Royal Enfield Thunderbird was a Iconic bike from the Royal Enfield’s stable.

It was loved by the riders who do long rides and prefer a cruiser bike.

It provided a relaxed riding experience that was impossible to match at its price point.

But unfortunately it had to be discontinued so that it could make way for a brand new bike, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 replaces the Thunderbird and Thunderbird X line up.

Apparently Royal Enfield could not use the name “Thunderbird” in certain international markets. And since RE wanted to take the bike globally, it came up with the name “Meteor”.

It must have been very tough for the Royal Enfield to discontinue a popular bike that was a brand on its own.

And it is even tougher to build a bike that is better than the bike that was so popular, especially when you have not made much changes over so many years.

I was never a Royal Enfield fan.

I never liked those big bulky machines with lot of noise and vibrations.

But now there is a brand new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 in the market that promises a lot.

So I decided to give the bike a try.

And now I am here with this detailed review to tell you everything that you need to know about the bike.

So that you can make a informed decision!

Before we start with the review, you should know that the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is offered in 3 variants:

1. Fireball
2. Stellar
3. Supernova

Mechanically all the variants are same, i.e. power output, dimensions and all are same.

Differences are only limited to cosmetics i.e. look and feel.

And I will let you know about these differences in the article itself.

So, without wasting much time, let us start the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 review with how the bike looks.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Looks

RE wanted the bike to resemble with the Thunderbird line up.

Because of the obvious reason that it replaces the Thunderbird line up.

So one glance at the bike and you will think of it as the Thunderbird.

And the base variant colors, the Fireball Red and Yellow will remind you of the Thunderbird X.

But when you look closer, you will realize that other than the resemblance everything else is new and different.

Front Looks

You will notice a big round headlight from the from that is surrounded by a LED DRL ring.

But the headlight still gets the halogen bulb.

The DRL ring does adds a little bit of modernness to the front but the overall feel from the front is still retro.

You get big retro looking Indicators with halogen bulbs.

But it would have been great if RE had given LED headlights and indicators.

Unlike its siblings, you do not get upside-down forks in the Meteor 350.

And also unlike its siblings, you do not get a metallic front fender in the bike as well.

Side Looks

Move to the side and you will notice that the Meteor 350 looks more or like the same as the bike it replaces.

You now get a blacked-out engine in all variants.

But the bike color varies in all the variants and there are also some cosmetic differences between the variants that are most visible from the side.

You can check out all the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 colors HERE.

One thing to note here is, the side panels are also made of plastics, unlike its siblings.

Overall the bike looks similar to the Thunderbird and you will clearly see the resemblance.

Rear Looks

From the back, the first thing that is noticeable is beautiful looking all-LED tail lights, which also has an outer ring-like the front headlight.

But again you get big round halogen indicators at the back that kind of spoils the look.

Another noticeable thing is the fat rear tire. 

The rear tire is 140mm wide and it does look fat and gives a macho look to the bike from the back.

Overall the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 looks more or like the same as the Thunderbird but also has some modern touches to it. 

It looks like a modern-looking machine and it feels premium. The all-black engine casing also adds to its modern feel.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Instrument Console and Switch Gear

Sit on the bike and the first thing that you will notice is that the fuel tank looks and feels large.

However, the fuel tank capacity is reduced from 20 liters (in Thunderbird X) to 15 liters.

On the sides of the fuel tank sits the chrome-plated Royal Enfield logo.

The chrome-plated logo is available on the Stellar and Supernova variant.

While the Fireball Variant gets a normal Royal Enfield sticker.

The next thing that you will notice is the brand new instrument console with two dials.

The left one is the larger one which in turn is divided into two parts as well.

One part consists of the analog speedometer and indicative lights. And this part forms the outer part of the dial.

The inner part of the display is a digital unit. It displays the fuel meter, time, gear position indicator, odometer, and 2 trip indicators.

Yes, you read that right!

You get a gear position indicator in the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

However, the dial on the right is a smaller one with a digital color display. Overall the instrument console looks and feels modern.

Royal Enfield has also introduced the Tripper Navigation System in the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

When connected through Bluetooth and with the help of Google Maps, the right dial shows you the directions to take.

And if not connected to the Smartphone, the right dial shows you the time.

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The next thing that you will notice is the new rotary switch gears. And they look and feel modern and unique to use.

The quality of the switchgear is also good.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Engine and Performance

Royal Enfield Meteor is powered by an all-new 349cc single-cylinder, air-oil cooled motor.

That produces a maximum power of 20.2bhp and a maximum torque of 27Nm.

The power figures are not at all impressive on paper.

In fact, while the power has increased nominally (by the only 0.4bhp), the torque has decreased by a whole Nm (by 1Nm).

But take the bike on-road and it tells a different story altogether.

When compared to its 350cc sibling, the Classic 350, the Royal Enfield Meteor is marginally faster.

It takes an eternity to reach from 0 to 100kmph in the Classic 350.

But this is not the case with Meteor 350. It manages to do a 0-100kmph sprint in 15.3 seconds.

For your information, the Classic 350 manages to do it in around 23.1 seconds.

And Yes! We are shocked too. We do not know how RE has managed to do so with the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

And we are glad to report that now you can see quite clearly in the rearview mirrors as well.

Yes! RE has worked on the smoothness and vibrations

 And they have done a fairly good job.

However, the bike is not completely vibration-free.

And you can still feel them at high revs but they never become harsh and are only limited to the footpegs.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Ride and Handling

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 seat height is set at 765mm which is a comparatively lower set. 

But it is good for both short and tall riders.

The rider seat is large and comfortable

And you will not feel uncomfortable in the long run.

The pillion seat is also comfortable. 

And you get back support in the Stellar and Supernova Variant. 

The footpegs are very forward set and you will need some time to get used to them.

The handlebar is pretty wide and high set too, making the seating position very upright and relaxed.

When you will sit on the bike for the first time, you will feel like you are seating on a sofa.

That is how comfortable and relaxed the bike’s seating position is.

The weight of the bike is 191kg, which is quite heavy.

But once you get on the bike and the weight kind of disappears.

The bike manages its weight a lot better than before.

Thanks to the new frame that the bike is built on.

The bike feels more sure-footed and is quite easy to maneuver in the city as well.

The bike is good for everyday city usability and good for especially long highway trips.

You can easily manage a constant speed of 100km/hr on the highways.

Vibrations do become a little prominent at 110km/hr but they will not bother you much.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Specifications

Royal Enfield Meteor 350	Specifications
Engine Type	Oil-Air cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC
Displacement	349cc
Max Power	20.2PS
Max Torque	27Nm
No. of Cylinders	1
Cooling System	Oil-Air Cooled
Ground Clearance	170mm
Seat Height	765mm
Kerb Weight	191kgs
Wheelbase	1400mm
Brake Type(Front)	Disc(300mm)
Brake Type(Rear)	Disc(270mm)
ABS	Dual Channel
Fuel Tank	15L
Headlight	Halogen
Fuel Supply	Fuel Injection
Gear Box	5 Speed

Check out the detailed specification of Meteor 350 HERE.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Mileage and Maintenance

You can expect and overall mileage of around 36kmpl from the Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

The Meteor 350 gets serviced every after 5000 Kms or 6 months, whichever is earlier.

And the normal service cost ranges from ₹1000 – ₹1200 per service.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Price

As discussed earlier, Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is offered in three variants:

• Fireball
• Stellar
• Supernova

Fireball variant was launched at a price of around ₹1.79 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And used to cost around ₹2.05 lakhs on-road Delhi.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Stellar variant was launched at a price of around ₹1.84 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And used to cost around ₹2.11 lakhs on-road Delhi.

Supernova variant was launched at a price of around ₹1.94 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And used to cost around ₹2.22 lakhs on-road Delhi.

But now Royal Enfield has increased the prices twice.

Now the Fireball variant starts from ₹1.92 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And costs around ₹2.19 lakhs on-road Delhi.

The Stellar Variant now starts from ₹1.98 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And costs around ₹2.25 lakhs on-road Delhi.

The Supernova Variant now starts from ₹2.08 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. And costs around ₹2.36 lakhs on-road Delhi.

The launching price of the bike was somewhat good. But now I think the Meteor 350 is clearly overpriced, especially the Supernova variant.

Prices vary from state to state. If you want to check the exact price in your city, then click HERE.

Royal Enfield: “Make It Yours” Program

Royal Enfield has launched a new “Make It Yours” program so that its customers can own a unique motorcycle of their own.

You can choose from a variety of accessories for Royal Enfield Meteor 350 like different legal exhausts, different seats, and seat covers, and windscreen designs.

These customization options are available under the program.

And RE says that there are multiple lakhs of combinations available. That can make your bike unique and truly yours.

You can configure your own Meteor 350 HERE.

Verdict

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a solid bike that appeals to its fair set of customers.

It is not a fast bike and it is not meant to be one.

But it is marginally faster than its siblings.

The bike is more modern and more capable than ever before.

It looks more beautiful than ever before.

The build quality is good. And there is an ample amount of customization available.

If you want a retro-looking modern cruiser bike, then this is the bike that you can surely consider.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has also won the prestigious Motorcycle of the Year award recently. You can check the whole story HERE.

If you like to watch, then you can watch the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Detailed Review below:

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