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      Royal Enfield Hunter and Meteor 350 Spied in Detail – New Spy Shots

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      Royal Enfield is working on range of new motorcycles based on a new platform and engine
      Royal Enfield is the leading motorcycle brand, in the 350 cc segment. Their range of Classic, Bullet and Thunderbird motorcycles powered by 350cc engine, have long enjoyed a market share of 85% in the segment. But with times changing, Royal Enfield knew that they needed to update their best-selling motorcycles as the competition was trying to catch up.
      Meteor 350

      Fast forward to 2020 and Royal Enfield is almost ready to launch their first motorcycle with an all new platform, and an all new 350 cc engine. This will be in the form of Meteor 350, basically the new gen Thunderbird. Royal Enfield has discontinued the Thunderbird name from its line-up, and will be replacing it with Meteor. Details about Royal Enfield Meteor 350 variants and colour options has already leaked. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Badu Shaw and Jai Muni for sharing the spy shots.
      Depending on the styling, Meteor will be offered in variants of Fireball, Stellar and Supernova. These will be further offered in a choice of 7 new colours, depending on the variant. The styling is more or less like the RE Thunderbird, but gets subtle updates.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Unverified sources tell us that the new chassis and engine deliver a smoother and refined ride. Vibrations are also greatly reduced, while acceleration and top speed numbers are now better than before. It will be offered with circular headlamps, split seat (with or without backrest), alloys, chrome exhaust, chrome handlebar, windscreen, speedometer with digital display, bluetooth connectivity for turn by turn navigation, front alloy is larger than the rear, disc brakes at both ends, etc.
      Hunter / Sherpa 350?
      Apart from the Meteor 350, Royal Enfield has planned two more motorcycles. One will be the replacement to their best-seller Classic 350, and the other will be an all new segment motorcycle, about which not much details are available, except for these latest spy shots.

      For now, this new Royal Enfield motorcycle is largely referred to as either Sherpa or Hunter. These two names were patented by Royal Enfield for an upcoming motorcycle. It has not been confirmed that the motorcycle in spy shot above, will be called either Sherpa or Hunter or something else. But for now, it is mostly referred as Hunter.
      With Hunter, Royal Enfield is trying to target a new segment of buyers. Though built on the same platform, it will be lighter, probably the lightest Royal Enfield till date. It will also have a lower seat height. These two points, being lighter and offering a lower seat height are likely going to help the brand target larger number of female bikers.
      Compared to the Meteor, the Hunter seems to have both alloys of similar size. It has a chrome circular headlamp, shorter exhaust, disc brake at the front as well as rear, single seat, LED tail lamps, while speedo unit is probably same as that of Meteor 350.
      Speaking about the engine, from the spy shots, the unit looks similar to the unit seen on board the Meteor 350. But there are reports which claim that this new RE will have a smaller capacity engine. If that is to be believed, RE Hunter will be powered by a 250 cc single cylinder engine, and will be priced cheaper than other RE’s. Probably in an estimated range of Rs 1.2-1.4 lakh. This will allow RE to compete with many other motorcycles in the 200-300cc segment. More

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      Harley Davidson 338R Spied Undisguised For The First Time

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      While Harley Davidson as a brand is more prominently known for its high-end bobbers, the bike manufacturer has also been developing an entry-level bike for masses
      In recent times, American bike maker Harley-Davidson’s grip in the market has been on the wane. Since beginning, the premium bike manufacturer has positioned itself as a brand that primarily caters to a niche segment of bikers. However, off late, due to the economic slowdown and various other reasons, Harleys seem to be losing their old-school charm.

      While traditional bike enthusiasts would still dig for a Harley, with each day passing new models will leave a bigger hole to the consumer’s pocket. Therefore, in light of recent events, Harley Davidson has been developing an entry-level motorcycle which will be much more affordable than its current line of products and cater to a younger audience.
      Dubbed as ‘338R’, this new bike has been the talk of the town for quite some time now. Now, we have got hold of a spied image which is supposed of the final production-spec of the 338R. From the looks of it, the bike is a lightweight naked street racer that will go well with young speed seekers.

      Harley 338R Launch Timeline
      The said image has broken cover in many social media apps. It seems that the image has been clicked at the factory site of QJ Motors, the parent company of Benelli, in China. For reference, Harley-Davidson, back in June last year, had announced its plan to develop an entry-level parallel-twin engine bike in partnership with Qianjiang Motors.
      Design
      With the fuel tank clearly sporting ‘Harley Davidson’ badging and the rear fender showcasing the ‘338R’ branding, reports suggest that it uses the same structure as that of Benelli 302S. If one looks closely at the spy shot, they can clearly view the frame set- mainframe and subframe, suspension, wheels, brakes and even the swing arm to be borrowed from 302S. However, certain changes have been made to the bodywork and the engine will bear slightly more capacity.
      Powertrain
      The 338R is believed to be powered by a 338cc unit which is good to generate a power of 43 bhp. That’s a jump of 5 bhp from the 300cc unit employed by 302S. The engine of 338R is said to be crafted by combining the crankshaft and bottom end of the 300cc unit of 302S and the pistons and cylinders from the larger unit of 502S. The increase in power is evident due to the 13 percent increase in displacement.

      Harley 338 will share its parts, engines, chassis with Qianjiang’s QJ350
      While the American company originally announced the bike with a 338cc unit, it later renamed the prototype as ‘HD350’ suggesting its capacity had been increased further. The final detail on specifications is yet to be revealed whether it will be a 350cc unit or a 338cc unit. Either way, it won’t make much of a difference as far as output is concerned.
      Expected Launch
      This naked street racer has been developed by the company keeping in mind the Asian markets where such bikes have been raging hot. Therefore, it is unlikely to find its place in the US and other Western markets, where Harley is proudly known for its big bikes. The question arises whether this bike will make its way to India or not. With recent reports suggesting Harley Davidson shutting its operations in India by nearly 30 percent, things seem a little tricky right now. However, if it did launch and is priced competitively, it will surely find takers.
      The bike was supposed to be officially launched worldwide sometime later this year, however, chances look bleak now since the pandemic has impacted the time frame adversely.
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    • 138 Shares169 Views

      New Royal Enfield Classic 350, Meteor, Sherpa, 650cc – Spied Together

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      Royal Enfield has a string of upcoming launches starting with the Meteor 350 next month
      Royal Enfield has been one motorcycle manufacturer that has been able to retain its old-school charm and yet top the sales charts in the segment. While the Chennai-based bike maker has been best known to make retro-styled motorcycles, it has consciously decided to part away from this general convention. In the coming months, Royal Enfield is planning to launch a few motorcycles in modern renditions.

      The company has already started working on these new products that have been in development for a very long time now. Some of them, in fact, have been recently spotted testing together on the road.
      In a video uploaded on Youtube by Vilvakumar P, we can see the upcoming Meteor 350, the new generation Classic 350 and two entry-level lightweight motorcycles, which are currently being referred to as ‘Sherpa’ or ‘Hunter’. There is also a twin cylinder motorcycle in the video. Take a look at the video below. Interestingly, the video also somewhat manages to capture the exhaust note of each motorcycle.

      [embedded content]

      As you can see in the video, the Classic 350 and the Meteor 350 are clearly recorded. But the other two motorcycles, which appear towards the end of the video, are barely visible. They are more like a blur, blink and you will miss type. But slow the video down, and you will be able to see the Hunter / Sherpa’s silhouette and the twin exhausts of the last test mule.
      New Generation Classic 350

      New Classic 350
      The first bike being spotted is the new generation Classic 350. With similar design and structure, The bike is an upgrade of the popular retro-styled motorcycle. Although there is no official information regarding the bike, we do know that all the new bikes will be built upon a new ‘J’ platform.
      Meteor 350

      New Meteor 350
      The next bike in line as seen in the video was the Meteor 350. Since unofficial images of the upcoming cruiser bike have been leaked online, it was relatively easier to identify this one. The Meteor 350 is slated to be launched next month and is expected to be undergoing the final testing phase. The Meteor 350 is the first bike to be launched which will be based on a completely new ‘J’ platform.
      As we all know, the Meteor 350 is expected to replace the Thunderbird 350X. It is set to carry forward all attributes of Thunderbird with minor design modifications. It will also be powered by a new single-cylinder engine and it will be interesting to see whether it will be able to retain its original characteristics or not.
      The Meteor is also expected to employ a new twin-cradle design frame which is expected to improve the handling and stability. The Thunderbird utilised a single downtube architecture instead.
      Sherpa/Hunter

      Royal Enfield Sherpa / Hunter
      A lightweight motorcycle was spotted which was referred to as ‘Sherpa’ although there is considerable confusion regarding the nomenclature as many have been calling it the Hunter. It should be pointed out that both names- Sherpa and Hunter have been registered by Royal Enfield. Both the trademarks could be utilised by the company for its upcoming new products. Or they could be variants of their new motorcycle.
      For reference, the Sherpa was a lightweight bike manufactured by Royal Enfield in the 1960s and 70s which employed a 173cc engine. Therefore, it is more fitting that the entry-level is named ‘Sherpa’. However only time and Royal Enfield could tell us which bike will be named what.
      650 cc RE

      650cc RE on test
      The last RE test mule to be seen in the video can hardly be recognized, if it was not the twin exhausts. From whatever we make from the blur, it seems like the Continental GT 650. Maybe the maker is testing a new part or some sort of upgrade. More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Digital Display Offers Navigation – Spied

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      Replacement of the Thunderbird range, new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will launch next month in India
      Equipped with a new engine and an entirely new platform, Meteor 350 will be the newest edition to Royal Enfield’s product portfolio. A replacement for Thunderbird 350 and Thunderbird X 350, Meteor 350 will launch in Sep 2020.

      It will be the first of several other next-gen products that Royal Enfield has plans to launch in the near future. Spy shots had earlier revealed another new RE motorcycle that appeared to have the same power plant as that of Meteor 350.
      Design upgrades
      Meteor 350 sports a new bodywork, even though things like round headlamps, teardrop indicators and wide fenders give it the quintessential RE flavour. It has a brooding character, as can be seen with the blacked out components such as engine, wheels, and exhaust pipe. The motorcycle has a beefy profile and comes with a relaxed, upright riding stance. The motorcycle seems close to perfect for long distance rides and cruising at high speeds on wide open roads.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Key features of Meteor 350 include halogen headlamps with integrated LED DRLs, semi-digital instrument cluster, and long split grab rails. The digital cluster will connect to your smartphone via bluetooth, and offer turn by turn navigation. Components that have been updated include new alloy wheels and brake and clutch levers. Fuel tank design has been refreshed and it comes with a new fuel-filler cap. The side profile also looks distinct as compared to existing RE motorcycles.
      Meteor 350 engine
      Powering Meteor 350 will be the next-gen UCE 350 air cooled, single cylinder engine that gets OHC (Over Head Cam). It will be mated to a 5-speed transmission. Meteor 350 will be the first next-gen RE product to get this new engine. The new engine is expected to offer a range of benefits including higher power output and faster acceleration.
      The existing BS6 compliant UCE 350 engine is a 346 cc single cylinder, FI engine that churns out 20 bhp of max power and 28 Nm of max torque. It comprises an archaic tappet valve system.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Another key change in Meteor 350 is the new modular J platform. This is expected to be used for various other 350 cc Royal Enfield motorcycles. The new chassis and engine will allow Meteor 350 to be more responsive and have less vibration. The motorcycle will have disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard.
      To make the rides even more comfortable and safer, Royal Enfield will be offering a range of accessories to go with Meteor 350. These include a tall flyscreen or windscreen, broad footpegs, pannier mounts and crash guards. Meteor 350 will primarily compete with the likes of Bajaj Dominar 400 and Jawa. Launch price is expected to be close to Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom).
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      Benelli TRK 800 adventure motorcycle spied – Triumph Tiger rival

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      Compared to the upcoming Indian-spec Benelli TRK 800, the Chinese-spec SRB 750 will sport some minor aesthetic differences
      Italian-origin motorcycle manufacturer Benelli, now under Zhejiang Qianjiang Group of China, is working on an all-new middleweight adventure tourer dubbed TRK 800. The company had officially teased the motorcycle in its early prototype stage. At the moment, not much is known about the new Benelli TRK 800 but one can be sure that it will reach the Indian market in due course. Once launched, it will take on the likes of Triumph Tiger, BMW GS Series, etc.

      Meanwhile, it will debut in China as the QJ Motor SRB 750. Rumours suggest that it would look slightly different than its foreign counterpart but will employ the same internals. The performance could vary slightly on paper depending on local emission norms even though this might not reflect in real-world riding conditions.
      Benelli initially planned to reveal the motorcycle in full to the world later this year. But it appears that COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the launch timeline further. We hope to see the adv on Indian roads sometime towards the end of next year. Still, it is too early to reach a conclusion.

      A low-quality spy shot of a production-spec Benelli TRK 800 has surfaced on the internet. Chinese forums are sharing the same under the tag, “QJ Motor SRB 750 on test”. Even before hitting its home market, the TRK 800 or SRB 750 might hit European markets such as Italy. The relatively new TRK 502 sees decent takers in key markets and its bigger sibling is expected to showcase similar desirability. It could be an affordable yet somewhat equally capable alternative to the big names from Triumph, BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Honda Motorcycle, Kawasaki, Yamaha, etc.
      Powering the new Benelli TRK 800 is a 754cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin engine familiar from the Benelli 752S and Leoncino 800. In the 752S, the motor makes roughly 75bhp @ 8,500rpm and 65Nm @ 6,500rpm while mated to a 6-speed transmission (could be a different setup in the TRK 800 to suit its offroading characteristics).
      Other interesting new products from Benelli
      It is not news that American motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson has teamed up with Zhejiang Qianjiang Group to make entry-level lightweight twin-cylinder models. Dubbed QJ350, the ‘streetfighter’ has made an appearance online. It employs the American brand’s all-new 338cc motor derived from Benelli’s popular 300cc inline-twin.
      Meanwhile, the popular Benelli TNT600i, one of the most affordable inline-four motorcycles in the world, will soon receive a successor named 600N. Patent images have leaked earlier this year.
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      KTM 250 Adventure spied testing in India – Wearing accessories

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      The KTM 250 Adventure shares its platform and internals with existing ‘250’ models
      KTM India, under Bajaj Auto, has made a strong statement on the Indian market after launching the 390 Adventure dual-sport motorcycle. It is arguably the best single-cylinder motorcycle on sale today, with good value for money in terms of output and equipment. Worthy rivals include Royal Enfield’s Himalayan and BMW Motorrad India’s G 310 GS (yet to receive BS6 update). The 2020MY KTM 390 Adventure comes at a starting price of Rs 2.99 lakh ex-showroom.

      The Austrian motorcycle manufacturer has already confirmed that a lesser ‘250’ version will be introduced in its Adventure range. Similar to the usual trend, KTM India’s upcoming 250 Adventure will share its assembly line and internals with existing ‘250’ models. It was only recently that the KTM 250 Duke received a major update.
      Bajaj Auto’s Chakan manufacturing facility, home to Indian-spec KTM and Husqvarna products, also makes the KTM RC250 for exports markets. A random KTM 250 Adventure prototype has been spotted whilst being tested on public roads. Images are credit to Prem Kumar.

      The quarter-litre adventure tourer was spied multiple times over the months, but this particular example looks production-ready than ever before. In addition, it is seen with off-road accessories.
      Since KTM India has updated all its products to BS6 emission norms alongside some welcome cosmetic and mechanical changes, it is safe to assume that the 250 Adventure would be launched soon. Rumours suggest that KTM India is aiming for this festive season, after which it could potentially be the most desirable choice in our market’s growing 250cc single-cylinder segment. Speculative pricing stands at roughly Rs 2.40 lakh ex-showroom.
      Specs & Features
      Key highlights include full-LED headlamp, split 6-spoke alloy wheels, USD forks, TFT instrument console (not available in the current-gen 250 Duke and RC250), dual-channel ABS (switchable), slipper clutch, etc. This particular example does not wear an adjustable flyscreen. The final version might lack knuckle guards, cornering ABS, corner-sensitive traction control, bidirectional quickshifter (KTM Quickshifter+), etc., to bring prices down. If not for different paint schemes, the 250 Adventure would look almost identical to its bigger sibling.
      As mentioned before, the KTM 250 Adventure will borrow several components from familiar ‘250’ models. Powering the dual-sport motorcycle is a 248.8cc liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder engine good for 30.57bhp @ 8,000rpm and 27.4Nm @ 6,500rpm. Coupled to 6-speed gearbox, the unit is identical to the one powering Husqvarna Motorcycles India’s Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250. However, riding characteristics would be considerably different thanks to offroad-focused sprockets.
      In comparison, the KTM 390 Adventure employs a 373.2cc motor. It churns out 43bhp @ 9,000rpm and 37Nm @ 7,000rpm. More

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      KTM 250 Duke gets LED headlight from Duke 390 – Spy Shots

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      There are no other changes on the quarter liter street fighter except the full LED headlamp
      When KTM introduced the new 390 Duke with upmarket equipment, it also introduced a 250 cc variant with a few cost cutting measures to cater to select markets including India. The bigger-engined Duke with its configurable color TFT display and a sharp looking full LED headlamp positions itself as a premium medium displacement street fighter, the 250 with halogen lamp (plus LED DRLs) and amber-backlit LCD instrument console has a mid-premium appeal to it. Well, not anymore.

      The 2020 KTM 250 Duke with updated full LED headlamps just like the one of 390 Duke has been spied. It looks like the new version has already started reaching dealer stockyards in the country. The naked bike which received its BS6 update earlier this year retails at a little over INR 2 lakh (ex-showroom) but the headlamp update is likely to inflate the price even further. We expect to know more in the coming days. The instrument console, however, continues to be a simple digital unit.
      The new full LED headlamp units is identical to the one on the 390 Duke. In fact, the entire Europe-spec Duke family employs the same unit in international market including the entry level 125 cc variant. The sharp looking unit is bifurcated vertically and alights with the brand’s latest design identity. Hat tip to auto enthusiast Miraj and Akshay for sharing the details with us.

      Existing KTM Duke 250 with halogen headlamp
      2020 KTM 250 Duke at a glance
      There seem to be no other changes to the India-spec 2020 KTM 250 Duke. The quarter liter motorcycle continues to be underpinned by steel trellis frame, WP upside front forks, WP rear monoshock, and 17-inch wheels with 110 mm (section) front and 150 mm rear tyres. Braking system comprises a 300 mm front and 230 mm rear disc by ByBre which are governed by Bosch dual-channel ABS (can be switched off).
      Power comes from a liquid-cooled 249 cc single-cylinder engine which is mated to a 6-speed gearbox via a assist and slipper clutch. The motor produces an impressive 30 hp and 24 Nm of torque.

      New KTM Duke 250 with LED headlamp
      The 2020 KTM 250 Duke rivals the Yamaha FZS 25 and Suzuki Gixxer 250 in India. Both the competitors recently received BS6 updates and are priced significantly lower than the Duke but they are also significantly low on power output.
      The lockdown has forced all OEMs including Bajaj to suspend product temporarily and this has resulted in delivery delays. We expect the LED headlamp equipped 250 Duke to be officially launched in the coming weeks with a noticeable bump in price tag. More

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      RE Meteor 350 accessories spied – Flyscreen, guards, pannier mounts

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      Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350 is powered by the next-gen ‘UCE 350’ air-cooled single-cylinder engine
      Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield has been working on its next-gen ‘UCE 350’ lineup for quite some time. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350, the first one to get the upgraded power plant, was spotted testing on multiple occasions in production-ready formats. In fact, its rough pricing was also revealed from a recent leak of a beta configurator platform.
      Royal Enfield Next-gen ‘UCE 350’

      The upcoming Meteor 350 is essentially a replacement to the BS4 Thunderbird 350 and ThunderbirdX 350. The British-origin automaker discontinued its ‘UCE 500’ lineup well before the industry shifted to BS6 emission norms. As a final tribute to the decade-old model range, Royal Enfield had launched the limited-run Classic 500 Tribute Black (BS4). ‘500’ models were phased out due to poor demand.
      Royal Enfield is developing another motorcycle with the same power plant, supposedly dubbed ‘Hunter 350’. It was also spied a few times over the months. Meanwhile, certain sources suggest that Royal Enfield is planning to launch “something other than the Meteor 350” by the end of this month or early next month. There has not been an official statement on this yet.
      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Belt Ur Drive on Facebook has shared an interesting spy shot of the new Royal Enfield Meteor 350. It wears some additional factory-spec accessories such as a tall flyscreen or windscreen, crash guards, pannier mounts, broader footpegs, silver levers, etc. Notable standard features include 5×2-spoke alloy wheels, split seats, semi-digital instrument console (with Bluetooth connectivity), LED DRL, round LED taillamp and more.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 alloys accessories spied by TeamBeltUrDrive
      It is based on the brand’s all-new ‘J’ (sub-500cc) architecture. Rumours tell that Royal Enfield has three more platforms for the future: P (twin-cylinder), K (higher middleweights) and Q (above 750cc). It is too early to make any speculations on the platforms’ potential products.
      Meteor 350 Specs
      At present, the BS6-compliant ‘UCE 350’ lineup employs a 346cc air-cooled fuel-injected single-cylinder engine good for about 20bhp and 28Nm — unimpressive numbers for the time and displacement. It follows an archaic tappet-valve arrangement while the Meteor 350’s next-gen ‘UCE 350’ mill (also air-cooled) gets OHC (Over Head Cam). For the same reason, we can expect a sharp increase in output. Transmission duties would be done by a 5-speed unit.
      Meteor 350 Pricing
      Royal Enfield would most likely launch the Meteor 350 by the end of this year unless the nation goes into another stage of COVID-19 lockdown protocols. Ex-showroom prices are expected to start at around Rs 1.75 lakh (Rs 10,000-15,000 over the BS4 Thunderbird 350). More