2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 review: The perfect RE for the first-time buyer?

India Today

6 hours ago

In the world of smartphones, there is one series that you cannot miss: the iPhone. It was the one that revolutionised the smartphone business and inspired a slew of products that we see in the market right now. It is reliable, powerful and gets you through all your daily tasks. But the iPhone is expensive, and some might call its interface a little too 'classic'. To address this, Apple introduced the SE, an affordable model that drew users into the Apple ecosystem.
The Hunter 350 now gets three new paint jobs: London Red, Tokyo Black and Rio White. The one we got came in the London Red.
advertisementI know you're wondering, "Isn't this supposed to be a motorcycle review?" It is, because if you ask me, the Hunter 350 is the Royal Enfield's SE. When it first arrived back in 2022, the Hunter differed from the RE stable; it had a design and seating position that completely defied the image we have of Royal Enfield motorcycles. This approach worked, and today, it is consistently one of the highest-selling models from RE's stable. However, the Hunter 350 was not without its downsides, as users found its suspension setup stiff, clutch operation cumbersome and there was a feeling that it missed out on a few features. Royal Enfield took this feedback seriously and the result is the 2025 avatar of the Hunter 350, which gets some crucial updates. In this review, we get into what these changes are and whether they have improved the riding experience of the motorcycle or not.2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: What's new?
The Hunter 350 design remains identical.
advertisementThe design of the Hunter 350 remains largely unchanged, but what has changed is the number of colours on offer. Apart from the three colours already available, the neo-retro roadster now gets three new paint jobs: London Red, Tokyo Black and Rio White. Our Hunter came in the London Red, which is my favourite, because it's red and black colour combo matches perfectly with my trusty helmet. But if I showed you a Hunter in an older colour, it would be hard for you to tell the updated model apart from the pre-existing one, as the changes are subtle at first glance. What are they, though? Starting from the one that was the most demanded by users, the rear suspension has gotten an upgrade; it is now a progressive spring instead of a linear one, which is aimed at making the motorcycle more comfortable. The next addition made for comfort is the increased foam density on the seat. One other complaint that Royal Enfield has promptly addressed is the clutch lever operation, as the Indian firm has made a slip-assist clutch standard across variants. On the tech features front, you now get a 'Tripper' pod from the mid trim, which connects to your phone and enables navigation, while the LED headlamp is now an LED unit instead of halogen. Another change is the 10mm increase in ground clearance, thanks to the new routing of the exhaust.2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Is it more comfortable?
The LED headlamp on the Hunter is now an LED unit instead of halogen.
Now that I have bored you with the long list of changes, let me tell you how they impact your experience in the real world. The colour factor is obviously up to you, but as they say, 'the more, the merrier'. Talking of the more impactful changes, the new rear suspension makes a drastic difference in the ride quality, as the Hunter now no longer feels as stiff to ride as the previous model. Highway rides feel easier, and so are the rides in the city, which are riddled with tyre-gobbling potholes and confidence-wrecking rough patches. I wouldn't say that it is as comfortable as a motorcycle like the Bullet 350, but it surely is an improvement. But hey, don't go too hard with your Hunter into a pothole at high speed, because as I said, that's still not such a great idea. Jokes apart, there is one small compromise you make for this added comfort, that is a slight decrease in the sharpness of handling, but it isn't something you would notice in your everyday commute. The front suspension is unchanged and remains sharper than I would've preferred. Good news for the users who bought the Hunter before this update is that they can get the new rear suspension retrofit for their units. The aforementioned increased seat foam also contributes to better ride quality, as it keeps you comfy while you are on the go.advertisement2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Clutch lever operation is now smoother
The tripper pod comes from the mid variant; it connects through the Royal Enfield app and offers turn-by-turn navigation.
If the rear suspension is the main character of the 2025 Hunter's transformation story, then the slip-assist clutch is the side character we all love, the one that adds spice to the saga. The previous Hunter 350 was criticised for its heavy clutch lever operation that can be a nightmare if you live in a city like Delhi or Mumbai, where you have more traffic lights than the taunts your parents wake you up with (sorry, Ma). The slip-assist clutch completely flips the game, as a couple of fingers can do the trick. This change is especially useful for all the new riders out there who don't want their first experience of riding to be of sustained finger pain. Like the rear suspension, the slip-assist clutch can also be retrofitted to the earlier version of the Hunter.advertisement2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Unchanged performance
Mechanically, the updated Hunter continues to be powered by the same 350cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that puts out the same 20bhp and 27Nm.
The Hunter does not get any changes in the performance front as it is powered by the same 350cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that puts out the same 20bhp and 27Nm as before. This engine delivers torque from the low-end itself and can easily accelerate to the 80kmph mark. Moving past that, the mill begins to struggle as reaching 90kmph is a stretch, while pushing it to 100kmph might test your patience. That said, the Hunter will not disappoint you on your daily commute.advertisement2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Improved featuresOn the feature front, the two main additions are the 'Tripper' pod from the mid trim now and the LED headlamp replacing the halogen one. The tripper pod is a welcome addition, as it connects to your phone through the Royal Enfield app and offers turn-by-turn navigation. Considering the rise of modern-day highways that make you travel extra kilometres if you miss a turn, having directions right in front of you adds a lot of comfort. The LED headlamp is something that I am not a big fan of, as the halogen one had a better throw. From a visual standpoint, however, the LEDs fit the image of the Hunter much better.2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350: VerdictI'll take you back to the iPhone example for the verdict on the Hunter. As you must have noticed, Apple has started making changes to the phone's interface to make it more interactive and user-friendly. Royal Enfield has done something similar with the 2025 Hunter 350. By ironing out issues like ride comfort and hard clutch operation, the firm has made sure the most affordable motorcycle in its stable becomes more accessible. That is impressive to see coming from a company like Royal Enfield that generally sticks to its guns. A price increase of Rs 7,000 has been made to the mid and top trims, while the base remains the same price. Considering the improved comfort and feature list, the increased price is a fair ask in my opinion. So, if you are in the market for your first motorcycle, and if it has to be a Royal Enfield, then the Hunter 350 might be your best pick in the current lot.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine- EndsTrending Reel