The Royal Enfield Meteor

Like buses, you wait ages for a new Royal Enfield, then two come along in quick succession. After the 650s, we present to you the Meteor 350.

When Royal Enfield launched its 650 twins in 2018, it followed years of rumour and speculation. The end of 2020 saw a lower key, but potentially more significant launch of its latest model in world markets, the 350 Meteor. For Enfield in India the 350 segment is much more important than the 650 with smaller models outselling the 650 by a considerable margin. The European unveiling of the Meteor came a few months after the model’s launch in India, and unlike previous Enfields, the Meteor you can buy in the UK will be the same as the Meteor available in India and elsewhere. It will, ultimately, replace the 350 in India, and in Europe will replace the 500 EFE engined models. And the new 350 is a modern, if straightforward motorcycle, offered at an irresistibly low price.

STYLE

The only old thing about the Meteor is the name, inheriting it from a classic Royal Enfield motorcycle of the 1950s. Launched at the end of 1952, the Meteor twin was a burly bruiser of a motorcycle. The new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is, according to RE, an ‘easy-cruiser’ with a distinctly American look. There are many who might think it follows the lines of bikes built by a certain Milwaukee manufacturer, or that 1980s phenomenon, the factory ‘custom’ that all the Japanese factories were churning out alongside their regular models, often with de-tuned engines.

ENGINE

At the heart of the bike is the all-new 349cc air and oil-cooled singlecylinder engine. This design doesn’t need a vulnerable radiator or oil cooler, as a series of oilways and galleries inside the engine provide extra cooling and quieten down the mechanical noise. The engine features casings very similar to those on the 650. The Meteor isn’t about top end, with a top speed in the mid 80s. Instead, the effort has been made to provide the low-down grunt of a cruiser. It generates a modest 20bhp which isn’t overly powerful, but it also produces 20lb-ft of torque at 4000rpm. Despite being just a 350 single, the Meteor’s engine was designed with a balancer to smooth out vibrations and as with pretty much every modern motorcycle, the Meteor has electronic fuel injection. The development team says that the 350 engine was specifically designed for the capacity and will not be the start of a new range of bigger versions. The design is such that expanding it to 500cc in its current form is not an option.

FRAME

As well as a new engine it has a brand new frame, a twin downtube spine frame arrangement with a low seat height, a redesigned front section and at the rear, a triangulated arrangement of frame tubes that echoes past machines, but offers new steering geometry. Managing Director of RE parent company Eicher Motors, Siddhartha Lal, said: “The Meteor 350 is a supremely refined, easy and accessible cruiser. It is a charming combination of classic cruiser styling with modern capability. We wanted to build a motorcycle that could ensure a great cruising experience for new, as well as experienced riders. The Meteor 350 is just perfect for that. “It is easy, very comfortable with excellent ergonomics, and absolutely enjoyable for everyday cruising, while being great within the city as well.” There are 41mm forks with 130mm of travel and twin shock absorbers with six-step adjustable preload at the rear. The footpegs are forward mounted to suit the factory custom style, with a heel and toe gearshift.

EQUIPMENT

While the look of the Meteor is decidedly retro, there are a few firsts, the most striking being a factory fitted turn-by-turn Tripper Sat Nav system linked to Google Maps. This is a modern addition rarely seen on smaller motorcycles and even on much more expensive super-tourers from the likes of BMW and Honda. Somebody at RE has clearly been out and about in cities and seen the number of bikes with car sat navs and

“We wanted a bike that’s easy to ride whether it’s in Chennai or Shoreditch”

mobile phones strapped precariously to handlebars. Unlike a conventional sat nav, with maps and a forest of complicated buttons and touchscreen controls, you pre-programme a journey and the Meteor device just gives you a warning when you need to turn, all linked to a mobile phone app. It looks like a smart little set up and you won’t need to worry about some nefarious passer-by stealing your device from your handlebars as you wait at traffic lights, and there is a USB charge socket for your mobile phone, too. A new and rather smart instrument cluster combines an old-style analogue speedometer with a real needle which moves around the outside of the dial, while a central LCD display provides such modernity as a gear indicator, fuel gauge, clock and tripmeter. The Meteor 350 has LED front running light and taillight combined with a halogen headlamp. The style of some of the kit will be familiar to Royal Enfield 650 owners, including the uncluttered handlebar controls and switchgear. Heritage has made its way into the switchgear’s design with miniature versions of old-school rotary power and lighting switches once common on 50s motorcycles. All Meteor 350 variants are fitted with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres as standard. At present there is no spoked wheel alternative. At the front there is a 19-inch wheel which is rather larger than current fashion dictates, with a 17-inch wheel at the rear. RE worked with Indian tyre manufacturers to come up with a suitable tyre design which is unique to the Meteor, but Metzeler Roadtecs have been approved for use in Europe once the originals wear out. There are disc brakes at both ends and dual channel ABS.

DRIVE TRAIN

The gearbox has four ‘riding around’ gears, while the fifth gear is an overdrive for highway cruising. There’s a 7-plate clutch, and as long as RE are using the same principles as they did with the excellent gearbox on their 650, this will make for easy gear changes in built-up traffic. Product designer Mark Wells said: “We wanted a bike that’s easy to ride whether it’s in Chennai, Shoreditch or Barcelona, with a low seat height and great, easy handling. We wanted big bike charm with small bike versatility”.

FINISH

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will be available in three editions: the Fireball, the Stellar and the Supernova. The Meteor 350 Fireball, available in vibrant red or yellow single colour fuel tanks and matching wheel rim lining, features blackedout cycle parts and engine, which is finished with machined fins. The Stellar, with red, blue or matt black tanks and matching body components, comes with chrome handlebars and exhaust, plus a comfy backrest for the pillion. The top-ofthe-line Supernova, finished in dualtone blue or brown with matching body parts, is detailed with machined wheels, a choice of premium seats and a windscreen.