From the moment I slung a leg over an Enfield and trundled down the road on a wave of torque, I knew I would own one. But which one? Royal Enfield, as a brand, has resisted the urge to just become another mainstream offering on the motorcycle landscape. The Chinese manufacturers are doing that rather well. So much so that there must be some seriously nervous executives in European and Japanese manufacturers’ boardrooms. Royal Enfield, refreshingly, has continued to march to their own drumbeat, carving out a unique niche in a sector that is drowning in tech. Manufacturers continue to try to score marketing brownie points by ‘out tech-ing’ each other. Ride height devices, keyless entry, adjustable engine braking, engine power modes, electronic suspension adjustment, hill hold assist, anti-stall assist, start assist, and engines that make stratospheric power at even more stratospheric revs…the list seems endless. And then, refreshingly, there is Royal Enfield.
Royal Enfield chooses to design and build what they call ‘pure’ motorcycles. Nowhere on their marketing material is reference made to outperformance, but rather to an authentic, ageless riding experience and enjoyment. The two possible exceptions are their 450 Himalayan and Guerrilla. Both of these bikes utilise the new liquid-cooled Sherpa engine with 6-speed gearboxes, which can go toe to toe with everything else in the sub 500cc class. Having said that, Enfield still manages to house these engines in packages that deliver a pure riding experience, unsullied by excessive and intrusive tech. So, back to my opening comment. Which Enfield do I buy and why? To determine this, I needed to establish exactly what gap in my motorcycle stable needed filling. I know that bike buying is often more emotive than cerebral, but I have a ridiculous record for bike buying. More than 350 bikes later, I at least want to appear to have thought the next purchase through!
I own a BMW R 1200 R equipped with a touring-friendly windshield, top box and panniers. This is my two-up tourer, which, when ridden one up with gusto, satisfies my need for speed. It has the chassis and suspension to extract everything that the torquey motor has on offer. Then there is my NC 750 X DCT Honda. This Swiss Army knife of a motorcycle fills all the other gaps for which you could possibly use a motorcycle. Utterly reliable, practical, frugal and comfortable, it even has relaxed enough steering to be gravel road friendly. I cannot even consider my motorcycling future without an NC in my stable.
So, if nothing is missing, why an Enfield? Because of the motorcycling purity, that’s why! As motorcycling appliances, the BMW and NC fit the bill perfectly. What I need is a soulful motorcycle that embodies the simplicity and essence of motorcycling. For me, the Royal Enfield that embodies these qualities best without overlapping with the bikes that I already own is the Hunter 350. The lightest, simplest, and starting at R79,500, the least expensive of the Royal Enfield 350 range, the Hunter comes equipped with tubeless tyres and a main stand, essential to how I intend to use it. Let me explain.
Running-in a bike with a small engine requires chilled riding on roads less travelled. It was while meandering along on my new Hunter that I had an epiphany on how to best explain the incredible appeal of this little motorcycle to those who just don’t get it. Motorcycles are, to many, an extension of their egos. If your choice of bike is a 200-horsepower Superbike, you obviously feel a need for speed, and you get your jollies in the fast lane. Your KTM 1290 Super Adventure suggests that you are the meanest SOB in the valley and can roost the dirt into oblivion.
Sometimes it is not what your skill level allows you to do, but what story your choice of bike tells that strokes your ego. How do I know? ‘Cause I have been there and done that. There was a time in my life when all I wanted was speed. My 750 Honda was set up to be as fast as possible, no matter what the cost in practicality or comfort. Dusting Z1 Kawasakis and Suzuki GS 750s on top end was all that mattered. This quest for speed even cost the lives of some of my best mates who, like me, served at the altar of speed. With hindsight, it is only by the Grace of God that I am able to tell this story.
As I matured, and after racing Super Singles and 6-Hour Endurance races for a season or two, my need to always go fast on the street abated. I started bike touring as a means to reset and manage the stresses and strains of life. Trips to Victoria Falls and circumventing Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, by bike, became my passion. Travelling far and wide and seeing the world from the back of a motorcycle elicited a feeling of contentment and well-being that has grown from strength to strength over time. The epiphany which I referred to earlier was this. High-speed travel on a large motorcycle is all about the destination. The ‘I did Durban in 4 hours’ kind of thing, whereas smaller bike touring is about the journey. Soaking in the travel experience in a way that weaves a rich tapestry of wellbeing, which can only be experienced rather than explained.
Enter my new Royal Enfield Hunter 350. A bike which is electronically limited to a top speed of 72 mph, or around 115 kph. It makes a mere 20,2 horsepower at 6,100 rpm but, more significantly, 27 Nm of torque at a low 4,000 rpm. To put this into perspective, a CRF 300 Honda makes 27 hp @ 8,500 rpm and 26,6 Nm @ 6,500 rpm. The Hunter‘s low rpm torque punches it off the line and allows you to short shift through the gears, whereas the Honda is way more rev reliant, making it feel less effortless and busier in the way it goes about its business.
The J series engine with which all the 350 Enfields are endowed is a thoroughly modern design, with a single overhead cam. It is not the outright performance that appeals on the Enfield, but THE WAY that it delivers. It is also why it only needs a 5-speed gearbox. The widespread of torque punts it down the road effortlessly and smoothly, with a totally
relaxed demeanour. This makes it so easy to live with. It never feels strained and lopes up hills in top gear with surprising ability.
I rode the Guerrilla before making my decision. The Guerrilla is a bit of a street fighter. It is punchy and revs out freely but delivers its performance in a modern, more highly strung way. For what it is designed for, it is perfect, but I want that ageless appeal of a long stroke single thumping uphill and down dale. It is definitely horses for courses. As an only bike, I would have bought a Himalayan or a Bear 650, which still embody the Enfield attributes, but with a wider array of talents. I don’t need those talents, and the Hunter is that simple, beautiful to look at bike that puts a smile on my face every time I ride it.
As for how I intend to ride it? Far and wide is how. I will pack my camping kit and putt off into the wide blue yonder. I plan to ride it like we rode back in the day before ‘specialised’ bikes existed. The bike you rode was your Sports, Adventure and commuter bike, all rolled into one. So it will be with my Hunter, just minus the Sport! The combination of a lightweight, comfortable riding position and the intoxicating engine feel of the Hunter is just so enjoyable that I just don’t need speed in the mix. My long trips will be at 100 kph with the occasional 110 kph stint if I’m chasing the sun and feel the need.
I want to sit next to my campfire, with the firelight dancing off the beautiful classic lines of the Hunter, as I braai my dinner, sip on a single malt and contemplate where the plucky little Enfield and I will meander to the next day. The 13-litre tank is good for over 400 k’s, so low-cost touring is a given. My new Hunter is a shining light of simplicity in a world gone mad with technical complexity. A reminder of a world that was, and sadly is no more. Thank you, Royal Enfield, for staying so true to the essence of motorcycling and building excellent bikes that have visceral appeal and are steeped in soul. Let the ‘Hanging with my Hunter’ stories begin.
