Royal Enfield drew on its own, sixty-year, deep historical roots for its all-new MY2023 Super Meteor 650 cruiser platform. Classic, old-school looks to join with a cruiser's comfort and relaxed riding posture that's good for hours at a stretch if you're into putting miles, and district region lines, behind you.
A reliable, British-style parallel-twin engine delivers the goods and fits with the overall dated look that showcases the Indian marque's close ties with its British origins. Stock pillion gear and a vented windshield on the Celestial models let you share the fun with a friend and keep both of you comfortable.
This platform first saw light way back in 1952. Built for the U.S. market, it would remain for a decade before it phased out in 1962.
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
- Wide, Low-Slung Saddle
- Retro-Inspired Instrumentation
- New LED Lighting
- Improved Traction And Stability
- Touring Amenities
- Model: Super Meteor 650
- Engine:: 648 cc Parallel Twin
- Power Output: 34.6 kw (47 HP) @ 7,250 RPM
- Torque: 52.3 Nm (38 LB-FT) @ 5,650 RPM
- Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
- MSRP: ₹3,28,900
- Affordable Pricing
- Nice Paint
- Comfortable And Powerful
- May Not Make It To U.S.
- Barely Adequate Brakes
- Adjustable Suspension Would Be Nice
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Performance And Capability
Royal Enfield powers its new Super Meteor 650 with an air-and oil-cooled, parallel-twin engine it shares with the Continental GT 650 and INT650. It brings to mind the British powerplants from the sixties and seventies. Too bad the factory didn't make the throttle bodies look like carburetors, but that's just my vanity talking.
It has a slightly oversquare layout with a 78 mm bore and 67.8 stroke that gives it an actual displacement of 648 cc with a mild, 9.5-to-1 compression ratio that should be forgiving of lower octane fuel usage. The Royal Enfield Super Meteor produces 47 PS (46.3 horsepower) and 52.3 Nm (38.5 pound-feet) of torque, as claimed by the factory, which I'm sure they measured at the shaft.
Power flows through a standard wet clutch and six-speed transmission with a chain-type final drive and a Super Meteor 650 top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph). This is plenty fast enough for roads up to and including the fastest, interstate-type infrastructure.
Design
The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has a decidedly Anglo air about it with similarities to both the British and American-style cruisers, refined over time for a genuine article rather than a copycat. It's also a rather essential ride with little weight added on non-essential items.
Even the front fender is a point of interest. It's a modern design with moderate coverage, but the addition of a metal strap is clearly a stylized nod to the British-style fender struts of old. A single, round, LED headlight reinforces the old-school look with the front turn signals mounted high, well out of harm's way if you drop it.
The stock windscreen on the Celestial colorways comes with a generous vent to relieve the vacuum behind the glass and mitigate that wearisome head-buffet effect you'd get from a plain screen. This helps the Super Meteor deliver the long-distance comfort expected of a cruiser, even at speed.
Asymmetrical gauges handle the instrumentation with LCD screens and idiot lights to go with the analog speedometer for a tidy cockpit layout. The sculpted, 4.14-gallon fuel tank bears a classic, teardrop-shaped profile complete with chrome badging on each side and fabulous, two-tone colorways from which to choose that really make the Super Meteor pop.
A deeply-scooped pilot's seat cradles the derrière at 740 mm (29.13 inches) off the deck, which is relatively high for a cruiser but should still be an easy reach to the ground when it's time to deploy those lamborfeeties at a stop. A stock pillion pad and flip-out foot pegs ensure you can carry a passenger right off the dealership's parking lot. Out back, more round lights finish out the rearward lighting with the tag mounted as an extension to the rear fender to complete the coverage.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Specs | |
|---|---|
Length | 2,260 mm (89 in) |
Width | 890 mm (35 mm) |
Height | 1,155 mm (45.5 in) |
Seat Height | 740 mm (29.1 in) |
Wheelbase | 1,500 mm (59 in) |
Ground Clearance | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
Fuel Capacity | 15.7 L (4.1 gal) |
Curb Weight | 241 kg (531 lb) |
Chassis
Tubular-steel members make up the backbone-style frame on the Super Meteor 650 with a single downtube that connects directly to the engine. It has no cradle section, so the engine just kind of hangs there as a stressed member.
Modern inverted forks float the front end on 43 mm tubes with 120 mm (4.72 inches) of travel, but with nothing in the way of adjustments. The twin rear shocks come with a preload tweak as the only adjuster and a 101 mm (3.9 inches) long stroke. Travel numbers such as these are sufficient for poorly-maintained roads, but the ride quality falls short of being plush at that point.
Asymmetrical cast-alloy wheels round out the rolling chassis with a 100/90-19 ahead of a 150/80-16 for a cruiser-like size offset. The hoops run with an “H” rating that will safely handle all that the engine can deliver.
A 320 mm front disc works with a twin-piston binder, while out back, the same kind of caliper bites a 300 disc to haul things down. A dual-channel Bosch ABS feature comes stock to let you safely get the most out of the anchors.
Chassis & Suspension | |
|---|---|
Frame | Tubular Steel Backbone-Style |
Swingarm | Extruded Steel |
Front Suspension/ Travel | 43 mm USD Big Piston forks/ 120 mm (4.72 in) |
Rear Suspension/ Travel | Showa Twin Shock, 5-Step Preload only/ 101 mm (3.9 in) |
Rake | 27.6° |
Trail | 118.5 mm (4.67 in) |
Front Wheel | Alloy Wheels |
Rear Wheel | Alloy Wheels |
Front Tire | 100/90 - 19 M/C 57H (Tubeless Type) |
Rear Tire | 150/80 B16 M/C 71H (Tubeless Type) |
Front Brake | 320 mm disc, ByBre twin piston fl oating caliper |
Rear Brake | 300 mm disc, ByBre twin piston floating caliper |
ABS | Dual Channel Bosch |
2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Price And Availability
The 2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 costs ₹3,48,900 for the Astral models, ₹3,36,900 for the two-tone Interstellar models, and ₹3,78,900 for the Celestial touring models. For release in the U.K., MSRP is £6,799 for the Astral models, £6,999 for the Interstellar models, and £7,299 for the Celestial models.
Pricing & Features | |
|---|---|
Features | Digi-Analog Instrumentation, Generous MiY Accessory Choices |
Warranty | Three-Year Warranty |
Colors | Celestial Red, Celestial Blue, Interstellar Green, Interstellar Grey, Astral Black, Astral Blue, Astral Green |
Price | Astral: ₹3,28,900, Interstellar: ₹3,36,900, Celestial: ₹3,78,900 |
Competitors
This particular displacement and general design put the Super Meteor 650 in fairly rare company, but I think the Red Riders may have a worthy competitor with its Rebel 500. Recently reborn, the Rebel gives a nod to its cruiser roots, but with a sportier veneer that has effectively moved the venerable Rebel line into the 21st century. The new Rebel looks like a chopper as it sits on the showroom floor with its definite stretch in the downtubes and a skosh of rake at the steering head.
Suspension is a wash with similar travel values, as are the brakes, though the Rebel can be had with or without ABS protection to give you a choice at the checkout. The Rebel's lump is a tad smaller at 471 cc, but it punches above its weight with 46.5 PS (45.9 horsepower) and 40.5 Newton meters (29.9 pound-feet). Honda offers its Rebel 500 in two colorways, Candy Blue and Matte Black Metallic.
He Said
“It's easy to forget, on our side of the world, that Royal Enfield is one of the major players in the Asian markets. The overall Britishness of their products gives it an old-world charm that is impossible to fake. India has a robust, small-displacement motorcycle culture, and this new Super Meteor will qualify as a large-displacement machine by most standards.”
She Said
My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says,
“Royal Enfield expands its 650 Twin platform. From 2019, it has the Continental GT and the INT650, so the Super Meteor is in good company. The Celestial models have basic touring features, so it's not all just cruiser-tastic-ness. As a cruiser, though, it checks all the pertinent boxes for comfort, styling, and capability.”
FAQ
Q: How much will the Super Meteor 650 cost?
Not yet announced for the U.S. as of the time of this writing, the Super Meteor 650 in India costs ₹3,48,900 for the Astral models, ₹3,36,900 for the two-tone Interstellar models, and ₹3,78,900 for the Celestial touring models. In the U.K. those figures are £6,799 for the Astral models, £6,999 for the Interstellar models, and £7,299 for the Celestial models.
Q: Is the Royal Enfield Meteor 650 coming to the US?
As of the time of this writing, not mention is made of the Super Meteor 650 coming to the U.S. market.
Q: What is the top speed of the Super Meteor 650?
Top speed of the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is 160 km/h (100 MPH).
Q: How much horsepower does a Super Meteor 650 have?
The 648 cc parallel-twin engine in the Royal Enfield Super Meteor produces a claimed 47 PS (46.3 horsepower) and 52.3 Nm (38.5 pound-feet) of torque.