Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Astral

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There is no confirmed date yet for a revised Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. A test mule of what seemed to be an updated Super Meteor 650 was spotted overseas more than a year ago, and this bike had a different rear suspension than the current bike. The stiff Super Meteor's stiff rear shocks have been a noteworthy complaint from both journalists and owners, although it remains to be seen if and when Royal Enfield updates its flagship.

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We'd recommend you stick with the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 over the Super Meteor 650 for your mixed-use case spanning both city and highway runs. The Shotgun's riding position is more neutral and will be comfortable over longer durations - especially considering the stiff rear suspension will keep sending bumps from the road to your spine.Since you're not comfortable reaching the handlebars in stock trim, experiment with a set of small handlebar risers to see if it alleviates your issue.You should also look at the Interceptor 650 while you're at it, because it delivers a similar riding experience to the Shotgun and has pliant suspension for Indian roads. Take a test ride of these two before making your decision.

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In terms of familiarity, the Harley Davidson X440 will be the logical next step up for you from your Thunderbird 350. With its neutral ergonomics, plush suspension and torquey air/oil-cooled engine, the X440 T will serve your use case well. If you want something with a bit more performance and more commanding ergonomics, then the Triumph Scrambler 400 XC is what you should consider. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will easily be the most comfortable for two-up riding of the bikes you've shortlisted, but its heavy kerb weight could be hard to manage, especially with a pillion onboard in stacatto big-city traffic. We'd recommend you steer clear of the Super Meteor 650 because its laidback riding position and stiff rear shocks will cause you discomfort over bad roads. Take a test ride of the other three with your pillion to see which one you find comfortable before you make your purchase.

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If you are looking to upgrade to a cruiser body style, your options are limited to the Royal Enfield Shotgun / Super Meteor 650 within your budget. These bikes are large, stylish, twin-cylinder machines that will be relatively easy to live with from an ownership and running costs standpoint. However, both weigh 240kg (or more), and that could potentially be too much to deal with on a daily basis.A test ride of these bikes should help you understand their riding experience and whether or not their weight is manageable for you.On the other hand, if you're willing to wait a while, Honda is reportedly gearing up to launch a localised version of the Rebel 300 later this year. This would be a more manageable and approachable machine given its single-cylinder engine and more compact dimensions.

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Some time ago, a test mule of the Royal Enfield Super Meteor was spotted testing overseas with different rear shock absorbers. Moreover, considering its stiff ride has been one of the few complaints we've levied against it, this could potentially fix that issue. Considering that the Super Meteor 650 has been unchanged since its launch in early 2023, Royal Enfield could update it this year. However, there's no official confirmation from the brand regarding this.

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Since you have mentioned that you are looking at the Honda CB350 H'ness, we'll recommend bikes of a similar nature and price point. The Honda CB350 trio are excellent machines that will be reliable, easy to maintain, and last you a long time. In a similar vein, bikes like the Royal Enfield Bullet / Classic / Hunter 350 will also be good companions. A test ride of these bikes will help you identify which one suits you best.We would advise against the Super Meteor 650, as that is a very large machine with stiff suspension, and its cruiser ergonomics will only make the ride worse.

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The Keeway V302C is a unique offering with its V-twin engine and mean, bobber looks, and it is also a rare sight on our roads, which might persuade you to get one. However, in our experience, there are a lot of areas where this bike needs work. Its rear suspension has very little travel, leading to a jarring ride over less-than-perfect roads. Its fit and finish, as well as overall build quality, cannot justify its Rs 4.15 lakh (ex-showroom) price tag, and Keeway has a minuscule dealer network across India. Also, the V302C isn't a machine that has cemented its reputation for reliability like other, more mainstream rivals. All this being said, we recommend you steer clear of the Keeway V302C and, for that matter, other Chinese-origin bikes on sale in India. Sadly, the cruiser space in the middleweight displacement segment has seen very few entrants and aside from the Super Meteor, you are limited to the Kawasaki Eliminator 500 (Rs 6.16 lakh) and Vulcan S (Rs 8.13 lakh), the only two offerings from a reputed make under the Rs 10 lakh mark. Other options will require you to significantly increase your budget.

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Between the Honda H'ness CB350 and the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, we would steer you toward the Triumph bike purely because it offers you significantly higher performance for not that much more money. The Scrambler is also a smooth, comfortable do-it-all motorcycle which has good passenger accommodations as well. The H'ness is also comfortable for two-up riding and is a good city bike, but it will not be able to match the Triumph's performance advantage. We would advise you not to go for the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 because it is a rather heavy bike at 240kg, which will not be the best fit on traffic-riddled city roads. Moreover, its stiff rear suspension will be the bigger reason to look elsewhere. If you want a RE 650, we would recommend taking a look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor, as that has more pliant suspension and is also much lighter.