2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Review

Jul 28, 2023

The world's oldest continually operational motorcycle company, India's Royal Enfield, is going after every teenager with access to dad's wallet.

That might sound a bit on-the-nose but hear me out. RE should be congratulated for this approach as they are doing it with fun, approachable motorcycles that have a sense of style that so many manufacturers seem absolutely tone deaf to. Oh, and they’re cheap—by modern street bike standards.

The latest machine in RE's lineup is the $3999 Hunter 350—a cute naked roadster powered by the long-stroke 350cc, single-cylinder J-engine, pumping out a petit 20 horsepower and 20 lb-ft of torque via a five-speed gearbox.

It's about as basic a motorcycle as you can get these days with two-piston front brakes, two channel ABS, non-adjustable 41mm front forks and a six-step preload adjustable twin rear shock setup.

The Hunter 350's simplicity is all part of its charm. At a claimed 399 pounds with a 90 percent tank of fuel (what's wrong with just giving it a full tank, Royal Enfield?), it's not what I’d call a featherweight, but its dead-neutral riding position almost reminds me of the Kawasaki Z900RS SE that I so love, which is paying the little Hunter 350 quite the compliment.

This is a motorcycle aimed squarely at new riders, but even older riders can take a bit of enjoyment from the ride (as you’ll soon read). The Hunter is not so much a hunter as it is a plaything, something that encourages you to just get on and ride rather than fear its presence like the current crop of superbikes coming out of Europe.

My short ride on the Hunter around the hills and backstreets of San Diego reminded me a bit of my first bike, the redoubtable twin-cylinder Yamaha SRV250—a bike that never came to the U.S. I made the comparison because the ride position felt nearly identical, although the RE's 20 horsepower made for rather unenjoyable freeway rides, especially when it was time to pass a truck and it felt like it took an hour to do so.

The single-cylinder engine is suited not to freeway riding but to city confines, again, another hint by RE at who this bike is aimed at—kids riding to high school or college—not jaded motorcycle journos in their 40s. An extra cog in the gearbox would help those freeway rides but its best to just stay off those roads entirely and take the back way home.

Having said this, once you settle into the style of the bike, you’ll find it's plenty quick enough for most rides you’ll undertake. There's decent low-end torque but you still need to keep the motor spinning up to make the most of it. And there's nothing like the sound of a single cylinder on the pipe.

The ride quality is decent enough for the price, but those north of 185 pounds will benefit from turning that preload a few clicks to stop the shock from blowing through the stroke at any given opportunity.

Under brakes there's enough power to haul you up but the feeling on the front is pretty wooden. The rear, conversely, has plenty of power and feel thanks to the relatively large 270mm and single-piston brake caliper. Both ends are mitigated by unswitchable ABS, so you’ve got a little safety net if things go wrong.

I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed my quick trip on the Hunter. It doesn't have enough power for me, but what it does have will work for riders that don't have the same level of miles under their belts as I do. It's an approachable, good-looking motorcycle that, if you were 17, you would be quite lucky to have.

And besides, for the price, you could have an early 1970s Honda CB, the bike this Hunter 350 closely resembles, with all its associated problems. Or, you could have a Royal Enfield Hunter 350 that's brand new, looks and goes nicely and comes with a two-year warranty and with a digital dash that you can use the optional Royal Enfield Tripper Navigation System. I know which one I’d rather have.CN

By Jim Scaysbrook

Another 350 Enfield? Yes, but quite different to the cruiser-style Meteor. To me, the Hunter is very much in the ethos of the much-loved Classic 500 in that it has a neutral riding position with sensibly shaped handlebars, a long plush and comfortable seat, and footrests in the right place—in short, just get on and ride. And that's what I did.

Thumbing the button to bring the Hunter to life had me checking that it was actually running. There's a pleasant grumble from the megaphone-style muffler, which gets more aggressive on the run, with even a few crackles as you back off and change down. I think the new generation J-Series engine is a neat looking package, with a long 85.8mm stroke. With only 20 horsepower on tap, a bit of stick is required at the lights, but wind it out (which it does willingly) and you’ll soon be going as quickly as you need to, well ahead of the traffic.

The single circular speedo is very easy to read, but the gear indicator is a bit hard to make out. For me, you don't need a digital gear indicator to tell you whether you’re in the right gear on a big single with a five-speed ’box.

There's nothing particularly remarkable about the fittings, but I found they all work as they should. The switches themselves don't need too many functions, and the halogen headlight should be entirely adequate for the bike's intended environment.

Never once did I really hanker for more grunt from the motor; it's just not that kind of motorcycle. You just need to use the throttle and the gearbox, and everything happens at a nice pace. The 17-inch wheels are shod with Indian-made CEAT tires, a fattish 140/70 on the rear and a 110/70 up front, and they work just fine. In fact, a spirited assault on the twisty road near my house that I’ve ridden for the best part of 60 years was so enjoyable, I went back and did it twice. Apart from dragging the toes a few times on the hairpins, nothing touched the deck.

Speaking of looks, there are six color options available so there's something for every personality—from Dapper White up to Rebel Black. There is quite an array of optional accessories: Tail Tidy, a small flyscreen (worthwhile), sump guards (handy for fending off gutters), bar-end mirrors, a passenger back rest, injection-molded 12.5-liter panniers and inner liners, custom seats, engine guards, and various bits of bling to suit individual tastes.

All in all, I found the Hunter 350 to be a neat package; straightforward, practical, and visually pleasant. More grunt would be nice but it's not imperative. I found the handling to be excellent and perfectly suited to the environment where it will logically spend most of its time.CN