Rajdoot 350 : The bike that owned Indian streets and kicked up the fantasy of a lifetime for a whole generation, is back with a bang!
The mythical Rajdoot 350 a.k.a the “Badshah of its class” is making a comeback to conquer the hearts of the new age riders.
This revival has sent shock waves of nostalgia and glee radiating through the ranks of motorcycle enthusiasts nationwide, especially those who lived through the heyday of the iconic bike’s original domain over the 1960s to the early ’90s.
Last week, I had the opportunity to see a pre-production model at a top-secret facility on the outskirts of Gurugram.
Immediately, what I noticed was not just the modern engineering tucked beneath its classic lines, but how thoroughly it respected the spirit of the original, while taking advantage of modern technology.
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Rajdoot 350 A Legacy Reborn
The Rajdoot, which was produced in original by Escorts Group with a and Czechoslovakian JAWA Moto frame under licence from Czechoslovakian motorcycle manufacturer JAWA, was a popular bike in the 70s and 80s.
For the unique sound, trusting dependability, rugged build, it has been the preferred siren of government agency’s people in the military and everyday riders.
My father bought in in 1976 a Rajdoot 350,” reminisced Vikram Singh, another motorcycle collector of vintage bikes whom I met at Delhi’s Classic Motors Show last month.
“That bike had 30 years of daily use and two accidents on it, and still ran great on first kick. They made that differently back then.”
The update follows the successful revival of Jawa and Yezdi brands by the same company – Classic Legends, that bought the rights to the Rajdoot name.
The project, which was developed over the better part of three years, wasn’t only about protecting the heritage of the motorcycle, but also about making it relevant to the modern-day rider from the relatively recent launch of the first few motorcycles in 2014.
Rajdoot 350 Technical Specifications and Design Sessions and Technologies
The 2025 Rajdoot 350 is expected to use a 334cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor developing around 30 bhp and 32.5 Nm of peak torque.
Although these figures may not sound earth-shattering in today’s high-output world, they lift the GTI well clear of the original car’s rather meager power rating.
In my short time with the bike, a few design elements stood out:
The characteristic teardrop fuel tank is preserved and has been updated to be more contemporary
The round headlamp of now receives a very retro shell shaped around the LED lamp housed inside the classic Beetle style one.
with Y-pipes pop out traditional above each of the right hand side panels with modern internalcanisters.
Signature flat seat has been reshaped and redesigned for improved ergonomics, though it retained its distinguished form.
Rubber-mounted to the cockpit is a semi-digital instrument cluster that slyly squirrels itself within a classic-appearing dial housing
“We were really trying to toe that line,” said Rahul Sharma, who is part of the design team, as he showed me through some of the motorcycle’s other features.
“We wanted riders who had memories of the original model to feel a strong connection to its successor, but we also had younger enthusiasts, who value modern performance and features, in mind as well.”
What really impressed me was Illusion’s ability to hide technical wizardry behind classic looks. The fuel injection, ABS block and engine electronics are seamlessly slotted in, not spoiling the clean, uncluttered lines that defined its predecessor.
Rajdoot 350 Riding Experience
Although full test rides are still weeks down the road I was able to take a few hot laps around the facility’s test track.
The first thing that strikes you is the sound engineers have gone a long way to recreate the signature exhaust note of the Rajdoot.
“We listened to recordings of perfectly maintained original models, then worked back from there to create an exhaust system that could make that lovely thump, and also meet modern emissions,” a company engineer told me on the condition that I not reveal his name, because he was not officially authorized to discuss technical matters.
The riding position is neutral and the handlebars and footpegs are comfortably placed. The clutch lever is surprisingly light and the box slots home with an old school mechanical precision that’s just the right side of modern/familiar.
For me that power came on in a linear, available way with a broad torque curve and usable power begging to be called upon from low in the rev range – as a proper city commuter and relaxed highway cruiser should.
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Among those, the Rajdoot 350 could be priced between ₹1.85 lakh and ₹2.10 lakh (ex-showroom) and will, therefore, squarely challenge the likes of Royal Enfield Classic 350, Honda H’ness CB350, and Jawa’s own 350 series.
“They’re going into a very competitive space,” said Srinivas Krishnan, a longtime automotive journalist whom I met after I had a chance to ride the motorcycle.
“But they have the benefit of a name that remains very famous in India — perhaps surprisingly so.” It’s actual fondness toward the Rajdoot brand that isn’t limited to mere numbers of specifications.”
The Rajdoot is probably different though for the amalgamation of nostalgia and contemporary production.
Whereas competitors have dived fully into retro with junky performance or created modern machines with a retro look and high cost, this new Rajdoot is looking genuinely between two worlds.
Rajdoot 350 Dealer Network and Where To Buy
Industry sources indicate Classic Legends will use its current dealerships for the initial launch for Jawa and Yezdi and will come up with exclusive Rajdoot showrooms in key cities by end-2025.
“The launch will be staggered and the urban centres in the North and West Indian regions where the Rajdoot brand has the highest recall will be covered first,” said a marketing official close to the project, on condition of anonymity. “South and East India will be ready in three months from the launch.”
Pre-orders to begin next month and deliveries by end of the year. While high waiting period of 2-3 months is likely at this point of time for regions where the demand is expected to be high.
Rajdoot 350 Owner Community and Heritage
What I found most intriguing was the company’s intentions to interact with the original Rajdoot customers. On my visit to the facility, I spotted quite a few Rajdoots in different stages of restoration.
“These are not just reference models,” the marketing director told me when I asked.
“We’re tracking straight through from original owners, their experiences, the trips they took, the memories they had. Heritage of that kind will become a central part of our brand story.”
The brand will also be setting up a Rajdoot Heritage Club, where original owners will be given priority access for booking the new motorcycle, host the owners at exclusive events and will even offer assistance in restoring their bikes.
Mahinder Pratap, a 72-year-old former government worker I spoke with recently at a vintage motorcycle rally in the city of Chandigarh, still makes his usual trips around on his 1973 Rajdoot. “I have already called my son in Canada when I came to know about the new model.
It was on this very motorcycle that he learned to ride, and now, he said, he plans to return just to reserve the new one when it is released. That’s the kind of relationship that people have with this brand.”
Rajdoot 350 Future Roadmap
Although company officials are remaining relatively quiet about prospects for the future, sources within the supplier network indicate that a scrambler version is already in the pipeline and an adventure touring model is also planned on the drawing board for 2026.
The platform looks like it was designed to be modular, so perhaps there may be multiple derivatives aimed at different market segments.
Rajdoot 350 Conclusion
Returning the key after my short time in the pre-production car, I couldn’t help but feel that I’d been through something.
This obsession for rebirthing iconic automotive marques has been a bit of a craze in recent times but few brought the kind of emotional heft that the Rajdoot name elicits in India.
Whether this resurgence will lead to commercial resurgence we won’t know for a while…”even with the company already admitting that it may never take in money on the Super Cub Pro, it seems like they ticked the boxes we would want it to when it comes to keeping what needed to be and updating the rest.
For a generation of young men who grew up regarding these motorcycles as a sign of from and status, the re-emergence of the Rajdoot goes beyond being just another vehicle in an overcrowded market.
It’s the comeback of an icon of culture – a badshah returning to govern a kingdom that has radically transformed in its absence.
