The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is the only authentic old-school cruiser around the Rs 4 lakh mark. Here are three reasons why you should consider it and two reasons to skip it.
Reasons to buy the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
1. Textbook cruiser style.
A cruiser’s design is perhaps the most eyeball-grabbing – especially so in our country – among the various types of bikes there are and the Super Meteor, with its low-slung silhouette, butch stance and vibrant colours is an archetypical example of one.
2. Characterful and grunty motor.
The 648cc, twin-cylinder Royal Enfield motor does duty in the Super Meteor (and 5 other models) and is a perfect match for this machine. With a strong midrange surge of torque, just the right amount of sensations to qualify as character and a lovely – if a little muted – soundtrack to boot, the Super Meteor’s engine is one of its strongest factors to get one, especially at this end of the market.
3. Excellent quality and finish.
With the Super Meteor, Royal Enfield made a big leap forward in terms of perceived quality and fit and finish levels. From its deep, rich paint finishes to its metal switch cubes and chrome mirrors, everything you touch and feel on the bike makes you feel like it's money well spent.
Reasons to not buy the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
1. Stiff rear suspension.
The biggest reason to not buy the Super Meteor – and a rather large number of recent RE launches – would be the stiff rear shocks. What only makes matters worse is the relaxed riding position, which means your back bears the brunt of the abuse that a less-than-ideal stretch of road will subject the bike to.
2. Erratic fuel gauge.
On a machine with a large 15.7-litre fuel tank and a penchant for gobbling up the kilometres, Royal Enfield should have equipped it with a more accurate fuel gauge. Parking the bike on the side stand will cause the fuel level to misleadingly rise up and it's only after you get riding for 10-15 minutes, does the level drop down to its actual reading, which can put you in a bit of a bind if you’re running low on fuel but the bike shows you otherwise.
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