After all the spy shots and leaks, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is finally gearing up to launch in India, and the most recent sign confirming this is that the bike has been homologated in India. In the process, some of the Hunter’s specifications have also been revealed.
As per the homologation document, the Hunter’s power output will stand at 14.87kW or 20.2hp, which is exactly the same amount that this 349cc motor produces in the Classic 350 and Meteor 350. So there is unlikely to be any significant change in state of tune, and you can expect the torque figure to also be around the 27Nm mark, as on its siblings.
The other figures seen on the document pertain to the dimensions and weight of the Hunter, and we can see that the Hunter will be shorter in length and height than both the Classic and the Meteor. The wheelbase will also be shorter, at 1,370mm, compared to the Classic’s 1,390mm and the Meteor’s 1,400mm, and reading between the lines, the Hunter’s kerb weight will stand at just 180kg, making it a good 10kg to 15kg lighter than its siblings.
All these factors point toward the fact that the Hunter will be a more manageable motorcycle than its siblings, and they align with the rumours that the Hunter will become the entry-level offering in Royal Enfield’s line-up. Its more slender build should also translate into slightly zippier performance.
One interesting factor to note here is that the Hunter has been homologated as “variant No. 2” of the “basic model”, which is listed as the Meteor 350 – the first bike to be built on RE’s new J-platform. From what we can tell of this format, it seems likely that the new Classic 350 was homologated at "variant No. 1" of the Meteor 350.
With the homologation procedure having been completed in early July, an official launch should be just around the corner, and you can expect it to take place in early August.
Ved Janve
Vishal Venugopal
Dinshaw Magol
