Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Overview | Motorbike Check

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Overview

Bike Overview by Kris Hodgson

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I not too long ago headed right down to Melbourne for a jaunt on the most recent Royal Enfield mannequin to reach – no not the Tremendous Meteor 650 – the Hunter 350, primarily based on their 350 single platform and gives an entry stage retro roadster at a aggressive worth.

The bike was launched over in Thailand, however this marked the Hunter 350’s first run right here in Australia, with the suburbs of Melbourne providing the best looking floor and a glimpse into what a enjoyable afternoon group journey of equally minded riders will seem like on essentially the most inexpensive Royal Enfield.

The Hunter arrives beginning at $7,590 ride-away in a well-rounded bundle for a newbie or maybe returning rider, however because the styling suggests, the Hunter 350 just isn’t a efficiency machine, even by LAMS requirements. For these after efficiency in a LAMS bundle, they’ll must look to the RE 650s, or a neo-retro elsewhere.

That type of displays how Royal Enfield have captured this explicit area of interest, and apparently they’ve moved into the highest 5 promoting motorbike manufacturers in Australia, the place competitors within the smaller capability decrease efficiency classics has largely disappeared.

The highlights of the Hunter 350 are an up to date chassis with the engine a careworn member, revised geometry and ergonomics plus model-specific gearing. For distinction the prevailing Meteor or Traditional 350 is extra cruiser in comparison with the Hunter’s roadster theme.

Throwing an eye fixed over the bike, it seems to be good, blacked out engine in addition to basic componentry is a winner for me. There’s a cushty trying seat, respectable beefy tubeless tyres on 17 inch rims, a pleasant digital/analogue sprint (no tacho) and good end on the tank and painted panels. The bike has presence.

Swap-blocks are a bit low-cost trying which isn’t unusual on LAMS bikes, however provide a pleasant tactile really feel. The headlight is halogen, the place I’ve come to understand fashionable LEDs.

Turning the bike on and thumbing that starter brings the bike to life, though on a windy Melbourne day at idle you would be forgiven for not realising the bike is working. So quiet but additionally fairly easy.

Giving the bike a rev there’s a little bit of a waffly roar from the little 350, which I discovered myself testing at every site visitors mild all through the afternoon.

The mixed exhausts notes of the pleasure, or gaggle of Hunter 350s, had some timbre to it and our procession definitely drew consideration on the not-so-mean streets of Melbourne.

Setting off in the direction of Docklands, there’s a forgiving throttle motion, creating right into a little bit of punch in case you’re aggressive sufficient. Holding in thoughts after all that with 20 hp and 27 Nm of torque it’s not precisely going to stretch your arms out. Outpacing bored and distracted drivers at a lightweight, no downside, gapping anybody else who doesn’t need you to… much less seemingly. Fortunately the overwhelming majority of drivers fall into the previous class.

Rev out that engine and there’s a pure development by way of the five-speed field. Fifth is extra of a cruising overdrive, making up for the shortage of a sixth gear, and the bike cruises at 80 or 90 km/h on the freeway.

You possibly can hit the limiter however you’re most likely driving flawed if it’s occurring on a regular basis, it’s simply apparent when to up-shift and peak torque is far a lot decrease than peak energy, at simply 4000 rpm. Positive you’ll be engaged on really feel to find out the place you’re at within the rev vary, however that’s not rocket science.

That gearbox is a bit on the clunky facet and I didn’t make a behavior of going into impartial at stops as sometimes it takes a bit wrangling to get again into gear, even when entering into impartial is simple. In fact these bikes had been mainly model new with only some miles on the clock, so not run in is an understatement. They’d the brand new bike odor of parts going by way of a few of their first warmth cycles too, which at all times looks like a little bit of a privilege to expertise.

In fact getting caught in a line of stopped site visitors on the freeway and needing to merge throughout into site visitors shifting at 80 km/h+ requires a bit extra warning (and an even bigger hole) than I’m used to, regardless that my each day journey remains to be a sub-500 cc machine. I’d usually go wide-open-throttle and rise up to hurry briefly order, however the Hunter is undeniably extra languid than a motorcycle with 40 or 50 hp, as you’d count on.

The driving place in contrast is relaxed, upright and pure, and for my 180 cm body with 32 inch inseam the 800 mm seat top ensures a simple attain to the bottom with loads of room to spare. That was whether or not we had been on the freeway trundling together with a bit extra velocity and wind resistance, or in city circumstances. The sprint is straightforward and clearly seen, and whereas I did miss having a tacho, it’s not mandatory.

Dealing with felt pure, the bike going the place I appeared, lean round city corners revealed good stability and really feel. The entrance finish feels a bit heavy to show at a standstill, however as soon as shifting the Hunter trundles alongside in a simple going style. We dodged the rain, so I’m undecided about tyre efficiency there, however for the dry I definitely couldn’t complain.

There was no knee down fashion driving with the loop we did, however once more, this could by no means be the machine I’d decide for that type of driving. Enjoyable by way of some twisties at 80-90 km/h? Shouldn’t be a problem. Wish to be a racer? Fallacious bike.

The 41 mm forks and twin shock combo appeared properly setup for my 70 kg, even with out messing round with that rear pre-load, swallowing up potholes and manhole covers simply.

I might most likely describe that dealing with and suspension bundle as unremarkable, however not in a foul means, the whole lot works, nothing required any thought on my half, and I couldn’t actually discover something to fault, it simply labored within the quick time I spent on the bike.

The disc brake entrance and rear is backed by ABS, not highly effective sufficient to unsettle the bike, and an honest portion of your stopping energy residing in aggressive downshifts into second and first gears. You’re merely by no means going to be pulling up the Hunter 350 from 150 km/h in a rush (good luck getting that quick), so the set-up does the job, granted with extra restricted really feel on the entrance than the rear.

For me, driving solo that’s a bundle I’d be pleased with, the place two-up I’d need extra energy and extra brakes, until two-up was purely for journeys to the espresso store. Which it might be for some riders…

Clearly spending a day fanging round Melbourne with a couple of stops for a chew to eat and drink is at all times going to be a enjoyable expertise, particularly with a gaggle of riders all on the identical machine, as there’s no efficiency differential and it provides to the comradery of the journey.

That’s not all of the bike after all, nonetheless the Royal Enfield appeared a really perfect steed for this sort of outing. Have in mind that is mainly the precise use case of this machine. 50-80 km/h commuting and cruising round.

The take-away for me was that regardless of refining the 350 mannequin line, the Hunter 350 remains to be iconically Royal Enfield. That engine is smoother positive, and whereas on paper the facility is decrease than the previous Traditional 500, to me this can be a step up, with the roadster theme a bit extra interesting to me personally in addition. This mirrors my ideas after I examined the Rumbler 350 years in the past, though once more the Hunter appears a pure evolution from there.

The bike put-puts alongside, the throttle is definitely managed, there’s not going to be any drastic surprises, suspension and brakes do the job, clutch motion is mild, it’s snug and appears the enterprise.

To me I’d say the Hunter 350 competes with previous basic bikes, in that it gives the identical character, however with extra fashionable reliability, a complete guarantee and haul of equipment that’ll bolt on, with extra positive to be developed as the marketplace for these bikes in India is large.

If that is the look you’re after, you possibly can decide one up and simply journey it, as upkeep and elements must be low-cost.

The apparent warning is once more, this bike just isn’t for the rev head. I’d say it’s a restrained fashionable basic, with the emphasis on basic. Excellent for brand new riders and people who need to have some enjoyable round city.

When you just like the look of the Hunter 350 and this sounds such as you, verify one out.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 strengths:

• Inexpensive buy-in, three-year guarantee
• Pretty low 800 mm seat top, relaxed ergos and good consolation
• Affords genuine basic character
• Shouldn’t be intimidating to new riders
• Strikes away from the cruiser styling

I would really like the Hunter 350 extra if…

• Lighting was full LED
• Bit extra exhaust observe at idle

For extra info take a look at the Royal Enfield Australia web site (hyperlink).

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2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Specs

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Pictures by Jason Lau, Tommaso Fossati, Mathew Hayman