Seat height of 740 mm makes the bike comfortably accessible for riders with shorter height.
BHPian MaDMaX_MaXMaD recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Checked out the latest kid from the RE stable – Super Meteor 650.
It is the most awaited bike from RE to begin 2023 with. No doubt it sure has enormous expectations riding on top of it & only time will tell if it is able to fulfil these. Typically, RE has always tasted success with all its bikes (maybe except for the Scram 411).
Below are my thoughts:
- A real / proper CRUISER from RE stable with all bells & whistles possible from them.
- Does look drool worthy & will catch people’s eye wherever you go.
- Tubular steel frame – Sure it is much more strengthened. But I really hope RE have factored in a good balance of all the wet weight of 2 pax + added luggage that it is going to carry.
- YaY! LED headlamps. Hope it is bright enough to lit up the roads while travelling at three-digit speeds. But I still feel that Aux lamps will be necessary for a true blood rider.
- The heaviest Royal Enfield motorcycle till date with a kerb weight of 241 kg. At parking conditions, lower speeds, U – turns – one will experience the heaviness.
- True blood Cruiser like – Fully feet-forward foot controls. Takes time to get used to & not so nice in city conditions.
- Wide handlebar with adjustable clutch and brake levers.
- The teardrop-shaped fuel tank looks classy.
- Seat height of 740 mm makes it comfortably accessible for riders with shorter height.
- YaY! A 6-speed gearbox. Hope it does not get notchy over time / use.
- As usual with RE bikes (except the 650 twins) the cushioning of the seat is great, and one should find yourself comfortably ‘tucked-in’ while riding.
- Wheelbase of 1500 mm which is close to 100 mm more than the 650 twins.
- Increased rake angle due to the Cruiser format – the bike might struggle a bit Or will be a little lazy while taking sharp / quick turns.
- 135 mm of ground clearance is a big area of concern, given that this is a cruiser – made in India. But cruising in India, is not always on well paved highways / tarmacs. You will invariably need to take a not so good road to reach your destination. + I also presume that it is this 135 mm of ground clearance not providing the ability to the rear suspension to have more play. Hence, the media reviews saying that the rear end is harder / stiff. ++ Cornering is now a more serious topic for this motorcycle. More planning while riding will be required.
- On the other hand, the 135 mm of ground clearance should ideally provide a ride quality that is one of the finest in a RE motorcycle.
- USD forks by Showa (Sounds interesting for sure). But I feel this is just the basic USD forks from the Showa lineup & hence, no further talks about it.
- 320 mm disc unit at the front and 220 mm disc unit at the rear along with a dual-channel ABS. RE brakes were never confidence inspiring for use in high-speed scenarios. However, I hope this bike has a really good brake setup because it can keep three digit speeds all day + this is India (some hooligan will be there around).
- Wish they would provide grippier / soft compound tyres, as they did when they had launched the 650 twins. (Pirellis / Michelins maybe).
- 19-inch front and 16-inch rear alloy wheels with wide tubeless tyres does enhance the overall appearance of the motorcycle. Also, gives you wide number of choices / brands to choose a better tyre from.
- Wish they had provided a different speedo console & a Tachometer too to differentiate this bike & for the premium feel and price.
- Great colour options to choose from with 5 single tone & 2 dual tone colours.
- USB socket for charging – A good factory provided addition than having aftermarket.
- Aluminium plated switch cubes look upmarket indeed. Wish they also provided a backlight option.
- Aggressive pricing from RE for middleweight cruiser motorcycle.
All said and done, this is a wonderful recipe that RE has crafted up. It comes as a wholesome package and barely lacks anything to disappoint a customer (those who are upgrading from their 200/ 300 / 350 / maybe upto the 500 CC’s). But, the Super Meteor 650 is best suited for long cruise / rides on the highways. The state of the roads to where you are riding to & from will depend on a lot in this format of bikes.
Any bike / car will have niggles, just like no human is perfect. But I appreciate RE for what they have done & till where they have reached currently & more power to them.
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