The internet is booming with questions and excitement about Royal Enfield’s upcoming bike portfolio that include the new Bullet, Shotgun 650 and the Himalayan 450 whose debuts are still a while away. For now, Royal Enfield’s barrel has been loaded with the Hunter 350 which will be launched in India real soon.
And since we seem to know quite a bit about Royal Enfield’s future plans and are more than happy to share them with you, here are some exclusive details about the upcoming Hunter 350.
Styling
What you see on your screen right now is what Royal Enfield has codenamed the J1C1 or as we know it, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350. At first glance, the modern retro roadster design seems inspired by the Triumph Street Twin and that’s the flavor Royal Enfield was going for. It sports a long, single-piece seat behind what looks like a teardrop-shaped fuel-tank. And to add to its retro-ness, the Hunter comes with round headlamp, tail lamp, turn signals and mirrors.
That said, the Hunter 350 will be an easily accessible motorcycle. While we shall get to its performance in a bit, the motorcycle will come with a low seat height. It is also likely to be the lightest compared to the Classic and Meteor which weigh around 190-195kg.
Based on the J-Platform
Now, the Hunter 350 is built on Royal Enfield’s J-Platform which is also the base for the Meteor and Classic 350. So it will have the same frame, cycle parts and engine. Having ridden the Classic and Meteor extensively, we can tell you the J-Platform bikes are a world above the previous-gen Royal Enfield motorcycles not only by how they are built but also by how they handle and perform.
Performance
Speaking of performance, the Royal Enfield Hunter will use the same 349cc, single-cylinder engine as the Meteor and Classic. This motor can churn out 20.2bhp and 27Nm. It feels peppy and has loads of torque down below and boasts of a cruising speed of a healthy 110kmph on the Meteor and Classic 350. Since this is essentially the same engine, the Hunter is expected to have similar characteristics too.
Variants
That’s not it. Apart from the J1C1 that you see here, Royal Enfield will also offer the Hunter 350 in a second variant that has been codenamed J1C2. While it is unclear whether it will be called the Hunter or something else, we are sure this model will be even more affordable.
And so, it would get the bare minimum and miss out on features that the J1C1 would get. Maybe it would come with a limited number of colour options and fewer accessories and ride on spoke wheels to keep costs in check.
Pricing
So, what will the Hunter 350 cost? Well, to begin with, let us tell you that the Hunter will be the most affordable model from Royal Enfield. It will sit below the updated Bullet 350 that will be launched later. So, we expect it to be priced around Rs 1.30-Rs 1.40 lakh, ex-showroom.
Now, this puts it in the ballpark of bikes like the Yamaha FZ25, Pulsar 250 and the Suzuki Gixxer. And it tells you exactly where Royal Enfield is aiming the motorcycle at. The Hunter is targeted at people wanting to upgrade from 125-150cc motorcycles. It will also be aimed at newer riders thanks to its accessible weight and power and its low-seat height.
Launch timeline
The rumour mill is on about the Hunter 350 being launched this month. However, that is untrue because Royal Enfield is scheduled to launch the motorcycle in the latter half of July this year. We can expect bookings to commence a little before that with deliveries sometime in August, just in time for the festive season. Going by all the details we have about the Hunter, the motorcycle seems like it will be a real game-changer for the company.
