Autoportal India

For starters, the Hunter 350 is based on RE’s J-Series 350cc platform. The company’s CEO Siddhartha Lal has stated that the model has been under development since 2016 and that their team has been working to get the chassis equation just right. Unlike the rest of its stablemates, the Hunter comes with a modified twin-downtube spine frame, which is claimed to improve its agility and cornering stability.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

The motorcycle retains most of Royal Enfield’s typical design cues, like the round light clusters and twin rear shocks. The overall design, however, leans more toward a roadster than a cruiser. The company claims that the motorcycle gets an all-new suspension setup, which is not shared with any other model. Up front, there is a 41mm front fork offering 130mm of travel, while at the rear, it gets twin-tube emulsion shock absorbers with 6-step pre-load adjustment and 102mm of wheel travel.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

The motorcycle sits on a set of 17-inch wheels and will be available in dual- and single-tone paint schemes and two distinct variants – Retro and Metro. The Retro will kick off the range with a more basic instrument panel, wire-spoke wheels with a 100/80 section tyre at the front and a 120/80 section tyre at the back, a tubular rear grab rail, a rear drum brake, and single-channel ABS. The Metro variant, on the other hand, will come with the same instrument pod and switchgear as the Meteor 350, split rear grab handles, a meatier 110/70 section tyre at the front and a 140/80 section tyre at the back, dual-channel ABS, and a rear disc brake.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

In terms of powertrain, the Hunter 350 gets the familiar 349-cc J-series engine of the Meteor 350. The engine outputs the same 20.2bhp and 27Nm of torque, but Royal Enfield has tuned it for sharper throttle response. The unit will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

With the Hunter 350, Royal Enfield is targeting those who want to upgrade from smaller capacity motorcycles or those who are looking to buy their first motorcycle. Furthermore, the Hunter 350 is touted to be the new entry-point into RE’s line-up, as it’s placed below the Meteor 350.