Royal Enfield Hunter 350 vs TVS Ronin comparability

It’s fairly clear from simply the design and specs that the TVS Ronin was particularly created to take a chunk out of Royal Enfield’s pie. However I guess TVS by no means imagined that Royal Enfield would worth the brand new Hunter this low. Actually, on this color scheme, the Hunter 350 prices Rs 4,000 lower than the top-spec Ronin we’ve right here and each top-spec fashions in any other case value an an identical Rs 1.69 lakh (ex-showroom). That is going to be an attention-grabbing story.

EASY ON THE EYE

In the case of a easy, easy design, the Hunter is nicer on the eyes, with a greater sense of proportion and no few fussy or strange-looking design particulars. The Ronin, in the meantime, catches your consideration with its funky LED headlamp and its gold USD fork, however the principle factor you’ll discover whenever you have a look at each bikes collectively is that the Ronin positively seems to be the bigger bike. 

That’s primarily right down to the Ronin’s taller, wider and unusually formed gas tank. Its thicker upside-down entrance suspension fork and wider seat additionally assist. Compared, the Hunter is decrease and slimmer and its extra petite dimensions will definitely enchantment to newer, much less assured or smaller riders – though present RE followers definitely received’t take care of it. 

Whereas the Ronin seems bigger, it additionally has some unusual design touches, like the large chain cowl which is making an attempt to appear to be a belt-drive system on a cruiser motorbike. Have a look at it via the opposite facet of the wheel and also you’ll see simply how unnecessarily massive it’s. The Ronin additionally has no actual off-road skills, but it surely nonetheless comes with blocky sample TVS Rambler tyres. Alternatively, the Ronin additionally has some good issues just like the adjustable levers, the fashionable mirrors, funky LED indicators and the cool-looking LED strip brake lamp.

Whereas the Hunter is kind of small by RE requirements, the bike will match most riders effectively and I discover the driving place straightforward to get together with. It’s positively a extra sporty driving place, with mildly rear-set pegs and a slight lean right down to the handlebar. 

Compared, it’s truly the Ronin that seats you such as you would anticipate an RE to. It feels quite a bit like a Traditional 350 in the best way your ft are ahead set and also you sit totally upright. The Ronin’s seat can also be wider and softer, and general, this bike has a extra snug driving place.

CHILDREN OF THE CITY

Each bikes listed below are designed to excel inside city confines they usually have engines that try to supply beneficiant quantities of low-end efficiency. .

The TVS will get a brand-new, 225.9cc, four-valve, oil-cooled engine that produces round 20hp and 20Nm of torque. The primary determine to notice is that the Ronin produces its peak torque at simply 3,750rpm, which is even decrease than the Enfield. 

In the meantime, the Hunter makes use of the identical 350cc engine because the Traditional and the Meteor, with the identical gearing and energy figures. 

It’s tuned barely in another way although and produces a barely extra raspy sound out of its shorter exhaust pipe. Energy-wise, the Hunter is sort of precisely the identical because the Ronin, however the bigger engine is ready to produce a a lot larger torque determine. 

There are similarities within the energy supply, however the huge variations are available how the engines sound and really feel. The Ronin has a easy revving motor with a peppy exhaust sound and it’s very a lot what you’ll anticipate from a TVS engine. The RE motor feels very totally different, with a sluggish, thumpy beat at low revs, though it smooths out because the RPMs go up. Actually, at greater RPMs, the Enfield engine truly produces much less vibration than the TVS. In the case of the 5-speed gearboxes, as soon as once more, the RE has the crisper, extra exact shifts. 

The TVS engine is short-geared and you may nearly at all times carry one or two gears greater than the Hunter, but it surely sounds and feels prefer it’s revving fairly excessive when you cross 80kph. Whereas neither of those bikes are actually meant for top speeds, the Hunter feels extra relaxed at a 90-100kph cruise. 

We put each bikes via our complete testing process, the place it seems that the Ronin is the faster bike in each measurable parameter, however the variations usually are not huge. 

As for gas effectivity, the short-geared Ronin beats the Hunter within the metropolis (32.31kpl vs 30.61kpl), however the latter has the benefit on the freeway (36.62kpl vs 39.84kpl). These figures are first rate, however we did anticipate a bit extra from the lighter Ronin with its smaller engine. 

Whereas there isn’t that a lot of a spot in outright efficiency and even effectivity, one factor that places us off the Hunter is its heavy clutch. Now, that is one thing that RE prospects would anticipate or settle for with a Traditional or a Meteor, however the Hunter is aimed toward newer riders and folks shopping for their first Enfield, and I’m undecided how they’re going to simply accept this – it will probably get painful in case you’re caught in a visitors jam. 

EASY RIDERS

The Ronin, in the meantime, has a particularly mild clutch motion and comes with a slip/help clutch. Talking of sunshine, the Ronin additionally weighs practically 20kg lower than the Hunter, even supposing the latter is presently the lightest RE you should purchase. You are feeling the distinction for positive, however to be truthful, the Hunter is agile, mild steering and straightforward to trip. Each bikes have sub-800mm seat heights, which additionally helps. Weight will not be one thing to actually be involved with right here, however there may be one other situation we’ve with the Hunter – its suspension.

The entrance fork is kind of delicate and it’s truly fairly underdamped on the rebound stroke, however the twin rear shocks are unforgivingly agency – they usually come set on minimal preload from the manufacturing unit. When you reside in an space with unhealthy roads, this could get disagreeable, particularly for lighter riders. Compared, the Ronin’s 41mm USD fork/monoshock set-up feels supple and plush. 

A variety of of us expressed concern on-line in regards to the Hunter’s 150mm floor clearance, however we haven’t confronted that situation up to now, even with the burden of a pillion – that’s most likely one space the place the onerous shocks are a profit. Talking of, neither bike has wonderful pillion consolation, however the Ronin’s seat, seize rail and foot peg placement are just a little higher than the Hunter’s.

As for dealing with, the Hunter is unquestionably the extra enjoyable and related machine. Compared, the TVS feels mild and straightforward, however its raked-out entrance finish isn’t as communicative and the foot pegs can scrape extra simply. As for brakes, each are nearly sufficient when it comes to energy and really feel, though the precise braking distances in our assessments have been practically an identical. 

VALUE CHAIN

And at last, we transfer on to the realm of options, the place, as you’ll anticipate, the TVS completely takes the win. The Hunter comes outfitted with a neatly designed USB port as normal and also you get dual-channel ABS on the highest fashions of each these bikes. It’s also possible to possibility RE’s tripper navigation show as an additional, together with plenty of different well-designed equipment.

Nonetheless, the TVS has far more to supply as normal, together with its LED headlamp, extra detailed digital instrument console, two ABS modes and a complete bunch of options enabled by way of Bluetooth connectivity and a devoted cell app. 

On high of that, there’s additionally the slip/help clutch and TVS’ Glide By Know-how, which permits the bike to softly creep ahead in sluggish transferring visitors with none throttle enter. All of this comes collectively to make the Ronin a a lot simpler and nicer bike to trip inside the metropolis.

As for the Hunter, it seemingly has plenty of positives and solely two actual points going towards it. Sadly, each are unattainable to disregard as a result of you must consistently take care of them – and there isn’t any straightforward or low cost repair.  

I do just like the Hunter fairly a bit, I feel it has a way more characterful engine and I feel it appears to be like higher as effectively. There’s additionally little doubt that there’s far more satisfaction of possession related to the RE badge. Nonetheless, there’s simply no getting round the truth that the Ronin is the higher worth for cash deal, and it’s the nicer bike to trip in our circumstances. To us, it’s the higher bike right here.