Experience a new pinnacle of sophistication from Royal Enfield with their latest flagship middleweight cruiser, the 2023 Super Meteor 650. This motorcycle has a seamlessly blending classic aesthetics, remarkable performance, and impeccable build quality. Surprisingly, all these features come at an incredibly affordable price, starting at just $6,999 for the base model. But does the low price tag compromise its quality? Let's delve into whether the 2023 Super Meteor 650 lives up to the expectations set by its cost.
Check out the full story at https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-super-meteor-650-review/
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Check out the full story at https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-super-meteor-650-review/
Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/
Buy Cycle World Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cycleworld
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SportsTranscript
00:00 We just got back to the Cycleworld offices after riding the new Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650.
00:06 Going into it we wanted to know, are cheap cruisers any good?
00:10 And when I'm talking about cheap, I'm talking about cheap in price, not cheap in quality.
00:23 The Super Meteor 650 starts at $6,999, making it one of the most affordable and lowest priced bikes in its class.
00:32 And what you get for that money is high build quality.
00:35 The craftsmanship, the fit and finish is like nothing I've seen on a Royal Enfield before.
00:40 It was really reminiscent of a Triumph motorcycle, a brand that I believe holds the highest standard of build quality in the industry.
00:48 Some of the quality components you'll notice on the Super Meteor 650 is the paint.
00:52 It's deep, it's rich, it's a sparkle finish and there's no blemishes.
00:57 The gas tank is a teardrop shape with just over 4 gallons of capacity.
01:02 And to top it off it has a metal gas cap, which again just continues that classic cruiser styling throughout the entire bike.
01:10 Going off that point, the switch cubes on the handlebar are aluminum plated, again just giving it that classic look.
01:17 The levers are fully adjustable so riders can push them out, pull them in, depending on hand size or rider preference.
01:24 A first for Royal Enfield on any motorcycle they've ever produced is LED lighting on the Super Meteor 650.
01:31 The headlight and the taillight are full LED, the turn signals are not.
01:35 But riders can upgrade the LED turn signals through the Genuine Motorcycle Accessories catalog.
01:41 Royal Enfield also spec'd the Super Meteor 650 with their Tripper Navigation Pod.
01:46 This is a turn-by-turn navigation system that riders can link to via Bluetooth through their smartphone.
01:52 The Super Meteor 650 is fitted with Royal Enfield's 648cc parallel twin.
01:59 The same engine found in the INT 650 and Continental GT 650.
02:04 The last time we had one of those bikes on our dyno it produced roughly 41 horsepower.
02:09 So you can expect similar results out of the Super Meteor.
02:12 The Super Meteor does have a different intake and exhaust system so power delivery may be a little bit different.
02:18 But overall the characteristics we came to love in the INT and GT 650 are the same in the Super Meteor 650.
02:26 It has really good usable torque right off bottom.
02:29 A super flat torque curve that just maintains a really nice broad power delivery all the way through the RPM range.
02:35 And when you get high into the RPM range it still puts down power but it doesn't get vibratey or buzzy.
02:41 So it's just a really nice comfortable cruiser engine.
02:45 The Super Meteor 650 features a six-speed transmission, chain driven with a cable actuated clutch.
02:51 Shifting through the gearbox you can grab that next gear really quickly.
02:55 It doesn't have the same sort of heavy or clunky feel.
02:59 More reminiscent of sort of a sport bike where you can just sort of bang through them quickly.
03:03 But that being said I didn't miss any shifts today.
03:06 Moving on to the suspension the Super Meteor 650 features a 43 millimeter Showa big piston inverted fork.
03:13 With 4.7 inches of suspension travel.
03:16 This is the first Royal Enfield motorcycle to be fitted with an inverted fork.
03:21 At the back it has twin shocks with adjustable five-step preload and offers right around four inches of suspension travel.
03:29 Out on the road they're on a little bit more of the stiffer side for me at 125 pounds.
03:34 But what this translates to is you know just a really nice even ride height.
03:39 No matter you know what forces are being applied to the chassis.
03:42 Whether you're on the gas or on the brakes you hit a bump in the road.
03:46 The entire balance of the bike just stays very neutral.
03:50 The Super Meteor 650 features an all-new tubular steel frame designed by Harris Performance exclusively for the Super Meteor.
03:59 It has a claimed wet weight of 531 pounds and that includes a center stand which is great for fixing flats out on the road.
04:06 Once you are riding out on the road the handling characteristics are really relaxed and neutral.
04:12 It's not super quick steering but it's not a hog either.
04:15 You need to lean over onto the side of the tire you can do so pretty effortlessly.
04:20 And once you're there because of the stiff suspension settings it maintains a corner arc really nicely without any drama.
04:28 Stopping the Super Meteor 650 is a 320 millimeter disc up front a 300 millimeter disc out back.
04:36 Both systems feature a twin piston floating caliper.
04:39 Pull on the lever and you feel the wheels start to slow down.
04:42 Increase that pressure and the braking power progressively gets better.
04:46 The Super Meteor 650 comes standard with ABS on all three models.
04:51 Which is just a great feature to have especially on a bike at this price point.
04:55 That being said the brakes were nothing you know revolutionary or knock your socks off of.
05:01 Just very adequate and enough to get the bike stopped.
05:04 The ergonomics on the Super Meteor 650 put you in that classic cruiser stance.
05:08 With forward controls a slight sweep back on the handlebar it puts the rider in a really comfortable position for an all-day ride.
05:16 The seat height is just over 29 inches and at my height of roughly 5 foot 8 inches I could firmly put both feet flat on the ground.
05:24 And because of its low center of gravity with that low seat height.
05:28 It's a motorcycle that I feel really confident putting a passenger on.
05:32 Because it just seems like something I can easily manage at low speeds or coming up to a stoplight.
05:38 The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is available at three different price points.
05:42 Starting off is the Astral model available for $6,999.
05:47 Then the Interstellar model which includes a two-tone paint scheme available for $7,299.
05:53 And finally the Super Meteor 650 Tourer which includes a two-tone paint scheme, a windscreen, a deluxe touring seat, and a passenger backrest all for $7,499.
06:06 Overall the Super Meteor 650 is a good cheap cruiser but cheap in price not cheap in quality.
06:12 The Super Meteor 650 is the new benchmark for Royal Enfield moving forward.
06:17 Royal Enfield has delivered a level of quality we have not seen from them before.
06:21 This classic cruiser offers quality craftsmanship, a versatile engine, and comfortable ergonomics.
06:27 Any rider entering the middleweight cruiser market must consider the Super Meteor 650.
06:33 [wind howling]