I
visited
Saltire Motorcycles in Edinburgh,
Scotland and took their
Royal Enfield Hunter 350 out in
the Lothians and Borders for a test ride.
The
Technical Data includes a nice low
790mm seat height and a light wet weight of
181Kg. The performance from its 349cc air cooled single cylinder
engine delivers 20.2 BHP at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.
Fitted with
ABS, the Hunter 350 is stripped out of all rider aids and is a bare
bones motorcycle.
Electronics
I rather enjoyed using a key setup to turn on the ignition.
The speedometer was fairly basic and without a rev counter but the
screen was easy to read. I soon became used to the rotary switches on
the bars which operated the lights, the pass light and the starter. All
the other switches were where I expected them to be and in line with the
majority of other motorcycles.
Suspension
I
deliberately went over very rough roads and
I found the suspension quite stiff.
Although there were no spine jarring moments, there was not much
cushioning on my rear and after a few miles my 75 year old lower back
was aching. My body required the pegs set further back and the bars
further forward whereby my spine is less compressed. Having stated that
the Hunter 350 was very flickable and I had great fun on the country
road corners and roundabouts. I was amazed at just how much I could lean
the bike over without any peg scraping.
Seating Height
The seat height was perfect for me with a 32" inside leg. I could easily
stop and put both my feet flat on the ground. Lane splitting on the dual
carriageway was a breeze with great confidence at almost walking speeds
between the vehicles.
On the
Edinburgh Dual Carriageway Bypass
As usual the wind blasts and cross winds were horrific but the Hunter was
very stable and even at 60 mph with full wind
blasts on my chest, I was able to push ahead. The bike could reach 70mph
but on the inclines it struggled and could only get up to around 65mph.
Overtaking had to be carefully planned to fit in with the moving traffic
in the outer lane as acceleration from around 50mph to 70mph was
extremely sluggish. I am just guessing but on a flat dual carriageway, I
doubt that it could reach 80mph.
The Gearbox
The gearbox is ultra slick, no clunking, not false neutrals, and
even without a quick shifter, a dream to shift up and down the box. It
does not require a quick shifter and if you want, you can easily shift up
the box using the throttle and your left foot, without using the clutch.
Having stated that, using the clutch at any speed to shift up and down
the gears is effortless and silent.
Engine Performance and Vibrations
For a single cylinder engine the Hunter is a blast to ride along on
country A roads at 30mph to 60mph I was pleasantly surprised by the
smooth performance of the engine. In 5th gear the engine remained sweet at
35mph to around 60mph, and in 4th gear as low as 25mph. There was vibration in
the bars and the seat at all revs which remained fairly consistent but it was not bad enough to
be a discomfort or a deal breaker. NOTE: Many reviews have stated
that the engines of single cylinder motorcycles take a few thousand
miles to bed in, whereby engine vibrations start to
disappear.
The Mirrors
Engine
vibrations showed up very slightly in the mirrors but I
could see behind me without any problem.
The Brakes
The bike had done over 200 miles and the front brake along with the rear
brake applied, proved adequate. I had to remember to
allow that extra bit of room, from the vehicle in front, especially when
doing 70 mph on the dual carriageway as the Hunter braking capability
was far removed from the brakes on my sports bikes. The rear brake was
good and I even managed to get it's ABS to kick in on a dry road.
Certainly, for very slow speed
manoeuvres, using the rear brake proved excellent. The only real
criticism of the brakes was the rear brake pedal which was a small (open
style) metal triangle under my right foot, which took a a great deal of
getting used to.
Slow Speed Manoeuvres
and Corner Handling
The Hunter 350 is a dream bike for slow speed handling,
especially clutch/throttle/back brake ultra slow manoeuvres. The turning
circle is excellent. On the corners the bike is awesome, very flickable and easy to control due to it's lightweight. I had to watch
because it was so easy to lean it hard over.
The Stock Exhaust Note
The sound of the exhaust was glorious but very quiet on tickover whilst
standing at the traffic lights, even to the point that I could hardly
hear the engine running.
Conclusion:
The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 motorcycle is a joy to ride in the town and
on country roads with decent surfaces, although over the 'average'
potholes it deals with them fairly well and does not require your bum to
be off the seat.
On dual carriageways at around 50mph in the nearside lane it requires
awareness of the Hunter's acceleration and braking limitations whereby
overtaking into very heavy fast flowing traffic in the outer lane is
carefully planned but not advised.
I avoided the narrow and rough country B roads in the Lothians and
Borders of Scotland. There is no doubt, that for my purposes, a bike
with tyres for rough roads and a longer and softer suspension will prove
more suitable, provided I can source one with a seating position to suit
my lower back. Oh to be 24 years old again!