Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

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At 5'10", you have the advantage of being able to comfortably fit on most cruiser motorcycles available in India. Choosing a bike will boil down to your budget and preferences in terms of the bike you prefer.If you are looking for an attainable yet premium-feeling textbook cruiser with proven reliability and a strong ownership experience, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a great starting point. It offers a comfortable riding position, a smooth engine and is well suited for both city commutes and relaxed highway rides. Its flashier sibling, the Goan Classic 350, offers a similar riding experience but with more visual pomp and flair. If you want something with a bit more power and presence, the Super Meteor 650 is a significant step up. It has a strong parallel-twin engine, a more premium feel and is very refined at highway speeds. Do bear in mind that the Super Meteor has stiff rear suspension which paired with the laid-back rider's triangle, will result in discomfort over poor patches of road.If you are open to something that has the character of a cruiser but looks more like a roadster, the Harley-Davidson X440 T is worth considering. It offers a definite step up from the RE 350s but isn't as heavy or uncomfortable as the larger 650cc models.

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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.