 Flex-Fuel Variant In Works, Test Mule Spied

Royal Enfield appears to be quietly working on a flex-fuel version of its best-selling Classic 350, and a test mule spotted in Chennai gives us the clearest sign yet. The bike was spied testing in an undisguised form, and had a handwritten 'E85 Fuel' sticker near the fuel filler cap, suggesting that something different is brewing under the tank.

At first glance, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 flex-fuel test mule looks almost identical to the Classic 350 currently on sale. However, two differences stand out, the bike wears an unreleased colour shade and sits on alloy wheels rather than the wire-spoke setup found on most standard variants. Beyond that, the overall design, stance, and mechanical layout remain untouched, suggesting Royal Enfield is focused on fuel system compatibility for now rather than any cosmetic overhaul.

Photo Credit: rushlane

What makes this particularly interesting is the platform angle. The Royal Enfield Classic 350's J-Series engine is shared with the Meteor 350, Hunter 350, and Bullet 350. A flex-fuel upgrade here could effectively prepare that entire family of motorcycles for E85 compliance in one go.

Photo Credit: rushlane

This sighting comes shortly after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released draft rules proposing E85 and E100 as officially recognised fuel standards in India. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has been consistently vocal about moving away from petrol and diesel toward cleaner biofuel alternatives, and it is clear that manufacturers are taking that seriously.

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Royal Enfield is not the first to explore this space. Honda already launched the CB300F Flex Fuel back in October 2024, while Bajaj showcased the Pulsar NS160 running on E100 in September 2024. On the car side, Maruti Suzuki also showcased the Fronx E85 prototype at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.

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No launch timeline has been confirmed yet, and a Classic 350 flex-fuel variant will likely carry a price premium over the current model. For now, the test mule suggests Royal Enfield is getting ready well before regulations demand it.