This Royal Enfield Roadster Bike Will Take On The KTM 390 Duke

It is likely to be called the Hunter 450 and will be based on the Himalayan 450 platform

The mid-size segment of motorcycles has recently seen a lot of action, with all manufacturers vying for a piece. Royal Enfield will be reinforcing its dominance by introducing a roadster, likely to be called the Hunter 450, to cater to this up-and-rising segment fans.

It will be based on the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450’s brand new 450cc liquid-cooled platform. And it will take the fight to the KTM 390 Duke and the upcoming Triumph-Bajaj 350 bikes. From what we gather, the LC engine could make somewhere around 40PS making it a truthful competitor of its rivals.

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That said, it is quite the departure from the Himalayan 450s styling, for obvious reasons, as it will be a road-going bike, unlike its ADV sibling. The spy shots show that the bike gets a telescopic fork, this setup is in contrast to the Himalayan 450's inverted unit, thereby helping in keeping the costs in check.

While it certainly is a departure from Royal Enfield’s usual portfolio, it will help the brand garner a wider audience, especially considering the upcoming Hunter 450 will cater to those who are looking for a road-biased, sporty motorcycle that’s not overtly aggressive as the 390 Duke but can still keep up with it. On the other hand, those looking for a touring-and-offroad-friendly motorcycle can go for the Himalayan

Lastly, expect the Hunter 450 to debut after the Himalayan, sometime early next year with a price tag of Rs 2.6 lakh, ex-showroom. It won’t be the most affordable but still will be a more accessible bike than the Himalayan 450 which is likely to be priced around Rs 2.80 lakh, ex-showroom.