I hadn’t travelled 500 metres after receiving the new Meteor 350 from the Royal Enfield showroom on Sarat Bose Road when I was asked what I consider to be an inevitable question with any new Royal Enfield. “Have you modified the bike?” queried the curious rider astride a brand of motorcycles whose enthusiasts aren’t particularly kind to brand Royal Enfield.
After politely informing him that this was a brand new motorcycle, I met the persistent gent again at the next traffic signal. “Is this really new? Or is this yet another variation of the Bullet and then the Classic?” It’s a question that is asked of virtually anything new that comes out of RE factories in distant Tamil Nadu. The fact that the Meteor’s name is suffixed by the number 350, which is the same as the engine capacity of both the Bullet and the Classic, doesn’t help its case either. I will, therefore, attempt to answer that one first before I tell you what the bike is actually like.
From an aesthetic point of view, and mechanically too, there’s virtually nothing in common with the Classic. Abhijit Mitra
SPANKING NEW
Even though you’re likely to assume that the numerals indicate that the Meteor is old wine in a new bottle, fact is, it isn’t. It’s a totally new batch from a fresh set of grapes that have never been grown before at Royal Enfield. The electronically fuel-injected 349cc, single-cylinder engine with a single overhead cam is completely new and develops 20.2hp and 27Nm of peak torque. That’s 1.1hp more and 1Nm less than the engine that goes into the Classic or the Bullet. The frame is brand new as well and RE claims that it is significantly more rigid than the old chassis. From an aesthetic point of view, and mechanically too, there’s virtually nothing in common with the Classic. Not even the style of the badging.
Before you actually get astride, you notice that the motorcycle looks comfortable. There’s a certain sinewy character to its visual appeal that makes the Meteor appear strong but not overtly bulky or heavy. What’s different from more recent REs though is the switchgear. They don’t look familiar and hark back to an earlier era, more specifically the 1980s. The switches also take a little bit of time getting used to, especially the button for the passing light. At first it seems a little out of place until you realise that with this motorcycle, RE is aiming to rekindle the nostalgia of the ’80s-style cruiser bikes.
On the styling front, Royal Enfield’s departure from the Bullet platform means that the Meteor is visually completely different from anything 350 to have come out of RE in the last three decades.
The headlamp with the LED daytime running lamp, the LED ring type tail lamp, the chrome at the end of each slightly fat twist grip are all design elements that not only manage to evoke nostalgia but look good too. Overall, while I like the shape and silhouette of the Interceptor and the Continental GT more, I have to concede that the Meteor is a good-looking cruiser. I just wish that the mudguard was a little bit thinner.
The view from the saddle is pretty cool and the handlebars are positioned nicely for longer rides Abhijit Mitra
TOUCH AND FEEL
That cruiser bit also explains the bike’s ergonomics — the low seat, the slightly feet-forward footpegs and the backrest for the pillion. The other thing that stands out is the quality of everything that you see on the motorcycle. There’s little to complain. The large digital-analogue instrumentation is easy to read and gives out just the right amount of information. Not so little that you’re left wanting, nor so much that you start data processing instead of riding.
The party piece however is the smaller pod on the right of the speedo. Created in collaboration with Google, this little pod is your gateway to touring without stopping to ask for directions. Download the company app, pair your phone to the bike (rather, this pod) via Bluetooth and et voila! You can now have turn-by-turn readouts on it from your phone’s Google Maps. It’s pretty cool and very handy on a cruiser that has been purpose built for touring beyond your known surroundings.
The teardrop-like tank is crucial in giving the bike that retro look. The moniker gets new styling in keeping with the theme Abhijit Mitra
ON THE MOVE
As for performing those cruising duties, the motorcycle is very well equipped on the mechanical front too. The engine is a peach and, hold your breath, smooth and largely free of vibrations thanks to the presence of a balancer shaft inside that new mill. The power has been spread nicely and evenly so that you can quickly go through the slick-shifting, five-speed gearbox and settle at a comfortable speed.
Thereafter there is little need to keep shifting to gather speed. A simple twist of the right wrist is adequate for most occasions. In a crowded slow-moving city like Calcutta, I have found that third is a lovely gear to be in for the most part. It allowed me to access the rich torque easily without the need for downshifts. At the same time it’s tall enough to be able to get up to a moderate speed (40-50kmph by this city’s standards) and stay there till the next traffic signal.
On emptier or smoother stretches like the Maa flyover or Red Road, getting up to fifth and hitting around 60-70kmph is done as easily as it is said. Past the limits of the hustle and bustle of the city, the Meteor 350 will cruise effortlessly at 90-95kmph all day without breaking a sweat. And while it can hold triple digits on the speedo, beyond 100kmph isn’t exactly what I would call its comfort zone.
For all these positives, however, you will find the clutch action somewhat heavier than you’d expect at first. Not something debilitating or the sort that will need left wrist surgery, but it could have been a tad lighter.
What does feel comfortable though is its easy ergonomics. The relation between the handlebars, forward-set footpegs and that low saddle is such that you’ll be comfortable there for long hours of cruising. The only thing that has become difficult is standing up when going over a bump, but that’s true of any cruiser isn’t it?
Meanwhile, the removal of chunks of vibrations (and addition of a windshield that cuts buffeting) means that a lot of the rider fatigue has also been taken out of the picture. Ride quality is slightly on the stiffer side. At least that’s what it felt like on Calcutta’s super bumpy and potholey roads but feels quite good over smooth surfaces.
The combination of the slightly stiff ride and that new chassis, however, translates into some very good handling characteristics. You rarely feel the motorcycle’s 191kg kerb weight. Not even when manoeuvring through heavy traffic. Things get even better when there’s a bit of velocity involved and the road ahead starts to throw up some twists and turns. The motorcycle is more than capable of holding its line and does so with a confidence that leads to improved rider confidence.
Instrumentation consists of a large speedo with a LED screen for other readouts and a pod on the right only for turn-by-turn directions using Google Maps Abhijit Mitra
THE CALL
For those of you who like to soup up your steeds, there’s a ton of original accessories as well to go with the bike, but all of those come into the fray only when you know how much Royal Enfield is asking for this motorcycle. The company has announced three variants of the Meteor with the entry-level Fireball costing Rs 2,02,789. The other two, Stellar and Supernova, are worth Rs 2,08,899 and Rs 2,19,082. All prices being on-road in Calcutta. That makes even the most expensive variant of the Meteor 350 just about five grand more expensive than the most expensive version of the Classic 350. I’d say that’s a very small premium to pay for the improvement in the riding experience you get on the Meteor 350.
The look from the rear is nice with the tail lamp now placed high on the broad mudguard. Wheels are alloys on all versions and unlike the other 350cc bikes from RE, the engine is blacked out on the Meteor 350 Abhijit Mitra
THE METEOR 350 IN NUMBERS
Form: Cruiser motorcycle
Length x width: 2,140mm x 845mm
Wheelbase: 1,400mm
Saddle height: 765mm
Ground clearance: 170mm
Kerb weight: 191kg
Engine: 349cc, air and oil-cooled, single cylinder with SOHC and electronic fuel injection
Max. power: 20.2bhp
@ 6,100rpm
Max. torque: 27Nm
@ 4,000rpm
Transmission: 5-speed, constant mesh
Brakes: Front 300mm disc with twin piston floating caliper, ABS, Rear 270mm disc with single piston floating caliper, ABS
Fuel Tank Capacity: 15 litres
Prices (on the road in Calcutta): Fireball Rs 2,03 lakh, Stellar Rs 2.09 lakh and Supernova Rs 2.19 lakh
PROS
⦾ Engine refinement
⦾ Power delivery
⦾ Handling
⦾ Low saddle height
⦾ Styling
⦾ Build quality
⦾ Map-friendly app
CONS
⦾ Valve clatter
⦾ No hooks to tie bungee cords
⦾ Slightly heavy clutch
