Bike-scooters/ First-ride/ RE Fires Another “Bullet ” – HUNTER 350

RE Fires Another “Bullet ” – HUNTER 350

The propositions of Hunter were quite clear, targeting city dwellers of 125- 250 cc riders, first-time riders who were otherwise bewildered by the heaviness of a classic Royal Enfield

For

Pricing, Engine

Against

Suspension , Fit and Finish

Riding

Engine and Performance

The Hunter hunts on with the same 350cc engine that churns out 20.2bhp of power and 27Nm of torque. However, the engine has been tuned to offer more low-end grunt and is mated to a 5-speed gearbox which is smooth and slick, and the gear ratios are actually well calibrated. The gears have shorter throws. The clutch is on the heavier side, which was a little cumbersome to ride in the heavy traffic of Bangkok. Overall, the powertrain has good feedback and is easy to modulate. Well, the inclusion of a slip and assist function would have been nicer, but that would bump the cost of the Hunter.

RE could have managed the heat dissipation a lot better. I felt the engine’s heat quite significantly, especially at the crawling speed. Highway cruising is something you would do without a sweat. I touched 100km/hr of speed with a lot of confidence. Moreover, there are minimal vibrations and lower to higher band transmission is smooth, and I enjoyed cruising at the 80km/hr mark. Short exhaust, which I am not a big fan of when looked at from the design perspective, has a role to play for the right centre of gravity. The foot pegs are aptly positioned, and I didn’t scrap it when riding it hard on the go-kart track.

Riding Dynamics

The Hunter 350 gets Telescopic 41mm forks at the front and twin tube emulsion shock absorbers with 6-step adjustable preload at the rear. I am 81kg heavy, and the suspension is not well tuned enough to provide a comfortable riding experience.Whereas, in Classic 350, the suspension absorbs the undulation and bumps quite confidently enough. I wish Hunter would have a better suspension tuning to enhance the riding experience.

The Hunter is not just lighter but also more compact than the Classic 350 and Meteor. With 1370mm of wheelbase, it is 20-30mm shorter than the Classic and Meteor. With the reduced weight and wheelbase, Hunter has become agile and nimble to handle. Moreover, ergonomics is also comfortable enough for long-distance cruising. The chassis geometry, handlebars, and footpegs are mounted spot-on. And the new riders jumping into RE DNA won’t be that nervous because it’s comparatively lightweight than any other bikes on sale under the RE portfolio.

BRAKING

Metro variant comes with a complete disc setup with a dual channel ABS, and the Retro comes up with a disc-drum setup with a single channel ABS. And the braking in the Metro variant feels progressive. However, for urgent braking, you need to squeeze the lever quite har.

 



TopGear Magazine February 2024