Yamaha recently answered the prayers of its fans in India by launching the much-awaited XSR 155. The motorcycle enters the space, which is currently dominated by the Royal Enfield Hunter 350, another accessible neo-retro offering. Both bikes go head-on against each other in terms of styling and price. While we wait for the opportunity to arrive when we compare the Hunter and the XSR in the real world, here’s how they stack up against each other on paper.
Design and Colours
Both bikes boast a modern-retro stance but bring in different flavours to the table. The Hunter 350, just like all other REs, looks more industrial and old-school with a round design theme throughout, including headlamp, instrument console, fuel tank, side panels, and tail lamp. The XSR 155, meanwhile, looks a little distinctive and modern, with more compact and minimalistic body panels. With a ribbed-pattern seat, it also looks a bit scrambler-ish. As for the colour, the Hunter has a comprehensive colour palette with seven shades, while XSR comes in a choice of only four paint schemes.
Features
The XSR 155 is slightly more feature-rich with a fully digital console with Bluetooth connectivity for SMS and call notifications, and navigation. The bike also gets full-LED lighting, USB charging port, dual-channel ABS, and traction control. The Hunter 350 misses out on traction control, the ability to give smartphone notifications, and the instrumentation setup is a semi-digital unit. That said, it comes equipped with everything else that the XSR gets.
Do note that the Retro variant of the Hunter misses out on an LED headlamp (gets a bulb-type setup) and gets a simpler semi-digital console than the mid and top variants. It also rides on spoke wheels with tube tyres, unlike the higher two trims, which boast alloys and tubeless rubbers.
Engine
The Hunter 350 comes powered by a 349.34cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, long-stroke engine, which produces 20.2bhp and 27Nm and comes mated to a five-speed gearbox. The XSR runs on a much smaller 155cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which makes lower power and torque but revs much higher. It produces 18.1bhp and 14.2Nm and comes paired to a six-speed gearbox. While the Hunter comes off as a more superior proposition in terms of performance, the XSR has a weight advantage – it weighs just 137kg, which is 44kg lower than the Hunter 350.
Price and Variants
The Hunter 350 starts from Rs. 1.37 lakh (Standard) and goes up to Rs. 1.67 lakh (Top). The XSR 155 comes in a single variant, which costs Rs. 1.50 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.
