New 350cc motorcycles are part of the company’s long-term plan to introduce an average of one new/updated product every quarter
Royal Enfield currently leads in 350cc motorcycle segment with market share of more than 80%. To ensure consumers have more options to choose from, four new 350cc motorcycles will be launched by end of next year. In addition to domestic market, these bikes will also be sold globally. Some of these can actually register higher sales in overseas markets. This trend can already be seen with 650 twins that usually sell more units internationally.
Royal Enfield new 350cc bikes details
All four bikes will be using the new 350cc engine and new J platform. These upgrades were first introduced with Meteor 350 last year, followed by recently launched all-new Classic 350. These improvements have resulted in multiple benefits including smooth power delivery, reduced vibrations and better stability and control.
The new 350cc motor generates 20.2 bhp of max power and 27 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Another key feature introduced with Meteor was Tripper navigation. It remains to be seen which among the four new bikes will be getting this.
Excluding the 350cc bobber, all other bikes will have telescopic forks at front and twin gas charged rear shock absorbers. Braking system has disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard.
New Bullet 350 and Hunter 350
Among the new bikes, one is likely to be Bullet 350. Codenamed J1B, it will be replacing existing Bullet 350 and the Bullet 350 ES. Bullet 350 is currently the third bestselling 350cc Royal Enfield bike, trailing behind Classic 350 and Meteor 350.
Second new 350cc bike could be a Meteor-based roadster. Spied quite frequently in recent months, it is being referred to as Hunter 350. Internally, this bike has been codenamed J1C1. Hunter will have a sibling as well, which is codenamed J1C2. It will be the same as Hunter in terms of core hardware components. However, it will miss out on some of the premium features. The idea is to make the bike the most affordable 350cc motorcycle from Royal Enfield.
Hunter and its sibling will have retro styling with features such as round headlamp, round rear-view mirrors and spoke-design alloy wheels. Other key features include fork gaiters, upswept exhaust, 17-inch wheels at both ends, split grab rails, short rear section, and round taillight. Test mules have been spotted with an all-black theme. At the time of launch, several more colour options are likely.
2022 Classic 350 Bobber
Fourth product will be a bobber-styled motorcycle based on new Classic 350. Although not much details are available right now, it could borrow some styling bits from Concept KX 838 that was showcased in 2019. Internally, the 350cc bobber is codenamed J1H. It could get features such as single seat, wide and tall handlebar, and spoke-styled alloy wheels.
Royal Enfield is also working to expand its 400cc and 650cc range. Some of the upcoming bikes in these segments include a new cheaper Himalayan variant called Scram 411, a cruiser named Super Meteor 650 and a more powerful 650cc Himalayan.
