Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Review - 4 Likes & 3 Dislikes

The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is the firm's take on a retro-modern street bike. Is this a good idea for a brand associated with retro charm? 

Royal Enfield as a brand has been on a roll for the past few years. The 650 twins were game changers for it and the new 350cc range has been a roaring success, especially in the case of the Classic 350. 

Royal Enfield thinks while all its products cater to a traditional market, there is space for more and thus has launched the Hunter 350. With this new motorcycle, the marque plans to target a new set of customers who are younger and don’t traditionally associate with the Royal Enfield badge.

For this purpose, the pricing of the new roadster is also very attractive. The entry-level variant of the Hunter 350 retails for Rs 1.50 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). 

The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is available in three variants - Retro, Metro and Metro Rebel. We got to ride the new 350cc offering on the streets of Bangkok and here’s what we think of it. In this review we will be talking about details such as the Hunter 350 top speed, Hunter 350 mileage and Hunter 350 exhaust note.

Likes 

Design

One thing that Royal Enfield does really well is styling and with the Hunter 350 too the Indian firm has pulled out all the stops. Although the Hunter’s retro lines do have heavy resemblance to the Triumph Bonneville range, that’s not a bad thing. 

It gets classic design elements such as a round headlight, fork gaiters, chopped mudguard and retro-style taillights. I particularly liked the character line, which is subtle and pleasing to the eye, present on the fuel tank. While the stubby exhaust does look good from a few angles, the muffler could have been given better aesthetics. 

Among the Metro and Retro variants, my pick is the Hunter 350 Retro, as the spoke wheels and Royal Enfield share a love story that’s so unique. The spoke wheels also give the bike a better stance in my opinion. But, in terms of proportions and size, it’s a small bike and tall or hefty riders would look odd on the Hunter 350. 

Handling

The Hunter 350 is a more urban-oriented motorcycle and that means it will have to tackle the traffic-clogged streets with agility. For this purpose, Royal Enfield has equipped the bike with 17-inch wheels on either end (a first for any modern bike from the marque). 

The rake angle has been tightened while the wheelbase has been reduced by 20mm compared to the Classic 350 and at 181kg, it’s the lightest motorcycle from Royal Enfield on sale. All the above help in offering quick direction changes, thereby making the Hunter 350 a very nimble bike. 

Having found out how agile it is on the streets, we also rode it on a go-kart track and it was a joy to flick it around tight corners. Having said that, don’t expect it to have the handling dynamics of a proper street bike along the lines of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V or even the Bajaj Pulsar 250. 

Price 

The Hunter 350 is an attempt by Royal Enfield to make its motorcycles friendlier and accessible. And it has nailed the bike’s pricing. Prices for the Hunter 350 Retro variant start at Rs 1.50 lakh, which not only makes it the most affordable bike in its modern 350cc line-up, but also among the most affordable motorcycles with 300cc and above engine displacement on sale in India. And if that wasn’t it, the Metro Rebel variant with dual-tone finish, tripper navigation and dual-channel ABS retails for Rs 1.69 lakh. 

With the Hunter 350 prices, Royal Enfield has again shaken the market, something it had managed last with the 650 twins and its rivals wouldn’t be a happy bunch. But the cut-throat pricing also means that it misses out on modern features like LED headlight, ride modes, traction control, Bluetooth connectivity and more. 

Quality

Quality and Royal Enfield were two words that were never mentioned in the same breath a few years back. However, its recent motorcycles have broken that trend. The paint finish, panel gaps and weld quality are on point on the Hunter 350. Apart from the messy wires near the headstock, the motorcycle has a very clean look overall. 

Dislikes

Engine

Powering the Hunter 350 is the same 350cc mill as seen on its siblings and even the power output too is the same. Sure, the power on tap helps the Hunter 350 deliver peppy acceleration, but for a motorcycle that’s so agile and energetic, the powertrain is a let down. 

You can’t shoot the bike out of corners and that dulls the riding experience, especially when you have such a throaty exhaust note playing in the background. The lack of a slipper clutch means you will have a hard time modulating the clutch while being stuck in traffic and also during our night ride experience, I did feel some engine heat on my legs. 

RE claims a top speed of 114kmph and fuel efficiency figure of 36kmpl. The Hunter 350 feels settled at speeds around 100-105kmph, but there’s a buzz on the handlebar and the footpegs. 

Brakes 

Braking hardware too is shared among the 350cc siblings and it’s disappointing to say the least. The bite feels lacking and feedback from the lever is poor and almost feels wooden. The dual-channel ABS is a boon, but the Hunter 350 Retro misses out on the same and we will have to ride the bike in India to experience its braking performance. 

Riding comfort 

To better suit its character of being an urban street bike, the riding posture is slightly sporty and you don’t sit very upright as is the case with the Classic 350 or the Meteor 350. Seat height too is low at 790mm, while the bike feels very light to move around while parking. 

My main issue is the seat, the padding is too soft and that means that you sink into the frame. While this is a common occurrence in most bikes, on the Hunter 350, our bums started aching within 30 mins and that isn’t cool. 

Verdict

I like the idea of the Hunter 350 as a motorcycle and it’s a bold move by Royal Enfield given that it’s renowned for its retro-themed motorcycles. With the new bike, it wants to make itself a friendlier and more approachable brand, which it has achieved given the Hunter’s brilliant pricing and comparatively lightweight nature. 

While most of Royal Enfield’s communication and marketing is about exploring new destinations and going on tours, the Hunter 350 is a city-slicker and is all about making your daily commutes more fun and engaging. 

The Hunter 350, to me, doesn’t feel like an authentic product from Royal Enfield. Ideally, this should be a negative, but that isn’t the case here. You see, with the Hunter 350, Enfield wants to attract a new wave of buyers who traditionally don’t associate with the retro charm which is the marque’s DNA. 

Whether Royal Enfield will manage to convince a new set of buyers, especially youngsters, to buy the Hunter is something only time will tell. But, as an idea and attempt, the Hunter 350 is impressive.