Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Value-for-money proposition explored
Featured Stories by Team Drivio | 18 Jul 2023
The cruiser’s current prices begin from a whopping Rs 3,54,398.
- The Super Meteor 650 is the most expensive bike in Royal Enfield’s lineup.
- It has a lot of firsts for an RE bike like a USD fork, an LED headlight and adjustable levers.
- Powering it is Royal Enfield’s famed 648cc parallel-twin mill.
Royal Enfield made quite a splash in India when they introduced the Super Meteor 650 earlier this year. While we were very excited for it, its price tag left us wide-eyed. The base variant started at a whopping Rs 3,48,900, and the top-tier model went even higher at Rs 3,78,900. Talk about expensive! For reference, here’s how much it costs now:
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Variant | Price (ex-showroom Delhi) |
---|---|
Astral Series | Rs 3,54,398 |
Interstellar Series | Rs 3,69,622 |
Celestial Series | Rs 3,84,845 |
So now, with the price climbing even further, we can't help but wonder if this bike is really worth the money. Well, here’s what we think:
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650’s Value-for-money Proposition Explored
Picture this: a behemoth of a bike that's larger than life itself, towering over its 650 siblings. Weighing in at a burly 241 kilograms, it's fair to say that the Super Meteor is no lightweight contender. Now, some might say that carrying around all that extra weight has its downsides, but let us tell you the silver lining—when you're riding this monster, you'll command attention like a rockstar at a concert. The sheer presence of the Super Meteor is enough to make heads turn and jaws drop. When we say this bike is Royal Enfield’s most premium bike, we mean it! The fit and finish levels are fabulous and this bike that’s a lot more expensive than what it actually is.
Premium Underpinnings
But if the looks alone haven’t convinced you, let us remind you that the bike gets a new chassis with an upgraded USD fork. The quality is impeccable and attention to detail is fantastt. The recently pimped-up Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 might have some additional features, but they can't hold a candle to the Super Meteor's premium allure.
Premium Fit And Finish
From the flawless finish to the sleek black coating that wraps its entire chassis, this two-wheeled wonder oozes sophistication. That's where every extra money you spend on the Super Meteor goes—straight into an exquisite masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Plus if you're someone who yearns for the cool cruiser look and a feet-forward riding position, the Super Meteor will be something you will absolutely adore. Yes, this format has its inherent issues like the placement of the shocks, which makes for a really firm ride quality, but the ones who love it, swear by it. It’ll make you feel like a badass villain in a movie, or even remind you of the authentic American cruisers that all of us have, at some point, dreamt about.
Is The Super Meteor 650 Worth It?
So all in all, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 came as a delightful and genuine surprise, similar to how the 650 twins amazed us back in 2018. The parallel-twin engine's adaptability is clearly evident, and with the Super Meteor, Royal Enfield is pushing the boundaries even further.
It fills the gap left by the Harley-Davidson Street 750 flawlessly, all while being more budget-friendly, sparing your wallet from a major dent. People who wanted a 650cc twin-cylinder true-blue cruiser finally have a good option in the Super Meteor, something for which they would previously have to pay an eye-watering Rs 7.10 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Kawasaki Vulcan S.
Should You Buy It?
So the Super Meteor has unquestionably lived up to the anticipation. It takes all the favorable aspects of the 650 twins and applies them to a fresh design while addressing many of the weaknesses found in the 650 twins. Although it may not be the most urban-friendly option within the 650 family, it remains a highly usable cruiser motorcycle. In terms of being a cruiser, it successfully fulfills many requirements.
If you desire a high-end-looking motorcycle with approachable performance and a price tag below Rs 10 lakh, the Super Meteor presents a compelling argument. Moreover, it stands out among cruisers of similar size and capacity due to its unmatched price point. There simply isn't any other cruiser in its price range that compares to the Super Meteor.
But…
That said, if the aforementioned things don’t please you, we’d recommend you to hold your horses and wait for the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, the Super Meteor's roadster sibling, one that’ll have a more upright riding stance, hopefully better ride quality and better handling characteristics.