Hot on the heels of their Classic 350 and Meteor 350, Royal Enfield release a funky new model featuring their J-Series single.
If someone told you a decade ago that Royal Enfield were going to be the global leaders in the mid-sized 250cc – 750cc motorcycle segment in 2022, you’d probably think they were on something fruity. But the fact is that the Indian manufacturer is dominating the smaller capacity classes. And with the release of the funky-looking Hunter 350, they’re about to double-down on their success.
The J-Series engine was first seen in the updated version of the Classic 350, a faithful recreation of the Royal Enfield we all recognise, just with a more modern powerplant to meet current (and future) emission targets. It’s fuel-injected, smooth and pushes out a claimed 20hp and 27Nm of torque – not exactly earth-shattering figures. But with small capacity machines selling in droves when you look at markets like India and (where the recent launch took place) Thailand, the fresh-faced Hunter is certain to be a hit.
Other features unique to the new Hunter are 17-inch wheels, which combined with a few tweaks to the shared chassis give the new model a more flickable nature. Described as a ‘two-wheeled double espresso’ in the press blurb, the Hunter’s (cough!) ‘hunting ground is going to be inner-city carving, where style and image are more important than outright performance.
Of the three variants, the Hunter is certainly the sportiest, with a 20kilo weight drop compared to the Meteor adding a bit more zing to the package. Open road speeds can be hit with ease when you make it out of the town boundary, with the funky speedo pushing on to beyond 110km/h with ease, and that’s with a 100kilo bike journo on board.
Of the three variants, the Hunter is certainly the sportiest, with a 20kilo weight drop compared to the Meteor adding a bit more zing to the package.
A remap to the powerplant has also given the little thumper a boost, with a more urgent delivery off the bottom-end making sure you’re ahead of the crowd on a traffic-light drag race. ABS and disc brakes front and rear give the Hunter a confident stopping ability, while the short muffler gives the single a pleasing note.
While pricing in NZ is yet to be released, the Hunter 350 is set to be the cheapest of Royal Enfield’s line-up. With the Meteor 350 starting at $8,190 for the Fireball, expect the entry-level Hunter to be somewhere below that.
With six colour options to choose from, all of which look cool, there’s also a massive range of genuine accessories and apparel available for the model, letting customers personalise their ride direct from the showroom floor. With a few customised bikes on display at the launch, the factory tail-tidy was probably at the top of everyone’s shopping list, closely followed by a small tinted screen and bar-end mirrors to give the Hunter a café racer style. Despite being only 350cc, the Hunter doesn’t look physically small, although the 790mm seat-height is sure to appeal to new, returning and shorter riders.
Expect models to arrive in NZ later in 2022 and for more details visit: https://royalenfieldmotorcycles.co.nz/model/hunter-350/
Check out the full report in BRM #216
Words: Paul Pics: Royal Enfield & Brandan – Nine Five Creative
