Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 First Ride Review | RE’s ticket to global expansion

The much, much anticipated Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is finally here. After being drip-fed images of the cruiser since late 2021 when the SG650 concept was first unveiled, followed by spy shots and the urban legend floating about ‘Royal Enfield is preparing to launch a 650cc cruiser’, it is here, and how! We rode the cruiser around Jaisalmer’s open stretches of road and have some good things to say about it. Here goes..
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Design
It is a looker. And that’s one way of saying it. The fit and finish are done well and the paint quality is good. If the Super Meteor 650 is the most expensive Royal Enfield, it also looks the part, especially the Tourer variant with a chunky seat and a tall windscreen. This is also the first 650 twin of the three to feature the Tripper navigation as standard.

Wheelbase – 150 mm
Ground clearance – 135 mm
Saddle height – 740 mm
It is a quintessential cruiser with forward-set footpegs, a nice wide and flat handlebar (thankfully not the drooping-on-the-edges kind), and a low and stretched stance. Short riders will be happy to know the saddle height, in a very cruiser way, is only 740 mm. But it’s a great place for tall riders to spend time on as well since the bike offers ample space to extend your limbs.

LED headlamp
LED tail lamp
USB charger
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Performance
The Super Meteor is the third motorcycle in Royal Enfield’s lineup to come powered by the 650 twin that first found a place on the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. So, it is a 648cc air-oil-cooled parallel twin that puts out 46.35 hp at 7,250 rpm and 52.3 Nm of torque at 5,650 rpm, paired with a six-speed transmission.

Engine – 648cc air-oil-cooled parallel twin
Power – 46.35 hp at 7,250 rpm
Torque – 52.3 Nm at 5,650 rpm
This engine still takes the crown as the best aspect of the bike, as it did with the Interceptor and the Conti. The flat torque allows plenty of grunt in the low and mid-range of rpm. The engine is incredibly tractable. You could be cruising at 40s (km/h) in the sixth gear or be rolling in the fourth gear and just twist the throttle for an overtake, without having to downshift.

Kerb weight – 241 kg
Fuel tank – 15.7 litres
The motorcycle is hefty though, weighing in at 241 kg. This weight is certainly noticeable pulling the bike in and out of parking, however, does not make it feel lazy when it comes to climbing up the revs or attaining 100 km/h and onwards to a top speed of 160 km/h. This could feel not as quick as the Interceptor or the Conti, but we are considering that the SM650 is a cruiser with a laid-back riding stance and substantial windblast as well.
Speaking of the windblast, the entry-level Solo Tourer has no windscreen which means, there is a windblast on the chest to consider at higher speeds. The Tourer variant with a tall windscreen looked promising, however, while it protects the rider’s chest, there is a stream of wind that directly aims at the helmet. The bike’s not too quick to switch directions, but then isn’t really expected to be.

Suspension
Front – 43 mm USD telescopic fork with 120 mm travel
Rear – Twin shocks with 101 mm travel and five-step adjustment
The suspension, which is a USD fork up front and preload-adjustable twin shocks at the rear, isn’t too plush. Overall, the SM650 makes for a very comfortable saddle, owing to the relaxed riding stance and comfy seat, the rear suspension could be ever so slightly softer. The brakes are appropriately bitey.

Brakes
Front – 320 mm disc
Rear – 300 mm disc
Dual-channel ABS
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Should you buy it?
At a price tag of Rs 3,48,900 (ex-showroom), Royal Enfield has hit a home run. While the Super Meteor 650 is the most expensive Royal Enfield, it is the most affordable 650cc twin cruiser, and a brilliant one at that. Plus, there are ample options for customisation. Like all modern Royal Enfields, the Super Meteor 650 gets a wide range of accessories.

Price (ex-showroom)
Astral – Rs 3,48,900
Interstellar – Rs 3,63,900
Tourer Celestial – Rs 3,78,900
Solo riders can customise it for a single seat and if two-up requirements are foreseeable, the Tourer variant is priced at Rs 3,78,900, some Rs 30,000 higher which is not so big that it would break the bank. There is one thing that’s very relevant to consider if you’re going to think about bringing one of these home – do you love cruisers? If not, there’s always the Interceptor or the cafe racer. Whichever the pick, this engine is what makes it worth it.