Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Cheapest Variant: Old Vs New Differences Explained In Pics

The updated Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has been launched, starting at Rs 1.95 lakh (ex-showroom Chennai). The new bike has received some much-needed changes to its features, and with GST 2.0, the base Fireball variant has become a lot more affordable compared to the previous generation model. In this article, we will be going over what has changed using images

New LED Headlight

The first major change the brand has made is the addition of an LED headlight. The unit is similar to the one we have seen on the updated Classic 350 and the higher-end variants of the Meteor. 

The addition of this new headlight should, in theory, put less load on the battery as it is more efficient. But when it comes to real-world use, we cannot say for certain if it will be better or worse until we get a chance to test it out ourselves.

That said, the LED headlight certainly looks cooler than the previous halogen headlight with the circular LED DRL.

New Colours

As part of this update, the Fireball variant now comes in two colour schemes: Fireball Orange and Fireball Grey. Both colours give the bike a modern vibe, with the blacked-out design elements.

On the other hand, the previous-gen Meteor 350 was available in Fireball Black, Fireball Matt Green, or Fireball Red. The 2025 colours look a bit brighter, but we’d have liked it if Royal Enfield had carried over the red colour scheme in the updated model. 

New Tripper Navigation Module & USB Type-C port

Royal Enfield has now offered the tripper navigation module as standard (was an accessory for the older model, costing a few thousand rupees) for the Fireball variant, and this makes a lot of difference. 

This module displays turn-by-turn navigation readouts via the Royal Enfield app. It will make it easier for riders to navigate through new areas in the city or on the highway as one need not go through the hassle of mounting one’s phone on the handlebars and keeping it on throughout. The console pod is smaller than the main instrument console. We wish it were of the same size so that it looks like a proper, symmetric twin-pod console. 

Royal Enfield has updated the left switchgear with a new, faster USB Type-C port. The older model used to come with a USB Type A port, which offers slightly lower current output. Do note that you’ll have to spend extra and get an aftermarket mobile phone holder if you were to use the port to charge your smartphone. But then again, having a phone on the handlebars would make the tripper navigation pod redundant.

New Slipper Clutch

One of the major issues we had with the bike was the rather heavy clutch lever action. This made it quite difficult to ride in stop-and-go city traffic for longer durations. Now, with the new slip-and-assist clutch, this issue will be taken care of.

The assist function will make the clutch action lighter, so working the clutch constantly while stuck in stop-and-go traffic won’t feel as tiresome as before. The slipper function should also help in preventing the wheel from locking up, and will allow it to slip. This should make riding down hills easier without having to worry about the rear getting locked up.

Price & Verdict

The Fireball variant is priced at Rs 1,95,762 (ex-showroom, Chennai), which makes it almost Rs 12,510 cheaper than before. This sharp price decrease, even with the upgrades, is because of GST 2.0, which has reduced tax on bikes under 350cc to 18 percent from 28 percent. For a more detailed breakdown of Royal Enfield bike prices after GST 2.0, check out our detailed explainer here.

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is now a very good value-for-money proposition, and would be a perfect cruiser for both city commutes and longer rides. Other than the changes listed above, the bike remains unchanged. It is still powered by the same 348cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine producing 20.2PS and 27Nm. The engine has ample grunt to keep you engaged. Overall, we are quite glad to see these upgrades, and the price cut has been the cherry on top.