[sudharshan]

The highlighted portion of the chassis looks a bit concerning to me, though am not sure if it should be a matter of concern. It looks like a modification to the interceptor chassis and by the look of it I feel it is not well done. Personally this is worrisome on an otherwise well built machine.

Any chassis welding experts opinion?
Will the nightmare of broken himlayan chassis haunt again?

[mpp1]

I'm going to take a contrarian view here and dispel the views of our well vined & dined cohort of automotive journos and Youtubers. I watched 10+ first ride reviews and found none that offered a balanced look at all aspects of the bike. Not one even mentioned the difference if any that the Showa shocks in the front have made.

I visited my local RE showroom today in the evening to check out the bike in the flesh after booking it on the 16th. Test rides are not yet available so please take my views with a pinch of salt but i am not impressed with the weight distribution and management of the bike by RE. I have owned 2 Yamaha 650s and a Yamaha 1100 v-twin cruiser overseas, all three of them were much heavier than SM650 and all three were brilliantly engineered and put together. All three Yamahas I found to be perfectly balanced and a joy to handle even in city traffic where riders were allowed to filter through traffic till about 35 miles per hour speed. These bikes came with a shaft drive on the left hand side and both end-cans on the right hand side, maybe that's why they were so well balanced. So obviously I'm going to compare my experience with the Yamahas and the Meteor 650.

Meteor 650 felt bulky and hard to move around, at least on the slick showroom tiles. I'm not sure this is going to be a big improvement on my Int650 which I find very cumbersome on most city roads, i was hoping this 650 was going to merge the two RE bikes i like the most the Int650 and my Meteor 350. With that marriage of two different styles and the nimbleness demonstrated by the Meteor350, I couldn't wait to get 27 extra HPs with the addition of a few inches in the length and wheelbase of the bike and literally get the best of both worlds but I think that is not going to be the case. Again I shouldn't knock it till i try it so once the test mules are available in three days' time as per the showroom guys.

I, for the price being charged would have expected at least the rider's deluxe foot pegs and the deluxe RVMs as standard fixtures on all variants along with a new instrument cluster unique to this bike but that's not the case. I'm just trying to justify the increase of Rs.60k on the Int650 to this I for one just can't.

I will update once I take a test ride and see for myself how she performs in our dense city traffic. In the meantime please offer any and all critique of my writeup I'm genuinely curious if anyone else feels similarly or not.

[AnAntinspired]

Originally Posted by ishan12

What you should be looking for is a road biased mid sized adv and not a cruiser.

...which RJ has to offer, that's where cruisers are at their best. So it is logical that it was launched in RJ

The only thing logical about it was they were covering up potential flaws. The answer to which i too await to know from test rides elsewhere cos logically they will not sell only in Rajasthan. Maybe you understood my priority list as what I need out of ONE motorcycle. I have always maintained a minimum 3 motorcycles since 25 years, and yes had an Adv in the mix however faux they were when first brought to India, apart from a roadster, which the Inty belongs to.

When I said these are my order of priorities it isn't imagining that I can teleport myself to ideal case scenarios - Rajasthan as case in point. As I went on to mention, most urban motorcyclists would have to deal with urban chaos and unexpected ravines for roads, especially true of Bangalore where I live. Also, as I mentioned as a disclaimer, if one goes looking for the road to ride a motorcycle then sure, every bike has a road it's fun on, and if thats you, then no checkpoints apply. No bike is perfect and there will be some combination of GRITTING ones teeth combined with GRINNING ones teeth, forgive the grammatical inaccuracy to suit wordplay. A lot of cruiser owners buy bigger, heavier cruisers than this RE but take out the time and effort to reach the right roads to enjoy it. I doubt any of them have their heavy for even 10 percent utilitarian use in their cities. Indicating what - that these heavy cruisers are good 2nd bikes or even better 3rd ones. If that's you, go try this one. Again, the heavier ones come with the advantage of being flawlessly engineered in chassis and body balance, the japs, Americans, british what have you and none are built to a price. RE knows, India values budget more than a few scars or becoming Gafoor bhai mechanic over the weekend in elbow grease. Case in point - with Interceptor they sold great looks and a fantastic engine...something as rudimentary as foot peg position and seat had to be reworked on. If that effort and zeal is you, do try this one out for fit.

As for me, I get more miles on my motorcycling when I ride to my work which as I mentioned takes me to national parks and coffee estates, which again the last 20 odd kilometers have no road. I dont go for weekend rides or group events since i get all the joy riding over the working days travelling to exotic destinations so weekends are strictly chill. In such circumstance given my city has no road, my home on a farm is rough road and my destination has off road, yet there are stretches in between differently enjoyable on a cruiser as any other, what did I do? Make a priority list and decide that whichever cruiser I buy will fit that list. And for now, with a free budget and ready willingness to accept any brand - it's still the Intruder that fits that list. I figured, since I'm good looking, the bike doesn't need to be!

The Interceptor on the other hand started off with a winning hand - ground clearance ticked. I don't care for pillion comfort, having mentioned solo. However in 3 days of owning it I hurt both my inner shins pulling the damn weight in and out of parking with those oddly placed footings and im someone who does not want bike scars, not in those years now. And more reasons are there, not relevant to this OP. That's why it went.

Coming to this beauty, and please note, i agree its a visual delight. My caution is only for people buying for the wrong environment, or without time to go every weekend to Rajasthan. Olx will indicate whether this is as completely a misfit for cities, especially Bangalore as i feel it is...unless your ride is over 80 percent highway and rarely cities, this isn't the RE you want. Bangalore average hourly speeds, unless commuting for night shifts, is not more than 25kmph. Of that, every 1 minute or sub that, is a reason to land your feet on the ground and balance this a few feet of slow moving, before lifting it again when upto self balancing speed.

Self balancing speed on cruisers, is atleast 10kmph higher than on any other kind of seated position (sports, commuter, roadster, scooter, scrambler, adv - you name it!) Meaning the Super meteors/cruiser formats self balancing ability is such, that your feet will need to drop off the front placed pegs at say sub 15kmph, when slowing down to a stop. Same for moving on. Though centre of gravity is lower in cruisers the forward leg position means your often in situations you will be foot steering the bike, especially with this dicey ground clearance for bangalore. During all such times, that outwardly bent exhaust pipe without a heat shield where it matters, plus that centre stand that also protrudes there, can get you scraped and singed!

The other reason is heat from a large engine. Using a 650 for the city? Not unless you want a bike for pure show and very little go. Not like bangalore traffic is frustrating enough, the heat from an outward engine block means it's all the gear all the time. At this price point, the Super Meteor could be seducing a lot of single cylinder 500cc bullet riders who stepped out of riding for a decade or more, and are the ones with the free budget to be early adopters. If that is you, realise this isn't your Bermuda and slippers ride around the corner. In other words, not the only bike.

Let me conclude by saying, my opinions are only aired in the hope that when you do step into that showroom, and this bike sweeps you off the feet even more than it does in pictures, there are some points here that may be recalled for you to check out for yourself. My ownership across all brands and motorcycles has only taught me good things, even if sometimes they go against what the very brand puts out!

[MaDMaX_MaXMaD]

Hi BHPíans,

Checked out the latest kid from the RE stable - Super Meteor 650.

It is the most awaited bike from RE to begin 2023 with. No doubt it sure has enormous expectations riding on top of it & only time will tell if it is able to fulfil these. Typically, RE has always tasted success with all its bikes (maybe except for the Scram 411).

Below are my thoughts:

• A real / proper CRUISER from RE stable with all bells & whistles possible from them.
• Does look drool worthy & will catch people's eye wherever you go.
• Tubular steel frame - Sure it is much more strengthened. But I really hope RE have factored in a good balance of all the wet weight of 2 pax + added luggage that it is going to carry.
• YaY! LED headlamps. Hope it is bright enough to lit up the roads while travelling at three-digit speeds. But I still feel that Aux lamps will be necessary for a true blood rider.
• The heaviest Royal Enfield motorcycle till date with a kerb weight of 241 kg. At parking conditions, lower speeds, U - turns - one will experience the heaviness.
• True blood Cruiser like - Fully feet-forward foot controls. Takes time to get used to & not so nice in city conditions.
• Wide handlebar with adjustable clutch and brake levers.
• Upright seating posture.
• The teardrop-shaped fuel tank looks classy.
• Seat height of 740 mm makes it comfortably accessible for riders with shorter height.
• YaY! A 6-speed gearbox. Hope it does not get notchy over time / use.
• As usual with RE bikes (except the 650 twins) the cushioning of the seat is great, and one should find yourself comfortably ‘tucked-in’ while riding.
• Wheelbase of 1500 mm which is close to 100 mm more than the 650 twins.
• Increased rake angle due to the Cruiser format - the bike might struggle a bit Or will be a little lazy while taking sharp / quick turns.
• 135 mm of ground clearance is a big area of concern, given that this is a cruiser - made in India. But cruising in India, is not always on well paved highways / tarmacs. You will invariably need to take a not so good road to reach your destination. + I also presume that it is this 135 mm of ground clearance not providing the ability to the rear suspension to have more play. Hence, the media reviews saying that the rear end is harder / stiff. ++ Cornering is now a more serious topic for this motorcycle. More planning while riding will be required.
• On the other hand, the 135 mm of ground clearance should ideally provide a ride quality that is one of the finest in a RE motorcycle.
• USD forks by Showa (Sounds interesting for sure). But I feel this is just the basic USD forks from the Showa lineup & hence, no further talks about it.
• 320 mm disc unit at the front and 220 mm disc unit at the rear along with a dual-channel ABS. RE brakes were never confidence inspiring for use in high-speed scenarios. However, I hope this bike has a really good brake setup because it can keep three digit speeds all day + this is India (some hooligan will be there around).
• Wish they would provide grippier / soft compound tyres, as they did when they had launched the 650 twins. (Pirellis / Michelins maybe).
• 19-inch front and 16-inch rear alloy wheels with wide tubeless tyres does enhance the overall appearance of the motorcycle. Also, gives you wide number of choices / brands to choose a better tyre from.
• Wish they had provided a different speedo console & a Tachometer too to differentiate this bike & for the premium feel and price.
• Great colour options to choose from with 5 single tone & 2 dual tone colours.
• Tripper Navigation
• USB socket for charging - A good factory provided addition than having aftermarket.
• Aluminium plated switch cubes look upmarket indeed. Wish they also provided a backlight option.
• Aggressive pricing from RE for middleweight cruiser motorcycle.

All said and done, this is a wonderful recipe that RE has crafted up. It comes as a wholesome package and barely lacks anything to disappoint a customer (those who are upgrading from their 200/ 300 / 350 / maybe upto the 500 CC's). But, the Super Meteor 650 is best suited for long cruise / rides on the highways. The state of the roads to where you are riding to & from will depend on a lot in this format of bikes.

Any bike / car will have niggles, just like no human is perfect. But I appreciate RE for what they have done & till where they have reached currently & more power to them.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Spent some time with the Super Meteor 650 in the showroom yesterday. No TD bike yet, so that will have to wait. Didn't spend too much time on the details, because I have no plans to buy the motorcycle.

Showroom was crowded and I didn't want to wait for an SA - so didn't check which variant this was, but I guess it is a base variant. I was not very sure of the riding posture on this one. Handlebar need to come a bit closer or footrests need to, because it somehow felt upper and lower half both had a lean forward. Anyone else felt this?

I think the top end variant with the touring handlebar will solve this. I also loved the weight being nice and low (comparatively). Didn't feel intimidating at all when compared to the Kawasaki 650cc machines I have experienced, neither does it feel too small like the HD 750 range.

Overall = Lovely motorcycle from RE. Can't wait to ride one soon.

[navpreet318]

Anyone have the list of accessories as mentioned by reviewers?
The online customization has very limited items.

[Traveler]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Anyone have the list of accessories as mentioned by reviewers?
The online customization has very limited items.

Here is the full list https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/gma/

[tharian]

Visited a RE showroom this morning to check out the Meteor 650. I was there before the showroom opened, so I was the only one there and was able to check out the bike relaxed.

My first impression after I sat on it, this is a big bike and felt good with that huge tank and nice wide handlebar. Reminded back in the day when we used to swap the stock handlebar of the Bullet with that of the Lightening 535's to get that boss-of-the-road feel.
This bike is meant for the highway and it shows when you sit on it. When I sat on it and made the bike upright from the side stand, I didn't feel any sort of additional weight compared to my Interceptor. Even when balancing it with one leg on the footpeg, it didn't feel heavy. I can imagine when riding, it is not going to be felt at all. Again, this bike is meant for the nice highways which we have plenty of now and I guess that is what RE is expecting as well.
The quality of parts and fit and finish on the bike is of a different level compared to the Interceptor. There is a nice rough coating on the chassis but I am not sure what the purpose is, it looked good on the bike nevertheless. The right-side engine cover is something I don't mind on my Interceptor if it fits. It is matt black with the RE logo on it. Saves the dried-up water spots look of the chrome ones we have the Interceptor/GT.
The gear shift looks like will take time to get used to as there was a big gap between my shoe and the toe shifter and I am not someone who enjoys using the heel shift. The seating and riding posture as expected was a relaxed one meant for a cruiser.
The bike on display was the mid version and the rear seat was as good as not existent. Again, it reminded me of the aftermarket seat we used to get for the old Bullet which had an extreme step between the pillion and rider, and the pillion hardly had anything to sit on. But I assume on the top version with the backrest, it is much better.
I couldn't figure out how good the LED lamp was although the bike was inside the showroom, it didn't seem as bright as the aftermarket LED bulb I have on my bike.

It would have been perfect if there was a twin-pod instrument cluster with one showing the tacho and the navigator within it if required. Not sure if the navigator was even required when having phones and phone holders which will do the work much better. The digital display within the speedo was quite decent as well showing the fuel gauge and other stuff. Any day is better than the one on the GT/Interceptor.

The exhaust muffler, although suits the bike, doesn't suit the bike when it comes to the note. It is much better than the Interceptor/GT when revving and has slightly more bass and rumble in it, but I would want a nice audible-sounding set when I am cruising at a 100 and I see a lot of after-market options in the future.

For the price, the bike is launched at, this a good alternative to the expensive cruisers and meant for those long rides out on the highway.

Again RE expands its portfolio with a significant addition.

Originally Posted by sudharshan

Any chassis welding experts opinion?
Will the nightmare of broken himlayan chassis haunt again?

Not an expert on welding, but when I saw the bike today, I didn't find anything wrong with the part highlighted and to note, this is an all new frame.

[navpreet318]

Originally Posted by Traveler

Here is the full list https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/gma/

Surprising to see no options in handlebars or risers etc.
Customizations options to make the bike more comfortable for taller or shorter riders is a must.
It seems we'll have to wait for the outside customization options to come for handles as well as suspension etc.

[kaushalswarup]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Surprising to see no options in handlebars or risers etc.
Customizations options to make the bike more comfortable for taller or shorter riders is a must.
It seems we'll have to wait for the outside customization options to come for handles as well as suspension etc.

I remember checking the GMA page a day or so ago, and the touring handlebar that comes stock on the Celestial variant, was available as an accessory. RE must've removed the listing for some reason.

Regarding the customisation options from third-party vendors, I'm interested to see variations that'll include beach bars, straight bars, and bars in either chrome, or black finishing.
Suspension wise, the front shocks are USD Showa, and reviews don't mention anything negative about them. The rear setup is restricted by the design of the bike (being a cruiser) and weight. Aftermarket options should help to combat the issues that customers might face.

Additionally, I'm really looking forward to TD'ing the bike here in Bangalore, to gauge how it performs in traffic, and on the famed crater-filled roads our city boasts!

The SM650, unlike it's INT/CGT siblings, isn't meant to be a do-it-all bike. It works best if it shares the garage with another 2-wheeler to be used for urban riding, and/or bad roads.

[zaks]

Originally Posted by sudharshan

Attachment 2407839

The highlighted portion of the chassis looks a bit concerning to me, though am not sure if it should be a matter of concern. It looks like a modification to the interceptor chassis and by the look of it I feel it is not well done. Personally this is worrisome on an otherwise well built machine.

Any chassis welding experts opinion?
Will the nightmare of broken himlayan chassis haunt again?

Nothing to worry the models have been tested for a combined 100,000 kms before release.

[aargee]

Has anyone seen brake reservoir at the bottom (2 RED arrows) pls? Because this is the first time I'm seeing one on any motorcycle. Being plastic, I'm inclined to think about the safety not just from the notorious heat that 648 engine emanates, but also the debris from our roads especially on high speeds & ever-going constructions on our highways, if not the trails.

A metal body could help from debris, but would facilitate in permeating heat from engine into the brake oil better than the plastic.

Hopefully RE had already taken this into account & has some remedy or taken care on this during their testing phases

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by aargee

Has anyone seen brake reservoir at the bottom (2 RED arrows) pls?

You have been 'condor'ed :-).
Please check post 414 on page 28 (Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650cc, now unveiled).

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Not sure on this. Does rear brake get used more on cruisers compared to roadsters?

As per first ride reviews, that's what is being said by experts,

the Super Meteor runs a larger rear disc brake in line with cruiser essentials.

Quoting Vikrant Singh

Brakes. It stops well. The rear works more, and the front does less, than you think. As with most cruisers, then.

Quoting Shubhabrata Marmar

Happy riding,
surjaonwheelz

[AG86]

This is just my wild thinking. Can we put those touring seats, large windshield and raised handlebar on the Int-650 ? It makes sense economically but not sure if it's practical. Any existing owners can share their experience.

Thanks.