Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Retro vs Mutt GT-SR 250: Image Comparison

Check out how the retro motorcycles fare against each other

The motorcycle industry has never been more tech-savvy and it now stands on the brink of electrification. But no matter how modern motorcycles get, there’s something soulful about simple, retro motorcycles. Today, we bring to you the GT-SR 250 from Mutt, a UK-based bikemaker that specialises in retro motorcycles. We thought it’d be interesting to pit it against the Retro variant of the recently launched Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and see which one has the upper hand:

The latest bike from Royal Enfield follows the bikemaker’s signature styling with circular headlight, rear-view mirrors and taillight. That said, the bulb indicators on the Retro variant are boxy, similar to the ones used on the Royal Enfield Himalayan, instead of the circular ones seen on the other variants of the Hunter 350. The Mutt GT-SR 250 is the perfect example of retro meeting neo elements. While it comes with a circular headlight and minimalist styling, there are modern bits present like all-LED lighting and adjustable levers. 

Powering the Hunter 350 is a 349cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine borrowed from the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Meteor 350. While it produces the same 20.2PS and 27Nm, it gets revised ignition timing and other small tweaks for a sportier power delivery. The motor is paired to a five-speed gearbox. As its name suggests, the GT-SR 250’s heart is a 250cc, air-cooled engine that makes respectable 21PS and 18Nm with a five-speed transmission. 

In this trim, the roadster features a telescopic fork and dual shock absorber suspension setup. For braking, it gets a 300mm disc with a dual-piston floating calliper up front and a 153mm rear drum brake along with a single-channel ABS to keep the costs in check. Suspension duties on the GT-SR 250 are handled by a telescopic fork along with twin shock absorbers. Unlike the Hunter 350 Retro, it gets single disc brakes at both ends along with the added safety net of dual-channel ABS. 

The Retro’s 17-inch wheels are of the same size as the alloy wheel-equipped Metro and Metro Rebel variants, but are shod with tubed tyres. They’re also slimmer than the tubeless ones, measuring 100/80 up front 120/80 at the rear. The GT-SR 250 gets 18-inch spoke wheels at both ends. It also gets wider tyres, with a 120-section up front and 130-section one at the rear. 

Royal Enfield has equipped the Retro variant with an offset circular semi-digital instrument cluster and there’s no tripper navigation pod. Additionally, the bike comes with a conventional set of switchgear, similar to the Scram 411. Staying true to its retro roots, the Mutt GT-SR 250 also gets an offset circular instrument cluster. You get an analogue tachometer along with a small LCD screen below it. 

Additionally, the Hunter 350 is the most compact bike in the bikemaker’s portfolio. As opposed to the Classic 350, the roadster gets a 20mm shorter wheelbase and lower ground clearance, as well as a 15mm lower seat. At 181kg, the Hunter 350 is 14kg lighter than the Classic 350. What further makes the GT-SR 250 a practical bike, at least on paper, is its 790mm seat height, 14-litre fuel tank and 130kg kerb weight. While both the bikes make a similar amount of power, the GT-SR 250’s massive 51kg weight advantage should give it a better power-to-weight ratio. 

Priced at Rs 1,49,900 (ex-showroom Chennai), Royal Enfield has hit the nail on the head when it comes to the pricing of the Hunter 350. The attractive pricing combined with the J-series’ reliability should make it quite compelling to the younger audiences. Mutt has priced the GT-SR 250 at an ex-showroom price of 4,500 Pounds (approximately Rs 4.32 lakh). While that might sound like a substantial price tag, the bike justifies it to an extent with its modern features underneath the timeless look.