Page 14 - Riding On Autumn 2023

Hunter targets the young

and carefree rider.

Retro brand, Royal Enfield, continues to delight with small to Since our last series of tests, we’ve seen the arrival of the
mid-size offerings. delightful 650 twins and the multi-purpose Scram 411 for those
looking for a dash of adventure with their commute.
India has always been a place where ingenuity and necessity
have gone hand-in-hand. Any visitor to this ‘incredible’ country But the hot news right now is the arrival of the sweet Hunter
will see numerous examples every day where industrious 350, a neat and naked 180kg urban runabout that should be
townsfolk, strapped for resources and facilities, will ‘make do’ by a hit with younger and learner riders. Its agility and suitability
patching up, innovating, recycling and repurposing. for city and suburban streets are a given, so we threw down
a challenge and took the little unit for a busy day among the
Only recently we’ve seen the demise of the venerable twists and turns of Melbourne’s Yarra Ranges, aptly guided by
Ambassador, a run-on derivative of Britain’s stalwart 1950s local member, Peter Washington of Mountain Motorsports who
Morris Oxford and it was soon after WWII that the Mahindra has intimate knowledge of these serpentine roads.
brothers imported the famous Willys Jeep from the U.S. and
continue to manufacture the world’s most recognisable 4WD. Of course, we didn’t expect neck-snapping performance from
the long-stroked 20hp J series Air/Oil Cooled, 349cc SOHC, yet
Similarly, the historic Royal Enfield motorcycle company can with a little encouragement the ergonomically-optimised Hunter
trace its roots back to the first motorcycle manufactured under 350 could peddle respectably through the many tight sections
the ‘Enfield’ brand in 1901. But by 1970, the British firm was without wringing its neck. The 27Nm of torque may not sound
defunct and declared bankrupt, leaving a joint venture facility in much, but if you keep the revs up and your eyes on the road,
Madras to supply the single-cylinder 350cc Bullet. you won’t find yourself falling behind the pack.

The distinctive Royal Enfield, now a unit of India’s Eicher Interestingly, the J Series 349cc SOHC EFI engine is a whole
Motors, has hit a chord with heritage lovers and retro geeks new device, not to be confused with the earlier 350s and
resulting in the manufacturer rapidly expanding its production first seen in the smart Meteor in 2022. With the addition
capacity and opening new double-shift plants around India, of a balance shaft, it’s smoother and freer revving engine
including Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, to bolster output from comfortably sits on 110kmh/h highway speeds (but not much
the original plant at Chennai. Despite a COVID-induced slump more). A single simple rotary dial combines LED display for
during 2019-20, total production is now regularly in excess essential data, but there’s no tacho.
of 80,000 units per month, placing it among the world’s top
manufacturers. Let’s not over-think the Hunter 350. It’s an absolutely fit-for-
purpose bike and is sure to deliver tons of fun on a safe and
WHAT’S NEW AT ROYAL ENFIELD? predictable chassis - something we tired, wizened old blokes
can sometimes overlook with our technical obsessions. Go on,
ride one and tell me I’m wrong.
The departure of the Classic 500 from the range took many of
us by surprise with that frame now relegated to 350cc trim. Rod Eime #68221
Thunderbird was also deleted, but RE continues to innovate
with new and exciting developments for its growing league of
followers.

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