Moto Review: 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

Motorcycles
September 29, 2024
Dan Gunay

It has been several years since we haven’t seen anything new in the middleweight cruiser segment. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has made a striking entrance into the Canadian motorcycle market in 2023, and it stands out against the competition with its retro-inspired design and elegant stance. In a market where most middleweight cruisers feel generic and bland, the Super Meteor is a compelling option that deserves more attention in North America.

The Super Meteor 650 gives you the classic cruiser stance, which is uncommon in the middleweight segment. The single LED headlight is framed in matte chrome, which adds a touch of vintage charm. The only missed opportunity is the full LED lighting, as you get halogen indicators front and back. On the positive side, it is an important milestone for the brand, as the Super Meteor 650 is the first Royal Enfield model that offers LED lighting. Considering it heavily undercuts the competition, it should not be a deal breaker. The attention to detail is quite impressive with its polished finishes and quality components. Our tester was the Celestial trim with more touring-oriented features, and even the red colour would not be my first choice, the dual-colour option makes the bike feel even more upscale than the competition.

The high-quality feeling continues throughout the bike. There are lots of chrome pieces including the handlebar, exhaust and engine components. The amount of shiny chrome isn’t too much like other cruiser models, Royal Enfield found the right balance of shiny and matte surfaces throughout the bike. The one-piece seat looks and feels very comfortable, and offers a lot of space for both the rider and the passenger. The Celestial trim offers a backrest, which makes the whole experience a lot more comfortable if you are riding two-up.

Speaking of comfort, the Super Meteor 650 offers quite relaxed ergonomics with low seat height and a wide handlebar even for large adults. At 6’1″, I had no issues with the ride comfort even on longer trips. Even though it is not a big-bore cruiser, it doesn’t feel cramped at all. If you choose the Celestial trim, the Super Meteor also comes with a large windshield, which is not adjustable but large enough to block most of the wind coming towards the rider’s chest and lower part of the helmet.

Just like the rest of the bike, the controls you interact with are quite simple to understand, including the digital screen. The Super Meteor 650 has an analog speedometer with a small digital screen in the middle, showing essential information like fuel level and trip meters. However, the most surprising part is the secondary digital screen located on the right. You can download the Royal Enfield app, and connect your phone to the bike to use the navigation feature with Google Maps. It is not a replacement for smartphone integration platforms like Apple CarPlay, but it is something that no other entries offer in this segment.

The Super Meteor 650 comes with the biggest engine Royal Enfield offers in its model lineup. It has a 648cc parallel-twin engine that generates around 46 horsepower and 39 lb-ft of torque. The engine has a single overhead camshaft, an air & oil-cooled engine block, and which makes the Super Meteor 650 a unique choice with more character. The engine has a 270-degree firing order, which gives it more of a V-Twin character when you rev the engine. The same engine is also used in other Royal Enfield models, but the Super Meteor 650 has a slightly different intake and exhaust system that results in different character and power delivery.

The air-cooled parallel twin engine is matched with a 6-speed transmission geared short enough to make the engine feel peppy, but long enough to handle highway drives. The slip-assist clutch has a light feeling with a predictable clutch lever. The powerband is perfectly adequate for highway trips and not overwhelming even for newer riders. The only safety feature is the non-switchable ABS, the bike does not have any sort of rider aids, which is totally acceptable for this price range and the power level. The throttle response is smooth, predictable and easy to modulate, making it quite easy to ride for any sort of rider, while still being fun.

Unlike most entries, the Super Meteor 650 doesn’t fall on its face if you ride it in a spirited fashion, even though it doesn’t have any adjustment options other than preload settings in the rear. It has 43mm Showa big piston inverted forks in the front that handle road imperfections fairly well. The chassis is quite responsive, it hides its weight really well. The bike tips into the corner with minimal effort, and feels very stable in the mid-corner. On the other hand, the dual Showa shocks in the rear are firmly sprung and easy to bottom out, which can be a little uncomfortable with two-up riding.

Just like the suspension setup, braking performance is also more than adequate with a disclaimer – you need to use rear brakes to stop confidently. The Super Meteor 650 comes with Bybre brake components front and rear. It has a two-piston caliper matched with a 320mm disc in the front and another two-piston caliper with a 300mm disc in the rear. The front brake has a decent initial bite but can be a little vague at the limit. On the other hand, the rear brakes are quite confidence-inspiring and make you want to use it more, especially if you ride faster.

Even though it can handle spirited riding reasonably well for a cruiser, the bike aims to offer a stress-free riding experience. It is a terrific daily rider as it is easy to operate with its relaxed geometry, and it has a predictable powerband and throttle response which makes the bike more accessible for a wider variety of riders. Despite its weight, it is very well balanced at low-speed maneuvering. Its air-cooled engine gives it a unique character, which also makes riding more fun within the speed limits. Royal Enfield also offers a variety of options to make it more customized and accessorized, which is crucial for the North American cruiser audience.

The Super Meteor 650 is not only a benchmark for the brand, but it is the only option that offers the traditional retro-styled cruiser experience with an air-cooled engine in the middleweight segment, something that Harley-Davidson promised but failed to deliver for several decades. On top of that, the Super Meteor 650 offers the best value proposition in its segment with its starting price of $9599. For long and boring North American highways, the Celestial trim is the right choice with its touring-oriented features that set you back $400 – which sounds like a well-worth investment.

Engine	648cc, air-cooled, parallel-twin, SOHC
Max Power	47 hp @ 7,250 rpm
Max Torque	38.5 lb-ft @ 5,650 rpm
Front Brakes	Single dual-piston caliper with 320mm disc w/ABS
Rear Brakes	Single dual-piston caliper with 220mm disc w/ABS
Weight (wet)	531 lbs – 241 kg
Fuel Capacity	4.2 gallons – 15.9 L
Seat Height	29.1 in – 739 mm
Price (starting at)	$9,599 (CAD)
Website	www.royalenfield.com/ca/