I attended one of the Demo Days at the local BMW/Royal Enfield dealer this past weekend. They had a nice variety of bikes to choose from, and I had the pick of the litter. I test rode a Shotgun 650 (a cruiser styled bike) last year. This time I decided to go small and test rode the Hunter 350, a single-cylinder standard. The first photo below is of the bike I test rode.
The bike's fit and finish were pretty good, though you can see places where costs are saved. The brake pedal, for example, is simply stamped steel and doesn't look or feel very sturdy. The single gauge is a mix of analog and digital, with your only different display options being the trip meters. The bike has a 5-speed gearbox, which worked well in my opinion.
This was the first time I've been on a single-cylinder bike since I was a kid, as I had a small 80cc Suzuki dual sport (I think the DS80) and a Puch moped in my teens. I'm a big guy, so the Hunter 350 with its 20 hp and 20 lb.-ft. of torque was going to have its hands full. But I was really curious how a small, low-powered bike would be to ride for a guy like me. In short, it wasn't bad at all.
The bike looks and feels small under you. The tank is low, but I'm used to that with my R9T Pure. The handlebar is kind of narrow (more on that below) and the reach to the bar is fairly short. The footpegs are a little forward compared to some bikes. Again, this is what I'd call a standard, so you're in a fairly upright riding position.
The bike started easily and ran well. Getting it moving was weird though. I knew the power would be low, but I didn't really know what to expect. I tried to get a feel for the clutch's friction zone just before we took off. The friction zone is remarkably short. This could be an adjustment issue, but on this particular bike the friction zone was limited to about the first inch of clutch lever travel. I kept letting out the clutch from the bar, waiting and waiting for the move to start moving forward. Finally, near the end of the clutch lever's full release it took hold. It felt very odd, and I never really got used to it during my 15-20 minute test ride.
The engine was smooth. I didn't notice any troublesome vibrations at any speed. But there is so little torque. If you need to pass someone on a two-lane road, drop a gear (or two) and hope there isn't an oncoming car or truck in the opposing lane for at least a quarter mile.
Without a tachometer, it was impossible to tell what kind of revs I was pulling in each gear, so I was kind of guessing what gear I should be in at any given speed. (Note: the gauge does have a gear position indicator, as well as an "eco gear" indicator.) 2nd and 3rd gears were good for around town. One section of the route was up to 50 mph, and we got up to about 55. 5th gear there had the bike moving along nicely. I don't know that I'd want to take this bike on the interstate, but state highways would be fine, as long as you don't have to get up to speed very quickly.
The bike has a single disc up front and a rear disc brake. They were adequate, though of course this was a demo ride, so no emergency stops to really test their capability. I think for the size, weight, and purpose of this bike, a the single front disc is enough, no need for dual front discs. Of note, there was very little engine braking, so you're going to use the bike's brakes a lot.
The bike's handling was pretty good. Being a smaller, lighter bike, it felt agile on the road. Easy to turn and change directions. I wouldn't say the bike wants to lean very easily, but at lower speeds it's fine.
The Hunter's suspension was better than I expected. Given my weight, I thought I'd bottom out both the front and rear on any decent bumps, and maybe I did, but the suspension never felt harsh to me. It soaked up minor bumps and imperfections in the road very well, much to my pleasant surprise. I'd still probably beef up the suspension if I were to buy one of these, but for the average rider I think it's fine.
This being an air-cooled engine and riding on a very warm day in northern Ohio, I wondered if I'd feel any heat coming off the engine. I didn't notice any at all during my test ride, which included idling at a few stoplights for a minute at a time.
The bike sounds okay with its stock exhaust. Like other singles, however, I bet an aftermarket exhaust would make this bike sound amazing.
The seat was comfortable during my demo ride. I don't know how it would be during a longer ride, but I was happy with it.
Now my gripes. There are only a few, and a couple have nothing to do with this bike or even Royal Enfield at all.
First, the handlebar is too narrow. I know this is a small bike, so the handlebar's width is probably appropriate, but I felt like I had to move my hands and arms in further than was really comfortable.
And because the bar is narrow, the mirrors are useless. I was wearing my regular riding jacket, with shoulder and elbow armor, and all I could in the mirrors were my upper arms. Even when I tucked in my arm I could barely see anything behind me. Note -- I have mirror extenders on my Pure, which help a lot. A wider bar, bar end mirrors, or mirror extenders at a minimum would be necessary on the Hunter 350. Ironically, the mirrors on this RE have a pretty cool design. I'm not positive, but I think the set on my demo bike were optional, not the standard mirrors. Still, I liked the mirrors themselves. (This bike also had a set of crash bars installed.)
It would be nice to have a tachometer on the Hunter. I mean, it's nice to have on any bike, but I would have liked to have known how hard (or easy) I was pushing the engine during my ride. I'm sure you can learn it from experience, just like with versions of our bikes which didn't include a tach, but it was impossible to tell where I was in the rev range on the Hunter.
My other gripes are about what RE offers on most of their bikes that most manufacturers do not offer, or which charge extra for the same features. The Hunter 350 and many other RE models include a centerstand. The Hunter includes a USB port as standard. This bike has a standard fuel gauge. The paint looks good, and RE offers a huge variety of neat paint schemes on their bikes. (RE's website shows the 2025 Hunter 350 available in six [6!!] different paint schemes.) Why can't other companies offer these things as standard -- especially BMW, who charges a premium price for even a stripped down base model motorcycle?!
Okay, rant over.
My take on the RE Hunter 350 is it would make an great, inexpensive 2nd bike for a city bike or commuter, especially if your other motorcycle is more purpose-built (like a super sport, tourer, or big cruiser) and not well suited for commuting. I could also see the Hunter also being a good choice for a first bike for a new rider. I can't see buying one myself, but it was better than I expected and I'm glad I got the opportunity to ride it.
As for the rest of the demo day experience, it's always fun to walk around the parking lot to check out other riders' motorcycles. I'll admit I didn't walk around as much this time as usual, because even by 11 am it was very hot outside. In fact, though I had some spare time, I skipped doing a 2nd demo ride because I just didn't want to sit or stand in the heat anymore. But I digress.
There was a vintage BMW on hand, which I saw the older gentleman arrive on. What a wonderful looking machine! I heard the owner talking about it with some other attendees. I believe he said the bike was based on a /6. Wish I could tell you more, but I just couldn't stand under the blazing sun much longer. Some of the bike was original, but he had fabricated quite a bit himself, including the fuel tank and headlight. Even if it wasn't all original, it was still a treat to see!
One other new RE caught my eye -- the Guerrilla 450, which I think is just now coming to the US. I did just a little reading on it. Its liquid-cooled engine is shared with the new Himalayan 450. RE is marketing the bike as a modern roadster, and (according to the company) is a departure from the rest of the bikes in their lineup. This bike was on display only -- not a demo. It's a sharp looking bike in my opinion, and for whatever reason it reminded me of old Honda Hawk 650.
As long as I'm going on about other bikes here, I should mention the dealer has a new R12 G/S on hand. It's in the "Sand River Matte" paint scheme. Fantastic looking bike, and really looks more dirtbike than adventure bike. This one was loaded (of course) and at $22K USD, you'd need deep pockets and a desperate urge to buy a German off-roader to scratch that itch. (No photo, sorry.)
So, overall a fun morning at the RE demo day. I ran into a couple friends there, too, but didn't hang out long. I got back on my Pure and put in a few extra miles before I headed home.
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The bike's fit and finish were pretty good, though you can see places where costs are saved. The brake pedal, for example, is simply stamped steel and doesn't look or feel very sturdy. The single gauge is a mix of analog and digital, with your only different display options being the trip meters. The bike has a 5-speed gearbox, which worked well in my opinion.
This was the first time I've been on a single-cylinder bike since I was a kid, as I had a small 80cc Suzuki dual sport (I think the DS80) and a Puch moped in my teens. I'm a big guy, so the Hunter 350 with its 20 hp and 20 lb.-ft. of torque was going to have its hands full. But I was really curious how a small, low-powered bike would be to ride for a guy like me. In short, it wasn't bad at all.
The bike looks and feels small under you. The tank is low, but I'm used to that with my R9T Pure. The handlebar is kind of narrow (more on that below) and the reach to the bar is fairly short. The footpegs are a little forward compared to some bikes. Again, this is what I'd call a standard, so you're in a fairly upright riding position.
The bike started easily and ran well. Getting it moving was weird though. I knew the power would be low, but I didn't really know what to expect. I tried to get a feel for the clutch's friction zone just before we took off. The friction zone is remarkably short. This could be an adjustment issue, but on this particular bike the friction zone was limited to about the first inch of clutch lever travel. I kept letting out the clutch from the bar, waiting and waiting for the move to start moving forward. Finally, near the end of the clutch lever's full release it took hold. It felt very odd, and I never really got used to it during my 15-20 minute test ride.
The engine was smooth. I didn't notice any troublesome vibrations at any speed. But there is so little torque. If you need to pass someone on a two-lane road, drop a gear (or two) and hope there isn't an oncoming car or truck in the opposing lane for at least a quarter mile.
Without a tachometer, it was impossible to tell what kind of revs I was pulling in each gear, so I was kind of guessing what gear I should be in at any given speed. (Note: the gauge does have a gear position indicator, as well as an "eco gear" indicator.) 2nd and 3rd gears were good for around town. One section of the route was up to 50 mph, and we got up to about 55. 5th gear there had the bike moving along nicely. I don't know that I'd want to take this bike on the interstate, but state highways would be fine, as long as you don't have to get up to speed very quickly.
The bike has a single disc up front and a rear disc brake. They were adequate, though of course this was a demo ride, so no emergency stops to really test their capability. I think for the size, weight, and purpose of this bike, a the single front disc is enough, no need for dual front discs. Of note, there was very little engine braking, so you're going to use the bike's brakes a lot.
The bike's handling was pretty good. Being a smaller, lighter bike, it felt agile on the road. Easy to turn and change directions. I wouldn't say the bike wants to lean very easily, but at lower speeds it's fine.
The Hunter's suspension was better than I expected. Given my weight, I thought I'd bottom out both the front and rear on any decent bumps, and maybe I did, but the suspension never felt harsh to me. It soaked up minor bumps and imperfections in the road very well, much to my pleasant surprise. I'd still probably beef up the suspension if I were to buy one of these, but for the average rider I think it's fine.
This being an air-cooled engine and riding on a very warm day in northern Ohio, I wondered if I'd feel any heat coming off the engine. I didn't notice any at all during my test ride, which included idling at a few stoplights for a minute at a time.
The bike sounds okay with its stock exhaust. Like other singles, however, I bet an aftermarket exhaust would make this bike sound amazing.
The seat was comfortable during my demo ride. I don't know how it would be during a longer ride, but I was happy with it.
Now my gripes. There are only a few, and a couple have nothing to do with this bike or even Royal Enfield at all.
First, the handlebar is too narrow. I know this is a small bike, so the handlebar's width is probably appropriate, but I felt like I had to move my hands and arms in further than was really comfortable.
And because the bar is narrow, the mirrors are useless. I was wearing my regular riding jacket, with shoulder and elbow armor, and all I could in the mirrors were my upper arms. Even when I tucked in my arm I could barely see anything behind me. Note -- I have mirror extenders on my Pure, which help a lot. A wider bar, bar end mirrors, or mirror extenders at a minimum would be necessary on the Hunter 350. Ironically, the mirrors on this RE have a pretty cool design. I'm not positive, but I think the set on my demo bike were optional, not the standard mirrors. Still, I liked the mirrors themselves. (This bike also had a set of crash bars installed.)
It would be nice to have a tachometer on the Hunter. I mean, it's nice to have on any bike, but I would have liked to have known how hard (or easy) I was pushing the engine during my ride. I'm sure you can learn it from experience, just like with versions of our bikes which didn't include a tach, but it was impossible to tell where I was in the rev range on the Hunter.
My other gripes are about what RE offers on most of their bikes that most manufacturers do not offer, or which charge extra for the same features. The Hunter 350 and many other RE models include a centerstand. The Hunter includes a USB port as standard. This bike has a standard fuel gauge. The paint looks good, and RE offers a huge variety of neat paint schemes on their bikes. (RE's website shows the 2025 Hunter 350 available in six [6!!] different paint schemes.) Why can't other companies offer these things as standard -- especially BMW, who charges a premium price for even a stripped down base model motorcycle?!
Okay, rant over.
My take on the RE Hunter 350 is it would make an great, inexpensive 2nd bike for a city bike or commuter, especially if your other motorcycle is more purpose-built (like a super sport, tourer, or big cruiser) and not well suited for commuting. I could also see the Hunter also being a good choice for a first bike for a new rider. I can't see buying one myself, but it was better than I expected and I'm glad I got the opportunity to ride it.
As for the rest of the demo day experience, it's always fun to walk around the parking lot to check out other riders' motorcycles. I'll admit I didn't walk around as much this time as usual, because even by 11 am it was very hot outside. In fact, though I had some spare time, I skipped doing a 2nd demo ride because I just didn't want to sit or stand in the heat anymore. But I digress.
There was a vintage BMW on hand, which I saw the older gentleman arrive on. What a wonderful looking machine! I heard the owner talking about it with some other attendees. I believe he said the bike was based on a /6. Wish I could tell you more, but I just couldn't stand under the blazing sun much longer. Some of the bike was original, but he had fabricated quite a bit himself, including the fuel tank and headlight. Even if it wasn't all original, it was still a treat to see!
One other new RE caught my eye -- the Guerrilla 450, which I think is just now coming to the US. I did just a little reading on it. Its liquid-cooled engine is shared with the new Himalayan 450. RE is marketing the bike as a modern roadster, and (according to the company) is a departure from the rest of the bikes in their lineup. This bike was on display only -- not a demo. It's a sharp looking bike in my opinion, and for whatever reason it reminded me of old Honda Hawk 650.
As long as I'm going on about other bikes here, I should mention the dealer has a new R12 G/S on hand. It's in the "Sand River Matte" paint scheme. Fantastic looking bike, and really looks more dirtbike than adventure bike. This one was loaded (of course) and at $22K USD, you'd need deep pockets and a desperate urge to buy a German off-roader to scratch that itch. (No photo, sorry.)
So, overall a fun morning at the RE demo day. I ran into a couple friends there, too, but didn't hang out long. I got back on my Pure and put in a few extra miles before I headed home.
