Royal Enfield Meteor 350

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 replaced the Thunderbird and is one of the most accessible cruiser motorcycles in our market. It is equipped with a refined, single-cylinder engine and also gets some modern features. Riders who want a laid-back, retro motorcycle for everyday commuting and cruising on the weekends will appreciate what the Meteor 350 has to offer. But does the Meteor 350 manage to blend nostalgia with everyday usability? That is exactly what I tried to find out after spending over 800km with the Meteor 350.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Design  

With its wide handlebars, nicely sculpted 15-litre fuel tank, and laid-back stance, the Meteor?350 gets its cruiser proportions just right. The round headlamp has a DRL ring around it, the bike rides on alloy wheels, and the dual-tone paint colour options make it look fresh yet familiar. It gets a split seat setup with a backrest for the pillion, and the exhaust runs parallel to the ground. There are also a bunch of official accessories available for the Meteor 350 to further enhance its touring abilities, like a windscreen, panniers, and more.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Colours

There are a bunch of colour options to choose from, including Fireball Red, Fireball Matt Green, Fireball Black, Stellar Black, Stellar Blue, Aurora Blue, Aurora Black, Supernova Blue, and Supernova Red. Personally, I like the top-spec Supernova Red scheme as it looks really premium in that shade of red. If I had to nitpick, I would say that the tail section could have been sleeker for an even more appealing cruiser look. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Build Quality 

The build quality of the Meteor 350 is commendable for the price point it is being offered. The switchgear, paint finish, and overall fit-and-finish levels are good. The metal tank and body panels also feel sturdy and durable.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Convenience Features

The Tripper Navigation pod is one of the main features alongside a USB-C charging port. The digital-analogue console displays all necessary information at a quick glance and this dash is easily visible and functional.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Safety Features

The bike gets dual-channel ABS and DRLs for added safety. It misses out on ride modes and traction control, but for a laid-back cruiser, these features are more than enough and get the job done just fine. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Rider Comfort

This is one of the most comfortable Royal Enfield motorcycles that I’ve ridden. The seat height stands at 765mm and this makes it accessible to a wide range of riders. The ergonomics are laid-back and make for a fatigue-free ride even after 200kms of being in the saddle. Longer distances on the bike also didn’t hurt my back or wrists, making this a very usable motorcycle.

In the city, shorter and smaller riders might find it heavy, especially in stop-and-go traffic, but once on the go, the weight is hardly noticeable. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Pillion Comfort

The cushioning of the wide pillion seat is supportive. I have taken passengers on longer rides of around 100km, and other than the rear shocks that feel firm with extra weight, it has been pleasant overall. The backrest comes as standard on the top-spec variant and is another thing that is very useful in providing pillion comfort. With the upright riding position, the pillion is placed close to the rider. The only thing a pillion might find a little too small for their liking is the grab rails. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Engine

The Meteor 350 uses the 349cc, single-cylinder, air-oil-cooled J-series engine, the same motor that powers the Hunter and Classic 350. This engine produces 20.2PS at 6,100rpm and a peak torque of 27Nm at 4,000rpm, delivering a smooth and predictable power delivery that’s ideal for newer riders. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: City Performance

In stop-and-go traffic, the low-end grunt of the engine is helpful for most situations. I was able to cruise at 30kmph in 4th gear, which shows the tractable nature of the motorcycle. The clutch action is slightly on the heavier side, but the gearshifts are slick. There is ample power to make quick overtakes, but it is not the slickest while trying to cut through dense traffic. In our acceleration test, here is what the Meteor was capable of:

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Highway Performance

The Meteor 350 prefers to comfortably cruise rather go really fast. It can hold 80–90kmph effortlessly. Once it touches the 100kmph mark, there are a few vibrations felt at the handlebars and pegs. When I did a 200km highway run, it performed consistently, even though triple-digit speeds are not its forte. Getting the top-spec model with the windscreen and pillion backrest will make sense for those planning longer highway rides. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Mileage

Tuned for everyday usability, the Meteor 350 gave us a mileage of 41.88kmpl in the city and 38.77kmpl out on the highway. Overall, these are really good mileage figures for a 350cc motorcycle. On a full tank, I was easily able to do around 500kms. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Handling

Thanks to its low centre of gravity and updated chassis, the Meteor handles significantly better than the Thunderbird. It feels planted and predictable both in city conditions, twisty roads, and out on the highway as well. It is not the sharpest when it comes to cornering, but thanks to the weight, it feels planted once it is committed to a corner. Overall, it is a fairly confidence-inspiring machine. There were even times I got carried away while cornering and landed up scraping the footpegs.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Brakes

The bike gets disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS. The feedback is consistent, but I would have liked a sharper bite at the front. The ABS engages engages smoothly, even in wet conditions, but grabbing on the front brake lever in case of an emergency might not feel very confidence inspiring as the ABS engages suddenly and increases stopping distance when a rider might want to come to a halt immediately. 

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Ride Quality

The bike absorbs road irregularities fairly well. High-speed undulations are also handled firmly, but the rear suspension does feel a bit firm. Personally, I found it balanced with my 57kg weight but heavier riders might find it too stiff while riding alone. Riding with a pillion, the bike feels more plush. It is comfortable on city roads, with an occasional thud when hitting a deep pothole. Out on the highway, the bike does feel really stable, providing a rider with more confidence when they are riding at higher speeds.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Verdict

The Meteor 350 is a well-rounded 350cc motorcycle. It blends aesthetic charm and refined power delivery with a dash of modernity and comfort. It’s not about top speed with the Meteor 350, it’s about enjoying long rides without fatigue. If you want a cruiser that has a lovely charm, holds modern usability, and still carries that Enfield soul, this is it. The Meteor 350 is priced fairly competitively starting at Rs 1.96 lakh and going up to Rs 2.19 lakh (ex-showroom prices).  

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Variants

There are four variants of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. Fireball is the base variant, followed by Stellar, which gets the Tripper Navigation pod and a USB charging port. The third variant is Aurora, which adds dual-tone colour options, and finally, the top-spec Supernova, which also gets a backrest and windscreen as standard.

Apart from the standard variants, the Meteor 350 also came in a limited-edition Sundowner Orange variant, with only 2000 units made. It featured a dual-tone orange and cream paint scheme, touring accessories, and exclusive tubeless spoked wheels.

The Meteor 350 is a one-of-its-kind cruiser in the market but there are two motorcycles that can be considered its competition. The Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise does not fall in the same 350cc category but is much cheaper and offers a similar cruiser stance. The Yezdi Roadster can also be considered its rival. It is a slightly lighter motorcycle, feels peppier and is a slightly more compact bike while riding in the city. It is priced similar to the Meteor 350, so riders should take test rides of both bikes and choose their preferred pick.