Royal Enfield will reportedly introduce four new 350 cc motorcycles by the end of next year including the Hunter 250
According to a recent report that surfaced on the interweb, Royal Enfield is planning to launch as many as four new 350 cc motorcycles in India over the next 24 months. In September 2021, RE introduced the new generation Classic 350 while the Meteor 350 was launched only a year ago and both are based on the same double cradle chassis and are powered by the revised 349 cc single-cylinder air- and oil-cooled SOHC fuel-injected engine.
The same J series platform will reportedly underpin the upcoming range of 350 cc motorcycles from the oldest motorcycle maker in the world. For the enthusiasts of Bullet 350, there is good news, as the report states that an all-new model is in the development and it has been codenamed J1B, and it will act as a replacement to the existing Bullet 350 and Bullet 350 ES that sits at the entry point of the brand’s domestic portfolio.
The Chennai-based manufacturer is also said to be working on a bobber based on the second generation Classic 350 and is internally codenamed J1H. Just as the Jawa Perak bobber, it will supposedly get a tall set handlebar and a single seat for the rider with an exposed rear fender and white wall rubber. It could sit at the top of the range as it is claimed to be the most expensive of this bunch.
The other two 350 cc motorcycles in the grapevine are codenamed the J1C2 and J1C1. The latter is what has been commonly referred to as the Hunter 350. The scrambler styled motorcycle has been on test for many months already and it will likely be launched in the early parts of next year following the market entry of the Scram 411 based on the Himalayan.
The J1C2 will allegedly be used for a more affordable version of the Hunter and it may possibly become the most affordable RE motorcycle on sale upon arrival. This will be achieved by dropping some of the features from the Hunter and opting for simpler body panels.
While the report says the quartet of motorcycles will be introduced by the end of 2022, we do expect the Hunter to arrive first as early as next year. RE will target high volume sales with the upcoming motorcycles in the international markets as well.