“Cruising at its purest.” That's the phrase with which Royal Enfield is hyping its newest motorcycle, the Super Meteor 650 — a streamlined cruiser blending classic good looks and modern touches, with a balance of size, power and handling that's versatile enough to let it zip along city streets, country backroads and bustling highways with equal aplomb.
Such a halcyon harkening is perhaps best exemplified by one of the presenters at the bike's recent U.S. launch in Dallas, brand historian Gordon May. In his clarion British accent, May schooled the attending media (Gear Patrol included) on not only Royal Enfield's evolution but also Project Origin, a painstaking reconstruction of the brand's first-ever motorized bicycle from 1901. With its 239cc single-cylinder engine, hand-built brass tank and curlicue horn, this ancient, persnickety set of wheels points to a brand identity that lives on to this day: Fuck the numbers, aren't we charming as hell?
Of course, the only way to find out if this remains true 122 years since that first moto hit the streets was to rip around on the new 650, which I was fired up to do on a pleasant October Saturday in Texas.
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: What We Think
I must confess, my experience with mid-sized cruisers is limited. I've ridden the Meteor 350 that Royal Enfield launched a few years back, as well as the Honda Rebel 1100 and the Indian Scout Bobber Sixty, but these bikes are all a bit bigger or smaller — and tended to leave me wanting one way or the other.
That said, my first impressions after nine hours of seat time are pretty positive. The new 650 strikes me as a strong value proposition, a damn fine-looking bike and an excellent entry-level option for a new or beginning rider. At the same time, its 648cc parallel twin engine delivers just enough oomph — 47 horsepower, 52.3 Nm of torque at 5,650 rpm, triple-digit top speed — to satisfy many who've been saddling up for much longer.
Here's what jumped out on the media ride from Dallas to Denton and the countryside beyond.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
The Super Meteor is super-approachable
As someone who started motorcycling later than many do, I can attest to the numerous barriers to entry this pursuit presents. One inescapable one is, of course, the price of lots of bikes, but another — especially for smaller or shorter potential riders — is their intimidating size and weight.
With the Super Meteor, these barriers begin to fall. The base price of $6,999 is much less than you'd pay for the least-expensive (albeit much bigger) cruisers from Harley-Davidson and Indian, the Softail Standard ($14,399) and Scout Bobber Sixty ($10,749), respectively.
Its pricing is competitive with other mid-size, non-domestic cruisers — think the Honda Rebel 500, Kawasaki Vulcan S, Suzuki Boulevard C50 — as is the curb weight of 531 pounds. At 29.1 inches, the seat is notably higher than these others, but it's not insurmountable, especially when compared to other styles of bikes.
With an inseam of 29 inches, I found the seat height and the weight incredibly user-friendly. Together with a smooth clutch, lively throttle and forward controls that aren’t too forward, this bike is easy to maneuver, park and generally flick around. Royal Enfield's first-ever upside-down forks, in conjunction with 19-inch front tires and 16-inch rear ones, rather capably conquered Dallas's preponderance of potholes and bumps. Overall, I was surprised by how quickly I took to the bike's operation — and felt emotions much closer to joy and freedom than struggle and stress. Doesn't hurt that the bike is just downright fun to ride.
Considering how much R.E. itself trumpets its bikes' approachability, I was curious how the Super Meteor suited people of other dimensions. Patrick Cooper of Chaseontwowheels, who’s 6’4” and 330 pounds, joked that he makes "just about any bike look small," but did not feel particularly contorted by this one, even after several hours of riding.
Another veteran rider on the trip, moto presenter and commentator Jacqui Van Ham, has a 27-inch inseam and was not at all put off by the seat height, as a bit of give in the suspension enabled her to put both feet firmly on the ground. That’s incredibly confidence-inspiring for anyone, and together with a weight that doesn’t feel like it could topple if you don’t get both feet down, can do wonders for beginning riders.
Speaking of Van Ham, perhaps nothing speaks more to R.E.’s confidence in this bike and its drive to reach a wider market than the people who showed up to the event itself. Out of a couple dozen media members and influencers on our test ride, seven were women. That's roughly ... well, seven times more women than I’ve encountered at any other media ride event, and the ones I got to know were both stoked to be there and generally stoked about the bike. In an industry where gatekeeping (intentional or not) can run wild, it’s refreshing as hell to see one brand throwing the doors wide open.
This motorcycle outperforms expectations
Whereas I distinctly recall the Meteor 350 feeling underpowered outside of urban settings, the 650 has largely surmounted those issues. Acceleration is zippy in lower gears, and even at higher speeds it's pretty impressive. One specific example: While cruising on a two-lane road with my riding group, most of the pack got separated from the two lead bikes by a car. When a small opening appeared on the left side of the road, I made a move to get around the car and was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the bike jumped from 50 to 70 mph to make the pass, and I got back over with a bit of time to spare.
I also got a chance to do something I'm pretty sure the 350 could never dream of. At one point, we hit a long bridge with only open road ahead of us. So on one of my rare ventures up to sixth gear, I started really cranking the throttle. I was able to kiss 100 mph before this Meteor had to return to Earth — er, the normal flow of traffic on the other side of the bridge. Not too shabby for a $7,000 bike.
One thing I didn’t personally love on the bike I chose to ride — a mid-level Interstellar variant — was the almost pedal-like foot pegs. While they were comfortable during cruising, I found they occasionally made it difficult to sneak my foot under the shifter when upshifting. (I learned after the fact that these "deluxe" foot pegs were installed on some of the test bikes to show off some of the available accessories, and the stock versions of all three variants will carry traditional, easy-to-use foot pegs.)
As retro as this bike feels, its modern tech will pop up when you least expect it. After rolling over some train tracks, I realized the riders ahead were (very reasonably) stopping at the changing light rather than trying to bang through it. Applying both brakes while headed downhill, I felt the ABS casually kick in and save me from a wild fishtail — and possibly owing everyone on the ride a beer.
The Super Meteor has its limits
A strong first impression can leave you kinda breathless, unable to properly nitpick. But taking a moment to get a bit critical, it’s clear this bike has some downsides.
For one, the engine is noticeably smaller than what you’ll get with even some of the smallest American cruisers. The Softail engine, for instance, is 1,745cc, and Indian’s Scout Bobber Sixty is 999cc. With more size inevitably comes more power; veteran cruiser riders will likely miss the predatory growl, the wrist-flick surge of acceleration, and the seemingly effortless way such bikes get up to 70 or 80 mph before you know it. And of course, if you’re the type to get caught up in a pissing contest over specs like engine size, torque and horsepower, you should probably steer clear.
Additionally, what you gain in maneuverability with the lighter weight may come back to bite you on a windy day — or a highway packed with semis. While we did not experience getting pushed around on the road during our test ride, I’ve definitely run into that scenario on my Bonneville T-100, which is similar in weight (495 pounds) and sits just a couple inches higher. Bigger, lower-set cruisers like Harley's aptly named Low Rider ST do not suffer this fate.
Lastly, if you crave amenities in the cockpit, you’ll be left wanting. With the main gauge, what you see is pretty much what you get (a small button on the back of the left handlebar lets you toggle through a few options on the small digital screen). And while there is a sneaky USB port for device charging, the Super Meteor is probably the only modern cruiser I’ve ridden without, well, cruise control.
Details do not disappoint
I would be remiss not to mention some of the Super Meteor’s finer traits, which do scrape back a few points in its favor. One that jumps out is the color treatments. There are seven total across the three trim levels: Astral, Interstellar and Celestial.
I took a little spin on the highest trim, the $7,499 touring-focused Celestial; thanks to a windshield, cushier seat and pillion backrest, it's probably the best bet for long rides with a passenger. But as I mentioned earlier, I gladly spent most of my time on a gorgeous Interstellar featuring a luscious green paint job with gold pinstriping on that spectacularly sloping tank that looks almost custom. (The colorway is the sole departure the Astral variants, yet it's so striking, it's probably worth the extra $300.)
One major nod to contemporary tech is the Tripper pod to the right of the main gauge. A carryover from the original Meteor 350, the pod can be paired to your phone via Royal Enfield’s app, at which point you can use Google mapping tech to receive turn-by-turn directions on the silver dollar-sized display.
I didn't spend enough time with the pod to address its accuracy, but I appreciate the thinking. Sure, you could just mount your phone to the bars and use it to navigate, but what's cool is what the pod strips away. You only get navigation — no text messages, news or app alerts — allowing you to more fully engage with the bike and your surroundings, not another overloaded screen.
One final detail I truly adore is the ignition switch. Yes, it’s a modern electric start, and R.E. could have just gone with the standard push-button most other cruisers have — but instead there's a plated aluminum cube housing a little round switch you flick to bring the engine to life. A similar setup on the left handlebar enables you to activate the high beams.
It may seem insignificant, but it adds just a bit more joy to the experience. And when you're pursuing esoteric concepts like purity and charm and, yes, joy, that little thing makes a big difference.
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Alternatives
The most comparable bikes are some I mentioned up top. If you're looking for something a little smaller and cheaper, check out the Honda Rebel 500 ($6,449). If you want to go bigger and pricier, the 805cc Suzuki Boulevard c50 ($8,909) might be worth a look. Perhaps the closest comp is the Kawasaki Vulcan S, with a 649cc engine and a starting (non-ABS) price of $7,349. With that one, it might come down to aesthetics, at which point I'd say the Super Meteor wins hands down. But hey, that's just me.
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Key Specs
- Engine: Air-Oil Cooled Parallel Twin
- Displacement: 648cc
- Gearbox: 6-speed constant mesh
- Horsepower: 47
- Maximum Torque: 52.3 Nm at 5,650 RPM
- Curb weight: 531.3 lbs
- Seat height: 29.1 inches
- Base MSRP: $6,999
