After a long wait, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 will be launched in 1 month, will share a lot of parts with the Meteor 350
If you are planning to buy the Royal Enfield Classic 350 or Meteor 350, it would be better if you wait for few more days as the Chennai-based manufacturer is gearing up to launch the much-awaited Hunter next month.
It shares many parts with the brand’s Meteor 350 including the double cradle chassis, y-shaped alloy wheels, headlight, levers, handgrips, engine, and even the twin-pod instrument console.
But the roadster will get smaller and shorter swing arm, new rear suspension, single-piece seat, tank, mudguards, grab handles, and tail light.
The fork rake seems lower and this aided by the shorter swing arm, flat handlebar, and sticky tires should help the upcoming Hunter handle well. The bike will get disc brakes at both ends and dual channel ABS will come as standard.
The overall dimensions of the Hunter seem quite less and Royal Enfield earlier said it will suit teenagers and women very well. Built of the famed J series platform, the Hunter will share its chassis and design elements with more such bikes including the Sherpa in the future.
Coming to the looks, the roadster gets a retro styling like all other Royal Enfields and takes design inspiration from Triumph’s Bonneville series. The rear gets a tidy tail with round tail light and indicators.
The compact profile will help the bike glide through traffic. It could also weigh less than than all the Royal Enfields and this aided by the high torque motor would make it a hoot to ride in the city while also effortless to cruise on the highway. There are rear set foot pegs for a perfect streetfighter ergonomics.
The 350 cc engine on the Meteor, which the Hunter will get, is oil-cooled and mated to a 5-speed transmission. It puts out 20.1 HP at 6100 RPM and 27 Nm at 4000 RPM. The mill can hit a top speed of 120 km/hr.
The Meteor’s twin-pod cluster, which might find its way to the Hunter, gets an analogue speedometer with a digital readout for other essential data. There’s also a tripper navigation that offers turn-by-turn navigation using Bluetooth connectivity.
The upcoming Hunter is expected to command a price tag of Rs. 1.7 lakhs (ex-showroom) and will compete against the likes of the Jawa Forty Two 2.1 and the Honda CB350RS.
