Autoportal India

Stats reveal a whopping 25 per cent growth in young folks buying motorcycles since the pandemic. And if that number is to be believed, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has made its debut at the right time- after being in the works since 2016, that is.

Now the Hunter 350 aims to twist the idea of how a motorcycle that rolls out of a Royal Enfield factory should be, even though it is built on the same ‘J-series’ platform as the tried and loved Classic and Meteor 350. By the looks of it, the Hunter 350 comes across as sportier, accessible and inclusive. But is it? And above all, is it capable of making you feel special, despite being an entry-level offering?

To find out, we rode the motorcycle for a couple of days around the scenic urban jungle of Bangkok and here is what we came back with.

The Visuals
Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Right Side View
The Hunter 350 is without doubt a neo-retro motorcycle. Inspired by the 1958 Royal Enfield Fury, it sports minimal bodywork and the silhouette of a roadster. At first glance, it even comes across as a smaller version of the Interceptor 650, especially in its ‘Retro’ version with spoke wheels. What you see here is the ‘Metro’ variant that is more modern with its alloy wheels and sportier colours. Nonetheless, the circular headlamp, mirrors, tail lamp and turn indicators lean more towards the past. Even the detailed shape of the knee recesses on the tank is something you’d see on bikes from yesteryear.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
Displacement349 cc
Max Power(bhp)20.2 bhp
Kerb Weight177 kg
;
On road price in Jaipur

₹ 1,81,201

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Left Side View
That said, the Hunter 350 is well put together in terms of build quality. The switchgear, as seen on its siblings, feels tactile and is fairly easy to operate. The panels have been fitted well and the finish of the plastics is appreciable too. What I liked was the quality of footpegs that shut and opened with a reassuring click. And with whatever little time we had the Hunter 350, there weren’t any signs of rattling or compromise despite it being one of the most affordable Royal Enfields you can buy.

The Package
Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Right Side View
Since the Hunter 350 shares the same platform as the Classic and Meteor, it comes packed with the same 349cc, single-cylinder engine that churns out 20.2bhp and 27Nm plonked into a frame that is nearly the same. And I say nearly because Royal Enfield has revised Hunter’s chassis to offer a low seat height and sporty dynamics with a sharper rake angle.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Front Wheel
But these are the basics. You can further choose between the two variants of the Hunter 350- Retro and Metro. The biggest differences between the two are the wheels and tyres. While the Metro rides on alloy wheels wrapped in 110/70 front and 140/70 rear tyres, the Retro uses spoke wheels. These are shod with comparatively thinner tyres- 100/80 at the front and 120/80 at the rear. Apart from that, the two variants are also offered with different features.