Royal Enfield Hunter 350 arrives in two variants, Retro and Metro, which have many differences.
Royal Enfield has finally launched the Hunter 350 after making the motorcycle for over five years. The Hunter 350 motorcycle is being offered by Royal Enfield for a starting price of Rs. 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom). There are two Hunter 350 models available: Metro and Retro. The available kit and the general design of the motorcycle differ significantly between these two types. The middleweight motorcycle improves much more, boosting Royal Enfield’s market share. This motorcycle’s engine is the same one that powers the Meteor 350 and Classic 350.
Here are some key facts about the Royal Enfield Hunter 350.
Engine
Royal Enfield Hunter 350 comes powered by a 349cc single-cylinder twin-valve engine that is shared with other siblings. This engine churns out 20.2 hp of peak power at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm of maximum torque at 4,000 rpm in the Hunter 350, just like it does in Meteor and Classic 350. However, Royal Enfield claims that fuel and ignition maps have been tweaked on the Hunter. This engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox and allows the motorcycle to run at a top speed of 114 kmph.
Design
The middleweight motorcycle gets a retro-themed appearance, blended with modern styling elements. The round-shaped headlamp gets an LED unit, while the taillight comes sporting an LED unit in the Metro variant and a halogen unit in the Retro variant. The turn indicators too come with a unique appearance in the Metro variant. The grab rails too are different in two variants. The Metro variant of the motorcycle runs on 17-inch alloy wheels, while Retro gets multi-spoke wheels.
Features
The round-shaped instrument cluster is a crucial point in this segment. The Metro variant gets a large digital display along with the analogue instrument cluster, while the Retro variant sports a smaller digital display at the instrument cluster.
Chassis
The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 gets a brand new chassis. The Hunter 350 is the smallest and the lightest motorcycle in the Royal Enfield portfolio, weighing in at just 181 kgs. That’s a total of 14 kgs lighter than the Classic 350. The Hunter also has a 20 mm shorter wheelbase than the Classic, and seat height is 800 mm.
Competitors
Priced between Rs. 1.50 lakh to Rs. 1.69 lakh (ex-showroom), Royal Enfield Hunter 350 competes with rivals such as the TVS Ronin, Honda CB 350 RS and the Jawa 42.