2025 BSA Bantam 350 vs Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Specification Comparison

BSA recently launched a retro-modern motorcycle in the UK, called the Bantam 350. This bike is based on the Jawa 42 FJ which is already available in India. It competes with Royal Enfield’s popular Hunter 350, which is also available in the UK market as ‘Royal Enfield HNTR 350’. We stack each other and see which one is better in terms of specs:

Engine 

The BSA Bantam 350 uses the same engine which powers other Yezdi and Jawa motorcycles. In this comparison it makes a lot more power and torque than the Hunter 350 thanks to liquid-cooling. Along with this, it also gets a 6-speed gearbox which should allow for a better highway performance when compared to the Hunter’s 5-speed gearbox.

While the Hunter 350 may not be as fast as the Bantam 350, the J-series engine has been praised for its refinement and strong mid-range grunt. This should make the Hunter 350 a fun motorcycle to ride in the city without a lot of gear changes. 

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Underpinnings 

Both of these motorcycles get similar frames and suspension setup, however the 2025 Hunter 350 is updated with a much better suspension setup than its predecessor, promising better comfort. In terms of braking performance, these bikes should be more or less even, but if you’re using more front brake (as you should), then the BSA should have a slight upper hand.  The Bantam 350 also gets a bigger 18-inch front wheel, which should help in tackling potholes better than the smaller wheel in the Hunter. 

Dimensions 

The BSA gets a whole 70mm longer wheelbase when compared to the Hunter 350, this should result in a much better highway stability. However, the Hunter should have the advantage when it comes to cornering abilities, because of its compact wheelbase. Ironically, even though the Bantam 350 is exclusive to markets abroad, it has a much better ground clearance than the Hunter. That said, the Hunter’s ground clearance is still decent for Indian roads. 

It’s also important to know the Hunter 350 is the lightest Royal Enfield bike. That said, the weight difference shouldn’t make that much of an impact in the real world. 

Features

Both of these retro-modern motorcycles are quite basic in terms of features, however the Hunter 350 still gets a Tripper navigation which allows for turn-by-turn navigation. This feature should make the Hunter 350 a lot more convenient to ride while city commutes or touring. 

The Bantam can also be equipped with an aftermarket navigation system, but a factory fitted one would have been better as it is the safer way to go as far as warranty is concerned.

 Price And Verdict

The pricing for the Bantam 350 is quite high in the UK, even when compared to the Jawa 42 FJ, which is being sold in India from Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) onwards. This is because it is made in India, and is exported abroad. We also got to know that the BSA Bantam will not be launched in India for now, considering the Jawa is already here.  

Having said that, the BSA has the advantage of offering much better value for money as far as retro styling and performance is concerned. On the flip side, the Royal Enfield has the advantage of having a more widespread reach in the developed markets than the relatively newer BSA. This should ensure better peace of mind in the overall ownership experience.