Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is powered by a 349 cc single-cylinder air and oil cooled engine producing 20.2 hp and 27 Nm; paired with a new five-speed transmission
Just a few weeks ago, Royal Enfield launched the Meteor 350 in India as a replacement to the Thunderbird 350. It has evolutionary design updates compared to the Thunderbird and is based on the new J platform that will also underpin the next generation Classic 350. It is sold in three variants namely Fireball, Stellar and Supernova.
The Meteor 350 is priced between Rs. 1.75 lakh and Rs. 1.90 lakh (ex-showroom) in the domestic market. It derives power from a new 349 cc single-cylinder air-and-oil cooled engine, which is good enough to generate a maximum power output of 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque – 0.4 bhp more power and 1 Nm less torquier. It is paired with a new five-speed transmission.
Underpinned by the double cradle chassis, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will enter the United States market next year. Developed at RE’s engineering centre in India and UK, it marks the return of the Meteor name as the original Meteor 700 was available in the 50s with a twin cylinder engine and displacing twice the CCs.
As for the mechanicals, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is suspended on 41 mm telescopic front forks and pre-load adjustable twin shock absorbers at the rear. The anchorage is dealt by 300 mm front disc and 270 mm rear disc brakes while a dual-channel ABS system is offered as standard with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels.
The homegrown retro motorcycle manufacturer has been expanding its range in the international market with good reception on the back of the success endured by the Interceptor 650 and continental GT 650 alongside the Himalayan adventure tourer. It will rival Honda Rebel that costs around 4,599 USD (Rs. 3.40 lakh) and expect RE to undercut it with the Meteor 350.
Expect the motorcycle to reach Stateside by spring 2021 and it could appeal for a wider set of audience. In addition, the improved ride quality and refined engine could come in handy in getting a positive response. The variant levels won’t likely have any modifications in the US as well as it could stay similar to India.