Royal Enfield has introduced an all-new 350 cc motorcycle, the first model from Royal Enfield's brand-new 350 cc platform, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. The Meteor 350 will replace the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350, and is available in three variants, with priced beginning at Rs. 1.75 lakh (Ex-showroom) for the base variant. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 gets a new dual downtube frame and is powered by an all-new 349 cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke, SOHC engine which makes 20.2 bhp at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The engine features a primary balancer shaft, and replaces the pushrod design with an overhead camshaft, offering higher revs and more refinement. Thr Meteor 350 is available in three variants, with the base Fireball priced at Rs. 1.75 lakh, the Stellar priced at Rs. 1.81 lakh and the Supernova priced at Rs. 1.90 lakh (all Ex-showroom prices). Bookings are open on the Royal Enfield website as well as dealerships beginning November 6, 2020.
Siddhartha Lal, MD, Eicher Motors Limited, riding the new RE Meteor 350
Commenting on the launch of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director of Eicher Motors Ltd. said, "The Meteor 350 is a supremely refined, easy and accessible cruiser. It is a charming combination of classic cruiser styling with modern capability. We wanted to build a motorcycle that could ensure a great cruising experience for new, as well as experienced riders. The Meteor 350 is just perfect for that. It is easy, very comfortable with excellent ergonomics, and absolutely enjoyable for long distance riding and highway cruising, while being great within the city as well. The motorcycle's poise, its agile handling and up-rated braking, result in an unmatched ride experience. The Meteor also comes with Royal Enfield Tripper, a convenient turn-by-turn navigation pod that connects to the Royal Enfield App. We have invested a lot of time and effort in making the navigation simple and sharply intuitive with native Google Maps integration. In a clear manner it gives the rider all the information needed to make the right decision on the road. It is un-intrusive and does not clutter the rider with too many distractions. It is by far the best two-wheeler navigation support. All-in-all, the Meteor 350 is a well-rounded, super refined motorcycle and we are confident that it will bring the golden age of cruising on Indian roads."
Also Read: All You Need To Know About Royal Enfield Meteor 350
New Royal Enfield Meteor 350 gets all-new engine, new frame, new design and features
The Meteor 350 inherits its name from an iconic Royal Enfield motorcycle from the 1950s. The new Meteor 350 has been described as an 'easy cruiser' by Royal Enfield. The RE Meteor 350 has been positioned as a global product and will be offered on sale not just in India, but also in Thailand, Europe and North America. The new RE Meteor 350 is a product of Royal Enfield's global team, with inputs from the UK Tech Centre in collaboration with Royal Enfield's R&D department in India. The Meteor 350 will be offered in three variants, Fireball (with two colours), Stellar (with three colour options), and the top-end Supernova with two colour options. Suspension is handled by 41 mm telescopic front forks with 130 mm of travel, and twin tube shock absorbers with 6-step preload adjustability at the rear.
Royal Enfield has also launched the Make It Yours initiative, a motorcycle personalisation programme under which customers can use an online configurator and tap into thousands of possible personalisation combinations when they order their Royal Enfield motorcycle via the Royal Enfield app, on the official website, or at a dealership.
Royal Enfield CEO Vinod Dasari with the new Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Commenting on the launch and specifically about the Make It Yours initiative, Vinod K. Dasari, CEO of Royal Enfield, said: "With the Meteor 350, we wanted to build not just a fabulous motorcycle, but also create a whole new way for people to engage with the brand and transform their purchase and ownership experience. While motorcycle personalization has grown enormously over the last decade, the options available to create a personalized purchase experience are practically nonexistent. We've changed that. Our production team has worked diligently on developing new manufacturing systems at our world-class Vallam Vadagal plant, and has come up trumps with an intuitive, frictionless ordering system. We are very proud to be the first Indian motorcycle manufacturer to offer our customers such a wide choice of personalization options when they order their new motorcycles."
Also Read: Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Launch Highlights
New Royal Enfield Meteor 350's engine makes 20.2 bhp at 6,100 rpm and 27 Nm at 4,000 rpm
In terms of dimensions, the Meteor 350 has a longer wheelbase than the Thunderbird 350, but with a kerb weight of 191 kg, it has lost 6 kg overall weight over the Thunderbird 350. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 comes with standard dual-channel ABS, with a 300 mm front disc with twin piston floating caliper and a 270 mm disc on the rear wheel with a single piston caliper. Wheels are alloy type, with a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel, shod with tubeless tyres.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Review
New Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will be offered in three variants, with scope for further customisation with genuine accessories
The new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is the first model from the all-new 350 cc platform from Royal Enfield, and the new engine and frame are expected to be extended to the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Royal Enfield Bullet 350. In terms of competition, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will compete with the likes of the Honda H'Ness CB 350, the Jawa, Jawa Forty-Two and the Benelli Imperiale 400. The base variant Meteor 350 Fireball is priced at Rs. 1,75,825 (Ex-showroom), the mid-spec Meteor 350 Stellar at Rs. 1,81,342 (Ex-showroom), and the top-spec Meteor 350 Supernova is priced at Rs. 1,90,536 (Ex-showroom).
