Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

Royal Enfield’s latest cruiser has landed in the evo fleet and as usual there was a scramble for the keys

Refinement levels of this engine continue to excite me and cruising at 120kmph all day is child’s play

IWAS GUTTED TO HAVE MISSED the first ride of the bike on the silky smooth roads of Jaisalmer. Okay, maybe not gutted because I got to go witness the Dakar Rally on those dates. But nevertheless, back from the first ride, Aatish decided that he would long term the Super Meteor 650. I kept pestering him for a ride every now and then under the pretext that I missed the first ride until he eventually got fed up and now

I have a spanking new long termer.

Cruisers aren’t my scene. But hearing all the reviews of the bike got me curious to see what the hype was all about. Thumb the starter and you’re immediately greeted by a thrummy, rorty exhaust note, one that sounds just a smidge angrier than on the Interceptor 650. Refinement levels of this engine continue to excite me and cruising at 120kmph all day is child’s play for this bike. But all of this was expected considering this engine is not new. What I was keen on finding out is just how easy or difficult it would be to ride considering the extra kilos it is carrying. Much to my surprise, the bike is not all that hard to ride through traffic. Yes it isn’t as easy as just flicking from left to right and you do have to make use of your muscles just a bit, but nothing that will have you spent by the end of the ride. The longer wheelbase and low-slung stance make cornering this bike an experience in itself and once you familiarise yourself with its dynamics, the act of cornering is quite pleasurable.

The brakes on the bike impressed me quite a bit with its two-piston caliper setup at both ends. My biggest complaint, surprise, surprise, is the suspension setup though. The front end is great. It is pliant and it copes with the road surface quite well. But the rear is just too stiff for comfort on our cratered roads. Yes I do understand the reason for it but it’s not easy to look past. That being said, the rest of the experience has been rather smooth. I love the adjustable levers, the aluminium switch cubes, the throw from the all-LED headlight and it goes without saying, the big-boy cruiser looks.

This is just the introduction. The reason for the meagre number on the total odometer reading is because I wasn’t in town last month. But I’m back now and I’m eagerly looking forward to racking up some serious miles on the Super Meteor 650. ⌧

(@karanramgopal)

Date acquired January 2023

Total mileage 778km Mileage last month

350km Costs Nil Overall kmpl 24.5