COOPER’S CORNER

The Hunter 350 has plenty going for it. That heady dose of Royal Enfield DNA, classic bike style and yes, pricing!

The Hunter makes a deviation from typically touring ready REs, feeling markedly compact, a purpose-built urban RE then. That other elephant in the room is also shoved out the back door, with quality and attention-to-detail really good.

Some, including me immediately take a shine to the offset instruments, while others don’t. Nice grips, meaty feeling control levers and intuitive, crisp working switches are universally admired.

The Hunter has a gruff, somewhat baritone exhaust note, its 20.2bhp engine offering nice low-end acceleration, with adequate punch thereafter. There’s also a typically lazy power delivery that makes most Royal Enfield bikes pleasantly relaxing on the go. Clutch feel is on the heavy side, a bugbear we hope the factory addresses soon, especially given the urban commuter bike role. The Hunter’s well spaced transmission box shifts with reassuring clicks, and cruising speeds of around 90 to 95kph feel comfortable enough in top gear.

The riding position is upright, comfortable and perfect for commuting. Smaller 17-inch rims make the Hunter amongst the most nimble bikes with an RE badge, however, it’s still not as light as we’d like. Similarly, the suspension offers good ride quality, but does leave room for improvement. The brakes work well and cornering manners are good.

All in all, the Hunter makes an endearing entry point for fans looking for a trendy, daily-use RE bike.