Triumph Speed T4 vs Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Comparison

The British two-wheeler giant Triumph has recently launched the entry-level motorcycle, Speed T4, in India. The Speed T4 has been launched at Rs 2,17,000 (ex-showroom) as an entry-level iteration and thanks to that, it has come closer to the Royal Enfield Hunter 350, whose top-most Metro Rebel variant carries an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.74 lakh. 

The Looks

Both bikes feature a retro roadster design which looks attractive and appeal to the masses. The fit-and-finish may be a little better on the Triumph but the Royal Enfiled has also come a long way but they still have some catching up to do. 

Further, these iterations are also equipped with semi-digital instrument consoles that show all the necessary information on both machines. However, the looks are subjective and the fit finish should not be the only deciding factor for your purchase, so let's look at other aspects. 

Performance

The Triumph Speed T4 has a 400cc mill which produces 30.6hp at 7000rpm and 36Nm at 5000Nm. This same engine churns out 39.5hp and 37.5Nm on the Speed 400, but, it has been tuned differently on this machine to suit its characteristics. 

On the other hand, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 comes equipped with the immensely popular 349cc J series engine. This motorcycle churns out 20.2hp at 6100rpm and 27Nm at 4000rpm.

Now, it is evident that the Speed T4 belts out much higher power and torque as compared to the Hunter 350. So, if performance is all you want then the Triumph seems to be the better bet here.

Suspension, Tyres and Braking

The Hunter 350 has 41mm telescopic forks at the front with 120mm travel at the front and the rear has Twin tube emulsion shock absorbers with 6-step preload adjustability.

On the other hand, the Speed 400 gets 43mm telescopic forks at the front with 140mm travel, paired with a Gas monoshock RSU with an external reservoir and pre-load adjustment at the rear. 

The tyre sizes on both these machines are the same with 110/70-17 tyres at the front and 140/70-17 tyres at the rear. Needless to say, both motorcycles are equipped with tubeless tyres for convenience and safety. 

Both motorcycles are equipped with a dual-channel ABS to ensure safe stopping, plus these bikes also have 300mm front disc brakes. As for the rear, the Hunter 350 gets a 270mm disc, whereas the Speed T4 has a 230mm disc. 

Conclusion

The Triumph Speed T4 is Rs 43,000 more expensive than the top-of-the-line Hunter 350 and it justifies its price by providing better performance figures and premium build. However, for someone on a tighter budget, the Hunter 350 still is an excellent value-for-money product.

Another deciding factor is the after-sales support system. That being said, Triumph India is yet to expand its sales and service network in the tier- two and -three areas. Royal Enfield, on the other hand, has sales and service network in most parts of the country, making it a reliable and easily accessible option.