After the Interceptor 650, I enquired about the Super Meteor 650 and even the Shotgun. But I'm stuck in this time loop where most likely I can never own a 650cc Royal Enfield.

BHPian Brumby recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello friends,

I am looking for suggestions to help me realise my dream of owning a RE twin-cylinder motorcycle.

A brief about the reason for this post

I am a sailor and I am in and out of the country every three months.

I have been planning to buy a twin-cylinder RE motorcycle, ever since the reports about the development of the RE 650 engine started to pop up on the internet.

I was present at the launch of Interceptor 650 and mine was the 2nd booking on the day of launch.

The dealer never bothered to call me when the test drives started and called my number to arrange the delivery of the bike at a time when I was not at home (somewhere in May 2019). There was a waiting period for the delivery and my chance to take the delivery was missed and my booking became inactive. After activating the booking number again, gets in the queue with a tentative delivery after three months or so.

I just gave up hope of getting the delivery of the bike, the dealer never called back and I never enquired, it was sort of forgotten.

Then the Super Meteor 650 was launched, and I thought of trying my luck by shifting the booking to SM650.

After a test ride of the SM650, I cancelled my booking of the Interceptor 650 in March 2023 and booked an SM650. I explained to the sales executive about the situation and requested to arrange a delivery within 3 months as this time I had a leave of about 4 months. Though he promised to try, even after multiple reminders after about 2 months, his response was negative.

The sales executive left the job and I went back to work. While I was away, my wife again received a call from Soniya Motors, somewhere in September 2024, confirming that our booking is now confirmed for delivery. My wife explained the situation to the sales executive and expressed our inability to complete the payment and take delivery of the bike.

During my short stay at home in Nov-Dec 2023, I enquired about the possibility of taking the delivery, I was informed that we called you multiple times and you refused to take the delivery (the reason for refusal does not matter). Your booking has become inactive, we will make the booking active again and will try but cannot guarantee it.

I left for work by 3rd week of December 2023 and came back on 25 March 2024.

Today on 31 March 2024, I initiated the conversation with the dealer again, and the status is still the same, the booking is inactive. I enquired about Shotgun and the availability of a test ride, which was confirmed in the affirmative over the phone.

I went to the store, I saw the Shotgun and enquired about the bike, and about any possibility of having the early delivery if I switch the booking. The reply was again the same, 3 months of waiting.

I asked if any of the 650 bikes were available for immediate delivery, and the sales executive gave a standard reply, "Three months waiting".

He even went on to explain to me the reason for waiting. As per the sales executive, there is a shortage of the crankshaft and hence there is a waiting period.

The availability of test ride status for the Shotgun changed to "not available" at the store, and then suddenly changed to "available". I was disappointed by this attitude and left the store.

So presently I am stuck in this time loop with RE where most likely I can never own a 650 CC bike from RE.

I come home, and have 3 months' leave - the bike will be available for delivery after 3 months - At this time I will be away from home - the booking becomes inactive - and the cycle starts again.

Since the order books are full, there is no effort from the dealer to help and arrange a delivery that suits my requirements.

I am in a dilemma, what should I do, should I switch to another dealer or give up and cancel my booking?

Regarding the type of motorcycle, I am comfortable with almost all 650cc bikes that are available with RE except the Continental GT.

I presently own a 2007 Std Bullet 350 and want to have a 650 CC bike for weekend joy rides.

Your suggestions are most welcome.

Here's what BHPian deep_bang had to say about the matter:

How about a used Interceptor? There must be enough of them in the market now to get those easily.

While your preference may be for a new, by buying used, you get the bike in a short time, there is the added advantage of a lower price.

Here's what BHPian Cyborg had to say about the matter:

Cancel your old booking and let the refund come in its own time. Don’t try to reactivate your booking every time.

Make up your mind about which bike it is that you really want and stick to it.

Since the bike will be available after three months and your contract is three months, make a new booking on your last day at home, just when you are ready to sail.

Come back home after three months, take delivery of your dream bike and enjoy her to the fullest.

All the best!

Here's what BHPian setuniket had to say about the matter:

Try booking online with 1-2 accessories through MIY on the RE website when you are about to sail.

By the time your customised motorcycle is shipped to the dealer, you should be back in India. Since the order would be customised the dealer should hold it for you.

Here's what BHPian AtheK had to say about the matter:

Can a friend or colleague not take the delivery when you are not around? You can even request the dealer to deliver the bike to your place if no one else rides in your circle, and then start using it once you are back.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The harmony & the power delivery of the RE 650 cruiser everything is just fantastic.

BHPian HEMIOrange recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello fellow Bhpians

I own a Honda Hness 2021 model and since the launch of the Super Meteor 650, the 9-year-old inside me has been pestering me to switch from the Hness to the 650, with the sole criteria of the kid in me being its aesthetics and it being a parallel twin. I have ridden the 650 twice and here are a few points that I have for and against the motorcycle:

Pros of RE Super Meteor 650

1. Looks handsome: The proportions are spot on for me and it's beautiful (I have always liked cruisers).
2. Comfortable riding posture: I am on the bulkier side and 190 cm tall, it's comfortable and more comfy to sit on than my Hness (not that it's not, just relatively).
3. The sweet parallel twin: The harmony, the power delivery everything is just fantastic, more so when compared to a single-cylinder ride. However, I also find the Hness James May 'adequate' and it doesn't sound bad either.

Cons of RE Super Meteor 650

1. Will be expensive: Starting from the price, it will be expensive to ride with a significant drop in fuel consumption, I know that it is subject to riding style but I don't think I might see anything more than 27. In addition to this will be the service bills, the service on Hness already costs just slightly less than my Ciaz petrol, I don't think the 650 would be any cheaper. Any RE 650 owners kindly throw some light on running costs.
2. Not many long tours: I haven't done any long trips on my H'ness and I think the 650 will also see the same fate, the longest I have done is 400 km on a single trip (one day).
3. H'ness is easier to ride: While the 650 has a better posture, the Hness feels much easier to ride, its much lighter (I don't know what Honda has done with the weight distribution but the bike feels so nimble) the ride quality on Hness is way more superior (I know that cruisers have this limitation due their design but I think I can live with the ride quality of SM 650) and special mention to the light slipper clutch.
4. Reliability: With over two years of ownership, nothing has gone wrong with the H'ness, on the contrary, I have heard some scary RE stories.

Taking all this into consideration, do you guys think it's a good choice to upgrade or should I just stick with the H'ness.

Here's what BHPian rajeevsulu had to say on the matter:

I owned the Highness for 6 months before I got bored with the motorcycle. I bought the Interceptor 650 and sold the Highness. It is a year and 20 days since I bought the Interceptor. 16500 kms later, I am a very happy man. If your heart says 650 twins, go for it. We all live only once!

Here's what BHPian tech_rider had to say on the matter:

While I agree double cylinder is going to be fun for riding, I just wanted to point out suspension issues that I have read many reviews about. From what I understood, SM650 is suitable only on smooth tarmac. Owners can give better insight into this.

I recommend you wait for the upcoming 650cc from RE for a better pool of choices.

Here's what BHPian nidhinpr had to say on the matter:

SM650 is a proper cruiser that works great for straight tarmac, not a jack of all trades like Hness. Lowering our expectations regarding dynamic utilization would be better, cause of longer wheelbase with lower ground clearance doesn't work well for our Indian road conditions.

Why not await the future 650 bikes, such as the Scram or Classic? Given that their predecessors are the cornerstone of RE's lineup and are known for their refinement, it's likely they'll achieve perfection.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This Royal Enfield is a gem to ride on well-made highways. The motorcycle never felt as if it was running out of breath.

BHPian Abh1nav recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Recently completed my longest road trip till date on the Super Meteor! A 14-day trip to Goa and back from Delhi. Took the Delhi-Kota-Indore-Nashik-Kolhapur-Goa route while going towards Goa, with overnight stops in each of the mentioned cities. Being the first long road trip on the bike, didn't want to stretch much so took slightly longer than one would take to cover this.

The roads were great for the most part, with the sore point being the ongoing construction on NH48 from Pune to Kolhapur.

The journey back home was faster, as I took the Goa-Mumbai-Udaipur-Delhi route. Took NH66 from Goa to Mumbai, and while the road is serene for the first 400kms, the last 150-200 kms are an absolute mess with non-existent roads! However, it’ll be a hoot to drive on once this is complete. Rest of the journey from Mumbai to Delhi via Surat and Udaipur was a breeze with great roads throughout.

Coming to the bike, oh boy! It’s a gem to ride on well-made highways! Even with a pillion, and roughly 25KGs of luggage, the bike never felt as if it was running out of breath. Was able to easily cruise between 100-130 wherever the roads allowed. The engine never felt stressed, and even while doing triple-digit speeds, the bike had more than enough punch for the occasional overtakes! The ride felt planted at all times.

Being the celestial variant, we had the touring seat on the bike. While I got used to the stock cushioning through the ride, the missus started feeling the need for an air seat post riding for 5-6 hours a day! Will probably get one from Grand Pitstop before our next ride.

The only negative point that I felt during the trip - the suspension! While it has been spoken about at length across multiple forums, there’s no denying that it’s stiff and makes you uneasy in case the bad patch of the road extends beyond 30kms or so. However, it’s something you learn to live with. Honestly, it’s easy to do so, as the bike ticks all the right boxes apart from this.

Finally, Sharing some images from the trip

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I am not sure whether Royal Enfield is keen on solving this problem as the motorcycle has been out for a year now.

BHPian Theron_blr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I took a 500 km test drive of this monster a while back which helped me figure out if I should buy this beast or not.

Here are my main problems with this bike

• Suspension: So far, I have not heard of any viable replacement options for the suspension. I'm not sure if RE is keen on correcting this part since it has been out for a year.
• Front heavy: Compared to my Avenger, I can feel the heavy front, especially when making U-turns. I think if the angle of the front wheel can be changed (red line), it may help reduce the front weight. Is it possible to change this angle?

• Handlebar is far: The standard handlebar is wide and forward, so I have to stretch forward and my upper back has to open up, putting some strain on it. The blue line represents the reach. Is there a way to bring the handlebars a little closer up by a few inches and maybe reduce their span?

I loved the bike except for these 3 deal-breaker issues.

Here's what BHPian Waspune had to say about the matter:

The stiff rear suspension of the Super Meteor is a well-known fact. However, I have read that setting the pre-load by 1/2 steps makes it more compliant. It might sound counter intuitive, but it seems to work as per a lot of YouTube reviews of Super Meteor in the western market.

So I would urge SM owners to try doing this before thinking of an aftermarket suspension. Would help other prospective buyers as well!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Super Meteor 650 is the first model to get this app as standard.

Royal Enfield has introduced Wingman, a connectivity app for its motorcycles. The Super Meteor 650 is the first model to get this app as standard. However, the company does plan to offer it on other models in the future.

The Wingman app provides real-time information about the motorcycle’s health to the rider. Riders can monitor critical parameters, including fuel level, battery status and service alerts. It also has several safety features like engine on/off alerts and location tracking, last parked location and walk-to-my-motorcycle feature.

The Wingman app monitors riding patterns and collects trip information like ride routes, max speed, average speed, etc. It also provides notifications about sudden acceleration and braking.

Royal Enfield has set up a customer support team to assist riders in case of a breakdown. Riders can request service support and roadside assistance using the Grid Support option.

Royal Enfield Wingman is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

I already had a Royal Enfield and for this motorcycle, I waited for over 4 months after booking.

BHPian nkchokshi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hey guys, so here is my first and last review of my Super Meteor 650. I purchased SM650 on Raksha Bandhan 2023 and sold it yesterday 22nd October. So my journey with this bike was only for less than 2 months. And I rode about 1500 KM on this bike.

Before I start my bike review, I would like to add some things about the dealer as well. I bought it from a dealership in Ahmedabad. I bought my TB350x from the same dealership 5 years back so I booked the new one from him too.

But he was rude as hell. Initially, I had booked the Top of the Line SM650 back in April and got the Astral Black 650 as he had no idea when he will get my booked bike. Every time I asked for an update he said to write an email to the company they would update me.

After 4.5 months when he had Astral black available he called me and said that this was the one available and that if I wanted I could have it. So I booked it. The delivery experience was bad as well.

On the day of the delivery, my mahurat for getting the bike was about 6 in the evening, he didn't even keep my bike ready & washed. And asked me to get it outside of the store. But we insisted him to get it done inside the store. No cake as well, lol. Did I expect more or it's just me? I mean I am buying a bike for 4.45 lakh almost the same rate as a Maruti Alto. The costliest bike in the RE store and still such a rude and cold reception. So he is out of my future business.

Now about the bike, as I said I have been riding my Thunderbird 350x for the last 5 years now and made up my mind as soon as this SM650 came out because straightaway it was the update I was looking forward to. Took a test ride and fell in love with it. I took a test ride of the SM650 touring variant and loved it. But the showroom guy denied giving it for a long ride, at least for 50km (which I regret the most and I should have insisted him before booking).

Immediately after getting delivery on 3rd day I went on a Ahmedabad to Vadodara ride which was a 200KM breakfast ride, and I was happy for the first 70km, but on coming back at a speed of over 80km/h, the bike felt like jumping on small patches, and by small patches I mean the road correction patches and not the potholes.

Due to the stiff suspension, the bike was actually kicking those jerks back which was never an issue with TB350. Same time my right knee also started paining, which was unusual. Maybe that is because of my height of 6 feet but that was not an issue with TB350.

Went to Mount Abu, rode from A'bad 500km (total) with my wife and the same way both of us were happy for 100km and after that, we really felt the jerks and knee pain, especially on the right side. And both of us were tired when we reached the destination. Breaks on the road kind of increased after 100km.

The first service experience was okay as there was nothing much to do and the service people knew me from my past bike so never had an issue on that end.

I never had a heating problem. As I knew, the big air-cooled engine would have its cons, so I was prepared for it, and I knew it would give a heater-like heat on my legs.

But the only reason why I am posting this review is if you guys want to go with this bike or any bike for your touring, please insist the showroom guys to give you a long test ride. I will pay if I have to next time but I will take a long ride before putting my money on it.

The bike's looks and build quality are amazing, fell in love with it at first sight, but the only issue was the suspension that made me lose interest. I mean I am not sure why RE would make the suspension so hard that the ride quality would get worse and worse as you move by.

The lower bike height was not an issue, but in the city if you are with a pillion and if you are heavy like me (I am 110kg), you will bump the bottom of your bike on every unusual bump. Normal bumps you get by easily, except the ones where you have to stop the bike and slowly move by. But you can get used to it, once you know. And funny thing was, my wife kept counting every time it scraped the bottom in our city ride as well.

I am not new to riding. I have done 300-400km single stretch with just one break and with a pillion as that was the only intention to get a more spacious bike and this one was perfect in all points, except one which was so bad that I couldn't live with it. I believe it's kind of psychological as well that once you find the worst point of something you can't get it out of your mind, and ignore it. And the same thing happened to me. After these 2 rides every time I rode this bike on city roads, I kept examining the stiff suspension, and hell I was feeling each and every ups and downs patches on the road.

So you have to be sure if you can live with it. I could not. I know some of you will hate me for saying negative about this bike but, this is what I felt and before it was too late I decided to sell it. It was hard and I lost some money but still, I think I made the right decision. Because we go on rides once in a couple of months and if that ride makes us miserable, I don't think it is worth the money spent. I rather take a small slow machine that makes us smile at the end of the journey, which I was totally missing.

So the moral of my story is please take long rides of costly bikes, city use is fine, and you will not feel any issues but it's when you are touring you will get an idea about how bad or good it is. And don't ever fall for YouTube journalists' hype.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have installed aftermarket aux lamps. The headlight doesn't have a good penetration at dusk and during rain.

BHPian SupMeteorStorme recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Adding my observations and accessories list after riding in peak traffic in Hyderabad for the last 2 months.

Observations

• Mileage: 22 kmpl (1st service not done yet) with a mix of gentle riding and spirited riding, and heavy traffic half-clutch in 1st/2nd gear.
• Pickup/Acceleration: Excellent at all sorts and in all gears.
• Stability: Excellent.
• Riding position at speeds: Comfortable.
• Riding position in heavy traffic: Little cumbersome due to the feet forward position.
• Riding through speed breakers, potholes and bumpy roads: Go slow. Rear suspension is stiff and will smack your ass.
• Ground clearance: Not an issue; don't look at the numbers.
• Clutch: Light, no pain in left hand even in heavy traffic.
• Braking: Just perfect. Can and does stop on a dime.
• Headlight: Good-looking DRL. Not very good penetration at dusk and during rain.
• Build quality: Excellent.
• Weight: Not felt during riding; definitely felt during reversing.
• Turning radius: Larger than normal.
• Engine heat: Felt near the right ankle in sneakers, and also felt near my right thigh when stopped at traffic lights/signals that are 2-3 minutes long.
• Smiles per mile: Infinite.

Accessories added

1. Mad Dog Alpha LED aux lamps
2. Zana rear brake master cylinder guard
3. Aeedea shoe burn protector
4. AutoEngina bash plate
5. AutoEngina crash guard
6. Bandidos Pitstop LCB Comet Luggage Carrier
7. Bandidos Pitstop LCB Bolide Pillion Foot Rest
8. Covers for brake oil plastic containers (front and rear) from Sans Classic Parts

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The panniers could be introduced as part of a new variant or an official accessory.

Images of a Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 test mule have surfaced online. What is interesting about this bike is that it is equipped with a set of panniers. Could this be a new Bagger variant of the Super Meteor 650?

Besides giving the Super Meteor 650 a stylish new look, the panniers also add a bit of practicality. They fit perfectly on either side of the rear fender and are likely to be removable and lockable.

At Rider Mania 2022, Royal Enfield had showcased similar panniers as part of its range of accessories. Therefore, there is a good chance that the bike maker is merely testing the fitment and durability of the panniers on this test bike, before introducing it as an official accessory on the Super Meteor 650 in the future.

The Super Meteor 650 was launched earlier this year. It comes in three variants – Astral, Interstellar and Celestial. The bike is powered by a 648cc, twin-cylinder engine that belts out 47 BHP and 52.3 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

Source: Zigwheels

This bike does get noticed, it's a looker for sure. RE has matured hugely with this machine.

BHPian abhoumick recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have always been in love with bikes.

It was sparked in my childhood with my maternal uncle buying the Yamaha RX100 & teaching me to drive. Oh boy, that feeling of cutting through the wind, the gush of adrenalin & the sensation of freedom overtook me sooner than I expected. That was somewhere around 1988-89. I was born & brought up in the industrial town of Durgapur, West Bengal. Well-paved tarmac roads & very few 2-wheelers on them. I had the time of my life on that RX100.

Later, as I started earning I bought a Bajaj Calibre, then a TVS Fiero F2 & then a Bajaj Pulsar 220 and then I migrated to cars. Fast forward to 2023 & I realised that my time to ride bikes is passing away, I should get one now or I can never again.

Thought of the Harley & came to know they have stopped doing business in India, BMW was a good option, and so was the Benelli or the KTM but didn’t like the aggressive driving position which I so used to love. I decided to look for a cruiser & chanced upon the Super Meteor 650.

The sitting position was an instant hit, and the upright body position & slightly foot-forward stance was very comfortable. I am not migrating from any motorcycle so I did not carry the baggage of the crouched aggressive position with your feet under your buttocks. In the aggressive riding position, the weight is more on your knees whereas here it is on your bums. Where the aggressive position allows you to dart into corners easier & take tighter turns, it is not comfortable for long rides. Where the crouched position helps you cut through the wind better, this seating position subjects you to more wind blasts on your chest. There are advantages & disadvantages, but I liked this position. RE has provided a large windscreen to save you from the wind blast but there a buffeting issues at high speeds.

I realised the heft of the bike as I tried to move it. It is a very very heavy bike, it has the capability of giving you muscle pulls & slipped disks in the parking lot. But, into the midlife crisis, the heart rules the mind in these decisions & rationale gives way to carpe diem. I guess that's what happened to me. I bought the bike. I did not have to wait for the 4~6 months after booking. In fact, I never booked the bike, there was one available owing to someone's cancellation & I grabbed the opportunity.

One good thing is that moving the bike while sitting on it is very convenient as there are no foot pegs to bite into your shin bone or calf muscles, those are forward mounted & out of your way.

After bringing it home, it took me 2 days to realise what I have done. Then I started taking it out on short drives to re-familiarise myself to bike riding & to learn to handle this huge machine. I realised that I have not only got a huge & heavy piece of machinery but also a very powerful one. I'll not go into the maths in this forum of technically aware comrades, but if you do the math you'll realise that this bike is more powerful than the Mini Cooper….and that's frightening because you are on 2 wheels. After almost 20 years of driving cars, in which sometimes I used to wonder if my car is genuinely doing 120kmph on expressways because I don’t feel a thing, now the speed of 80kmph on a bike seemed frightening. The windblast at 100kmph is a commendable force to reckon with.

As I started getting comfortable with the machine, I noticed that when riding, the weight actually gives me the confidence of being on a planted machine. With the ground clearance being low in this bike, you have to take speed breakers with love. I'm yet to scrape the underbelly.

The upright & low seating position, low CG & long wheelbase translate into a wider turning radius than your average motorcycle. Add to that an excellent pair of shoes from CEAT gives the bike better than anticipated eagerness to lean into corners & come back upright. It felt somewhat like the centre weight of a good steering wheel, the bike is eager to come back up to the upright riding position from the tilt fluidly & confidently.

Esthetically, the RE badge on the tank & blacked-out engine looks stunning, but the Super Meteor 650 badging on the side panels looks like an afterthought.

The other positive is that the dual silencers do not stick out or rise upwards, like the interceptor, for example, they are parallel to the sides & quite tucked in. The advantages you get are a narrower profile for meandering through tight spaces & your pillion sits more comfortably, not in a knee-up position.

The engine is high on torque so getting out of tight spots or overtaking is a breeze.

The LHS & RHS stock mirrors are of excellent quality, they do not vibrate, hence giving a stable view of your backside, maybe the stalks could have been a trifle shorter?

The gearbox, I'm told is way better than other RE bikes but, I feel it still is not as refined & smooth as the lesser competitors in the market. I have experienced occasional slips. Some shifts are smooth while some are clanky. Getting to the neutral is tough sometimes. In my case the 3rd gear slips at times.

The brakes have an adequate bite in them to stop this huge machine. No complaints there.

I bought the Touring version (Celestial), meaning wider, more comfortable seats for the rider & pillion. These are very comfortable seats, better than the ones on the Interstellar & Astral. My PoV, the touring seats coupled with the backrest rob the bike of its low-slung cruiser look that you get in the Interstellar & Astral owing to the tapered off almost non-existent pillion seat.

Once you get the muscle memory right, you start noticing the other parts around you, the switchgear for example, they are of very good quality, giving the impression they'll last a while. The side-stand engine cut-off is a very nice feature, and will definitely prevent some accidents. The LED headlamp which doubles up as DRL during the day is a nice touch, the light beam has a nice spread, but it should have been stronger (more lumens). The fantastically shaped & optimally positioned handlebar could have gripped a trifle thicker. The gear & brake levers though adjustable still seems designed for larger hands. The factory-fitted windscreen is not vision corrected, so looking through it doesn't give you the right impression of the road ahead.

Another observation I have is the engine heat. This being a huge engine between your legs you tend to feel the heat on long rides. Especially if you were to stop at a red light or railway crossing. Even while riding the bike I tend to feel the heat.

My observation is that the suspension is a tad stiff, especially at the back, this is mainly because the scope of travel is very limited at the back. The USD forks in the front do a very good job whereas the rear dual shocks are already at their softest setting when I bought the bike. I believe this much stiffness is required to give the bike the agility that it has.

A few things I didn't quite get. Are these misses by Royal Enfield's engineers (very hard to believe) or are they deliberate omissions (we think!)?

1. Some kind of protection/guard for the primary brake cylinder. Looks like it is waiting for you to inadvertently kick it or was it designed so that the fluid level is visible? An explanation will cull the aftermarket promotions as they lead riders to believe that without a protection/guard, you cannot survive.
2. The other thing might not be a miss, but I feel the fantastic-looking petrol tank lid could be more flush, not allowing for a gap in between for water to flow into the cavity during rains. Could RE have put a malleable gasket in-between to cover that gap? There is a drain hole beside the inlet opening, probably for this purpose.
3. The Oil filter is positioned right behind the front wheel almost aiming at it. Stone chips thrown back by the front wheel will directly hit that cover. Maybe that cover is designed to withstand that assault. But since there is no clarification from RE, sump guards are a must-have aftermarket fitment.
4. Finally, the colour options are limited. I mean the same bike is coloured in so many colours already, so why is the limit of only red & blue for the highest trim? I believe the top tourer trim could have been offered in all the available colours, it's after all only the change of seat & addition of the windscreen. Some reviewers have remarked that the tourer version as a little different handlebar, but I couldn't make that out.
5. The internet is rife with photographs of the paneers mounted on the Super Meteor 650 and they look absolutely stunning. Even the official RE website sports such a photograph right on the homepage. But, you can't get them from either the online or offline RE stores. RE please make the accessories available with the bike now, it's been more than 4 months since this bike has been released.
6. Then there is the USB port for charging your smartphone. It's located inside the left side cover where you have the air intake. So, you need an extra long & strong cable to travel all the way from there to the handlebar or tank bag depending on where you keep your phone. Point to note that this wire will travel directly above the engine head & will have to tackle all that heat (650cc).
7. Then there is the horn. It is definitely not commensurate with the bulk of the bike, it sounds puny. Feels like it's been plucked from a 100cc bike.
8. With the kind of power on tap, I believe RE could have added riding modes like the lesser competitors have. I don’t know the implications of adding a host of electronics apart from the increase in the base price of the vehicle, but maybe RE will add them in later versions.
9. What I really miss is a tachometer. I feel the speedo on the left and the tacho on the right with the tripper on top would probably have been the best dash layout for this premium bike. But that's only my PoV.

All said & done, I have had people showing me the thumbs-up sign on the road, this bike does get noticed, it's a looker for sure. RE has matured hugely with this machine. I sincerely believe this bike will age well & will be one of those machines that are passed on from father to son.

I have ridden both recently. Sharing only my PoV.

The Avenger feels a more refined, slick, cushier ride but a trifle low on power. Its seating position is good, but the handlebar seems too big. The bike feels light.

The Super Meteor feels robust, planted & powerful. It takes a little getting used to the raw power of this one. Fortunately, unlike the other REs, this one is very well-built and built to last. The only shortcoming to me is a lack of refinement.

The suspension is harder, but not the breaking point for the purchase decision as you'll observe there is no way of making it better as there is not much travel in the rear with the low-slung design.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I feel that the fuel efficiency that the motorcycle returned on the road trip is not bad at all.

BHPian TorqueyTechie recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I went on a long ride (~400 kms) this past Sunday and had a few observations.

1. Bike feels at home on highways and can easily cruise at speeds between 80-100 all day long with adequate power left for those quick overtakes.
2. While the stock mirrors are adequate, I still prefer the wide rectangle-shaped ones as I feel it gives me a wider view. Also, there is a play in the left mirror post 70-80 kmph. Need to get it checked in the first service.
3. Need to definitely have a windshield added else the ride becomes tiring due to the wind.
4. Almost at the end of the ride I was stuck in a jam and had to crawl for a few kms. While managing the bike at slow speeds is not difficult, there was a lot of heat being dissipated which made it a bit difficult for both me and my wife (pillion).
5. Gear shifts are a little notchy and not very smooth. Hopefully should change post-first service.
6. While I was not tired at the end of the ride, my wife was a not-so-happy pillion. Definitely need to upgrade the seat.
7. Around 90% of the roads that we went on were good, the bike handled the rest 10% of the roads pretty well. Not too harsh ride.
8. Bike underbelly hit on a couple of tall speed breakers even at slow speeds. I need to adjust my riding style to ensure that this does not happen.

Fuel efficiency

I had topped up the tank before the start of the ride and had to refuel around 25kms before home. Fuel efficiency was around 26.5 kmpl which I feel is not bad. In the city, I got around 22.5 but it's still early days.

Overall we both enjoyed the ride so much that my wife is already planning for the next one.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.