Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has finally made its way to the company showrooms in India. It is the third offering from the Chennai-based bikemaker in the middleweight segment of motorcycles with the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 already on sale while it marks the brand’s debut in the 650cc cruiser segment. For the unversed, Royal Enfield also called the Thunderbird 350 a ‘cruiser’ but there is daylight difference between the two, besides, of course, the engine capacity and size.
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This cruiser motorcycle will not only be sold in the Indian market but also in Europe, UK and Latin America. The pre-orders have started and deliveries will begin soon too. Recently, I had the opportunity to take the Super Meteor 650 out for a spin in Jaisalmer, which is also known as “The Golden city" in Rajasthan. I truly mean it when I say it is “The Cruiser That India Desperately Needed". You want to know why? Keep reading and you’ll agree with me at some point eventually.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Ride and Handling
The Super Meteor 650 is the first proper ‘cruiser’ motorcycle from Royal Enfield. It ticks every box on the list that qualifies it as a cruiser bike. Be it the fully feet-forward foot controls, be it the wide handlebar with adjustable clutch and brake levers or be it the upright seating posture, it seems as if Royal Enfield engineers have crafted it with utmost precision and accuracy with no room for even the slightest of errors. The Super Meteor 650 is best suited for long rides on the highways as the relaxed seating position never really makes you feel tired. The seat height of 740 mm makes it comfortably accessible for even riders with shorter height. Furthermore, the cushioning of the seat is top-notch and you find yourself well ‘tucked-in’ while riding the motorcycle.
The ride quality is one of the finest that you will see in a Royal Enfield motorcycle. The bike is highly stable even at higher speeds. However, you might experience some vibrations if you are clocking in excess of 150 kmph. The ride quality is further accentuated by the USD forks at front, which we get to see for the first time in a Royal Enfield, and shock absorbers with 5-step preload at the rear. The suspension set-up is smooth and you don’t feel much as most of the potholes are absorbed easily by this unit. The rear suspension, though, can be improved and made much better as at times, it feels a bit stiff as compared to the front suspension.
The braking duties are performed by a 320 mm disc unit at the front and 220 mm disc unit at the rear along with a dual-channel ABS. It would not be an understatement to say that the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has the best braking system among the bikes launched by the brand in recent years. The front as well as the rear disc responds well and even during sudden braking at higher speeds, the braking distance is very short. Furthermore, you don’t feel like you may be falling from the motorcycle as it doesn’t skid at all and instead, the tires stick to the surface.
Coming to the handling, while it instantly follows the fingertips of the rider for turns on the highways at higher speeds, one might struggle a bit while taking sharp turns on the narrow city roads amidst thick traffic. Despite the fact that it is the heaviest Royal Enfield motorcycle till date with a kerb weight of 241 kg, it doesn’t give that feeling on the move. However, at lower speeds, you might face the wrath and actually experience the heaviness.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Engine and Performance
The Super Meteor 650 is packed with the same 648cc air-cooled parallel twin petrol engine that we have already seen in the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. However, it has been given a handful of updates in the form of a new casing and remapped ECU. The power and torque figures are identical too at 46.7 bhp at 7,250 rpm and 52.3 Nm at 5,650 rpm, respectively. This powerplant takes performance to the next-level with its linear and seamless power delivery. It feels better refined than the unit we saw in the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. Once you cross the 70 kmph mark, the engine starts showing its magic and you feel like riding the bike the whole day at 100-120 kmph. A special mention goes to all the engineers of Royal Enfield who created, blended and fitted this unit in the Super Meteor 650.
Royal Enfield has offered a 6-speed gearbox in the Super Meteor 650 which works exceedingly well in tandem with the petrol engine. The gearshift is even smoother than what I initially expected. Despite having a weight of over 241 kgs, the Super Meteor 650 has a brisk acceleration. It doesn’t take long to touch the 100kmph mark from standstill. So, as far as performance is concerned, I strongly feel that the Super Meteor is one of the best motorcycles in recent times in the middleweight segment, not just in India, but globally.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Design and Features
The Super Meteor 650 has been designed like a dedicated ‘cruiser’ motorcycle. The styling has been carried out with attention to the smallest detail and it is evident by the fact that despite sharing various elements with the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650, the Super Meteor 650 stands out differently and appears like an all-new motorcycle. Based on the tubular steel frame, it has a wheelbase of 1,500 mm which is nearly 100 mm more than the 650 twins. It flaunts a round LED headlamp upfront, which is a first for any Royal Enfield motorcycle, as we have always seen Halogen lights in RE bikes till date. The teardrop-shaped fuel tank and long fenders look perfect in their place. The 19-inch front and 16-inch rear alloy wheels with wider tubeless tyres further enhance the overall appearance of the motorcycle.
The Super Meteor 650 has been presented in five single-tone colours: Astral Black, Astral Blue, Astral Green, Interstellar Grey and Interstellar Green. The cruiser motorcycle can also be availed in a couple of dual-tone paint schemes in the form of Celestial Red and Celestial Blue. Generally, the Super Meteor 650 looks dapper in every shade but I found it ethereal in the Celestial Red dual-tone scheme. Though the design is highly subjective and varies from individual to individual, the Super Meteor 650 certainly impresses and compels you to at least have an elongated glance at it.
As for features, the bike gets Royal Enfield’s Tripper Navigation, USB socket for charging and analogue speedometer with LCD display. The Tripper navigation pod is directly lifted from the Super Meteor 350 as a standard feature. The LCD display in the speedometer gives the rider a lot of information like revs, gear indicator, fuel gauge, clock and trip meter. The quality of the all-new plated aluminium switch cubes is avant-garde. Even the plastic parts give a premium feel. I don’t think Royal Enfield missed out on anything in the features section with the Super Meteor 650.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Price and Variants
Royal Enfield has struck gold when it comes to pricing. Not a single soul expected that the Super Meteor 650 price would be so aggressive and start at merely Rs 3.49 lakh (ex-showroom). Despite being the most expensive Royal Enfield till date, this price-point is just perfect for a middleweight cruiser motorcycle in the Indian market.
Introduced in two variants, namely Super Meteor 650 and the Super Meteor 650 Tourer, it has been priced between 3.49-3.79 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The Tourer grade gets a few additional cosmetic enhancements in the form of touring windscreen, deluxe touring seat and pillion backrest.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Verdict
All said and done, Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 comes as a wholesome package and barely lacks anything to disappoint a customer. It is an out-and-out winner and with stellar pricing, Royal Enfield has ensured that it touches new heights of glory. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it is not possible to point out negatives in a product. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 belongs to the aforementioned class.
As told earlier, it has impeccable ride and handling, except for the stiff rear suspension, which, I am sure, Royal Enfield will improve in the facelifted version, perhaps. Also, it passes with flying colours in the performance department. There is no dearth of features in the motorcycle and it houses all the requisite bells and whistles in a cruiser bike. The design can be debated but it would be better if the brand introduces a few more colour choices for the customers. The Super Meteor 650 has no direct rival in the Indian market, which paves the way for its dominance in the cruiser segment and proves why it is the cruiser that India desperately needed.
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