‘A cruiser shouldn’t handle as well as the Rebel does’
uncomfortable at best but when you add in the Honda’s basic suspension results in a ride that quickly descends into misery. I manage just 30 miles before waving Paul and third tester Andy Gurski over to trade bikes.
Swapping to the Benelli, initially all is well as the Imperiale both looks and feels the part. Yes, I can’t help but miss the Rebel’s engine’s performance but in terms of comfort I’m in a much better place and my back is relishing the sprung and well-padded seat as well as the soft suspension. Well, until I encounter a bend that is.
Designed very much in a traditional retro style, sadly the Imperiale also handles like a bike built in the 1960s. The suspension seems to be totally lacking in any damping and if you hit a bump, the bike bounces up and down virtually unhindered. While in a straight line this is acceptable (Andy reckoned it took about 100 metres to stop bouncing after a speed bump) when you introduce a set of bends it gets sketchy as the bike pitches back and forth and wobbles its way through the corner in an alarming fashion. “You need to get everything settled before committing to a bend,” commented Paul after a ride, “or it’s terrible and feels like the chassis is made from liquorice.” There is a tendency at this point to chalk it down to ‘being built on a budget’ but when you ride the Enfield you quickly realise that this excuse no longer washes. Although when you first sit on it the Meteor’s part cruiser/part naked bike riding position feels a bit weird, quite quickly it becomes very natural and tucked behind the surprisingly effective (but a bit ugly...) screen and sitting on the comfortable seat it’s an easy place to cover miles from. And not just straight line ones, it’s also excellent in the bends and for that you have to applaud the UK-based design team. Yes, the Enfield is built to a budget but unlike the Benelli, the Enfield’s R&D department has focused a large portion of its time on perfecting the chassis and suspension rather than just making it look pretty. The Meteor is a blast in corners. Light, easy to muscle around but above all very settled and balanced, the Meteor is everything the Benelli isn’t when the road ahead is twisty. You can ride the Enfield with enthusiasm or just take it easy and there is no drama. It has a lovely overall feel of compliance that makes it reassuring and fun. But it has to be said, it isn’t fast, not by a long stretch.
“You can feel the Enfield’s motor working and it has a lovely thump about it but it is just so slow, I really
‘The Enfield’s motor has a lovely thump about it’