Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (2021-on) Review
Highlights
- Charming retro style with genuine heritage
- Economical to buy and run
- Great handling for its class and price point
At a glance
Owners' reliability rating: | |
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Annual servicing cost: | £170 |
Power: | 20 bhp |
Seat height: | Low (30.1 in / 765 mm) |
Weight: | Medium (421 lbs / 191 kg) |
Prices
Overall rating
Next up: Ride & brakesThe Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a soft, 20bhp, 350cc single cylinder cruiser that suits novices. As such, it's a little underwhelming after the firm's recent advances with its Himalayan adventure bike and Interceptor and Continental GT 650 twins, but is still a significant machine.
It’s more than able, has plenty of charm, appeal and neat design touches, is easy and fun to ride, should be very tempting around town and, crucially, is under four grand.
Its friendly performance, topping out at 70mph, may be nothing to write home about, but it’s pleasingly unintimidating. It has sweet detail touches and spec including the novel ‘Tripper’ standard directional device, and is so well put together its quality and credibility is truly nudging that of, say, Triumph.
New Meteor colours for 2023
One year on from its launch, Royal Enfield have announced colour updates to their popular Meteor 350 single, with the latest crop of bikes starting at just £3879. Powered by an air-oil-cooled 349cc single-cylinder engine, the easy-going cruiser is now available in a range of new designs, starting with the cheapest Fireball Blue and Matt Green options – before progressing to the pre-existing £3959 Stellar models and £4039 Supernova Red design.
According to figures released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), the Meteor 350 was the best-selling motorcycle from 126cc-650cc in July of this year, with 180 new registrations. That’s 60 more than BMW’s R1250GSA.
Speaking about the success of the model, Royal Enfield’s Executive Director, B. Govindarajan said: “Over the last two years, the Meteor 350 has set new benchmarks in the entry-level cruiser segment across global markets, while picking up awards and accolades along the way.
“The addition of new exciting colourways on the Meteor 350 make it a more compelling choice for our customers across the world.”
These accolades include MCN’s 2021 Best Retro award.
Ride quality & brakes
Next up: EngineThe Meteor’s all-new chassis impresses as well. Although cruiser style, it’s only very mildly ‘laid back’ and the riding position is again completely unintimidating with an upright gait and almost toy-like proportions.
Meanwhile the handling from the new steel spine chassis, as you might expect coming from a combination of ex-Triumph types and Harris Performance (product leads Simon Warburton and Mark Wells are both ex-Triumph - Enfield bought UK chassis legends Harris in 2016), is light, easy and glitch-free.
Engine
Next up: ReliabilityThe Meteor’s all-new, air/oil-cooled, balance shaft-equipped single may only put out 20bhp but is ridiculously easy and willing.
It’s decently refined with no glitches or quirks, completely unintimidating, thrummingly characterful and, because of all that, entertaining to thrash around country lanes. However, with a top speed of 65-70mph it’s not recommended for motorways/dual carriageways). For added peace of mind, it comes with a three year warranty, too.
Reliability & build quality
Next up: ValueThe Meteor might ‘only’ be a cruiser 350, with retro styling and 20bhp performance, but for the first time an Enfield’s quality and credibility is truly nudging that of more established modern brands.
With tactile badging, sweet, bespoke retro switchgear, classy ‘Coke bottle’ grips, stylish bar ends, specially-design filler cap and more the Meteor feels like a serious offering. The company also say this is just the start which suggests exciting implications for bikes to come. We can’t wait.
Value vs rivals
Next up: EquipmentThe Meteor might not be big, fast or your ‘thing’ but it’s more than able, has plenty of charm, appeal and neat design touches, is easy and fun to ride, should be very tempting around town and, crucially, is under four grand.
That price, for a quality retro with a great name, plenty of credibility and an ever growing, reputable dealer network, puts machines like the £8K+ Moto Guzzi V7 or the £8500 Kawasaki W800 into stark relief.
The retro-styled Fantic Caballero 500 is more powerful than the Enfield but also £2k more expensive and can't match the Royal Enfield's authenticity and heritage.
A2 group test: Benelli Imperiale 400 v Honda CMX500 Rebel Special Edition v Royal Enfield Meteor 350
First published in MCN June 23, 2021 by Jon Urry
Royal Enfield are a company on a roll and the secret to the firm’s success is down to building bikes that while low on price, hit the mark in terms of the ride quality and fun factor. Unassuming but cool machines such as the Himalayan, Interceptor and Continental GT have really struck a chord with the buying public, providing the company with a rapidly-expanding new source of fans. And the latest addition is the Meteor 350. Designed in the UK but built in India and costing less than £4000, this little single-cylinder retro cruiser seems, on paper, destined to be another sure-fire success story.
That said, it faces tough competition from another multinational company – Benelli. With an R&D department in Italy but parent company Qianjiang building the bikes in China, Benelli have matched the Meteor in terms of price while also adding a bit of extra Italian retro flair. And finally we have Honda’s pricey, yet bestselling, Rebel.
Designed in America to appeal to the ‘generation Z cruiser market’, the Rebel is built in Thailand to ensure its price is kept close to the (cheap for a Japanese bike) £6000 mark. Will the pricier parallel twin Rebel do enough to justify spending a stack of extra cash when compared to the more basic singles?
The MCN Verdict
Once again, Royal Enfield have proved that power isn’t the be-all and end-all. By arming the Meteor with an impressive chassis that has a wonderfully reassuring feel to it, Enfield have created a bike that is fun, entertaining and far from intimidating to ride. And all for under £4k. Yes, it could certainly do with a bit more power to assist with
60mph overtakes, but is this what its target audience will be wanting? I suspect not, they would probably rather just chill-out at 60mph and enjoy the ride – which isn’t something you can do on the other two bikes tested here.
The Benelli is a perfect example of a bike that has been ruined by being built to a budget. Its chassis and suspension feel left in the 1960s and the wobbly nature of the ride means you are left far from confident in the bends, which is a shame as it looks and sounds good. Which leaves the Honda. I have a soft spot for the Rebel but sadly that spot isn’t my bum, which after a day in the saddle feels destroyed by the riding position and harsh suspension. I can see why it is such a good seller for the firm as it handles well and looks ace but if you want to cover distance on one you had better be made of sterner stuff than us...
In its place, which is a city centre or on a short hop, the Rebel rules but on a long ride it is just not fun in the same way the unassuming Royal Enfield Meteor is.
Equipment
One of the few criticisms of Enfield's previous bikes was their sometimes basic, tacky ancillaries – clocks, switchgear, fuel filler etc. Not so here, as the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 features decent kit.
The revived company has made a concerted effort to raise quality and individuality and the results are striking on the new Meteor, whether it’s in the bar grips area, tank badges and filler, seat construction and finish, new LED ‘ring’ head and taillights and so on.
Then there’s the debut of Royal Enfield’s ‘Tripper’ – an ultra-simplified directional display which simply (but ultra-cleverly) takes the Google Maps directions from you phone and, through Royal Enfield’s smartphone app, crunches it into a more basic, clear and friendly read-out. And, yes, it’ll be available as an accessory on Enfield’s 650s soon.
Specs |
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Engine size | 349cc |
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Engine type | Four-stroke, air/oil-cooled SOHC single |
Frame type | Pressed steel spine |
Fuel capacity | 15 litres |
Seat height | 765mm |
Bike weight | 191kg |
Front suspension | 41mm telescopic forks, non-adjustable |
Rear suspension | Twin shocks, 6-way preload adjustable |
Front brake | 300mm disc, Bybre twin-piston caliper, ABS |
Rear brake | 270mm disc, single-piston caliper. ABS |
Front tyre size | 100/90x19 |
Rear tyre size | 140/70x17 |
Mpg, costs & insurance |
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Average fuel consumption | - |
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Annual road tax | £55 |
Annual service cost | £170 |
New price | £3,749 |
Used price | £2,500 - £3,500 |
Insurance group |
- How much to insure? |
Warranty term | Three years |
Top speed & performance |
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Max power | 20 bhp |
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Max torque | 20 ft-lb |
Top speed | 71 mph |
1/4 mile acceleration | - |
Tank range | - |
Model history & versions
Model history
- 2021 - Model introduced.
Other versions
None.
Owners' reviews for the ENFIELD METEOR 350 (2021 - on)
25 owners have reviewed their ENFIELD METEOR 350 (2021 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.
Review your ENFIELD METEOR 350 (2021 - on)
Summary of owners' reviews |
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Overall rating: | |
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Ride quality & brakes: | |
Engine: | |
Reliability & build quality: | |
Value vs rivals: | |
Equipment: | |
Annual servicing cost: | £170 |
Year: 2024
Annual servicing cost: £200
Really surprised by how easy it is to ride and how it handles
Rides brilliantly brakes are enough for the machine, stops easily
I'd forgotten how much I love singles, once run in it Pops along
Only done 700miles had a fork seal leak fixed under warranty
Had first two services free from dealer
Clocks are great easy to see love petrol gauge, it's easy adjust on move and handlebar controls in right places, love the starter button
Buying experience: £4000 Mounts motorcycles port Talbot, I wanted to go to a small family run shop not one run by people who would sell paint or crisps if it made money, they had bike ready in a few days no issues nice staff
Version: Stella blue
Year: 2023
Annual servicing cost: £100
A great little mini cruiser for the b and unclassified roads around the Scottish Borders but just lacks that top end speed when trying to overtake on the main A class roads and dual carriageways.
Being a single there is vibration but it's not intrusive. I personally ride quite modestly and simply rolling off the accelerator allows the engine to do most of the braking only using the brakes for bringing the bike to a stop.
As I've already mentioned the top end speed should be increased for safe overtaking but if anyone could get up to 70 on the b roads where I live and ride good luck to them.
My bike lives outside all year round with a waterproof bike cover on, and while I do treat the chassis with lanolin the only sign of corrosion has been on non standard ancillary parts that I've added.
The engine is so simple to work on I do my own servicing. A proper get your hands dirty bike.
Overall the meteor 350 is well spec'd for it price however I will change the tyres for a road bias dual pattern type to better suit the pothole and gravelly road found around the borders.
Buying experience: The bike was bought new from the dealer with heated grips as an add on extra and shipping from Essex to Northumberland for just under £4000 on the road.
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £140
Very comfortable ride well built for a cheap bike
Comes with sat nav
Version: Fireball Blue
Year: 2023
The styling is what attracted me. That retro cruiser look but at a sensible price and engine size. It's also fairly lightweight so easy to move about.
All good.
Not as quick as I had hoped. Best cruising speed 50-60mph.
Some parts are a little flimsy, but understand that this has to be the case to achieve the low entry to market price tag. The biggest frustration is the mirror vibration which makes everything a blur at certain speeds/ RPM.
Would have liked a rev counter. Later models no longer feature the Tripper as it was deemed not very good. Could have replaced with a rev counter.
Buying experience: Dealer brand new
Version: Stellar
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £300
Perfect for a relaxed ride in town or country.
It is not fast. Ideal on single carriage roads, where the speed is usually between 40 and 65mph. It will run on dual carriage but not really its forte. Sufficient torque to bimble along with a pillion.
What British singles would have evolved into. It is smooth yet retains that classic thumper feel. Good lowdown pull within to boundaries of its modest power output.
Bike is garaged over winter, but no corrosion issues to report. Been totally reliable, finish as good, if not better than my Japanese bikes.
Around £300 per annum, as a low mileage bike. Valves do need doing every 6000 miles so I expect costs to be more for high mileage riders
Laid back seating position makes for a pleasant relaxed ride. Neat switchgear and great looks.
Buying experience: Purchased from a dealer, bought at advertised price. Bike had just come on the market.
Year: 2022
Comfortable riding position. The query gear change back too the days of the step though Honda. Friends have looked at it and tried it and love it.
Version: Fireball
Year: 2022
Easy bike to ride,relaxing ,would recommend to anyone who wants an economical runaround bike
A good general runaround bike and mid distance cruiser,probably would ideally ride for 2hours between breaks
Not particularly powerful,but vibration free and smooth to ride
Seems to be well built, and good value
Should be easy to service ,when I eventually obtain a workshop manual
Good gear change operation,probably would be an improvement with better tyres
Buying experience: Dealer supplied, price of £3,895
Version: Nova
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £150
Comfortable easy to ride even with the toe.and heel gear change. As an older rider find this an ideal bike .
ABS as standard
Very little vibration from the single
Not sure how the bright work and paint will stand up to winter
No rev counter. Sat Nav standard, gear change eco mode
Buying experience: Dealer paid advertised price
Version: Supernova blue
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £150
It's a great little bike. Love every moment on it.
Ride quality is good the brakes okay
The engine is running well, it's just under power on a dual carriageway.
I have the bike seems it came out, and I had no issues at all.
The short service intervals increase my average servicing timing so it's average of 1.5 service a year which it's actually around the £200
Royal Enfield have a plastic paniner that looks quite cheap but plenty of aftermarket options for bags and pannier. And there a lots more equipment from few UK well known aftermarket online shops
Buying experience: I never heard of Royal Enfield before but the price was really tempting but I'm so happy I own It!
Version: Blue Stellar
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £124
in 2022, I returned to biking after a long break due to small person. I bought my Stellar Blue Meteor from a dealer and have had nothing, but fun on it since. I wanted a bike to ride around the lanes, go to cafe's, lunch in the pub or the seaside. the Meteor is perfect for this I have done nearly 3000 miles on her since April last year and she is perfect. I have a faster bike too because there the very fine days I need to blat, but mostly I ride my meteor. I have even taken it on a few road trips. Every time I am comfy and happy. I smile the whole time using it. I love this bike. I don't think she will ever be traded in or changed. Her and I are one when we ride and that's the most I could ever want on a bike. Love her.
Work like a treat & stops on a penny. Had a few close shaves on dual carriageway in the rain in September and not a problem at all.
This bike is not for fast laning and crazy overtaking. It loves 50-70 and yes I said 70. Mine has been run in steadily and carefully. It rides at 70 without the push others complain of. So that saying I have used the bike in a variety of conditions, weathers and roads. She suits them all. I hate the motorway and even dual carriage way, but I would take my bike on them. I just prefer to take the prettier back roads way. It's why I bought this bike.
since it is new I haven't had any faults. I didn't trickle charge the battery for 2 months when not ridden last winter, so I had a few issues in Feb with battery being flat. The engine management light would come on and now I know it's because the battery was flat! And really that isn't a build or quality issue, but my own fault. I now am better prepared with a battery trickler.
Fuel economy is amazing. On recent Road trip I got 320 out of a tank of fuel. I usually get 290 riding around lanes and locally. I always use the E5 and the bike rides smoother with it and mileage is a little bit more. My 300 mile service was £85 and I had a service in February when riding season (for me) restarted and it cost £124 with full oil change. I have my 3000 mile service soon and been quoted £185.Very economical bike
Everything I need is on the bike - 2 trip mileage counters, small tool kit for essential repairs, usb charger, & even the tripper navigation is good. Also it has very comfy seats. I am a girl with a good sized bottom and the bike is perfectly shaped and supportive. I have added bits to make it my own - a large screen, heated grips, fat wider foot pegs, slump guard & engine guard. All at reasonable price and easy to fit to the bike. The stock tyres when new felt a little weird to me, but they have held up well and are now perfectly worn in. They even held up in torrential rain and heavy wind.
Buying experience: Our local RE dealer is great, they are helpful and resourceful. I return to them for all my servicing and when I have queries.
Version: Fireball
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £200
Great looking bike, economical, amazing price. Hard to fault the package but another 5 or 6bhp would be useful. It is a bike that attracts attention when parked up, people stop for a chat. Great for back roads or rural A roads; handles the traffic lights Grand Prix no problem. The Meteor is such a happy bike. Low seat height, good turning circle, so easy to just relax and ride. You ride with a smile that stays with you for ages after you get off.
OK when run in although I have replaced the brake pads with a softer aftermarket version to cure a brake squeal. The first 1000 miles was challenging, when the rock hard suspension threatened to spit me out of the seat at every pothole. Once run in the springs softened up and it runs like a dream. Comfy and easy going for 2 hour stints bimbling around country lanes
Great sound; good low down torque for getting away at the lights. Smooth power delivery. All OK up to about 60mph indicated but no point in asking for much more.
No problems in 10 months and 3000 miles since new.
Over 3000 miles it returns 101mpg average on E5 fuel - astonishing.
I had the tall touring screen fitted on delivery. Never really worked for me due to too much slipstream buffeting around my head. Removed tall screen at 2000 miles and fitted a flyscreen which is much more comfortable. Changed the weird heel/toe gear selector for a conventional arrangement after the first 300 miles. The tripper nav system has a mind of its own so I rarely use it.
Buying experience: Bike Treads in Swindon have been great at all stages. Supply and servicing spot on as with sourcing add ons. They make the ownership experience even better.
Version: Stellar
Year: 2022
Loving most things about this bike. A nice gentle reintroduction to biking after a 37 year break.
Brakes are perfect for the sort of riding I do.. The ABS present on new bikes is very reassuring.
Very characterful engine. Reminds me of the BSA of my youth but without the oil leaks! Low down grunt belies the modest 20 bhp it produces.
Sorted out the very sloppy gear change with the £35 “eBay special” contesting of gear hub and connecting rod with rose joints. It’s transformed the way it works and is a worth the investment. The touring seat is a nice upgrade over the standard. With the addition of a touring screen and some panniers I’m now set for many nice days out in the saddle 🙂
Amazing mpg pottering about the highways and byways in Cornwall. NOTE: no motorways here! 60 mph is plenty.
Everything works as it should. I’ve used the Tripper a few times and it’s very useful .
Buying experience: Independent dealer let me try several bikes over the course of a few months until I fell for my Meteor. It just felt right and has done ever since.
Year: 2022
Excellent commuting and touring motorcycle. Solid and reliable with excellent fuel efficiency that is consistent. Just avoid motorways
Brakes are ok but you need to use engine braking a great deal. Ride quality is very good. Living in central Wales, there are a number of different styles of roads and it performs well. It gets around every corner with ease
I live in central Wales so the engine is just right for the roads that I use. I have been further afield but I avoid motorways as the engine does have its limits. Solid and completely reliable even over winter being left outside. Economy is excellent and i can confirmed a MPG of 95 to 110. Using the bike everyday for a number of different purposes for the last 12 months and it does not alter
Absolutely no problems at all. I use this bike everyday. Literally everyday all weathers and I’ve had no problems at all.
All services to 12k miles and which I have done over the last 12 months. 4 in total 2 big and 2 small. 95 to 110mpg that has been consistent over the last 12 months. Due to circumstances it’s left out without a cover and there has been absolutely no corrosion or any other issue bar slight colour change with plastic bits. It’s phenomenal
There is a good selection of equipment from Royal Enfield and other brands
Version: Meteor Fireball
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £26
Very comfortable, very economical for what is essentially not a light bike. Surprisingly good fun to ride and sounds lovely under acceleration. Although the top speed is limited it develops plenty of useful torque. It seems like a good quality machine. There aren't any bad features if you factor in what you get for the money. If I had to name one it would be the tripper losing connectivity with the phone meaning an app restart each time. Whilst an App update has been promised this has not materialised in Europe as of October 2022.
5 out 5 for what it is at that price. Everything works fine for a retro cruiser with low power output. Brakes have been a tiny bit squeaky but hopefully will improve as they bed in. Handles really well for a bike of this design. Will out corner a Kawasaki W650 with ease.
I had written this bike off solely on power until I rode it. All the missing energy above 74 mph (the restrictor) is somehow squeezed lower down to produce a bike that seems more powerful than it is.
The only minor issue is rust discolouration on the inside of the end of the exhaust that happens very quickly. I wonder if this is a result of more methanol in fuel combusting into more water? As an E10 Euro 5 bike this should be accounted for by Royal Enfield. It can be easily painted over but doesn't look great.
The 'warranty ensuring' first service was carried out labour free by the dealer for £26 and that has been my only servicing outlay above the purchase price this year. As an air/oil cooled bike with just 2 valves I plan to service the bike myself keeping costs down.
Nothing you don't need. ABS and Tripper are the only technical things on this bike and thank God for it! Tyres seem ok in the dry. They definitely don't like wet drain covers but what tyre does?
Buying experience: Excellent although I had a 5 month wait due to demand. First service was labour charge free.
Version: Supernova
Year: 2022
Annual servicing cost: £150
In my opinion this is probably one of the best bike's for someone who has just passed their test, or needs a commuter for work. It has a reliable 350 engine that is easy and cheap to maintain. Quite frugal on fuel and very forgiving in the gear range.
Not the fastest of bike's but it has enough power to get you out of trouble. Most of the roads around here are 50mph and the meteor will reach 70 so no problems going to work on her.
Love the sound that she makes, love how economical she is.
The build quality of this bike is superb considering it's price range. As with all bikes you have to look after it and do basic maintenance like lubricant on the chain etc. But other than the basic services it is very easy to look after.
The £150 was it's first service, but a lot of people are buying this bike and doing the service and maintenance at home. I opted to go to the dealer, just to maintain the warranty.
The seating is incredibly comfortable for me at 5'6" easy to get my feet down when stopping at lights. Only real mod I have done is the gear link road, the original did the job but for £25 I fitted one with rose joints that seems more premium.
Buying experience: Bought from potteries bikes and once again had no issues with them.
Version: Supernova
Year: 2022
The meteor is easy and fun to ride. It is cheap to buy and extremely economical, exceeding 100mpg. It copes with all roads and is great for both short and longer journeys. The riding position is extremely comfortable. The bike has plenty of quality parts and looks amazing after a good clean. It does not need lowering for shorter people. The bike is fairly narrow if you have to get down a side entrance like I do. It is very easy to manoeuvre when riding or by hand. I love the rocker gear change but some people don’t. It can easily be changed. Not many owners like the Tripper sat nav it comes with as it turns off if it loses signal and has to be rebooted with the app. Most of us change the soft seat to the touring version for comfort. The bike is restricted to 70 which is ok because it is happiest at 60-65 but it is still annoying.
The Meteor is at its best on long country rides and is comfortable for a few hours at a time. Decent seat for pillion in upright position. It is a great all round bike but not for the speed lovers and/or regular motorway users.
I am very happy with the engine but wish it wasn’t restricted to 70mph.
Quality is very good for the price. The weak gear linkage for the rocker is best replaced with a more robust part available from eBay for £20. Some people do get a bit of rust. The engine light comes on for no reason but is easy to reset.
Fuel costs are incredibly low. Servicing is not expensive and much can be done easily oneself
My favourite feature is the rocker gear change. I love it. I recommend the touring seat and I love my Oxford heated grips.
Buying experience: I bought from a dealer for £3900
Year: 2021
Unbeatable price to value.
Solo comfortable for 3-4 hours. Very relaxed ride.
At 20bhp, it is always going to be sift. Hiwever it delivers thise 20bhp is a very pleasing manner.
Early days but so far it has been faultless.
Very short service intervals 6 months/3000 miles.
Quality switchgear and instrumentation. Classic style, pleasing to the eye.
Buying experience: Dealer in Salisbury. Part of the ever decreasing number of family businesses run by enthusiasts not suits.
Version: Fireball
Year: 2021
Very happy, bar a bit of rust on the exhaust and forks. 93 mpg from a tank measured from full to empty ! Very characterful engine, reasonably light, it puts you in a frame of mind to just chug away and take it easy - enjoy the scenery. I'd like a bit more oomph, but don't want the extra weight or complexity which comes with a bigger bike (or cost, or less mpg). Should be able to do basic servicing myself once this passes it's 3 years. Very happy customer !
For the price, it is great.
Love chugging away !!
I am guessing £200 for annual running costs, as there's a simple 6 month check and then a main service every year.
Tripper is somewhat unreliable, but I guess it will get fixed over time (hopefully).
Buying experience: Brilliant dealership, in that they were happy for me to test any bike as often as I wanted. Quickly found out the Meteor was for me after also riding the 650. It's the laid back relaxed riding and lack of weight I liked, and simplicity, and price !
Year: 2021
Heel-toe shifter is trash. Tripper navigation system is useless. Chain drive overhead cam is cheap-out as pushrod engines last longer. Needs tachometer. Cheap to buy so you get what you pay for. Needs 6th gear badly. Frame is light-weight. I should have bought an old 500 bullet with its pushrod engine.
Overhead cam with chain drive is a cheap-out. Pushrod engines last longer. They cut corners by not having a fuel shutoff.
The heel-toe shifter is total trash!! Total junk!!! Metal to metal in the shifter parts. The tripper navigation system is useless. They should have spent the money on a tachometer.
Buying experience: Dealership in Phnom Penh Cambodia were very difficult to deal with. Total jerks!!! Complained to RE in India about the dealership and no one answered. So much for customer service!
Version: Fireball yellow
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £200
The motorcycle is perfect for the type of riding I do, and the ever increasing reduction of speed limits. puts a smile on your face.
I have found the motorcycle perfect for my riding, cruise's at 55-60 mph, comfortable seat and riding position.handles well, light and easy to maneuver, no problems with the braking system.
Press the starter, settles down to a even tick over, fuel injection is spot on, picks up speed as you would expect a 350 thumper to do, a slight tingle through the bars and foot pegs at certain revs, generally very smooth and bags of character.
I part exchange a triumph scrambler for the Enfield, and in my opinion I would say the Enfield is better quality, regarding reliability I have covered 2000 miles, no problems and I don't expect any in the future.
The 350 meteor represent excellent value for money, returns 90-100 miles per gallon and is fitted with what other manufacturers regards as extras as standard.
The fireball yellow is a fantastic price, with, center stand, USP port, tripper navigation, and more equipment as standard. Bargain.
Buying experience: I bought the motorcycle from preston superbikes, very satisfied.with the service provided.
Version: Blue Stellar
Year: 2022
I love my bike. I haven't ridden in 22 years - wanting to ride, but having a family stopped me. I have looked at a few bikes over the years, but none really gave me the Yes factor. I used to ride Superbikes in my 20s, but now I wanted something to potter around on over a sunny weekend.That was until this spring when I saw MY Meteor bike in a RE showroom. I was drawn to the looks and style of the REs. I didn't buy there and then, but I was tempted. I went home, did research and next week I went test rode the bike and Bought it. Sometimes you just know what is the right bike for you. :-)I don't want anything fast and the 350 Meteor looked and felt perfect to ride on the road for me. I am a middle-aged vertically challenged woman. This bike with its lovely comfy seat at the right height and smattering of chrome in the right places is just a delight.It is a perfect starter or return to biking, great in town, wonderful on the open road and lots of fun.The price for a new bike was perfect so I did not hesitate to add a few extras such as a slump protector, engine guard and wind/fly screen.I have loved every minute of riding my meteor and will for the next few years.
I was expecting a shake and rattle ride, but not at all. Smooth and steady in drive and braking. The brakes and gears are steady and perfect for around town or out on the road.
The only issue is the low power on hills. Though don't get me wrong this does add to the fun and you can experience the push of the bike to its limits. If I bought a faster bike I'd have fun, but felt unchallenged. It only gets a 4 because it could do with a little oomph if on a very steep hill.
Beautiful styling and lovely finish throughout the bike. My tank has a wonderful glitter in the sunshine. I get 350 miles out of a tank. Obviously, mine is new, but so far so good.
350 miles on a tank of petrol - great value along with lots of fun.
The tripper navigation is a great tool. I have used it on every ride and it works perfectly. The speedo is pretty has a great look and works exactly as needed with gear selection and fuel digital display. Some say the missing rev counter is a flaw, but the engine noise is beautiful and you can tell when change is required. Plus the dial shows ECO Gear when your engine is in perfect running flow and not when under power/high rev situation.There are no flashy gadgets or gimmicks and you wouldn't want them as this is an old skool style motorbike and everything is just as it ought. Though if you did the off-market and RE official accessories are great too, so you can pimp out your ride if you want.
Buying experience: I bought from a dealer which was lovely experience.
Version: Stellar
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £200
Great value motorcycle
Lazy torquey single
Short service intervals
Buying experience: Very good. As it was a new model on back order, room for negotiation was limited. Paid recommended retail price.
Version: Stellar
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £300
Perfect minor A and B road bimbler and town bike Beautiful of a motor smooth and tractable. Not being used to cruiser style seating, need to watch out for slouching and subsequent back pain.
Perfect for everything except motorways and fast dual carriage roads. Comfortable beyond 2 hours in the saddle, most so far.
Creamy smooth single with low down torque but at merely 20bhp it has little top end. Perfect if you ride accordingly.
The chrome on the forks not as good as it could be.
Service intervals very short at twice yearly. So although each service is not too dear, frequency pushes it up.
Standard navigation Tripper is good although I seldom use it. Power outlet will be useful to many. Comfortable seat
Buying experience: Paid list price from Hayballs of Salisbury. Purchase was drama free, bike well prepared and ready when they said it would be.
Version: Supernova
Year: 2021
Reviewers consistently talk about this bike is ideally suited to novices (which indeed it is) but always fail to mention its suitability to more experienced riders who want something relaxed and refined for cruising the ‘B’ roads up and down the country. It really is astoundingly good at doing that as well as just getting you from a to b around town and what’s not to live at 100mpg plus.
Great for gentle cruising with a relaxed and comfortable suspension. I’ve turned up the rear suspension two notches and it suits me fine. Brakes do the job comfortably and thus far I’ve not found them wanting.
Simply sublime and no vibration felt throughout the rev range. Not sure why MCN only gave it 3 stars - perhaps because of the lack of top end speed? But that simply is not what this bike is about.
Too early to say regarding reliability but the quality of the finish is top notch. The switchgear particularly feels refined and the engine is sublime.
For the price you can’t fault the equipment. Tripper navigation system works a treat with the addition of a USB port as standard.
Buying experience: Bought from a local dealer but the importers (MotoGB) are truly useless IMO when it comes to ordering and bike allocation.
Version: Stellar Blue
Year: 2021
Annual servicing cost: £139
It’s very hard to find fault with this bike…. the only negatives would be it’s low power of 20hp but which is adequate for my riding needs and getting used to the heel toe gear shifter.
The bike loves A & B roads, around 45-55 mph is it’s sweet spot!! it’s a great handling and very comfy bike, I can ride for hours with no fatigue. It will happily cruise at 65-70ish on dual carriageways but you are almost flat out. I’ve read and watched reviews stating the brakes aren’t great, I do disagree mine are very good with great feedback very confident inspiring and the back brake is excellent.
This is the star of the bike, very very smooth practically no vibrations at any speeds with that lovely single long stroke thump. The fuelling is excellent no snatchiness just smooth power delivery. The gear box is super smooth 1st and 2nd are short, 3rd and 4th are perfect for most riding and 5th is a overdrive gear. Not had any false neutrals but I did sometimes have a issue with the heel toe gear change, but as I’ve gotten used to it it’s not a issue anymore.
Build quality and finish is superb, easily on par with other main stream manufacturers. I’ve had no mechanical or corrosion issues at all. There was a small but deep scratch on the front fender when I collected the bike which is being replaced under warranty next week.
Cheap to run and get serviced, I’m getting over 100mpg with 500 miles on the clock will only get better as the bike runs in.
The clock is a beautiful retro/modern design with a gear and fuel gauge, the tripper unit is really easy to use just needs some more functionality added to the app, and there’s a USB port under the clutch lever everything you need. The bikes tool kit is a blast from the past, you can basically do every mechanical job on the bike just using the kit if you chose too. I was sceptical about the CEAT tyres but they very good, I rode over 40 miles in torrential rain for the initial service and not a single issue even with lots of standing water.
Buying experience: I purchased and serviced my Meteor from CMS Exeter. I can’t recommend them enough, excellent independent dealer I would happily recommend them to anyone after a RE.