I’ve attended the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride for the last six years, and this year marked my seventh, supporting this incredible cause for men’s mental health. Over time, the DGR has become something of a tradition for me and my wife, Meredith, who has joined me for the last couple of years as my trusty backseat princess. Sidecars, scramblers, café racers and roadsters, you name it, and I’ve probably ridden one at the DGR. This year, however, things were a little different.
Having recently sold my beloved Yamaha XSR900, I suddenly found myself without a suitable motorcycle for the event. Meredith, on the other hand, had bought herself a bike a few months earlier that fit the DGR criteria perfectly. So my options were simple: beg, borrow or ride pillion with “Mer”.
Thankfully for both of us, Dave Cilliers offered up the keys to his trusty Royal Enfield Hunter 350, allowing Meredith and me to enjoy the ride separately and properly soak in the atmosphere of the day. Truthfully, I was excited. Despite riding hundreds of test bikes and clocking up thousands of kilometres over the years, I had somehow never ridden a Royal Enfield before.
Dave, however, has spent the last few months absolutely waxing lyrical about the Hunter. In fact, he enjoys the bike so much that his notoriously revolving garage now seems to revolve around the Hunter—not the other way around.
So, what’s the fuss all about?
Within Royal Enfield’s growing South African lineup, the Hunter 350 feels like the rebel child of the family. It’s the more modern and youthful offering in the 350 range, pairing classic Royal Enfield charm with sharper styling, alloy wheels, ByBre dual-channel ABS brakes, sportier ergonomics and firmer suspension. While many of Royal Enfield’s machines lean heavily into heritage and nostalgia, the Hunter feels more contemporary and city-focused without losing the character the brand is known for.
And thanks to the Hunter, it wouldn’t just be me looking dapper this year. Finished in its subtle grey “Dapper” livery, the Hunter looked perfectly at home among the polished chrome and tailored jackets of the DGR. Royal Enfield offers the Hunter in two distinct themes: the understated Dapper range and the louder, more playful Rebel colourways. However, regardless of specification, the Hunter is a seriously handsome machine.
Up close, it impresses even more. Despite its attractive R79,500 price tag, the Hunter genuinely feels like a motorcycle from a class above. The paint quality is excellent, complete with lacquered decals, beautifully cast engine casings and premium finishes throughout. Details like the retro-style rotary switchgear, stitched seat and Royal Enfield-branded headlight cover elevate the experience in a way you simply don’t expect at this price point.
In fact, nothing about the Hunter feels entry-level. That’s perhaps one of the most impressive things about Royal Enfield as a brand. Unlike many manufacturers, where smaller engine capacity often means fewer features or lower quality, Royal Enfield’s 350, 450 and 650 ranges all share the same sense of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Your choice comes down more to purpose and riding style than perceived status within the range.
The Hunter also comes equipped with genuinely useful features, including tubeless wheels, a centre stand, USB charging port and a clean, easy-to-read LCD display.
As for the ride itself, this year’s DGR followed a familiar route through Johannesburg. Riders gathered at the Mall of Africa in Waterfall City before heading through Sandton and eventually making our way to Prison Break Market for lunch, music and plenty of motorcycle talk.
This year, more than 600 registered riders filled the parking lot with an incredible variety of machinery, creating what can only be described as a spectacular winter morning ride with even better company. We even bumped into a few Royal Enfield club members and some beautifully personalised machines along the way.
The slow-moving group ride played directly into the little Royal Enfield’s strengths. Anyone who has ridden in the DGR knows just how painful crawling traffic speeds can be for certain motorcycles, especially older or more performance-focused machines. Throughout the ride, there were plenty of bikes overheating on the side of the road or surging ahead in search of cooler air.
The Hunter, meanwhile, simply got on with the job. Its 349 cc single-cylinder motor produces a modest 20.2 hp at 6,100 rpm, but more importantly, 27 Nm of torque at just 4,000 rpm. And it’s that low-down torque that defines the riding experience. The Hunter pulls away eagerly, happily short-shifts through the gearbox and feels completely unstressed in traffic.
But numbers alone don’t explain why people love these bikes. The Hunter has a wonderfully mechanical feel to it. It’ll idle away from a stop, happily lug around in almost any gear, and never feel stressed or overly busy. There’s character there, the kind Royal Enfield owners always talk about, but without excessive vibration or harshness. It strikes a clever balance between old-school charm and modern refinement.
The riding position is comfortable, the ergonomics are relaxed, and as Dave has already proven, the Hunter is more than capable of longer-distance touring too, if you’re up for it.
What really blew me away, though, was the fuel consumption. I fetched the bike from Dave in Moreleta Park, rode home to Montana, travelled from Montana to the DGR, completed the entire ride and still only used R76.90 worth of fuel. By the end of the day, the Hunter had covered roughly 168 km while using just 2.9 litres of fuel—working out to over 50 km/L.
Yes, the slow average speeds of the DGR certainly helped, but even under normal riding conditions, Royal Enfield claims consumption figures of around 2.6 l/100 km, which is still deeply impressive.
By the end of the day, I completely understood why Dave is so fond of his Hunter and why Royal Enfield owners remain fiercely loyal to the brand. Royal Enfield has managed to modernise where it matters while still holding onto the character and simplicity that made people fall in love with the brand in the first place. That balance is incredibly difficult to achieve in today’s motorcycle world.
The Hunter 350 isn’t trying to be the fastest, flashiest or most technologically advanced motorcycle on the market. Instead, it focuses on honesty, charm, usability and genuine everyday enjoyment.
And perhaps that’s exactly why it works so well.
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
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