Royal Enfield Hunter 350 variants

autocar.india

•20w

Since you're innately familiar with Royal Enfield ownership, upgrading to the Himalayan 450 seems like a safe bet. The Himalayan's suspension can iron out pretty much any road imperfection you encounter and its performance will be a big step up over the Hunter you own too. The only caveat with going for the Himalayan is that it is a tall and heavy bike, and these attributes will make their presence felt at slower speeds inside the city. If you want slightly higher performance levels on a lighter machine, then the KTM 390 Adventure models (whether you opt for 350cc or 399cc iterations is up to the budget you have) are worth considering. The KTM bikes have great handling, punchy top-end performance and come with features like adjustable suspension, traction control and a bidirectional quick shifter - depending on the variant. In your Rs. 7 lakh budget, you can also get the BMW F 450 GS, although depending on your city's taxation structure, you may need to stretch your budget a little if you are eyeing the top Trophy variant. The new entry-level GS is a competent machine and will be a step up in refinement from the single-cylinder machines mentioned above and it is also lighter than them. You will, however, need to be prepared for higher running and maintenance costs expected of a machine wearing the BMW badge. Take test rides of these machines to decide which one works best for you before you make your next purchase. If none of these options seem enticing, you could also retrofit the latest-gen Hunter's suspension to your older model which will bring some much needed relief in terms of ride quality. Do bear in mind that this swap will likely void your warranty and we'd recommend reaching out to your nearest dealership for more clarity on the same.

autocar.india

•6d

Given the fact that you are a beginner, the more affordable, lighter and smaller RE Hunter 350 will be a better fit than the heavier Meteor. Another factor working in the Hunter's favour is that its riding position is very neutral and its suspension is supple, which will make it adept at tackling bad roads without passing on the jolt to the rider's back. The Meteor, with its feet-forward riding position, will transmit more of the road imperfections to your back.

autocar.india

•6d

Since you already have a Hunter, getting another road-oriented bike will give you largely the same experience and we'd recommend choosing a different form factor to broaden your horizons. From your shortlist, the Kawasaki KLX230 (and the lower seat height & suspension travel 'S' version) will be the best fit for your two-bike garage. In that same vein, we'd also recommend Honda's new XR300L & XR300 Rally because they will have similiar capability as the KLX but are far more affordable and will likely have a small performance edge owing to their larger-capacity motors. Once you're able to test ride the XR300s, pick between these & the KLX for your next purchase.

autocar.india

•3w

Your research is absolutely spot on, and the three options you have shortlisted will surely serve your intended purpose quite well. However, which one is right for you is a decision only you can make because all three are quite different to ride.The Yamaha XSR155 is the lightest and sportiest of this trio and will be faster than the other two. What it will not be is as comfortable as the relaxed Hunter and Ronin, which score quite highly in terms of overall comfort. These two have mellow, torque-rich engines which will make for an altogether different, more laid-back riding experience.Given the magnitude of difference between all three, deciding between them warrants a test ride.

autocar.india

•5w

The answer we give you will vary based on whether or not you will retain the Hunter alongside a new RE 650 upon its purchase. If you were to keep the Hunter for daily use, the Continental GT 650 makes for a good step up, given your sporty leanings. We'd recommend opting for the colour with allloy wheels for added peace of mind that tubeless tyres bring when fixing a puncture. You could even wait for the upcoming Continental GT-R 750 which will offer an even bigger step up in terms of performance and features, although it will be priced higher than the 650. If, however, you plan to only keep one bike to do it all, the Continental will feel cramped, uncomfortable and committed for repeated daily city use. We'd recommend the Interceptor instead because its upright ergonomics will allow you to be comfy in the city and it still handles reasonably well when you venture out on the weekend. Do bear in mind that if you expect razor sharp handling akin to a smaller, lighter machine (like a KTM RC 390 or Aprilia RS 457) from these heavier, simpler and larger bikes, you will not find that here and while the RE 650s handle well, that's in the context of heavy, relaxed neo-retros.