Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

Launched in 2023, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 became one of the most premium bikes to be offered by Royal Enfield. It’s the third motorcycle to emerge from the popular 650cc platform, but unlike the Interceptor and Continental GT, the Super Meteor is purpose-built as a cruiser.

I first rode it on open highways in Rajasthan, where its relaxed touring character really shone through. Later, I experienced it in everyday traffic to understand how it handles city life and whether it works as a daily companion as well.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Design  

The design is similar to the Meteor 350 where it has the silhouette of a classic cruiser. The bike has a low slung profile with a long wheelbase. The bike gets a full-LED headlamp and a Showa Big Piston Separate Function inverted front fork at the front. Towards the rear, the chrome twin exhausts, shaped fender, and intricate detailing make it look like a much more expensive motorcycle than it actually is. What I personally liked was the near integration of the exhausts, unlike the upswept pipes on the Interceptor or GT, these sit flat and parallel to the ground, perfectly complementing the cruiser stance. Even the switchgear pods, finished in brushed aluminum, add to the premium feel.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Colours

The bike has a total of six paint schemes to choose from. They include Astral Black, Astral Green, Interstellar Grey, Interstellar Green, Celestial Red, and Celestial Blue. Personally, the top-spec Celestial Red colour scheme looks gorgeous, especially when it is sparkling in the sun.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650:  Build Quality

The Super Meteor 650 is a well-built motorcycle that has a really premium finish to it and it catches a lot of attention wherever it goes. The paint finish is also really good which increases the overall appeal. The seat stitching, mirrors, and the cast aluminum switch cubes all look and feel well-executed.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Convenience Features

The instrument cluster is the same as the one we see on the Meteor 350 but the Super Meteor gets the off-set tripper navigation pod as part of the standard equipment. The bike also gets knob adjustable clutch and brake levers. The semi-digital instrument cluster has an analog speedometer with a small digital screen showing trip data, gear position, fuel level, and clock. A USB charging port is included but it misses out on Bluetooth connectivity and a TFT screen. Overall, it does have the essentials for touring and daily commuting.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Safety Features

On the safety front, the Super Meteor gets dual-channel ABS, hazard lights, and a slipper clutch. There are no riding modes or traction control, which some may expect at this price point, but the Super Meteor sticks to a classic, analog riding experience.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Rider Comfort

The moment you swing a leg over the Super Meteor, you settle into a proper cruiser stance. The seat height at 740mm, makes it easy to plant both feet flat on the ground. With this short seat height, the ground clearance stands at a low 135mm. The rider triangle is relaxed where a rider is placed with their feet forward, arms slightly elevated, and their spine straight. The seat itself is wide and thickly padded, offering excellent comfort over long hours. Wind protection on the base variants is minimal, but the Celestial’s windscreen makes highway touring easier. The heat management is also decent and while the engine does get warm in traffic, it never becomes unbearable.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Pillion Comfort

Pillion comfort depends on the variant you pick. The base Astral variant’s pillion seat is compact and better suited for short city rides only. The Celestial variant, however, comes with a backrest and a broader, more supportive seat, making it suitable for long-distance touring. The wide grab rail, forward-set pegs, and overall posture make for a relaxed experience, especially if you’re not tall. Over extended rides, a pillion may still want a better cushioned seat, but it’s not bad for a stock seat.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Engine

The chassis and swingarm for the Super Meteor 650 had been developed in conjunction with Harris Performance. This chassis holds the 648cc, air-oil cooled, twin-cylinder motor that puts out 47PS at 7,250rpm and a peak torque of 52.3Nm at 5,650rpm, and is mated to a six-speed gearbox.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: City Performance

Royal Enfield says that 80% of the peak torque is available from as low as 2,500 rpm. This is clearly felt in the city as you release the clutch to get going. The bike has a linear power delivery and potent torque propelling the bike forward in the low-range rpms. The clutch action is slightly on the heavier side like most RE motorcycles but the gear shifts are slick. The motor has an extremely tractable nature and can easily handle cruising at speeds of 50kmph in the sixth gear. Because of the long 1500mm wheelbase and the heavy 241kg kerb weight, moving the motorcycle at a standstill and taking U-turns will be physically demanding for many riders.  

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Highway Performance

The bike quickly gets up to triple-digit speeds and can handle cruising at 120kmph with ease. If you push the revs high, there are a few vibrations felt, although this is a motorcycle that is meant to be ridden peacefully while taking in the views. Even though I am not a big fan of cruisers, I really did enjoy my time astride the Super Meteor 650 as it covers long distances effortlessly while keeping a rider extremely comfortable. In my opinion, the windscreen could have been slightly taller as the top of my helmet did seem to be catching some windblast at higher speeds. Here is how the bike performed in our acceleration tests 

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Mileage

The Super Meteor gave us a mileage of 23.63kmpl in the city and a similar 24.67kmpl after the highway run. With a 15.7-litre tank, the real-world range sits at around 380km, which is acceptable for a 650cc, twin-cylinder cruiser.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Handling

The Super Meteor focuses on being a stable and predictable machine. The heavy 241kg kerb weight helps it stay planted, and once leaned into a corner, it feels very secure. Tight turns and fast flicks will obviously require some effort. The wide handlebar does help with leverage, but the sheer size and geometry mean that it is happiest in wide, flowing corners rather than narrow, twisty back roads. I did find a couple of fast-flowing corners and the Super Meteor 650 impressed me with its stable and planted nature while carrying good speed through the corner.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Tyres

This bike rides on a 19-inch alloy wheel at the front and a 16-inch alloy wheel at the rear wrapped in CEAT Zoom Cruz rubber. These tyres provide excellent grip as I felt extremely confident, even when the bike was fully leaned over.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Brakes

Braking duties are handled by a 320mm disc at the front and a 300mm disc at the rear with dual-channel ABS. This setup works well to get this heavy bike to a halt in mostly all situations. There is a good feel at the lever but experienced riders might have liked a sharper initial bite.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Ride Quality

The ride quality is plush when you have open highways ahead to cruise. The front Showa inverted forks soak up most bumps and road imperfections but the rear twin shocks are on the firmer side and felt harsh on my back unless I really slowed down for a pothole. On highways, the suspension works along with the long wheelbase to deliver a cushioned, and fatigue free ride. Additionally, while it is a very heavy bike, the weight disappears once it is on the go. For Indian roads and daily commuting, the Super Meteor might not be the most practical option. While I was a little worried about the low ground clearance, the bike sailed past speed breakers and undulations without any issues in my time spent with the bike.

The Super Meteor 650 is an extremely capable machine to take on long-distance tours. While the current generation of bikers prefers to take on long rides on a Sport Tourer or an ADV, there is a classy appeal to cruising on a retro-styled bike that none of those motorcycles can provide a rider with. The Super Meteor 650 is not practical by any means with its weight and low ground clearance, but a bike that will surely be appreciated by a true cruiser enthusiast. 

Priced between Rs 3.99 lakh and Rs 4.32 lakh (ex-showroom), the SM 650 is good value for money when you consider that you are getting a bike with premium build quality, potent performance, and touring capabilities. It is not the most convenient bike for day to day use considering its large proportions and weight, but that is not really what it was ever made for. Royal Enfield have been aggressively updating their portfolio which is nice to see considering the amount of options riders now have to choose from.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650: Variants

There are three variants of the bike on offer: Astral, Interstellar, and Celestial. Astral and Interstellar have a sleeker split seat setup while the top-spec Celestial variant gets accessories like a larger windscreen, a special touring seat, and a backrest for the pillion rider as standard. The difference between Astral and Interstellar are the use of dual-tone colour schemes on the Interstellar variant.

There is no direct competitor of the SM 650 as it is a 650cc, single-cylinder cruiser, making it quite unique. However, interested customers can check out the Kawasaki Vulcan S. It is a twin-cylinder cruiser but much more expensive priced at 7.59 lakh (ex-showroom). Recently, Honda also launched the Rebel 500 in India. It also gets a twin-cylinder engine and is priced at Rs 5.49 lakh (ex-showroom), making the SM 650 really good value for money.