Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Base Premium vs Yamaha XSR155: Competition Check

Royal Enfield recently launched a new variant of the Hunter 350, called the Base Premium variant. It is priced at Rs. 1,49,900 (ex-showroom), which is similar to the starting price of the Yamaha XSR155. Here’s how the two compare:

Design

The Hunter 350 Base Premium has a proper retro look with the round halogen headlamp, teardrop-shaped tank and the short stubby exhaust. The bike is only available in the Tarmac Black colour scheme, featuring a full black finish and white badging and graphics. This variant has a very subtle and understated look.

The Yamaha XSR155 Metallic Blue, on the other hand, looks more vibrant with the bright blue colour scheme, gold-finished inverted forks and the golden pinstripe design on the tank and side panels. Overall, the Yamaha XSR155 feels a bit more premium.

Performance

The Hunter 350 Base Premium variant features a 349.34cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, long-stroke engine producing 20.2bhp and 27Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch. Earlier, this was only available in the more expensive Mid and Top variants of the bike.

The Yamaha XSR155 is powered by a 155cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine producing 18.1bhp and 14.2Nm. It is mated to a 6-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch. Although the Hunter 350 makes more power and torque on paper, the riding experience that both offer is completely different.

The Hunter 350 makes most of its power and torque at the lower revs, making it well-suited for relaxed riding. Whereas the XSR155 makes most of its power and torque at the higher rev ranges, making it more suited to spirited riding and having fun in the twisties.

Underpinnings

The Hunter 350 Base Premium variant gets 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends, with braking duties taken care of by a 300mm disc and a drum brake at the rear, with single-channel ABS. The Yamaha XSR155 gets a smaller 282mm disc at the front and a 220mm disc at the rear, with dual-channel ABS. In terms of braking hardware, the XSR155 has a slight edge and offers better safety with its dual-channel ABS.

The addition of alloy wheels has certainly improved the Hunter 350’s practicality, making it easier to deal with punctures. But the Yamaha XSR155 has more premium hardware, such as the inverted fork setup and dual-disc brakes.

Features

The Hunter 350 gets an analogue speedometer, with a digital inset that displays fuel level, time, and two trip and odometer readouts. Riders can also get the Royal Enfield tripper navigation module for turn-by-turn navigation.

The XSR155 has a simple, negative LED console with a speedometer, tachometer and other essential readouts. The bike misses out on turn-by-turn navigation, but gets a traction control system as standard. The Hunter 350 feels authentically retro, whereas the Yamaha XSR155 is feature-rich.

Verdict

Although both motorcycles are similarly priced, they have very different characteristics and are suited to different kinds of riders. The Hunter 350 Base Premium variant offers an authentically retro experience with its torquey long-stroke engine, while at the same time offering the option for modern features such as turn-by-turn navigation.

The Yamaha XSR155 is a proper modern machine with all the features that you could want in a 155cc motorcycle. Sadly, it does miss out on a key feature – turn-by-turn navigation. However, with its short-stroke engine, it will be able to offer an engaging riding experience for those who are looking for a bike that can do some spirited riding and have some fun carving corners.