Think back to the beginning of June, 2020, if you can. We know, there was a lot going on, but do you remember Royal Enfield’s then-CEO, Vinod Dasari, talking about Enfield’s bold plans for the immediate future? At the time, Dasari stated that Enfield wanted to put out a new bike every quarter, for the next three to four years. That’s around 12 to 16 bikes, give or take.
Since that time, Enfield has certainly been busy with its new bikes. The Meteor 350, Classic 350, and Scram 411 have already made their appearances. Each of those had a lengthy and rumor-filled leadup before their introductions. Each of those models, so far, has proven to be very close to what the rumors predicted, once they were officially launched. Will that pattern hold true for the Hunter 350, which we’re about to discuss? Let’s hope so.
The Hunter 350 appears to be next in line for an introduction, and Indian publication BikeWale says it’s gotten its hands on leaked design information and additional details about Enfield’s newest bike-to-be. As you can guess from its name, it’s powered by the same air-and-oil-cooled, 349cc single-cylinder engine found in both the Classic 350 and the Meteor 350. Power is expected to remain the same, at a claimed 20.2 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 19.9 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. The five-speed gearbox is also expected to remain the same as well.
Where the Meteor 350 was decidedly a cruiser, and the Classic 350 was decidedly a laid-back retro bike, the Hunter 350 offers Enfield’s take on sportier naked styling. It’s sleeker and more streamlined than either of its 350 predecessors, veering more toward a retro-modern roadster appeal. That styling makes sense, as it’s also meant to be lighter weight and generally more approachable than the other 350s currently on offer in the Enfield lineup.
Full details are, of course, not available yet. If the rumors are true, though, the Hunter 350 should be lighter weight, have a nice, low seat height, and also be the least expensive of the three 350s upon its release. Current estimates, if BikeWale’s information is correct, have the price starting at between 1.3 and 1.4 lakh rupees—or about $1,667 to $1,795 if converted on June 14, 2022.
Considering that this bike is aimed at riders looking to upgrade from smaller-displacement bikes (think 125s and 150s), all of this makes a lot of sense. While no one outside of Enfield has ridden the Hunter 350 yet, both the engine and the frame should be the same as those found in the previous 350s. When I rode it, I found the Classic 350 to be quite good at negotiating low-speed maneuvers, stop-and-go traffic and congestion, and general tight-space maneuverability.
The 350 mill’s torque is extremely agreeable from quite low down in the rev range, which is right where you need it when commuting. Add to that the fact that it’s super forgiving if you accidentally roll away from a stop in second gear instead of first, and the Hunter 350 we’ve conceptualized in our minds seems tailor-made for newer riders looking to build confidence and skills and not break the bank.
If the rumors are true, the Hunter 350 is expected to launch in India sometime in July, 2022, and presumably roll out in other markets sometime after that. We’ll always take rumors with a grain of salt, but we do look forward to seeing the Hunter 350’s full details once they’re officially available.
