Harley Davidson X440, Honda CB350 RS, Jawa 42 FJ, Hero Mavrick 440 and Bajaj Dominar 400 are the other motorcycles included in this comparison.

BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Triumph Speed T4

What you'll like:

• Brings all the positive attributes in terms of design and build quality of the Speed 400 at an affordable price point
• Great ground clearance (gotten better) in real-world riding
• Torquey nature of the engine makes it easier to ride in the city. Power delivery is smooth and refined with hardly any vibrations
• Revised suspension setup offers a plush ride and good stability on the highway
• A non-intimidating bike that is very beginner-friendly while also being easy to recommend to older riders getting back to some easy riding after a gap

What you won't:

• For Rs. 23,000 more, the Speed 400 comes across as a better value for money proposition
• Loses out on a fair amount of kit compared to the Speed 400 (Ride by wire, traction control and engine immobiliser)
• Manual throttle means you experience slight jerks on closing the throttle at low speeds
• Non-adjustable brake and clutch levers, although they are light and easy to operate. Adjustable levers would have been a nice touch.
• Analogue + Digital speedometer could have been better executed. Currently, the rpm meter is hard to read.

Review Link

Triumph Speed 400

What you'll like:

• Quintessential Triumph design that can stand proud next to the rest of its modern classic range
• Build quality, fit and finish are of a high order - arguably the best in the broad segment it straddles
• Stunning price proposition! Bajaj and Triumph have launched it at a price that leaves no doubt that they're gunning for a thumping success
• 39.5 BHP engine is reasonably tractable with a strong pull. Smooth & refined power delivery at a kerb weight of ~176 kg, results in a fairly peppy performance aided further by a slick 6-speed gearbox
• Great ground clearance in real-world riding, combined with a reasonably plush ride
• Exciting but not intimidating - the bike is very beginner-friendly and will be easy to recommend to newer riders as well as older ones getting back to some easy riding after a gap
• A very generous 16,000 km / 1-year service interval. Parts and service costs are also expected to be kept competitive

What you won't:

• Absence of some features like connected tech, riding modes etc.
• Very tall folk may find themselves gravitating towards the Scrambler 400. The Speed 400 looks just a tad small for very heavyset / very tall riders
• Non-adjustable brake and clutch levers, although they are light and easy to operate. Adjustable levers would have been a nice touch.
• Analogue + Digital speedometer doesn't suit the bike's character. They should've gone in one of these directions, either the simple round style similar to the Trident or the gorgeous twin dials of the 1200 classic
• Only single-sided saddle bag luggage is being offered by Triumph as of now. You will have to look at aftermarket solutions for double-sided saddle bags
• The entire service experience remains uncharted territory with Triumph leaving a negative perception on this front in some parts of the country. Whether one can have a positive dealership experience under Bajaj’s watch is something that remains to be seen

Review Link

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

Ownership Review

Honda CB350 RS

Ownership Review

Jawa 42 FJ

First Look Review

Hero Mavrick 440

What you'll like:

• Single-cylinder, 440cc engine has good low-end torque to make city riding comfortable. Fairly responsive mid and top-end keep highway cruising engaging
• Superb ride comfort; gobbles up bad roads without letting the rider, or even pillion feel them
• NVH and refinement are really good. Combined with good ergonomics, you can cruise at 80-100 km/h all day long
• Features such as standard dual-channel ABS, Bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation etc. are standard on all variants. Top variant gets e-sim connectivity
• Hero's sales and service network is unparalleled, even in tier 2 and 3 towns
• Well priced for what it offers. Undercuts most competitors

What you won't:

• Very basic instrumentation cluster in terms of look, feel and functionality
• Missing features such as riding modes, traction control, upside-down suspension fork, etc.
• Built to a cost. Cost-cutting is evident in a couple of areas
• Ride gets unsettled at higher speeds
• To many people, the Hero brand doesn't have the badge cachet of Royal Enfield, Honda or Harley-Davidson
• Long-term reliability of the new engine is unknown

Review Link

Harley Davidson X440

What you'll like:

• Single-cylinder, 440cc engine has good low-end torque to make city riding as well as highway cruising comfortable
• NVH and refinement are really good. Combined with good ergonomics, you can cruise at 80-100 km/h all day long
• Well priced. It is on par with its peers, albeit with an extra ~40-90 cc
• Built by Hero, who knows the Indian two-wheeler consumer extremely well
• Decent level of kit - standard dual-channel ABS, Bluetooth connectivity, connected features, etc.

What you won't:

• Design and styling can be polarising. Not your typical Harley
• In a segment that has heated up with lots of new offerings, the X440 doesn't ace any specific aspect
• No riding modes or traction control. Essentially not a lot of ways to customize your ride
• This is the first product of the Harley Davidson - Hero partnership. Sales, after-sales and service support and experience are unknown

Review Link

Bajaj Dominar 400

Ownership Review Link

Here's what BHPian Nilesh5417 had to say about the matter:

Was so tempted to go Jawa 42FJ but settled for Speed 400.

Jawa has improved leaps and bounds, looks smashing in some new colors and the engine revisions make it a nice bike to ride. The fact that you can flat foot is a bonus. But CL has some way to go in terms of fit finish and A.S.S reach.

The Speed 400 on the other hand to me has redefined the 400cc segment. I like the engine, fit finish is top notch and gets decent equipment. Just that it's a smallish bike so lacks road presence. Triumph also seems to have fixed the initial gremlins.

3rd position for me is the H440. Great bike to ride at least in the city where i took a trip. Let down by Harley in looks and fit, finish department. And not everyone understands that paper figures around bhp mean much less when you actually ride a bike. Wish Harley had upped the power into 30s.

For some reason, I never ever warmed up to the Hunter 350. I myself don't know why but the exhaust note just sounds very funny and somehow it again feels like a very dainty bike unlike what RE is used to churning out. Good that it's setting sales charts on fire for RE but I just couldn't get myself to like it inspite of a few rides.

Here's what BHPian ostrish had to say about the matter:

Rode the Speed 400 in Himachal for a few days. It was an unlikely choice, after days of riding the H411 and later the H450.

Found it delightful. Small and light, very confidence inspiring. Great fit and finish. Enjoyed it in cities and on the twisties, which means it is good at commuting and enthusiastic riding.

It was a little boring on the wide highways, buzzed a bit much. But IMO highway riding is the most boring riding there is, I would much rather take smaller roads and Speed is great at that. This bike made me question why I am keeping my 650 when it is not good at anything.

In absolute contrast to the 650, this bike is very uninteresting and lacks any engine character, yet is so much fun to ride and good at so many things. Some times motorcycles try too hard to be the end, instead of the means to an end. Where you are going is at least as important as how you are going (if not more), and I found the Speed 400 takes you where you want to go with minimum fuss.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Part of my “Rider Lore” with all the stitch marks that bear my resilience in the face of one of the worst accidents one could be in.

BHPian hawker350 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

13th of August, 2023, Sunday.

I haven’t slept all night in the excitement of my great plan for the morning. I had convinced all my gearhead friends to run a convoy ride from Mandi House to Khan Market. Planning and heading the entire convoy of nearly 4 motorcycles and 2 cars made this a huge deal for me.

6:40 AM

I get up from my computer, I didn’t feel like sleeping the entire night and instead spent it rewatching both the Pacific Rim movies for the nth time, I can’t keep track anymore. I wash my face, brush my teeth, wear my gear and head down to Hawker with a cloth. Wipe her down well, including the wheels so she can shine for her big day.

7:20 AM

I start her up, let her pick up the oil a bit while I wear my gloves and drop the first gear. I head out of the society, riding like I usually do, joining NH-8 at Rajiv Chowk.

7:30 AM (approx.)

NH-8 is three lanes. I am in the rightmost lane of a flyover before IFFCO Chowk, behind a brown sedan. I decide to switch left and go faster in the middle lane since it’s all empty anyway.

I accelerate and switch lanes at about 90kmph, and notice a tempo parked dead centre of the highway (I do not know how it was not noticed before this maneuver). Pull in both my brakes, as well as the clutch. I remember coming down to about 70kmph as it got close and bang! I black out.

7:35 AM (approx.)

My misadventure is noticed by a policeman, he pulls my unconscious body off the vehicle and takes off my helmet. He stops two men on a bike in an attempt to transport me to a hospital but I can’t be seated because my knee won’t bend. He looks again at the empty Sunday morning highway and notices a Maruti Eeco van coming into sight and signals them to stop. They pick me up along with my belongings and lift me into the back seat of the vehicle.

I wake up and the first thing I say is “papa ko bata do, unka number lo” (tell my father, take his number), I black out again. He takes the number down and informs my father about my accident and that he will inform him of other details as soon as he gets me to a hospital. I remember opening my eyes a few times during this ride to the hospital; seeing my hands carefully placed on my crotch and my right leg straightened out on the seat.

I open them once more being lifted out of the Eeco onto a stretcher. I understand I am being wheeled into a hospital and doze off.

8:25 AM

I see my mother at the end of my bed. I can’t move my body. I notice about 5 fluid lines attached to me. Several nurses and hospital staff came to check on my fluids and vitals. Other family friends join in and hype me up.

8:40 AM

A team of doctors comes in, introduces themselves as the ortho and sports medicine team and lists out a number of X-rays and scans.

I’m taken in for my scans and I can’t feel much pain with a new bottle of painkiller being attached to me every half an hour or so. Doctors come in again and look at my scans to say I have some dislocated bones that need to be put in place first. I’m given a sedative that DOESN’T make me unconscious nor could it stop the pain or the string of very strong words. The doctor starts his practice and the entire ER is made aware of an accident victim in bay 8.

I have broken 11 bones across both wrists, both thumbs and my right shin. Along with other torn cartilage and muscle.

I was shifted into the surgical ward and my parents were briefed to keep me empty stomach in the morning so they could perform surgery around 11 AM.

14 August, 2023

I’m hungry and the surgery is delayed because they notice my right scaphoid is also broken and they need to re-prep the team and get the consent form signed by my parents. I finally am taken in for surgery at 1 PM.

The entire ordeal lasted around 5 and a half hours after which I woke up while being wheeled back into the ward. I meet a few relatives after which I try to sleep.

All of the story above has dates and timestamps because I thought it adds more clarity since I have never gone into such detail while explaining it to anyone till now. The few days after the accident passed very quickly as I tried to process what had happened. How did I make such a mistake? How did I not notice a whole tempo in the lane I was about to enter? Do I even remember it correctly? These questions messed with my mind along with the pain I faced and the lack of sleep because my back just couldn’t take the lying down for so long. I was shifted to another hospital soon and then was sent home for recovery. The boredom of lying all alone on a bed and not being able to get up was near fatal in itself. I had my friends, relatives and music to keep me going.

The most uneasy part of this ordeal was the inability to sleep properly. In the initial days at the hospital, my body would try to enact a dream and jerk me awake, thereby causing immense pain in my broken wrists. Once I came home, I was out of comfortable positions to sleep in due to my condition and would have trouble falling asleep and waking up in the middle of the night due to pain. Apart from all this, the back pain was a daily battle as well.

Through all this, the one man making sure I ate well, rested well and didn’t abuse my pain medication was my father. He made sure I was getting the right food at the right time, carrying me to relieve myself and making sure I was clean and hygienic. Apart from this, he made sure that I didn’t use Instagram reels as my only escape from boredom. We had movies, series and articles that he would make me read so I could exercise the only part of me that wasn’t injured, the brain. He made sure I had my exercise in order every day, some of which he had to help me do so my muscles wouldn’t go too weak.

Doctors gave me about 3 months before I could stand and another 2 before I could walk. I stood up and walked within 2 months. I even kept a date-wise progress of my recovery, noting down whenever I performed a task all by myself whether it be eating, drinking or wiping my ass. I was making progress!! As a part of recovery, I had to walk as much as I could and therefore took frequent strolls in the evening while I saw Hawker waiting to recover as well.

Enough of me though, time to talk about Hawker.

Hawker was recovered from the highway by a close relative of mine and delivered to my house.

She stood still, untouched for 8 months while I recovered from my injuries, attended the gym and studied for college. I didn’t want to give up on her or the bike life.

Finally, on 8th April 2024, I found a mechanic nearby who offered to come home and have a look. Navjot Chaudhary runs a workshop by the name of Billu Bullet Workshop at Subhash Chowk. He came home about 20 minutes after our conversation on call and gave me the assurance that he could take it away to have it repaired, which was carried out by the evening. Hawker was stripped down to the chassis by the night and he closed shop.

Hawker got a proper look over the next morning and was diagnosed with:

1. Bent in twin pipes that anchored the engine.
2. A very frightening angular bend on the main spine of the chassis that also had some tearing and rust on the underside.
3. Bent suspension on the front right with a crack in the lower tube.

We loaded the chassis into his car and I rode with him to Dabri, where we handed it to another workshop to straighten out. The shock absorber cylinder was handed to a person in Janakpuri to cut off the damaged piece and engineer a new one to weld on and make it like nothing ever happened. Several days passed with my daily routine being to call Navjot up and ask about the status of the parts, and his to tell me that they were a bit delayed for whatever reason.

Finally, the chassis and shock absorber arrived and I was thrilled to see the workmanship on these parts. The shock absorber’s tube was like new and the chassis was completely straightened out. Time for them to be spray painted.

The very next day he started putting my bike together again. I had already put in the request for a change of handlebars, a Yamaha R15v3 to be precise. The handlebars were procured but the shops that sold the fork extender/handlebar riser were closed for multiple days. This infuriated me but Navjot yet again had a solution handy. He lowered the T on the fork to make space for the handlebars and bolted them on, sacrificing some ground clearance for my little café racer dream.

As we kept going, we kept facing minor snags concerning multiple parts:

1. The tiny silver crown on a clutch wire near the lever was missing and therefore needed a replacement, but Royal Enfield said I would have to purchase the entire lever assembly and so I did.
2. The entire headlight dome and the outer ring had been altered into something not that and therefore, had to be completely replaced with new stock parts. I never liked the stock halogen headlight though, and even during the rebuild, I requested him to install a minus DRL headlight.
3. The accelerator cable lining had split and was fraying the cable inside. Hence, replaced.
4. The bracket for the front mudguard was bent and was also replaced.
5. The key had been cut in half with part of it left embedded in the lock. Hence, the lock set was replaced as well.
6. The original Hunter meter on my bike had disintegrated on impact (as many people claim it is prone to do so even in minor accidents) and therefore needed a replacement. Since the meter’s history of crumbling to fine dust is widely known, the stocks at Royal Enfield spare parts never last long. Therefore, to go ahead we would need another meter. I spent several days looking up different bikes on the internet to see whose meter looked good enough and was affordable. None of them really suited my needs. At the time Navjot was in the market, he picked up a chrome meter from a Meteor 350. We then decided to place it in the centre, unlike the garbage idea of placing it on the left. To do this, he cut up a new bracket to put on the T and install the meter. The clip-on handlebars provided a much more stable ride and manoeuvrability than the stock bars.
7. The BIGGEST AND MOST INFURIATING part of the build came when it had all been finalized and he took it for a test ride. The meter wouldn’t read speed. It showed all the stats for my bike, connected to the ECU and told the kilometres on it as well but it wouldn’t read speed or measure distance traveled. Instead, read “ERROR” on the odometer. We started with the obvious solution, cleaning the sensor on the front caliper. Didn’t work. He got down to the next solution and took a look at the battery wiring to check if something hadn’t been connected properly. He came to the conclusion that it was. We double-checked with Royal Enfield engineers by sending them images of everything from the fuse box to the battery terminals and we were given the AFFIRMATIVE that all wiring had been done perfectly as recommended by the factory.

As a Gen-Z kid, my move was to check the entirety of the Royal Enfield Reddit forum for a matching solution. I found the same meter code problem, but couldn’t find a solution.

The next obvious pocket-pinching solution was to replace the sensor and so I did. Went to the nearest Royal Enfield showroom and picked up the new one. Came back, had it installed and it STILL DIDN’T WORK AUGH.

At this point, I was at my limit of patience. It had been two days of every possible knowledge gathering and hardware renewal and we didn’t even know why it was happening, much less what to do about it.

That’s when I requested Navjot to pull apart the wiring once again and check it. So, he did, and guess what?

THE RELAY WAS ON BACKWARDS!!! We had a long moment of silence after he put it on and spun the front wheel to see the meter work but, hey! At least my bike was functional again!!!

I paid him the following day and rode my bike back home, the very same day I headed out towards Noida to meet Akash and show him the machine.

The 9 months I spent in recovery paired with the 2 weeks of Hawker being rebuilt was a wait that was absolutely worth it. If not me, at least she was back better than ever. The accident goes down as a part of my “Rider Lore” with all the stitch marks that bear my resilience in the face of one of the worst accidents one could be in. I hope the story about my recovery encourages those recovering from a mishap or the story about Hawker’s rebuild helps those who face the same problems as I did during the build. I thank this forum for giving me an outlet to get my story out to all those who read it.

Below are all the images throughout Hawker's breaking and building.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Started filling it with XP95 instead of standard petrol and the difference in performance and mileage has been significant.

BHPian Akash_1806 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone,

I take immense pleasure in sharing this review on behalf of my friend, Ritwik who owns a 2022 RE Hunter 350. In his words:

I have been the proud owner of a Dapper Grey Hunter 350 for 18 months now. I purchased and took delivery of this bike on 24th October 2022.

Purchase Experience

I booked the bike during the month of September 2022 via the Royal Enfield app for a refundable amount of ₹5000/-.

Upon conversing with a showroom near me, I was intimated that my bike would be delivered within a span of two months, which was true since my bike was delivered within 1.5 months. The booking and delivery experience with my Royal Enfield dealership was smooth and unremarkable.

First Impression

Once the Hunter was home, I was like a child with a new toy. I couldn’t stop thinking about it all the time or clicking photos everywhere I parked it. The Hunter carries immense personality for a bike its size, being the smallest and lightest amongst its Enfield siblings; this personality stirred my interest every time I took it out even for a milk run. I made several observations in my initial days of riding that I have listed below: -

The Positives:

• As aforementioned, it is the lightest Enfield available on the market and therefore an excellent beginner bike for those looking for an Enfield to be their first, as it was mine.
• The J platform 350cc engine paired with the lightweight build, delivers a smooth and peppy ride in the city, maintaining the fun of riding a motorcycle no matter what traffic situation you find yourself in.
• Royal Enfield engines, known for their low-range torque, paired with the compact form of the Hunter, make navigating city traffic a breeze.
• The stock exhaust is quite melodious and loud. One might argue it needs no customization on that end.

The Negatives:

• My routine does not involve pillions but, the few times I have given a ride, I’ve received comments about the rear seat not being able to support the pillion against the torque.
• The Hunter is factory-fitted with halogen headlamps which have decent illumination but, since I live in Gurugram, I frequently face high beams from aftermarket lights due to which I also switched to LEDs.
• The clutch lever is significantly hard to pull and takes some getting used to. People with small hands would find comfort in investing in riding gloves.

Considering the above, I am content to say my initial month with the Hunter was extremely fun and enjoyable. It fulfilled every expectation even though I had bought it with my eyes shut and thought nothing about it before it arrived.

My Experience post 7000 km

In the first 10 months of owning a Hunter, it became my primary mode of transport and my vehicle of choice for meets and joyrides and I’m very content with the fact that it has never failed me on either job.

After these months I have made more observations about the Hunter, as listed below:

1. Stock RE brake pads are short-lived and have an abysmal initial bite. Pair it with the RE Anti-lock Braking System which kicks in too early and you can find yourself hurtling into an unfavourable situation pretty soon, as did I. My suggestion would be to upgrade to ceramic brake pads to have a far better initial bite and to increase the rider’s confidence in the braking, as did I. I have found Vesrah ceramic brake pads to be to my liking and they are currently employed in the front brakes of the Hunter.
2. Past the first service, I have noticed it seldom but surely tends to miss a shift but, this only happens to be a mental scare since the torquey engine prevents stalling and you can have another go at landing the right gear.
3. I am in no manner a perfect rider and have had crashes that needed a part to be replaced. Here is where I have noticed delayed procurement of parts by the dealership. Apart from this, I have faced alignment issues upon receiving the bike from service which was fixed upon simple notice but, I believe shouldn’t be a point of discussion and therefore leaves much to be desired from Royal Enfield service.
4. Another issue I have faced as a newbie rider is dropping my bike. The gear shifter lever and the rear brake lever have a tendency to bend inwards to an extent that renders them unusable and a long flat tool is all you need to fix it. I only mention it because I have faced it a bit too many times and I think new Hunter buyers will benefit from such knowledge about the Hunter.
5. After the first month or so, upon a friend’s recommendation, I started filling it with XP95 instead of standard petrol and the difference in performance and mileage has been significant; to this day I always fill it with 95 octane.

Conclusion

The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is decently capable, fun to ride, mildly comfortable and easy to handle and maintain compact city cruiser. The machine leaves nothing to be desired and fully asserts its tagline: “A SHOT OF MOTORCYCLING”.

Ending this review with 2 beautiful shots of this amazing machine. Until next time.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The RE advisor sent me away by saying that I had to get used to the bike.

BHPian abk98 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello All,

I bought a Hunter 350, Dapper Grey on the 2nd of February replacing my trusty Glamour for my daily commute to work.

Booked the vehicle at the end of January and was told about a waiting period of 20 days for the colour, however, received a call 3 days later that the vehicle was ready to be delivered!

Went to the showroom, completed all the formalities and ended up taking the delivery. Everything went fine, finished my first service at 500 Km and rode it until 1300 Km when suddenly the Clutch got so hard that during peak Bangalore traffic, my hands would hurt so bad that they would turn red and it took a lot of effort to engage the clutch.

On my way back home from work is where the RE Service centre is located. I directly went there and showed them the clutch and to my surprise, the Service Executive told me that this is how a RE bike works and that I'll need to get used to the Hard clutch, even after I showed him a smoother clutch in one of the Hunter parked at the Service Center.

Got mad, left the place and went to my trusty local garage where I would get my Glamour serviced, the mechanic held the clutch once and told me that it was abnormally hard for such a new bike and advised me to get the clutch cable replaced, to which I instantly agreed as my hands were shivering with pain from all the riding.

This was a 2-minute job as he had the clutch cable in stock and cost me Rs. 250/-. The best 250 rupees I have ever spent!

Why weren't the RE Service Center able to help me out with the repair, also shooing the customers away telling them that is how it is supposed to be?

If this continues, I don't think RE is putting itself in a good spot in such a competitive market!

So, I am still unable to diagnose why my old clutch cable got so hard at just 1300 Km. Currently, I have ridden about 150 Km on the replaced cable and have no issues.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The DIY process is pretty simple and the method is almost universal and can be applied to most two-wheelers

BHPian maheshm619 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I purchased a RE Hunter 350 in September last year. Bit by bit, the bike was accessorized according to my liking. The bike is used primarily for office commutes and short rides and the ownership experience so far has been relaxed compared to my earlier vehicle, a decade-old CBR250. While CBR is a good vehicle, maintaining such a vehicle in a rural area has its challenges. The CBR ownership and challenges it threw, will need another thread and shall not drag it here.

In this post, I’ll focus on how the AHO (automatic headlight ON) was disabled on my bike using a simple mod. This mod is universal and can be applied to most vehicles. With the advent of BS4 vehicles, govt. had mandated DRL (daytime running lamp) for two-wheelers. Companies like TVS provided a dedicated LED DRL in most of their vehicles, whereas most manufacturers chose to keep the low beam always on and remove the headlight on/off button altogether. The contribution of such measures to improving road safety is debatable.

There are different methods available to disable the always-on headlight such as adding an extra switch to the low beam wire / changing the handlebar OEM switch assembly to one of an older model / get a plug-in module to the wiring harness. I didn’t want an extra switch poking out of the handlebar and the second option (OEM switch assembly) was also not possible as Hunter never had an older headlight on/off button. The aftermarket plug-in module also seemed expensive for the function it offered.

Being a DIY enthusiast, it was time to apply some of it to this problem (self-thought one). One solution was to form a two-relay-based setup which shall switch off the low as the vehicle is started. I had bought these relays and made a wiring diagram, but to mount the relays space was a constraint. It had to be placed under the seat and the wiring had to be routed under the fuel tank to the headlight area. I kept the plan on hold and was on the lookout for further options.

A wildcard entry to my plan was a photo-relay (Photosensitive relay). It was already used in our household to automate external lighting after dark. These relays however were rated for 230-volt AC and 12-volt DC options were exorbitantly priced.

After a few hours of Google search, I ordered a 12-volt DC photo relay from a Pune-based components supplier online. It reached me in a week and work started.

Let the pictures do the talking.

It had enough space to route wires and had to hold a headlight coupler (male to female). The H4 coupler makes the whole process free of any wire cutting / disturbing the factory wiring.

The whole setup is removable in 15 mins to stock form.

Outcome:

The relay gets power as the bike turns ON (engine starts) and the light (low beam) stays OFF during the day. As daylight intensity falls, the relay output switches and gives power to the Low beam wire and the headlight becomes ON. The daylight intensity switches the relay typically around evening around 6 pm in our area and is ideal. The placement of the relay behind the number plate ensures that the headlight doesn’t turn off at nighttime while a light beam of an opposite vehicle might fall on it.

Even during the day, one can turn on the headlamp by placing the switch on the HIGH beam as only low beam wiring was modified.

Pros:

• Low beam off during the day / reduced electrical load / DIY = satisfaction!

Cons:

• At a dimly lit area, when the low beam is kept ON by photo-relay, if the high beam is turned ON, it will cut supply to the relay (but the high beam will be working normally). When the beam is changed back from high to low, the relay needs 2-3 seconds to power ON and switch ON the low beam. This will cause a condition of no light for 2 seconds while changing from high to low. This condition is OK for me according to my bike usage pattern (minimal night usage / well-illuminated roads) but may not suit everyone else. One can however use the PASS switch normally without any such effect.

Verdict:

A simple but effective DIY for me. Personalizing one’s bike is a joy indeed. All the components required can be sourced online and can be completed in less than an hour. The bike has an additional pilot lamp ( T 10 , 5 Watt bulb) inside the headlamp housing which is always ON for people who are worried about no headlight during the day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

She will use the Aerox 155 for the city and the Hunter 350 for highways.

BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A new addition to the garage: Royal Enfield Hunter 350

If there is one brand that must be getting the folks at Triumph tensed about the future roadmap - it could be Royal Enfield. Both of them claim authentic British heritage, and both are rediscovering how the classic motorcycle should appeal to the modern audience. Well, I'm going to have a taste of both worlds because my wife decided to pick up a Royal Enfield Hunter 350 as the second motorcycle (and the third two-wheeler) for our garage.

Those in our Bangalore biking circles would already know this bike - belonging to BHPian deepfreak15 and just having completed 1 year and 1500kms. Interestingly, even the Tiger Sport was bought 6 months ago, 2288 kms used - so I have been lucky with getting bikes which are just about run-in! Thanks a ton to Deepak for passing this bike on.

This will be the first motorcycle experience for the wife and it's her own choice as well. After Deepak mentioned about the sale, she went to the showroom and checked how comfortable she was - and absolutely loved what Royal Enfield had done with the Hunter. From a vocal Royal Enfield hater to a convert - it's turned out to be quite a revelation for her.

A size too small for me, but then - I will continue to use the Tiger Sport 660 as my city and highway machine. Whereas she will use the Aerox 155 for the city and the Hunter 350 for highways.

Deepak was kind enough to do a service before the handover. The below accessories were already added to the bike - sump guard, custom seat, LED indicators, and touring mirrors. I went ahead and added two more today - the engine guard and the visor.

All three two-wheelers in the garage for now

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Triumph Speed 400 is perfect for riders who want a sorted ride with a bit of everything thrown in.

Triumph Speed 400

Triumph Speed 400 Pros

• Qintessential Triumph design that can stand proud next to the rest of its modern classic range
• Build quality, fit and finish are of a high order - arguably the best in the broad segment it straddles
• Stunning price proposition! Bajaj and Triumph have launched it at a price that leaves no doubt that they're gunning for a thumping success
• 39.5 BHP engine is reasonably tractable with a strong pull. Smooth & refined power delivery at a kerb weight of ~176 kg, results in a fairly peppy performance aided further by a slick 6-speed gearbox
• Great ground clearance in real-world riding, combined with a reasonably plush ride
• Exciting but not intimidating - the bike is very beginner-friendly and will be easy to recommend to newer riders as well as older ones getting back to some easy riding after a gap
• A very generous 16,000 km / 1-year service interval. Parts and service costs are also expected to be kept competitive

Triumph Speed 400 Cons

• Absence of some features like connected tech, riding modes etc.
• Very tall folk may find themselves gravitating towards the Scrambler 400. The Speed 400 looks just a tad small for very heavyset / very tall riders
• Non-adjustable brake and clutch levers, although they are light and easy to operate. Adjustable levers would have been a nice touch.
• Analogue + Digital speedometer doesn't suit the bike's character. They should've gone in one of these directions, either the simple round style similar to the Trident or the gorgeous twin dials of the 1200 classic
• Only single-sided saddle bag luggage is being offered by Triumph as of now. You will have to look at aftermarket solutions for double-sided saddle bags
• The entire service experience remains uncharted territory with Triumph leaving a negative perception on this front in some parts of the country. Whether one can have a positive dealership experience under Bajaj’s watch is something that remains to be seen

Link to Review

Harley-Davidson X440

Harley-Davidson X440 Pros

• Single-cylinder, 440cc engine has good low-end torque to make city riding as well as highway cruising comfortable
• NVH and refinement are really good. Combined with good ergonomics, you can cruise at 80-100 km/h all day long
• Well priced. It is on par with its peers, albeit with an extra ~40-90 cc
• Built by Hero, who know the Indian two-wheeler consumer extremely well
• Decent level of kit - standard dual-channel ABS, Bluetooth connectivity, connected features, etc.

Harley-Davidson X440 Cons

• Design and styling can be polarising. Not your typical Harley
• In a segment that has heated up with lots of new offerings, the X440 doesn't ace any specific aspect
• No riding modes or traction control. Essentially not a lot of ways to customize your ride
• This is the first product of the Harley Davidson - Hero partnership. Sales, after-sales and service support and experience are unknown

Link to Review

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

Link to launch thread

Team-BHP 2-Wheeler of the Year, 2022!

Link to ownership review

Honda CB350 RS

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

BMW G 310 R

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

KTM 390 Duke

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

Bajaj Dominar 400

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

Royal Enfield Classic 350

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Link to launch thread

Link to ownership review

Here's what BHPian anilp had to say on the matter:

We (my wife and me) went through a recent evaluation exercise with the same options in front of us for her new bike. She loved the CB 350 RS and hated the Hunter. We have a 390 Duke at home, so the KTM was also out.

She found the Interceptor/Continental GT/Super Meteor too heavy, even though the power delivery was good. The others didn't even make the cut for a test drive in her mind, especially the BMW due to its subpar ownership/service experience stories.

We were in two minds about the Harley, but finally decided against it--it looked like it had been put together by a local garage in Kurla.

She loved the Triumph the moment she started the test ride with just a couple of words. "This is such a friendly bike". Now, I wasn't expecting this since I was expecting it to be more of a tamed-down KTM 390 or Dominar type of experience. I realized what she meant the moment I took a test ride.

The Triumph Speed 400 is perfect for riders who want a sorted ride with a bit of everything thrown in. Especially the suspension comfort and the great mid-end power.

We booked ours online the moment we reached home!

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

If I was in this segment and wasn't price-conscious, my money would go to the 390 Duke for sure. It's a clear notch above the other comparable offerings (not counting the higher CC 650 offerings, but those are distinctly heavier too) and just far more exciting as an overall package. The Speed makes a good value package as a general beginner-friendly all-rounder.

The new 390 seems very promising and I'm really eager to see what sort of 390A offering this new platform throws up. Pity it's a year or more away for now.

Here's what BHPian aargee had to say on the matter:

Voted RE 650 over Triumph 400 for the musical exhaust note of the twins as I'm exhausted hearing the monotonous sound of a single 4S deadbeat; besides, RE650 offers the best VFM, relaxed speed & the convenience of widespread ASC which further influenced my choice.

PS - In my personal opinion: except for the price factor & HP, there's no other way the 650 twins is qualified in this segment.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Fuel efficiency in city limits has been usually around 37-38 km/l.

BHPian sumanthkr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Hunter 350 is just over two months old now, of which there was 1 month of no riding due to a leg injury I had (not related to the bike).

The bike saw a slightly noticeable smoothness after the scheduled 45 days 1st service when I had done barely 450kms, until which I consciously did not ride fast.

After the service, I took it for a few short spins around the city - I have not done any long rides yet.

Observations

The bike is fast (feels so) of the blocks, the same as I had observed earlier in first impression.

I have only done 90kmph, because

• I have not really hit a proper highway that supports good speeds
• Also, the bike does not urge you to accelerate past 85-90, beyond 75-80 I felt the acceleration is not so engaging
• More importantly, I am also not keen on pushing as I want to ride more before I start doing 100-110 on a motorcycle

Mileage

One interesting thing happened during a recent spin, where I did 220 km, It was kind of unplanned, that about 70% distance was not in city traffic, I filled up the tank and started, and in 2 days' time I again did 127 km spin again about 2/3rds distance was not in city traffic (outskirts), after 347 km when It was yet to show the Reserve indication, I filled it up again - it filled up at 7.8 litres!!

I had already tracked the odometer to be quite accurate and I can vouch that the 347 km almost exactly matched the Google Map distance.

That means I got an FE of 44 km/l during this spin spread across 2 rides where roughly 2/3rd the distance was outside city limits - but not exactly highway conditions. I usually rode in the 60-80 km/h range as the roads permitted, occasionally held up to 90kmph.

I usually am not particular or picky about FE but this was just to see what the new bike offers. In city limits, it has been usually around ~ 37-38.

All said I have merely clocked 1550kms so far.

Brakes

The front brake has been more reliable in my experience, the rear brake when I occasionally only used the leg break - was not so very confidence-inspiring, am not sure why.

Learning

I am trying to deal with crosswinds, I bought a safety jacket with Level 2 protection (my jacket model does find a mention in Team bhp (Royal Enfield launches riding jacket made from recycled plastic)) but still learning to deal with crosswinds, and I weigh just 60 kg at 181 cm height, a skinny person, I feel the crosswinds do affect me right now and I am requiring to slow down and slide to the left a bit whenever crosswind gets heavy on me. I do not know yet if Crosswinds plays differently based on the rider build being skinny or otherwise etc.

I did try leaning forward - a little more aggressively, it helped a bit, but am not used to that riding position so could not hold that for long.

Any tips from experienced riders are welcome wrt to crosswinds and headwinds.

I do have the company's standard windshield.

Another learning was, that I picked up L size helmet because I felt the M size was too tight, but then realized that it is better to have a tighter helmet and deal with that inconvenience. When the crosswinds got heavy I could feel the helmet wobble ever so slightly, it was not as if It was shaking, but just that at 80-90 speed when in breezy conditions I realized the value of a snug fit helmet and realized it was the hard way, the discomfort of the slight wobble scared the shit out of me initially - but then later got the assurance that it was a mere sensation as it was not a snug fit.

Am looking to get a snug-fit helmet, especially with the Motoverse Goa ride (from Bengaluru where I reside) coming up in November. I am eagerly looking forward to, thanks to Arun sir GM of Accelerate Motors and lead of the very active Accelerate Motors club for infusing confidence in new riders like me, that I signed up for such a long ride.

I might retain the current helmet for city commutes where a snug fit feels very annoying.

Engine heating

I found that the bike is happy for an hour or an hour plus. Only once after about 90kms of continuous riding, I felt a little bit of engine heat, it was not uncomfortable at all. So far, so good!

Suspension and tires

My observation on suspension remains more or less the same as the initial impression. I did feel the advantage of the firm suspension on the occasional spins outside the city, although it can still do with a better rear suspension.

The same goes with the tires, am not experienced with motorcycling, but I can tell that the bike can do with better tires. My own confidence with cornering abilities is slowly growing, it is holding up alright but felt it could have been better.

All in all am happy I picked up the Hunter instead of waiting for the Himalayan 450, as I can learn with this smaller and easier-to-handle bike. As I learn with experience, I can better assess after a couple of years maybe as to what kind of bike suits me best.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The fuel efficiency of the Royal Enfield is 30-31 km/l (tank-to-tank method).

BHPian Nadapriya.auto recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had a budget of 2 lakhs and was looking for an upgrade from my Pulsar 135 LS around December 2022.

My daily commute to the office is 20 km one way, on a good road and lots of crosswinds.

Options considered:

• Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins.
• FZ25
• CB300F (Had a huge discount at that time)
• TVS Ronin
• Hunter 350

The ergonomics of the Pulsar twins felt a little awkward, surprisingly. Was slightly uncomfortable at the end of the Test Ride.

The FZ25 had loads of low-end torque, but the bulbous tank and the general design philosophy didn't appeal a lot. Same with the Ronin.

The Honda, which was the most powerful on paper, failed to give a vibe-free experience, post 6k RPM. I do not know if the issue was limited to the test bike or not. Also, the handlebar felt sort of twisted outward.

The Hunter 350 instantly put a smile on my face, with its superb low-end torque. The seat comfort was adequate, the riding triangle felt spot-on, and the chassis is brilliant. The slightly rear-set footpegs and adequate tank grip enabled me to stand on the footpegs while going over the large humps and potholes. Immediately booked one, in dapper white.

I have completed 2600 kms to date and haven't faced a single problem. IMO, the fit and finish is more than acceptable for this price point.

Good things:

• The weight is properly masked while riding. It feels nimble yet planted.
• The low seat height coupled with the low ground clearance and a good chassis makes for an engaging daily commute.
• The tractability is very good. The second gear is usable right from 5 km/h to 40 km/h. Put it in the third gear, and it pulls cleanly from 20 km/h to 70 km/h. I have personally started in the 2nd gear after stopping at signals a few times.
• 5th gear - 100 km/h, does not feel stressed, can hold it all day. It takes time post-110 though.

Not-so-good things:

• The tyres are not very grippy, it tends to squeal a bit during hard braking.
• The suspension is okay for me, as I stand up on the pegs while going over speed beakers, but it feels a bit too stiff while riding with a pillion.

The ground clearance is just about adequate. I am yet to scrape the bottom to date, even on pretty large humps. The bike feels absolutely vibe-free till 110, a welcome change from my heavily vibrating Pulsar 135. The FE is 30-31 km/l (tank-to-tank method). I am used to the heavy clutch now and can operate with two fingers easily.

I agree with CK on most fronts.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Low fuel efficiency isn't due to my riding style as I used to get 40+ with my previous motorcycle, a Honda Hornet 160R.

BHPian Carpainter recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So it has been more than two months now since I got this bike and after riding it for around 1200kms here are my short observations:

Pros

1. The engine is ideal for cruising at legal speeds. It feels punchy at 70-80 speed levels and has ample torque to ride on. Being lighter than the Classic 350 this should be an easy motorcycle to ride on hilly terrains.
2. The seating position is neutral with little rear set footpegs but set almost in the ideal position making a comfortable riding triangle. In the initial days of ownership, I felt wrist pain but once my body got accustomed after a week, there is no pain in the wrist or shoulder or anywhere else. In fact, this riding position is actually more comfortable for me than my previous bike Hornet 160R.
3. Stability on the straight line is good and crosswind doesn't unsettle it. I haven't taken it on highways yet.
4. Apart from the mirrors, there is no noticeable vibration anywhere unlike previous gen RE bikes.
5. Engine heat is manageable as it doesn't get too hot in city traffic.

Cons

1. Low mileage is the biggest negative I'm facing with this bike. I don't know what the issue is but I'm consistently getting a mileage of 25kmpl. I've heard people getting over 30 and some even say 36-37 which should be really good for this motorcycle but this is the biggest problem I've got. It's not because of my riding style as I used to get around 40+ with my previous 160cc commuter which is par for that bike. I've experimented with low gear high rpm and high gear low rpm but nothing worked. I'm using normal petrol though and I'm thinking of trying the premium petrol for a month.
2. The bike is very difficult to put on center stand. I think RE didn't design the center stand for this bike separately and since this has lower ground clearance than Classic 350 it becomes difficult.
3. Even the side stand is too straight and you can't park on the side stand even if there is the slightest inclination on the road.
4. Rear suspension is very stiff and you'll feel every undulation on the road. RE service center has advised me to change it to nitrox one but I want to ride it out a few thousand kms before investing in a new suspension. Also since the ground clearance is low, a softer suspension might cause it to touch the ground too often.
5. Fuel gauge is not very accurate and some models including mine don't have the mph marking in the speedometer.
6. Ground clearance of 150mm is on the lower side for our roads and although you won't scrape it every now and then if you're riding with a pillion, there is a chance you might kiss those unscientific speed breakers (more like footpath in the middle of the road).

Neutrals

1. This has the least weight among all the RE bikes. When you ride it, it feels more nimble and agile than even a 150cc commuter but you'll feel the 180kg weight when you move the bike manually like in and out of parking slots.
2. The seats are comfortable and even though it looks small, it can comfortably accommodate a pillion. But if you want to carry two people illegally then it's not possible.
3. The exhaust note is nice at low rpm and has some nice growl to it but at higher rpm the silencer becomes silent.
4. Headlight is halogen and not LED but the throw is nice and I'd take it over a poor LED any day.
5. Mirrors vibrate at various degrees at different speed levels and the size should have been bigger to reduce blind spots but it gets the job done for now.
6. Fit and finish is not at Honda or Yamaha level with some squeaking noise here and there but the paint quality is top-class. There is even a lacquer coating on the stickers.
7. The clutch is on the heavier side but with ample torque, you don't have to change gear too often.
8. Fuel tank capacity is 13 litres but low fuel warning comes on at 4 litres. So you'll see low fuel warning quicker than usual.
9. RE offer many accessories to customize your bike as per your liking. I just wish the tripper navigation was standard.

Hope prospective buyers will find this useful.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.