We are all well aware of Royal Enfield’s audacious goals of rolling out a bunch of new motorcycles this year. The Indian manufacturer made it known that it had intentions of rolling out a new model every three months. This means that in 2022 alone, we can expect no less than four bikes from Royal Enfield. Well, we’re well within March, the third month of the year, and it could very well be that a new machine is imminent.
True enough, the rumor mills have been a-churnin’, and we enthusiasts a-wonderin’ just what Royal Enfield has up its sleeve. Unsurprisingly, Indian motorcycle media has a sharp eye that’s constantly focused on the company, after all, Royal Enfield is and always will be the poster child of the Indian motorcycle industry. What has come to surface is numerous sightings of what is speculated to be the Hunter 350. At this point, I want to make it clear that nothing is official just yet, and all we can do is speculate. That being said, our friends from numerous Indian motoring publications seem to be certain that this is indeed the Hunter.
So, what can we expect from the Hunter? Well, for starters, we do know it’ll have a 350cc engine (duh, it’s right in the name). But what’s interesting would be how it differentiates itself from the other two Royal Enfield 350 siblings—the Meteor 350 and Classic 350. The Meteor turned out to be a huge success in Asia. It even managed to swim across the pond and make its way to the U.S. The Classic 350, too, is enjoying success in Asia, as reviews highlight major improvements and refinements as against the previous generation.
All that being said, we can almost be sure that the upcoming Hunter 350 will share the same chassis—the “J” platform—as that of the Classic and Meteor. Having ridden the Meteor 350, I can firmly say that it’s one of the most tractable, beginner friendly platforms for city riding. Just don’t expect too much from the performance side of things. Speaking of which, we can also expect the engine to be identical with the Classic and the Meteor. I mean, how else could Royal Enfield be able to release new bikes at such a fast pace? Expect a modest power output of around 20 ponies, making for a relaxed and manageable experience, even for first-timers.
What exactly differentiates the Hunter 350 from the Classic and Meteor remains to be seen until the official unveiling of the bike. However, as we do know that the Meteor employs a more cruiser-like platform, and the Classic, a more standard, and well, classic layout, maybe the Hunter will be more of a burly, stylized, scrambler-esque machine. If you’re wondering exactly what it is, chances are you won’t have to wait too long, as RE is known for releasing bikes and updating models left and right
