Royal Enfield Hunter Vs Meteor 350: Which Is The Better Bike For Traditional RE Enthusiasts?

Royal Enfield Hunter Vs Meteor 350: Know whether the Hunter is an RE that people expect and if it can match the Meteor on the old school values of a Royal Enfield.

The Meteor has been a successful Royal Enfield but the Hunter 350 is the first of a new kind of sportier motorcycle.

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

New Delhi: The aggressive pricing of the Hunter 350 has enabled many prospective buyers to think about whether the Hunter is the better RE to buy rather than the more expensive 350s like the Meteor. The Meteor has been a successful Royal Enfield but the Hunter 350 is the first of a new kind of sportier motorcycle that is trying to appeal to a different rider.

Despite having the same J Platform and sporting the same 350cc engine, the powertrain has been updated a bit by Royal Enfield to match the sportier nature of the Hunter 350 and that should tell you which bike is aimed at which ride. Traditional RE enthusiasts and lovers will love the Meteor with a cruiser-like vibe with traditional RE-like riding position and characteristics.

 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 | Photo: Somnath Chatterjee

The Hunter 350 is more for beginner RE riders and is a modern twist on what a Royal Enfield should be like. There are many new components for example and not everything is shared with its 350 siblings at all.

The Hunter also looks different from the usual Royal Enfield styling that we have come to expect while being significantly less heavy than the Meteor plus also having a smaller wheelbase. It also feels less heavy and has an easier riding style to get used to. Another reason why the Hunter is less heavy is that many of the components are not shared including bespoke new suspension for this bike and handlebars too. A shorter chassis and revised seat height are other changes that the Hunter has.

Another surprise is that the 20.2bhp and 27Nm powertrain on the Hunter has a different exhaust over the usual RE sound that the Meteor has while the less weight means that it is faster too.

 

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Photo: Somnath Chatterjee

However, the question is, whether the Hunter is an RE like what people expect and whether the Hunter can match the Meteor on what the old school values of a Royal Enfield. The Hunter is a different kind of bike and also a lot more affordable than the Meteor which should appeal to new riders who might otherwise look at a Jawa.

Hence, as a verdict, the Meteor is the better RE in terms of what people love but the Hunter is the better value motorcycle based on performance.