Royal Enfield has finally unveiled its newest model ‘Hunter 350’ in India starting at Rs 1,49,900 (ex-showroom). The company’s latest neo-retro roadster is being offered in two variants - Metro and Retro.
Hunter 350 Retro vs Metro
The most noticeable difference between the two variants is that the Retro version gets wire-spoke wheels, while the higher Metro variant rolls on alloy wheels. Apart from this, the tyres on these also differ in type, size and model. The Retro trim comes with 110/80-17 and 120/80-17 tubed tyres, while the Metro gets tubeless tyres with 110/70-17 front and 140/70-17 rear. Despite the above-mentioned difference, both trims run on 17-inches wheels.
The bike comes with a rear drum brake with a single-channel ABS in the Retro variant and a rear disc brake along with a dual-channel ABS in the Metro version. Both bikes get a disc brake as default at the front.
The Retro trim is inspired by old school cool Retro Hunter series and features bold single-tone colour options. The Metro variant, on the other hand, gets dual-colour liveries.
Engine & powertrain
Royal Enfield’s new Hunter 350 comes with the company’s indigenous J-platform engine, also found in the Meteor 350 and Classic 350. This 349cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine churns out 20.2hp and 27Nm, with some tweaks in the fuel and ignition maps to make the Hunter 350 a bit punchier and offer a sharper throttle response.
According to the company, the new neo-retro roadster’s weight has been reduced primarily in areas like the chassis, exhaust system, wheels and bodywork. With the addition of the centre stand and a dual-channel ABS unit, the Metro variant weighs around 181kg compared to the Retro’s 178kg.
Features
The entry-level Retro trim gets less equipment when compared to the Metro variant, due to its lower price. The Metro comes with a larger digital inset, the same as in the Meteor and Scram, while the Retro gets a basic speedometer pod with a smaller digital readout.
Furthermore, the Retro trim comes with a halogen tail-lamp and rectangular indicators, while the premium Metro version gets a LED tail-lamp and round indicators. Even the switchgear is different in both bikes, with the Retro getting more basic hardware.
ABS is standard across the board, but the Metro gets a dual-channel system, while the Retro features a single-channel unit.
In addition to these, all variants of Hunter can also be paired with a range of official Royal Enfield accessories - LED indicators, flyscreens, touring seats, mirrors, crash protection, a sump guard and a side-box.
Pricing and rivals
Royal Enfield Hunter 350’s Retro variant starts at Rs 1,49,900, while the Metro version will cost between Rs 1,63,900 and 1,68,900, depending on the colour options. The new Hunter 350n will go up against the likes of other neo-retro roadsters - Honda CB350RS (Rs 2.03 lakh and Rs 2.04 lakh), the Yezdi Roadster (Rs 2.01 lakh to Rs 2.09 lakh), the Jawa Forty Two (Rs 1.67 lakh to Rs 1.81 lakh) and TVS Ronin (Rs 1.49 lakh to Rs 1.69 lakh).