Two-channel ABS comes at standard but it’s not lean sensitive and, when activated, feels more biased towards the rear, which should reassure new and experienced riders. The single disc and twin-piston caliper set-up up front is relatively basic but with modest power on tap is just about sufficient. The pegs touch early when the bike’s ridden aggressively and the ride is a little soft at the front and harsh at the rear (bear in mind that this machine is designed to carry not only a pillion plus heavy luggage but possibly even a second pillion). Leaning the Hunter too far can land you in trouble, and some quality rubber would be a wise move. Less so, the hard-wearing CEAT rubber, which lacks feel and nibbles away at your confidence. Learners especially will enjoy its fluency and low-speed balance as well as its cool looks. The pegs are set slightly higher than those on the Meteor and Classic, too, and while the Hunter’s hardly a sportsbike, it’s as nippy as a litter of Labrador pups. The Hunter 350's impressive handling is largely down to new 17-inch rims, which slice a total of 3.1kg of un-sprung mass, while its low centre of mass, stiffer frame down-tubes and more aggressive chassis geometry deliver a responsive ride that’s new to the marque. In Bangkok, Thailand, where Enfield based this test, the Hunter was the king of the traffic light GP, surging ahead of the hordes of mopeds and scooters before deploying lively low-speed handling and manoeuvrability to slice between the crawling queues of cars and taxis. Outwardly, it’s a bum-basic 20bhp commuter, but in reality is built to boss the streets of the planet’s largest and most congested cities where the majority of bikes are tiddlers and speeds rarely reach 50mph. The wheelbase is shorter, the head angle steeper and, at 181kg (172kg dry), the Hunter is considerably lighter than its 350 siblings.
It’s light, tough, agile and, with faultless fuelling and a tight turning circle, designed to revel in the chaos of urban centres from Madras to Bangkok.Īlthough the Hunter is propelled by the same unassuming 349cc air-cooled single found in the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Royal Enfield Meteor 350, the chassis is all new and features a sporty new frame and relatively light 17-inch wheels (an Enfield first). Take a look at the new Hunter 350, Enfield’s frugal and easy-to-ride new commuter, and you immediately understand the environment for which it has been built to thrive. Royal Enfields used to be as British as a drizzly bank holiday in Margate, but these days the Indian manufacturer’s primary focus is on building small retro bikes for emerging markets, particularly the subcontinent and Far East.
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