The new 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 slots into the lightly-represented mid-size cruiser market with a novice-friendly and highly approachable machine—only the Kawasaki Vulcan S is a direct competitor. The British-designed, Indian-built motorcycle is a handsomely finished machine that feels anything but budget, despite its sub-$7k price tag. For anyone interested in the cruiser experience but not ready to spend five figures, the Super Meteor 650 is more than a tempting option.
- First impressions are important, and Royal Enfield’s focus on details pays dividends as it turns heads. Styling is spot-on, from the teardrop tank, with its cool stylized meteor badge, period-appropriate metal switchgear housing, and round head/taillights (yes, even with the modern LED upgrade). The analog-style speedometer has a small half-moon inset LED screen with a gear indicator, odometer, and digital clock.
- The paintwork is beautiful. Royal Enfield has established itself as a brand with high-quality paint on the tanks. The Super Meteor is no exception. The Super Meteor we tested had the Celestial Red, which is exclusive to the touring version and looks fantastic.
- The 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 appropriates the 648cc air-/oil-cooled parallel twin engine from the Continental GT and INT650 sport bikes. With a cruiser-focused tune, the Super Meteor has its own personality. While its name might suggest a fireball throttle response, the power delivery from the SOHC four-valve powerplant is smooth, and the transmission is seamless, making the Super Meteor an easy and relaxing ride.
- Royal Enfield went with a 19-/16-inch wheel combo on the Super Meteor 650. That gives the bike a laid-back/raked-out look, while keeping the seat height under control.
- The 29-inch seat height is not exactly cruiser-low, but it’s an accessible altitude for many riders. One of the most appealing attributes of cruisers is their seat heights, with some coming in under 25 inches. Getting both feet flat on the ground adds confidence, which is especially important for newer riders. Of course, the trade-off for a low seat height is shorter travel, and the Super Meteor didn’t go that route.
- Ergonomics set the tone, and the ride establishes cruiser credibility. You feel the cruiser vibe as soon as you settle onto the nicely cushioned seat (we tested the Super Meteor with the touring seat) and prop your boots on the forward footpegs. The seating position is upright, with plenty of room for handlebar adjustment. The forward foot controls are perfectly placed, and it takes little time to get used to them. There’s no need to shift your feet on the pegs to actuate the brake pedal or shift lever; both are directly under the front of your boots and have excellent feel. My only complaint is that the side covers get in the way of my legs when coming to a stop.
- Don’t let stats like curb weight prejudice you; take a ride. On paper, the Super Meteor might sound like a handful at 531 pounds, but you wouldn’t know it by riding it. The weight is carried low, the wide handlebar provides leverage, and the engine’s smooth power delivery makes slow-speed handling a no-stress affair. Credit the effective rear brake for facilitating slow speed finessing without needing an especially practiced touch.
- Around town exploration on the 2024 Royal Super Meteor is super fun. Leisure scouting through unfamiliar neighborhoods is easy, thanks to the predictably calm engine response. I don’t think twice about doing a quick U-turn to go back and snap a picture of the Halloween cat skeleton on the roof of that California Bungalow I just passed. Similarly, the bike’s six-speed gearbox and broad powerband allow me to enjoy the sights rather than manage gear selection.
- An assist function for the clutch would not be unwelcome on the Super Meteor. Although the Super Meteor’s cable-actuated clutch pull is not unduly heavy, it can become fatiguing in unending Los Angeles stop-and-go traffic. On the plus side, the adjustable lever is nicely sculpted with smooth lines.
- The 650 feels secure and comfortable at freeway speeds, even without the touring package. There’s plenty of power on top, and sixth gear feels like an overdrive. Cruising just above 70 mph without a windscreen is comfortable, as most of the windblast passes over my helmet. The seating position is comfortable, and the tank is a perfect width for a secure grip with my legs. All is well except for rough freeways with concrete expansion joints—losing contact with the seat at speed never feels good. There’s no buzziness in the mirrors from the parallel twin, and the Ceat Zoom Cruise tires play well with rain grooves.
- The fixed damping suspension is tuned well for the value-priced Super Meteor. The upside-down Showa fork—a first for Royal Enfield—is an unexpected choice given the retro aesthetic, and its 4.7 inches of travel handles average road conditions admirably. The dual shocks, which are spring-preload adjustable to accommodate a passenger, are a tad stiff through the four inches of rear wheel travel. While that’s not an issue at a leisurely pace around town, the firm suspension becomes noticeable as speeds pick up. My 115 pounds got bumped off the seat when the going got rough and fast.
- The low center of gravity keeps the 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 nicely planted when slaloming through the hills at an unhurried but enthusiastic pace. As long as the asphalt is smooth, you’ll be happy to keep the throttle twisted and use the feet forward riding position to help turn the bike. There’s a decent amount of cornering clearance, though it’s not hard to scrape the peg feelers if circumstances misalign. I caught a feeler on a lane reflector while leaning moderately through a turn; that was disconcerting with the feet-forward ergonomics.
- Ceat Zoom Cruise tires provide the Super Meteor 650 with a predictable and steady ride. The larger-diameter front tire has a more relaxed response, perfect for the bike’s personality. The beefy rear tire undoubtedly helps the twin shocks on sharp-edged bumps and delivers all the traction the engine needs. I can confidently take both tires to the Super Meteor’s cornering clearance limit. While Ceat isn’t a household name in the United States, it is in Ceat’s home country of India.
- The 320mm front disc capably slows the Super Meteor from expected speeds. While it takes an authoritative squeeze to get the most out of the twin-piston ByBre caliper from speed, you can supplement it with the able 300mm rear disc if you need to stop quickly. Around town, the braking is perfect. Two-channel ABS is stock; it’s not hard to trigger the rear, but it’s also not bothersome.
- Next to the speedometer, you might notice the Royal Enfield’s turn-by-turn navigation pod. It uses RE’s Tripper app to guide you on your way. It feels superfluous as a standard feature, though fine as an option for those who like turn-by-turn navigation. If you don’t use it, it functions as a clock in a larger font than used on the speedo’s LCD.
- The 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has a three-year unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance. One of the primary concerns of potential buyers is the reliability of the Super Meteor 650. Royal Enfield assuages those concerns with an impressive warranty that helps you should you find yourself stranded.
- The 2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is a welcomingly approachable bike. Its smooth power delivery, perfect transmission, broad powerband, and gently delivered low torque make the Super Meteor easy for anyone to handle. With comfortably relaxed ergonomics, the bike sets the tone for a stress-free, unhurried ride, whether the destination is a local coffee shop or a wandering, no-destination trek through rural backroads.
Photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
• Helmet: Arai Regent-X
• Communications: Cardo Packtalk Neo
• Jacket: Joe Rocket Ladies Classic ’92
• Back protection: Joe Rocket SW Comp KT Lvl 2
• Gloves: Alpinestars C-1 Windstopper V2
• Jeans: Alpinestars Daisy v2
• Shoes: Alpinestars J-6
2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Specs
ENGINE
Type: Parallel twin
Displacement: 648cc
Bore x stroke: 78 x 67.8mm
Maximum power: 47 horsepower @ 7250 rpm
Maximum torque: 39 ft-lbs @ 5650 rpm
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Cooling: Air and oil
Valvetrain: SOHC; 4 vpc
Fueling: EFI
Transmission: 6-speed
Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS
Frame: Double-cradle steel tube
Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 43mm inverted fork; 4.7 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Spring-preload adjustable shocks; 4.0 inches
Wheels: Aluminum alloy
Tires: Ceat Zoom Cruise
Front tire: 100/90 x 19
Rear tire: 150/80 x 16
Front brake: 320mm disc w/ ByBre twin-piston floating caliper
Rear brake: 300mm disc w/ ByBre twin-piston floating caliper
ABS: 2-channel
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
Wheelbase: 59.1 inches
Seat height: 29.1 inches
Fuel tank capacity: 4.15 gallons
Curb weight: 531 pounds
COLORS
Astral Black
Astral Blue
Astral Green
Interstellar Green (+$300)
Interstellar Grey (+$300)
2024 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Price: $6999 MSRP
