[axman88]

Waiting for a 500 version of the J engine could take rather long. If it ever happens at all…

You are thinking that RE started with a blank sheet of paper, drew an OHC, added a balance shaft, and reworked just about every other aspect of their existing engine design, but kept the Bore x Stroke at 72.0 x 85.8 mm, (.84 under-square)  just for tradition?

And calling that RENA guy a liar to boot?

Did you notice that a 86.0 x 85.8 (square) - bore x stroke gives a 498cc capacity?    Now, it's true that when RE designed the Himalayan's 411, they gave it 78.0 x 86.0mm, (.91 under-square) but that's a machine that is designed to handle off road riding, where the 350s are all road machines.   And RE isn't married exclusively to long stroke designs, the 650s are 78 x 67.8 mm  (1.15 over-square).

Now that the 350 OHC "J"s are fitted with all the systems required to meet current standards, if the engineers did their job like I think they did, a 500cc version should be as straightforward as fitting new jugs and heads.  It would be interesting to compare the 350 OHC crank to one from a 500 UCE, or even a 411 Himi engine.

We didn't get many 350 UCEs or IBs imported to the USA, I've yet to see a single example in person, but I wonder if somebody pulled off the "350" badge and stuck on a "500", anyone would be able to tell the difference?  My point is, the 500 OHC prototypes might already be out there, and RE wouldn't need to shroud them in "camo", they could just build them on shiny new Meteors and Classics.

The RENA guy couldn't tell me "when", and admittedly "if" could change.  But, the 500 UCEs were killed more by price increment from the 350s than by lack of desire to own them.  The IB 500s sold much better, compared to their corresponding 350 version, than the UCEs, because they weren't saddled with a new, untrusted, and expensive FI system.

[andif62]

Calm down a little bit  I didn‘t call anyone a liar.
From what I’ve heard the major reason why production of the UCE engine was stopped,
had been new environmental standards (BS6 in India).
The 500 was popular outside of India. The best selling UCE by far on the domestic market was the 350.

[axman88]

From what I’ve heard the major reason why production of the UCE engine was stopped,
had been new environmental standards (BS6 in India).
The 500 was popular outside of India.

The media repeated this, but nobody from RE corporate ever stated it.  In my opinion, it was a convenient misunderstanding that was not corrected to deflect blame from the bean counters to the government bureaucrats.  Harley pulled the exact same stunt when they dropped the Sportster, yet the larger ( and more profitable) Big Twins WERE apparently able to be updated to meet standards, and mysteriously the 750 and 500 streets which already met standards were pulled at the same time.  The 500 never sold in large numbers to the export market, and were very unpopular in the domestic market either.  Actual sales numbers are available, and I've posted some here in the forum.  The effect of the release of the 650s are clearly visible in the decline of reported 500 sales, from the moment they were announced.

And this is why I think RE won't pre-announce the development effort, it's easy to anticipate the effect that could have on 350 sales.  In fact, the RENA guy told me to keep it under my hat.  Good thing I wasn't wearing a hat at the time.

[richard211]

There was only a small price difference between the 500 UCE and the interceptor 650 in India. When the interceptor 650 was announced, people started to cancel the orders for the UCE 500 bullets.

 The UCE 350 bullet is still in production in India with the updated emissions. There is still a lot of demand for them.

[AzCal Retred]

It'd be nice to just be able to add a barrel & piston to the 350...there's likely enough valve perimeter to accommodate 27-30 HP, plenty for street use. Sell the "Big Head" as a kit or offer it as a 535cc "High Performance" option.

As long as the 500 piston is close to the same weight as a 350 piston, even the crank-driven counter balancer weight should be "all good".

[scott_650]

And this is why I think RE won't pre-announce the development effort, it's easy to anticipate the effect that could have on 350 sales.  In fact, the RENA guy told me to keep it under my hat.  Good thing I wasn't wearing a hat at the time.

A 500 version of the current J motor would definitely have an effect on 350 sales in the US! We are a bigger is better culture, whether that’s good, bad or indifferent is irrelevant, it’s the way things are. Adding the 350s to the US lineup was a no-brainer for RE and RENA - the emission standards here and in India are close enough that I doubt there’s any substantive difference between our version of the J motor and the domestic one. All it took was paying for the testing and meeting USDOT standards, which isn’t necessarily a low cost thing but fairly straightforward in today’s globalized market (though sometimes a little odd - IIRC some Euro bikes in the 80s/90s had to have lower spec stuff swapped on because the “good stuff” wasn’t acceptable to DOT). Testing the waters here in the US for the Reborn singles was a low risk proposition - hopefully it’s successful enough to justify bringing the 500s to production and selling them here.

Not going to wait for the 500 since I already have a bigger street bike and I loved my test ride on a Signals 350 - my big decision is whether to go with a Signals model or wait on the nearest dealer to have Halcyons and/or Chromes in stock so I can see them in person and compare. Not going to wait on the Hunter since the Classic is the look I want but I definitely think the Hunter (especially as a 500!) would sell well in the US - maybe even cut into 650 sales.

[axman88]

Adding the 350s to the US lineup was a no-brainer for RE and RENA - the emission standards here and in India are close enough that I doubt there’s any substantive difference between our version of the J motor and the domestic one.

BS 6 standards are actually quite a bit more rigorous than US standards.  I think we are still at the approximate equivalent to Euro 3 standards, which were more or less equivalent to Indian BS 3.   India made the wise decision to leapfrog right over Euro 5 and go to BS 6.

Meanwhile, here in the good old USA, the land that brought the world the Suburban Ussault Vehicle, one can probably still find a brand new, big old 650cc single for sale, that meets our latest emissions standards, with a CARBURETOR, and making MORE power than the 500s ever did:   https://bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_boulevard_s40_2022.php 

While I'm rolling, I think if you look more closely at the wording of the announcements of the discontinuation of the 500 UCE, the language was that the model "WILL not be  updated  to conform to Bharat Stage VI emission norms".  The average person may well read this as "cannot", a neat sidestep to keep the 500 fans from complaining, ...  "It's not US, it's the government!"

[xpop]

I need this bike.

[gizzo]

Looks like a nice little motorbike. It'd be spot on with some clip on bars and a 500 single, or maybe a 650 twin.....

I'm just messing with ya.

When I saw Hunter 350 in the thread title I though someone was getting excited about one of these horrors....

[jez]

Bigger better? No smaller , tiny when compared to India, and with low emission standards. I doubt RE will bother with a 500, not for a while anyway, even supposing they could get the emissions low enough. It's such a small market.

[AzCal Retred]

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Launch Date Revealed By Company
Updated On: 22 June 2022, By Tejen Dhankhar

https://www.91wheels.com/news/royal-enfield-hunter-350-launch-date-revealed-by-company

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 will be the latest & one of the most affordable offerings from the company. It is going to launch between 4-8 August.
The cult Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield is gearing up for a new launch. The buzz is already on that the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is the latest product & it is launching soon. Now, the launch date is out. As per the company, the new Hunter will launch between 4-8 August.

[AzCal Retred]

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 almost revealed ahead of launch, Published: July 21, 2022

https://www.cartoq.com/royal-enfield-hunter-350-almost-revealed-ahead-of-launch/

[olhogrider]

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Launch Date Revealed By Company
Updated On: 22 June 2022, By Tejen Dhankhar

https://www.91wheels.com/news/royal-enfield-hunter-350-launch-date-revealed-by-company

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 will be the latest & one of the most affordable offerings from the company. It is going to launch between 4-8 August.
The cult Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield is gearing up for a new launch. The buzz is already on that the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is the latest product & it is launching soon. Now, the launch date is out. As per the company, the new Hunter will launch between 4-8 August.

"Cult"? A cult movie is one that I and three of my friends have seen. Only an American would call Royal Enfield a cult. With sales over half a million bikes in a year that would be like calling Star Wars a cult movie.

I have no desire for a Hunter 350 but I'm glad people are getting more choices.

[AzCal Retred]

" Only an American would call Royal Enfield a cult. "

Hmmm...you do realize that the blue text was to denote a quote from Tejen Dhankhar's article...? 

Personally I think that if the Hunter is cheaper, lighter and still has that lovely motor, that's a net improvement. The seating and footpeg position look improved to me. A long stroke engine makes for a very pleasant daily driver, hopefully that will transform into good sales numbers in the USA. The Hitchcock's big bore kit will (eventually) allow the owner to expand the Hunter & Meteor operating envelope rather than having to selling off their well fettled machine and buy something different with more Ongawa.

[axman88]

An article comparing three new ~350 cc scramblers from India:    https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/bike-news/retro-350cc-scrambler-comparison-royal-enfield-yezdi-honda/2609841/

the Honda CB350 RS is the scrambler variant of the H'Ness.  Seems it's been available since around 2/22 and priced at ~1.74 lakh.  It should be noted that this is a Honda of INDIA bike, and not made in Japan.  I think this means that the import tariffs are avoided, which are substantial.

The Yezdi is the scrambler variant of the Mahindra Jawa.  It was also released early this year and is priced ~2 lakh.

RE's scrambler, the Hunter is slated to be released in early August, and expectations are that it might be priced as low as 1.3 lakh.

Meanwhile, a lakh (100,000) rupees has dipped to a value of only $1,257 US.  If we could get these machines brand new in the USA for India pricing, my backyard would look like one of those volkswagen diesel desert parking lots.