The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is the latest to land from the company. With the parallel-twin engine from the 650-twins, it is also the biggest cruiser in the company’s portfolio. The Super Meteor 650 brings a lot of firsts with it – all-LED lighting, USD forks, a fat 150-section rear tyre shod on a 16-inch wheel to name a few. We rode the bike during its first ride in Jaisalmer and have also spent quite a bit of time with it in the city of Pune. After testing the Super Meteor 650 so extensively, we have come up with top five things you need to know about this motorcycle. Here they are -
The design of the bike is certainly the first top point. With it’s big cruiser proportions and nearly all-metal construction, the Super Meteor 650 certainly looks like a cruiser to reckon with. It looks a lot bigger than it actually is and you could easily mistake it for a cruiser from a renowned American cruiser company. Fit and finish levels are top notch and parts like the Super Meteor logo on the tank, brushed aluminium switch cubes and adjustable levers showcased the high levels of attention to detail that has gone into building this motorcycle.
The Super Meteor 650 is powered by the same engine that is found on the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. But, to make it more in line with what a cruiser should be like, Royal Enfield has given it a new tune, revised air intake and exhaust system. The new map translates to the delivery of torque much earlier than it used to be. This means that the engine is more tractable now and you can hold on to a gear for longer, making the bike more relaxed to cruise on. Speaking of cruising, the bike can sit comfortably at 120kmph all day with enough left in reserve to make a quick overtake. The tractability of the engine means that you won’t need to make a downshift to make that overtake either.
The Super Meteor 650 gets a whole new chassis setup with Showa sourced USDs upfront. The frame is also all new and with it comes different geometry as well. The Super Meteor 650 tips the scales at 241kg with a full tank of gas but it does a great job of handling that weight once you set off. Despite the raked out front, it is quite responsive to steering input and can flick through traffic without too much effort. Yes, it isn’t razor sharp but it is a lot better than you anticipate it to be.
Royal Enfields of the past haven’t been the most refined of bikes. They have been notoriously known to have unbearable amounts of vibration at all speeds making them rather uncomfortable to ride. But the Super Meteor 650 like the other REs in recent times is anything but unrefined. There are barely any vibrations to speak of and the bike remains calm and easy going even while keeping the pace up. It is only when you get really close to the redline that you feel vibrations and even then it isn’t too bad.
The Super Meteor 650 ticks all the right boxes when you think of a big fat cruiser. Tall wide handlebar, wide comfy seat and forward set footpegs which enable you to cruise comfortably for long durations of time. The ergonomics are well suited for most riders and only really short or really tall riders might want to make certain tweaks. In terms of the seat however, ensure that you opt for the touring seat, should you get the bike.
The front suspension is rather pliant and soaks up most of the imperfections in the road well but the rear is a little too stiff and doesn’t do very well unless the roads are in top shape. Going over speed breakers and potholes unsettled the rear a fair bit which in turn unsettled the rider. The low 135mm ground clearance is also not ideal for our road conditions and poorly designed speed breakers. So that couple with the stiff ride, makes for a slightly unpleasant ride in bad roads.
What do you think of the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 and what bike should we cover next? Let us know in the comments section below.