Royal Enfield Meteor 350

[Fawlty]

Had a ride out to a local rally yesterday. There was a Royal Enfield stand displaying the new Royal Enfield 350. Retails here for around €4500. Single cylinder 21 hp. First one I have seen. Nice looker!


More photos and info here:

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (2021-on) Review

Read MCN's expert, in-depth Royal Enfield Meteor 350 review - All-new cruiser is a significant step up in Enfield quality and spec.

www.motorcyclenews.com

 

[Upt' North]

Had a ride out to a local rally yesterday. There was a Royal Enfield stand displaying the new Royal Enfield 350. Retails here for around €4500. Single cylinder 21 hp. First one I have seen. Nice looker!


More photos and info here:

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (2021-on) Review

Read MCN's expert, in-depth Royal Enfield Meteor 350 review - All-new cruiser is a significant step up in Enfield quality and spec.

www.motorcyclenews.com

RE are definitely producing some smashers.
I think it might be Forest @Bush that may have a blue 350.
If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong.
Upt'North.

 

[Cincykz]

I was just looking at these the other day on their website. Less than 5k in a solid color for abs, efi, and a GPS thingy on a brand new bike. I've heard good things about recent RE quality. would be a tempting commuter as a city bike/non interstate. Nice.

 

[Cincykz]

I've always appreciated a naked or nakedish, lightweight, easygoing bike for hot days or shorter trips. I'll admit, I hopped on the interstate for a couple exits on my Sportster the other day to go get hot tub chemicals, and I cruised about 72 in the right lane, mostly because of the lack of wind protection. But I don't fault the bike for that, it's not meant to be a goldwing. If I'm slabbing more than a few exits, the ST it is. I do find that as the years keep passing, the slower I go. I doubt I would have tolerated a 350 Enfield or 50 horse Sportster for long in my youth, but sometimes just enough bike is just right.

 

[Bush]

RE are definitely producing some smashers.
I think it might be Forest @Bush that may have a blue 350.
If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong.
Upt'North.

You got it right Ray. I've got a Stellar Blue Meteor. Great little bike! The one pictured in Fawlty's post is the latest version of the 350 platform - a Red/Chrome Classic 350. Less "cruiserish" and more hints of RE heritage styling.

For those that have ridden all their lives, there will come a time when 700 pound machines are more than a handful to be pushing about in the garage and then the choices become quit riding, or have something smaller and lighter to continue enjoying some two wheeled pleasure, albeit at a slower pace. Get your fill of high speed and long tours while you can. I managed 42 years of that, but It can't last forever.

 

[Larry Fine]

I have never seen a new bike that looks so retro.

 

[Upt' North]

Only just noticed the New Scram 411 behind it too.
Upt'North.

 

[CDNolddude]

get one of those and you can be just like a harley rider. Go around the block a couple of times then go back home. Where ya going to take it? Can't get on the expressway. It's cute but useless.

Maybe not so good if you like interstates , but I bet it would be just fine and fun on secondary roads. I thought my first 71 cb350 was fantastic. My goldwings, and ST1300’s have been great but would love to have another smaller bike too. Power isn’t everything

 

[SMSW]

That BMW demo ride that i went to a couple of weeks ago was hosted by a dealer that also carries the R Enfield line. They have some nice looking bikes. Noraly riding a Himalayan as far as she did w/ few problems speaks volumes for these bikes.

@Bush - Re: your pic in post #6 above - Wow! those panniers look great. Are they aftermarket or made for RE?

 

[drrod]

I was recently in Nepal and there are many RE Bullets there. Our tour leader rode one and, in the right hands, it is a very capable bike; even off road. It has gobs of torque and will just crawl over tracks and trails that would make you shake your head. You would think that the low pipes and general lack of "off road" appearance would mean that it got beat up but that was not the case.
Here is something he wrote on another forum
Lots of people ask, why in the world did you ride 350cc Royal Enfield Classics? Because they're virtually indestructable. There isn't a mechanical malady that can't be fixed roadside in a few hours, and that's for a massive repair. Most fixes take minutes and every village has the basic parts to keep these machines rolling. Some adventure riding "experts" demand to travel in Nepal atop RE Himalayans because they feel it fits the adventure rider mojo. When they're broken down all the people on Classics zoom right by. Horses for courses.

The 500cc version is even better apparently. Certainly, at the price, something that one would have to consider.

 

[Bush]

@Bush - Re: your pic in post #6 above - Wow! those panniers look great. Are they aftermarket or made for RE?

They are aftermarket by Givi, (E22N) but the frames to mount them are Meteor 350 specific, (PL9053) also made by Givi. They offer 22 litres of space each and specify 5 kg of weight max for each. Plenty of room for extra gloves, heated vest, a few groceries, etc, but not a helmet of any size, unless it is a "death wish" beanie style.

I enhanced my rear end visibility by adding some 3M reflective tape. The tail light is rather small, so this really stands out, both at night, or during the day.

 

[Cincykz]

Very cool bike Bush.

 

[SMSW]

They are aftermarket by Givi, (E22N) but the frames to mount them are Meteor 350 specific, (PL9053) also made by Givi. They offer 22 litres of space each and specify 5 kg of weight max for each.

11.2 lbs in each of those cavernous side cases (5 kg each)? Does anyone really put that little in these?

I really like the 3M tape. Add a Whelen M7 and you are all set.....

 

[Chris09]

hard to imagine these things produced negative torque before producing 15 times peak torque, and still propelled themselves along, but they did, I'm a big thumper fan, especially the ones you have to kick over, hope it goes on forever

 

[Chris09]

presented some interesting challenges for propeller designers, buy hey, what a great time it must have been to be an engineer

 

[Chris09]

... you can take my ford v10 offsett [by 72 degrees...] out of my cold dead... alright, too many coo bah lehh brahs, tomorrows another...

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I have never seen a new bike that looks so retro.

Check out the RE 650cc bikes and the Kawasaki W800. I love the retro styling on both these.

 

[Al st1100]

Check out the RE 650cc bikes and the Kawasaki W800. I love the retro styling on both these.

yea a bit more horses.........now you're talking

 

[huntingdog]

I love the retro styling too. RE make one of the best looking new motorcycles on the market and for a great price. Get the smaller bike if you are going to ride it in the city or on a lonely country road. But for anything else look at the bigger bikes. In my opinion you have to have that much power and umf not to be taken over by trucks/lorrys. So at least 110 km/h cruising speed just to be safe. That 21hp bike will strugle and you have to ride it at wot. Very strange how they manageg to get only 21hp out of a 350.. My 1987 Aprilia Tuareg 350 is rated at 33hp just for comparison which is 57% more power.

 

[Bush]

yea a bit more horses.........now you're talking

Actually, my first choice for a new bike was going to be the 650 Interceptor, called the INT in North America, as Honda holds the patent on that name here, but when I saw the tubed tires on spoked wheels, I thought about getting stuck out on the road with a flat, waiting for a tow truck. I'm not about to pull a wheel and change a tube on the side of the road, but, even more importantly, were the many comments on the RE forum about how the INT seat was little more than a wooden plank with some padding attached and causes squirming on the seat in about one hour.

Having had a Russell seat on my ST for years, there was no way I could tolerate a ride like that and putting something more comfy on the INT would detract from the classic looks of the bike.

My biggest concern for having a new bike though, was the weight factor. The INT is about 450 pounds and the Meteor is 425 pounds, but it also has the cast wheels and tubeless tires and it comes with a reasonably comfy seat, due to its dished design. Not needing to use the new machine for any serious highway riding, although it will do 120 km/hr (70 mph), it appeared to be my best choice to stay on two wheels, once the ST is gone.