Royal Enfield Meteor 350

autocar.india

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The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 you have shortlisted would be the best machine within your budget for your use case. It has a charming, torque-rich engine with a heart-tugging soundtrack, a low seat height and pretty decent comfort (for a cruiser). You could also look at the Goan Classic 350, which has very distinctive styling and bright colours with similar strengths to the Meteor, like a low seat and a comfortable (ish) ride. We'd advise sticking with the RE 350s and not stepping up to the 650cc models because the bigger ones, which a shorter person like you will consider, aren't very comfortable and also they are quite heavy.Take test rides of both the Meteor and the Goan Classic before you make your decision.

autocar.india

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The TVS Apache RTX 300 may be in the same price and displacement bracket as the RE Meteor 350 and Honda CB350C but it is a completely different sort of bike. It has a more powerful, rev-happy, liquid-cooled engine, better suspension and seating comfort and sportier handling than the two laidback neo-retro machines you've shortlisted. On the other hand, the air-cooled 350s will have a more torque-rich and laidback riding experience. While these bikes will be slower, they're sure to have more of an emotional connect with you. Since these are such drastically different machines, only a test ride will help you decide which is the best one for you.

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A cruiser will be more manageable for your shorter stature but a roadster (like the RE Hunter 350 and Triumph Speed 400) will be a more capable and comfortable bike. Aside from the RE Meteor 350, there's really no mainstream small capacity cruiser worth considering under Rs 3 lakh. If you want to switch to a roadster, we'd recommend the TVS Ronin because that bike has a low seat height and is still comfortable with its neutral ergonomics and light kerb weight. The 350cc Triumph Speed 400 will be the quickest and most dynamically capable of all three machines listed above. The RE Hunter 350 is a very good all-rounder as long as you have no sporting intentions. A test ride will help you decide whether you're ready to make the switch from a cruiser to a more conventional machine or not.

autocar.india

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Since your usage skews more towards slower city riding than faster highway trips, going with a Royal Enfield 350 would be our recommendation. However, the Meteor isn't at the top of that list. We've found the Hunter / Classic / Bullet to be more comfortable primarily because of their more upright and neutral riding triangles. With its laidback cruiser ergonomics and low seat, which puts more weight on your tailbone, the Meteor will feel a little stiffer than its aforementioned siblings over bad patches of road. The Himalayan will also make for a decent city machine and will be inherently more capable on the highway, but its large size and taller seat height might be deal breakers for you. If this is going to be your only bike to do everything, purely from a capability standpoint, the Himalayan makes more sense.Take a test ride of both to understand the pros and cons of each and see which one suits your use case better before you make a decision.

autocar.india

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Since you have said that you have a lower back issue and that you need a comfortable riding position, we'd recommend looking at bikes like the Royal Enfield Hunter / Classic / Bullet 350 instead. The Meteor is a comfortable cruiser, but by virtue of being a cruiser, its feet-forward, relaxed riding position will put more strain on your lower back while going over bad roads. In the Honda 350 lineup, all three machines are very similiar mechanically, and the main differences are in terms of styling, pricing and small feature additions and subtractions. So, we would recommend going with the one you are attracted to the most. A test ride of whatever you shortlist is imperative before you make a decision.

autocar.india

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The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has a very manageable 765mm seat height, which should suit your stature. But if you want the lowest 350cc Royal Enfield bike, then it would be the Goan Classic. The Goan has an even lower 750mm perch, which will be even easier to flatfoot.Do bear in mind that the Goan Classic's handlebars are taller than usual, and this is something you should pay attention to on a test ride. We'd advise taking test rides of both the Meteor and Goan and pick whichever one suits you best and the one you prefer the look of more.

autocar.india

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The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and the TVS Apache RTX 300 are two very different motorcycles. The Meteor is a relaxed cruiser, while the RTX is an adventure bike, a sporty streetfighter.Objectively speaking, the RTX will be more comfortable and capable in just about every situation you'll find yourself in. However, it is quite a tall machine, so if you are a shorter rider, this could be something to look out for, especially at slower speeds in city traffic. Instead of the Meteor, we'd actually recommend considering the Classic / Bullet 350 because they have a more comfortable and upright seating position, which will be more conducive to comfort over your long daily commute. A test ride of these bikes will help you figure out which one is best for your needs.

autocar.india

•18w

While the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 that you have shortlisted is a good place to start, we'd actually recommend its retro siblings, the Royal Enfield Classic / Bullet 350. That's because the Meteor's more feet-forward and relaxed - lazier, if you will - riding position will put some stress on your tailbone after a while and more of the road bumps will filter through to your back. Instead, the Bullet and Classic with their neutral, upright ergonomics and spacious seats will be a better fit.In the Honda stable, we'd recommend you choose between the base CB350 and the CB350 H'ness because the CB350RS's seat isn't as spacious as its siblings.A test ride of these bikes with your preferred pillion will help you make an informed decision.

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Between the Honda CB350, Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Triumph Speed T4, the best all-rounder would be the Triumph. It offers more performance than the two air-cooled 350s and has a sportier chassis, too. You should also see comparable fuel economy figures on all three if ridden sensibly.That being said, take a test ride of all 3 to see which one suits you best before making a decision.

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Since you have mentioned you want a cruiser style bike to ride in the city and keeping your stature in mind, your choices boil down to the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and its sibling, the Goan Classic 350.Both of these Royal Enfield bikes have low seat heights, which should help you plant your feet on the ground and aid confidence when negotiating stop-and-go traffic. Do bear in mind that these bikes with their feet forward and relaxed riding positions will put a lot of weight on your tailbone and transfer road bumps to your spine, so its worth taking a test ride to see whether or not you can live with this sort of position daily.If you want a lighter bike, then the TVS Ronin is a good option, although its seat height is a fair deal taller than the two RE 350s. Provided you have the confidence to manage a bike on your tiptoes, you can consider the TVS bike.