Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1493698
QUICKSPIN I Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 P94 the right while the truck I was passing eased slightly left, leaving me a small lane between them as they blew by. Terrifying but also ex- hilarating. Drivers in India seem to operate on an almost psychic level. While a 650 may seem like a small bike to- day, they occupy the sweet spot on the speed and utility Venn diagram. In the real world of India, where motorcycles are utility vehicles and transportation, they are plenty fast—hot rods, even. But they still have a job to do. Royal Enfield knows this well, and by mak - ing a twin instead of another single, they've stirred in a bit more power, smoothness and melody to go with an obvious toughness. I was surprised at the comfort of the Super Meteor as we continually pushed limits. The Super Meteor has fairly long suspension travel for a cruiser, with four inches out back and five up front. We made good use of it on our rides, and I was struck by how "in control" of the bike I felt on pretty much any surface, which includ - ed cobblestones, dirt, gravel, even crumbling asphalt. We all hammered throttle and brakes while riding typically out of necessity. The biggest negative: I wanted those foot - pegs moved back a bit so I can better stand on the pegs over rough surfaces as I do on my dual sport. Otherwise, the Super Meteor 650 was all-day comfortable, surprisingly agile and tough as nails. The Super Meteor is another international model for the now internationally ambitious Royal Enfield, but it is shaped by India. It's not going to win any races, but it's also not slow— mine topped 100 mph at one point, if only just. Roll deep into the throttle above second gear and it moves out with gusto, but without terri - fying acceleration. At 530 pounds, it's not light, but it's not meant to be. It's clearly built tough, built to last, and simple to repair, even for a home mechanic. Above all, it was good fun to ride, especially on its home turf, and shook off all the abuse we dished out. Is it enough motorcycle to tour with outside of India? Only one way to find out. Check back later this summer. CN VOLUME ISSUE FEBRUARY , P94 2023 ROYAL ENFIELD SUPER METEOR 650 ($N/A) ENGINE: Parallel twin, 4-stroke VALVETRAIN: SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder DISPLACEMENT: 648cc COOLING SYSTEM: air/oil cooled DISPLACEMENT: 648cc BORE X STROKE: 78mmx 67.8mm FUELING: Electronic fuel injection system, 46mm elliptical throttle bodies, ride-by-wire throttle COMPRESSION RATIO: 9.5:1 EXHAUST: 2-2 HORSEPOWER (CLAIMED): 47 hp. TRANSMISSION: 6-speed CLUTCH: Cable actuated wet multiplate ELECTRONICS: Analog speedometer with inset LCD display showing fuel gauge, time, odometer, trip meter, gear position; second "tripper" display shows TBT navigation or the time. CHASSIS: Steel tubular "spine frame," Harris Performance design FRONT SUSPENSION: 43mm Showa Upside-down, non-adjustable REAR SUSPENSION: Twin shocks, preload adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: 4.7 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: 4.0 in. FRONT BRAKE: Single ByBre 320mm hydraulic disc, twin piston with ABS REAR BRAKE: 300mm ByBre hydraulic disc, 2-piston with ABS FRONT TIRE: 100/90 – 19 in. REAR TIRE: 150/80 – 16 in. RAKE: 27.5° TRAIL: 118.5mm WHEELBASE: 59.0 in. SEAT HEIGHT: 29.1 FUEL CAPACITY: 4.14 gal. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED): 530 lbs. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S