I think the reason behind REs sucess is company owner (sidharth lal) himself ride with bikes owner and talk about what's good and what need to improvise in their products
@@UshaUsha-re3gu I don't believe this, he has made this bike somehow by coping bit of harley Davidson... In india not everyone can afford higher version of harley davidson , he has given the indians the feeling of fair bit of harley in cheap price.
I've been riding heavy Harley Davisions and Honda cruisers since the late 1970s. Now almost 70-years young with arthritis in my lower back and in both knees, I needed something lighter but with forward gear and break controls. Along with something lighter. I did consider the Honda 500, but size is still a thing as all bikers know. So I settled on the RE Super Meteor 650. No regrets in my choice whatsoever. Enjoy the ride sir 👍😊. Best wishes from 🇬🇧.
In the UK this bike sits between the Honda rebel 500 and Kawasaki Vulcan 650 and is priced between £6800 and £7300 depending on specs . The bike though looks like an improvement on everything that they have released previously so will attract more people to the brand. As an owner of a 350 meteor the shocks on that bike were harsh for about 1000 miles and have softened up quite a lot (either that or my butt has lost most of it’s feeling) possibly the 650’s will do the same .
@@ksroby I have never ridden the Kawasaki or seen one on the road and I personally don’t like the looks of the Honda . Honda run the engine and frame in several different bikes and I am not too sure that it brilliant in any form. I haven’t seen the Enfield in the flesh my local dealership sold the six bikes he had ordered before I got in to see them and his new stock will be in later this month. If and it is a big if I was going to buy one of these three I would most probably get the Enfield if only because I like the looks and they have got the little details right like the switches and the indicators etc.
The seat should be a little hard then soften to be more comfortable. If they are real comfortable to begin with after a few hundred miles they will get too soft for butt support.
The Suspension on Meteor 350 and Super Meteor 650 has a very long "break-in" time. A lot of us swap the suspension on the meteor for the nitrox Suspension in Classic 350s. Works like a charm.
Everyone says the rear suspension is a little stiff. It is, however, adjustable. Does it come from the factory already in the softest setting, or is it in a mid setting with room for softer adjustment until it breaks in?
One way to deal with the jarring of the bumps, and that's fitting a pair of Metzeler Cruisetec tyres to the bike. The OEM tyres are great as 'delivery from the factory' tyres, but a premium brand of tyre would improve the bike. A big thumbs up to Royal Enfield for releasing the Meatier cruiser.
Looks like the sort of second bike you might end up riding more than your first bike. I think I'd miss the ponies but it still looks like a very practical bike. I bought a new Suzuki SV650 for $11k on the road from a dealer. I chose the Suzuki over the RE mainly for the V twin and the fact that it can be tweaked nicely to suit rider preferences. I'm slowly working backwards in power as I age and I reckon in a few years the RE will be right in the sweet spot.
I rode the Interceptor recently and I was quite surprised. Will upload the video still in June. The Super Meteor 650 looks very traditional among today's cruisers. Great review. Now I want to try this one too. Take care Paul. Cheers.
I've been riding mine for 2 months... Still happy with it, and I feel sorry for you, your environment seems to count so many straight and flat roads. I have the luck to live close to the Pyrénées mountains, on the French side, this bike gives you maximum riding pleasure on winding roads with little traffic. Only thing that could be better is the weight, but it's an issue only when you move it with the engine off.
I'm amazed that you can ride at speed without yelling or lots of wind noise hitting the microphone that is so common in other road tests. I can hear you perfectly.
That exhaust note, phew👌🏾 You did mention the sound from.the exhaust being more entertaining on the Super Meteor 650, in a previous video. Hearing it here finally...it's like Campbell's soup. Mmm mmm, good😊
Great review thankyou! RE is going from strength to strength in its current offerings of 'British' ( made in India) singles and twins. I am 64 and began riding in 1978 owning Japanese bikes ( and a few BMW'S) all my riding life, mainly big bore muscle bikes despite being a shorty ( 5' 7" , 30 inch inseem.) Lately I've been watching lots of bike reviews and the focus seems to be ' how the bike makes you feel' . In searching for a bike to ride in the DGR and getting shorter and weaker in my old age, I took a new Triumph Speedtwin 900 for a ride( arguably the quintessential British Motorcycle) I can't get the smile off my face! So easy to ride and it looks and sounds like a motorcycle should.( which is the appeal of the offerings from RE) The speedtwin is well priced even compared to R E and I love it, and I completely understand the appeal of bikes like the Super meteor and the Indian Scout.
The rear suspension on my Hunter 350 was harsh when I got it but after 2000km it does soften up. But a nice set of aftermarket shocks is on my wish list. Thanks for your ride along.
Hey B.I.L., great video presentation! From the riders perspective/view- good choice in helping the viewer understanding what the ride feels like! It helps me to solidify my choice for the 650 RE. From America 🇺🇸🦅 Doug, a first time rider.❤️
I think it is reasonable bike to ride at a decent price. I would be torn between that and the Rebel 500 if you were looking at cruiser styles. The Meteor is more classic while the Rebel is modern with cruiser styling. I guess if you see yourself on a HD Road Glide, then go the Meteor. If you see your end game as the Indian Challenger, then go the Rebel. If you see your end bike as the K1600, then start on a Ninja 400. If your end bike is an ADV, then start on a CB500X.
I rode the Rebel 500, but would love also to try this one. I agree about the price. It could be a little to heavy, but that is all. Can check my content mate.
Great to see a local ride review of the RE. I'm wondering how the smaller bike compares to some others in this category, especially compared to the Yamaha 650 V twin. This was a capable around town but the engine was a bit of a drag out on the freeway with insufficient power to overtake larger trucks. The RE sounds great and seems to get along quite well, so the outstanding issues are power, front or rear suspension harshness. I imagine if the front is a bit harsh a change in fork oil might help. What are your thoughts
Definitely no problems on the highway with enough power to comfortably get by trucks. The engine is willing and fun. Suspension wise, a lot of people have said they soften up over time. If I bought a Meteor 650, I'd ride it around for a few thousand kilometres to see how they wear in before deciding to make any changes. They might be ok! Yes fork oil could be a simple fix.
There is another option you could consider, a Triumph T100 900. That bike is half way between the two in capacity but could be lighter than the meteor (213kg just checked so yes), is 47.5 kw (2023 model), and produces 80 NM of torque. perhaps you have already ridden one. perhaps you have already bought a bike as it is now mid Spring in Victoria. Anyway, I don't own one myself, I have a 2012 865 T100. But my main get around bike is my BMW which only weighs 3kg more than the RE but has a 21 litre tank and produces twice the power and torque, but it is 23 years old. ;)
Great review as always BIL. Love the factory exhaust note too. Apparently the levers are span adjustable. Can’t wait for your comparison. Seat is definitely higher position I see. I’ve heard other reviews suggest the ride is a bit firm. Perhaps some adjustments to the rear springs? Or maybe the “comfort seat” accessory might help. Cheers!
Thanks Paul! I did notice some little black caps on the end of the levers, that must be the adjustment. Not what I'm used to so I missed that one, thanks for the heads up. I did speak to Jeremy the mechanic about the firm ride. He also had the same impression and had a look at the rear shocks to check the adjustment. They were set one click off their softest setting... least amount of preload. He adjusted that one click to back preload all the way off to it's lowest setting. He was going to test ride it later to see how much difference it made.
Thanks for no nonsense review, although should have become familiar with various switch functions and displays (especially GPS) ahead of the test ride. I find it strange that most of reviewers on RUclips generally don't bother to compare and factor in price and fuel economy up front. Thus the bikes being compared here and elsewhere are apples and oranges really.
Great video, Paul, I can see how good that camera is you showed me. I love the intro. Good to see you enjoyed the bike, I think Royal Enfield has done really well with it, and is a great buy.
Even though it's a cheaper bike was expecting smoother ride coming and tested from Indian roads. Need a decent cruiser for outside city areas, ie 1 lane highways and L n P plates plus old farmer Joe in his ute is going slow being able to overtake quick and efficiently. Sadly the Shadow and Bolt not currently sold in Oz so the hybrid cruiser/sport vulcan s full power has my attention more....
Actually it's probably made stiffer to cope with rougher roads, if it was softer it would probably bottom out easier. I think if I bought one I'd look at fitting some really nice suspension to it, a set of Ohlins perhaps with a focus on a really nice compliant ride without sacrificing handling. Vulcan S 650 is also a very nice option! Plus it has a lot of factory ergo accessories.
Getting hammered with cold fronts from Antarctic near Cape Town, high winds (gales) and freezing rain. Guess the same weather is rolling across to southern Australia, Not great for riding rn.
This bike is really exciting tbh. I own a Scout, I previously had a Rebel 500. And tbh I might have actually gone with this instead when I was learning if it was around back then, and may have kept it longer.
Sweet bikes. My only issue with them is the frequency they require valve adjustments. Screw type, so it's doable without have to run to the shop to get shims, but still a pain to dismantle the thing every few thousand miles. I saw BMW made a good looking R18 Classic. More power and longer adjustment intervals but it's quadruple the price. Decisions decisions...
Having the screw type adjusters makes it not a problem for me but I definitely would like to see RE work on extending those service intervals. Here's a great video on what's involved when it comes to the 650 valve clearance inspection. ruclips.net/video/_DI9KlKsUe8/видео.html A straight forward procedure.
I was so excited when I first saw it and definitely want to test ride one. However, I was so disappointed that in this day and age, they did not make it a belt drive. I checked the owner's manual and they cut the service interval on the chain in half from my INT 650 from 1,000km to 500km. I travel full time and that does not make a good cruiser for me as there would be weeks I would have to service the chain every day. Have you heard if they are making a conversion kit?
Handsome bike that Paul @BIL. Another success for R.E. I think they got this one pretty-well right too; it would certainly be my pick from the current crop of budget middleweight cruisers. If I could add a small observation: the weight could have been a bit lower; she's quite a hefty beast. That's probably all that would deter these aged bones. Looking forward to the Scout review....hope you are ok. Cheers Popeye!
Yes but that weight is due to the solid steel used for fenders and pretty much everything in the bike. Its built like a tank this one with quality indian steel, unlike the chinese plastic parts most bikes get. The decision is do you want something that will last a lifetime, or use and throw in 4 years.
a lot of people like the standard pipes , they are loud enough ,,, as for the scout - if you want speed all the time ,- thats the one to go for , - for normal riding the meteor ;; interesting watching this in the uk , proper lefthand drive bike ;;;
I’m hoping this doesn’t have the speed dependent front end shake like the other 650s have had issues with. Love the Enfield 650s but that issue has me hesitant to ever buy another one. Mine suffered from it and many others I’ve met have had the same issue.
Glad I’m not the only one who’s experiencing the same. Had my Interceptor for 3 months now and the up and down bouncy feel of the front end is very annoying, gets worse at speeds above 80km/h, especially on smooth surfaces. Spent over $1000 now trying to rectify it and I can still feel it. Balanced the wheel with OEM Pirelli tyres, replaced them with Michelin and balanced again, upgraded front forks with full YSS kit. The rims are not true on lot of them, i.e. egg shaped. Had the front wheel trued today,slight improvement but still feel slight front end bounce. It’s an excellent bike but I’m at my wits end as to what else could cause the bouncy and slightly shaky front end. The Super Meteor I tested is a lot more stable and the rear brake is significantly better than the Interceptor, although a bit lazier in turns.
@@nerychristian I have upgraded the front shocks with full YSS front fork kit, YSS fork oil 15w, still no good. Since then realised the rims are definitely out, I.e. had a low spot so not perfectly round, unfortunately even after having that adjusted I can still feel it.
Best looking mid weight cruiser, the Honda and the Kawasaki competition don’t have the cruiser looks. Did you give the breaks a test off camera? I wonder how they compare to the Continental with the new fork set and rear break changes. Look forward to the Indian ride, cheers.
Great bike, but don't try and order RE panias / saddlebags. I was promised mine 5 months ago and yesterday, the dealer in Dandenong told me : maybe April 2024. RE, not good enough !
Nice bike with good engine … powerful machine but supply chain and sales is worst… it was launch in 2022 April, still people are not getting delivery and ask to wait up to 2024, this is insane… company like RE need to plan launch as per delivery model.. and keep in mind supply..
i have a problem.. i m only 1,65 m height.. i need a bike with low seat.. i like the shotgun most but i don t know if i can rich the seat.. this problem is for the most bikes i like
@@michaelgaston6332 Royal Enfield are very good at putting out DIY videos to help you work on your bike. Here is the DIY playlist for the Super Meteor 650. ruclips.net/video/PQAS-xXjEjM/видео.html
The problem I see is that you are only doing a test ride on a bike that was provided by a dealer. To properly do a test ride you need the bike at least 2 weeks. I also wonder how much self-censorship involved. I mean can you really be 100% honest when a bike is provided by a dealer or the company itself.
I always give my honest opinion and I fully believe it has cost me test rides in the past. If I can't be honest I don't want to ride it. I'm not expecting to get BMW test rides after making this video for instance. ruclips.net/video/rkJV5x_U_nI/видео.html
@@BikesILike BMW bikes are like their cars. When they are new, they are good. But, when they age. They become endless money pits. Now, I also own a BMW, but one that my dad bought new in 1956 and R50. Still have the original paperwork and receipt with how many Gilders he paid for it. I've been living in Taiwan for 22 years. Royal Enfield entered this market in 2012 and they pulled out in 2020. They had two flagship locations one in Taipei and the other in Taichung. There were also a few independent dealers as well. But, it was a major flop. So many complaints were made against Royal Enfield in Taiwan for their service, lack of quality control and long waits to get spare parts. One of the largest independent dealers has 27 bikes Continental GT, Classic 500 and Himalayan. They he can't even shift. People that did buy them also can't even resell them with out losing. Now here in Taiwan all imported motorcycles have a high import and duty tax on them. For example a year ago I bought a Honda CB 1000R Black Edition. In Europe it's around 14,000 Euros. Here in Taiwan its NT$999, 300 (around 30,000 Euros) so double. The same goes for all bikes Harleys, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph and so on. The Royal Enfield Classic 500 in Taiwan sold for NT$599,000 (around 18,000 Euros). Do you know how much on the second hand market they are going for? Anywhere between NT$25,000 and NT$35,000 (between 750 to 1000 Euros) and most if not all have been on the second hand market for more than 2 years. I've had people bring them to my shop as I also sell second-hand models for people. And like other independents who also sell second-hand. We just don't take them. In 2018 I did buy one from a guy who came by to see if we could sell his 2016 Classic 500 for him. So I decided to buy it myself. I remember it had between 7000 and 8000km on it. He was selling it because he had been told the camshaft had a problem and it would take 5 months to get a new one. I gave him NT$40,000 (1200 Euros). The camshaft was a problem, but I had a friend in the Netherlands who repairs REs send me one. But, when I took it apart I was finding some other problems. I rode it for a year and then de-registered it and sent it off to the scrap yard. Royal Enfield still have a parts distributer, but when he runs out. He isn't replacing anything. In part because he doesn't want to deal with RE. Even in the Netherlands Enfields sell really bad. Honda have a bike that they make for the Indian market called the Highness or CB350. It's not a bad looking bike. But, Honda Taiwan and I also know Honda Japan. Won't even touch them. When I was in Japan in March and meeting the Honda people. They did bring a few into Japan, but no one was impressed by the quality. As I was told. It may be a Honda, but it's an Indian Honda, its good for the Indian market. I don't know if you had a chance to ride a BMW R18. I borrowed a friends last month. Honestly I do like it, but i can tell it just won't hold up. You were saying in the BMW video you send the link to that you keep bikes to around 25,000km. I usually keep them longer than that. And that is if I sell them at all. But, BMWs I have noticed a decline in their build quality. The keyless ignition on the R18 I find annoying. Why put a system in place that will eventually break. I say just use a key. This fall or your spring. I'm going to be in Australia for a month touring the country. I had planned to do it in 2020, but that little flu going around stopped it. I'm starting in Shepparton riding to the coast to Darwin and then back down the coast to Perth, Melbourne and back to Shepparton. I'm going to use a Honda Goldwing. The furthest trip I did in Australia was in 2018 from Shepparton along to coast to Brisbane. When I posted. It was only because I have come across a few reviewers when they take a bike out for a day only seem to praise the bike and have never said they are rubbish and one who use to do reviews stopped doing it when the manufactures asked him not to say anything negative so he gave up. I wasn't saying that you do that. But, many of them do sadly.
Why you would want to compare a RE with and Indian which is twice the price. Indians are great bikes, but you really lost credibility with me when you said the the Indian was worth the $7,000 difference in price! Total nonsense!
I think this bike will certainly gain a lot of fans. Royal Enfield is very cleverly building their client base world wide.
For sure Jerry!
I think the reason behind REs sucess is company owner (sidharth lal) himself ride with bikes owner and talk about what's good and what need to improvise in their products
Which, you can't expect from any other company's ceo to do so. He himself said that "I'm a rider first, then a businessman"
@@UshaUsha-re3gu I don't believe this, he has made this bike somehow by coping bit of harley Davidson... In india not everyone can afford higher version of harley davidson , he has given the indians the feeling of fair bit of harley in cheap price.
I've been riding heavy Harley Davisions and Honda cruisers since the late 1970s. Now almost 70-years young with arthritis in my lower back and in both knees, I needed something lighter but with forward gear and break controls. Along with something lighter. I did consider the Honda 500, but size is still a thing as all bikers know. So I settled on the RE Super Meteor 650. No regrets in my choice whatsoever. Enjoy the ride sir 👍😊. Best wishes from 🇬🇧.
Thanks Les, you too!
Lovely looking bike, looks well made & not stupid priced like harleys & indians no wonder enfield doing so well 👏👏👏👏
In the UK this bike sits between the Honda rebel 500 and Kawasaki Vulcan 650 and is priced between £6800 and £7300 depending on specs . The bike though looks like an improvement on everything that they have released previously so will attract more people to the brand.
As an owner of a 350 meteor the shocks on that bike were harsh for about 1000 miles and have softened up quite a lot (either that or my butt has lost most of it’s feeling) possibly the 650’s will do the same .
which one is best and value for money comparing with Vulcan 650.
@@ksroby I have never ridden the Kawasaki or seen one on the road and I personally don’t like the looks of the Honda . Honda run the engine and frame in several different bikes and I am not too sure that it brilliant in any form. I haven’t seen the Enfield in the flesh my local dealership sold the six bikes he had ordered before I got in to see them and his new stock will be in later this month. If and it is a big if I was going to buy one of these three I would most probably get the Enfield if only because I like the looks and they have got the little details right like the switches and the indicators etc.
The seat should be a little hard then soften to be more comfortable. If they are real comfortable to begin with after a few hundred miles they will get too soft for butt support.
Very informative vid, you answered all my q’s and more. Thank you for making and sharing 🏍️
The Suspension on Meteor 350 and Super Meteor 650 has a very long "break-in" time. A lot of us swap the suspension on the meteor for the nitrox Suspension in Classic 350s. Works like a charm.
Ok interesting!
Everyone says the rear suspension is a little stiff. It is, however, adjustable. Does it come from the factory already in the softest setting, or is it in a mid setting with room for softer adjustment until it breaks in?
One way to deal with the jarring of the bumps, and that's fitting a pair of Metzeler Cruisetec tyres to the bike. The OEM tyres are great as 'delivery from the factory' tyres, but a premium brand of tyre would improve the bike. A big thumbs up to Royal Enfield for releasing the Meatier cruiser.
Previously had a meteor 350 and was all set to get the 650 but got side tracked by a moto guzzi v7 850 and its now true love at last🇬🇧
Take the Enfield and keep the NC, best of all worlds.
Looks like the sort of second bike you might end up riding more than your first bike. I think I'd miss the ponies but it still looks like a very practical bike. I bought a new Suzuki SV650 for $11k on the road from a dealer. I chose the Suzuki over the RE mainly for the V twin and the fact that it can be tweaked nicely to suit rider preferences. I'm slowly working backwards in power as I age and I reckon in a few years the RE will be right in the sweet spot.
I rode the Interceptor recently and I was quite surprised. Will upload the video still in June. The Super Meteor 650 looks very traditional among today's cruisers. Great review. Now I want to try this one too. Take care Paul. Cheers.
Thanks Gregor, you too mate!
As a return rider, this hits the mark for a work commute and weekend coffee run for sure. Great review. Thankyou.
A great test, Paul! And, the Meteor looks like a real motorcycle!
Thanks Gregory!
I've been riding mine for 2 months... Still happy with it, and I feel sorry for you, your environment seems to count so many straight and flat roads. I have the luck to live close to the Pyrénées mountains, on the French side, this bike gives you maximum riding pleasure on winding roads with little traffic. Only thing that could be better is the weight, but it's an issue only when you move it with the engine off.
Bonjour Thomas j'habites le var et j envisage de l'acheter toujours aussi satisfait depuis tout ce temps ?
Thanks for the demo. My Super Meteor is being delivered tomorrow. I can hardly wait.
Congrats! Enjoy your new ride!
How is the ride mate ....?
@@azadpawan My Indian? Very nice! I'll make a video soon.
SM 650...?
I'm amazed that you can ride at speed without yelling or lots of wind noise hitting the microphone that is so common in other road tests. I can hear you perfectly.
I've spent a lot of time perfecting my system Stephen ;)
I want this model to come to the USA so bad. Once it's here, I'll be test riding one day one!
Ahhh The Rocinante... I love The Expanse!
I really like the look and sound of this RE. Excellent review.
Thanks Guy!
That exhaust note, phew👌🏾
You did mention the sound from.the exhaust being more entertaining on the Super Meteor 650, in a previous video. Hearing it here finally...it's like Campbell's soup. Mmm mmm, good😊
Great review thankyou! RE is going from strength to strength in its current offerings of 'British' ( made in India) singles and twins. I am 64 and began riding in 1978 owning Japanese bikes ( and a few BMW'S) all my riding life, mainly big bore muscle bikes despite being a shorty ( 5' 7" , 30 inch inseem.) Lately I've been watching lots of bike reviews and the focus seems to be ' how the bike makes you feel' . In searching for a bike to ride in the DGR and getting shorter and weaker in my old age, I took a new Triumph Speedtwin 900 for a ride( arguably the quintessential British Motorcycle) I can't get the smile off my face! So easy to ride and it looks and sounds like a motorcycle should.( which is the appeal of the offerings from RE) The speedtwin is well priced even compared to R E and I love it, and I completely understand the appeal of bikes like the Super meteor and the Indian Scout.
I have to agree with you Steven, the Speed Twin 900 is a bike I could easily own too!
The rear suspension on my Hunter 350 was harsh when I got it but after 2000km it does soften up. But a nice set of aftermarket shocks is on my wish list. Thanks for your ride along.
Thanks Scott!
That rear shock is definitely stiff when new, but it does soften up around 1300KMs
My take on this bike, get fully adjustable rear dampers, a full screen, and DNA Filter and Enfield precision pipes...then yep
Very nice review! I love these engines. I've got a new z900rs café, and I think a Continental would be a great around town bike.
Hey B.I.L., great video presentation! From the riders perspective/view- good choice in helping the viewer understanding what the ride feels like! It helps me to solidify my choice for the 650 RE. From America 🇺🇸🦅 Doug, a first time rider.❤️
Cheers Doug and welcome to the club! 👍
I think it is reasonable bike to ride at a decent price. I would be torn between that and the Rebel 500 if you were looking at cruiser styles. The Meteor is more classic while the Rebel is modern with cruiser styling. I guess if you see yourself on a HD Road Glide, then go the Meteor. If you see your end game as the Indian Challenger, then go the Rebel. If you see your end bike as the K1600, then start on a Ninja 400. If your end bike is an ADV, then start on a CB500X.
I rode the Rebel 500, but would love also to try this one. I agree about the price. It could be a little to heavy, but that is all. Can check my content mate.
Couldn't fall in love with a bike that has a 180 degree firing order. Sound and feel are important to me.
Great to see a local ride review of the RE. I'm wondering how the smaller bike compares to some others in this category, especially compared to the Yamaha 650 V twin. This was a capable around town but the engine was a bit of a drag out on the freeway with insufficient power to overtake larger trucks. The RE sounds great and seems to get along quite well, so the outstanding issues are power, front or rear suspension harshness. I imagine if the front is a bit harsh a change in fork oil might help. What are your thoughts
Definitely no problems on the highway with enough power to comfortably get by trucks. The engine is willing and fun. Suspension wise, a lot of people have said they soften up over time. If I bought a Meteor 650, I'd ride it around for a few thousand kilometres to see how they wear in before deciding to make any changes. They might be ok! Yes fork oil could be a simple fix.
There is another option you could consider, a Triumph T100 900. That bike is half way between the two in capacity but could be lighter than the meteor (213kg just checked so yes), is 47.5 kw (2023 model), and produces 80 NM of torque. perhaps you have already ridden one. perhaps you have already bought a bike as it is now mid Spring in Victoria. Anyway, I don't own one myself, I have a 2012 865 T100. But my main get around bike is my BMW which only weighs 3kg more than the RE but has a 21 litre tank and produces twice the power and torque, but it is 23 years old. ;)
I must admit. The motor has a lovely note!
DAYUMNNN SHE’S A BEAUTY
no nonsense, thank you
As a secondhand Scout owner, who test rode a new Enfield 650 before purchase. The Scout is a better bike in nearly every category except maybe value.
In India...this is bike is an emotion ❤
Nope. Splendor is the real emotion of indians
Great review as always BIL. Love the factory exhaust note too. Apparently the levers are span adjustable. Can’t wait for your comparison. Seat is definitely higher position I see. I’ve heard other reviews suggest the ride is a bit firm. Perhaps some adjustments to the rear springs? Or maybe the “comfort seat” accessory might help. Cheers!
Thanks Paul! I did notice some little black caps on the end of the levers, that must be the adjustment. Not what I'm used to so I missed that one, thanks for the heads up. I did speak to Jeremy the mechanic about the firm ride. He also had the same impression and had a look at the rear shocks to check the adjustment. They were set one click off their softest setting... least amount of preload. He adjusted that one click to back preload all the way off to it's lowest setting. He was going to test ride it later to see how much difference it made.
I probably would install the 850CC kit extra 800 dollars but more HP
Thanks for no nonsense review, although should have become familiar with various switch functions and displays (especially GPS) ahead of the test ride. I find it strange that most of reviewers on RUclips generally don't bother to compare and factor in price and fuel economy up front. Thus the bikes being compared here and elsewhere are apples and oranges really.
Good point!
Great video, Paul, I can see how good that camera is you showed me. I love the intro.
Good to see you enjoyed the bike, I think Royal Enfield has done really well with it, and is a great buy.
Thanks Jeremy! Looking forward to your test ride video. ;)
@@BikesILike Thanks Paul, will do soon :)
After a little searching I'm thinkinking I'll hold off buying one until the Shotgun 650 version is available in Australia.
A good bike for the price but no way could be in any comparison to the scout. Great video.
I got my Classic 500 from that store. I used to live in Ballarat. My Plums are freezing just watching this
I was looking at one of these. They seem pretty good for such a low price
Great value Moto.
Even though it's a cheaper bike was expecting smoother ride coming and tested from Indian roads.
Need a decent cruiser for outside city areas, ie 1 lane highways and L n P plates plus old farmer Joe in his ute is going slow being able to overtake quick and efficiently.
Sadly the Shadow and Bolt not currently sold in Oz so the hybrid cruiser/sport vulcan s full power has my attention more....
Actually it's probably made stiffer to cope with rougher roads, if it was softer it would probably bottom out easier. I think if I bought one I'd look at fitting some really nice suspension to it, a set of Ohlins perhaps with a focus on a really nice compliant ride without sacrificing handling.
Vulcan S 650 is also a very nice option! Plus it has a lot of factory ergo accessories.
Getting hammered with cold fronts from Antarctic near Cape Town, high winds (gales) and freezing rain. Guess the same weather is rolling across to southern Australia, Not great for riding rn.
Looking forward to the Scout and Challenger reviews!
Coming up Roger!
Great review! Pretty cool little bike!
Thanks Roger. Building 3 different models around this brilliant little engine is a smart move by RE.
@@BikesILike especially at that killer price point.
This bike is really exciting tbh. I own a Scout, I previously had a Rebel 500. And tbh I might have actually gone with this instead when I was learning if it was around back then, and may have kept it longer.
Nice looking bike. Lets catch up next time I'm in Melb. Its been too long.
Sounds like a plan Simon! I'll see what I can do.
Sweet bikes. My only issue with them is the frequency they require valve adjustments. Screw type, so it's doable without have to run to the shop to get shims, but still a pain to dismantle the thing every few thousand miles. I saw BMW made a good looking R18 Classic. More power and longer adjustment intervals but it's quadruple the price. Decisions decisions...
Great point
Having the screw type adjusters makes it not a problem for me but I definitely would like to see RE work on extending those service intervals. Here's a great video on what's involved when it comes to the 650 valve clearance inspection. ruclips.net/video/_DI9KlKsUe8/видео.html A straight forward procedure.
@@michaelmurdock4607 Lol Good point Michael 😁
@@michaelmurdock4607 oo, good thinking batman!
I was so excited when I first saw it and definitely want to test ride one. However, I was so disappointed that in this day and age, they did not make it a belt drive. I checked the owner's manual and they cut the service interval on the chain in half from my INT 650 from 1,000km to 500km. I travel full time and that does not make a good cruiser for me as there would be weeks I would have to service the chain every day. Have you heard if they are making a conversion kit?
No haven't heard anything but someone could be working on it.
Straight roads and no traffic 😮, can’t even imagine that in India
Handsome bike that Paul @BIL. Another success for R.E. I think they got this one pretty-well right too; it would certainly be my pick from the current crop of budget middleweight cruisers. If I could add a small observation: the weight could have been a bit lower; she's quite a hefty beast. That's probably all that would deter these aged bones.
Looking forward to the Scout review....hope you are ok. Cheers Popeye!
Yes but that weight is due to the solid steel used for fenders and pretty much everything in the bike. Its built like a tank this one with quality indian steel, unlike the chinese plastic parts most bikes get. The decision is do you want something that will last a lifetime, or use and throw in 4 years.
Thanks Popeye! Actually the weight wasn't an issue at all for me, felt very light on its feet.
Wish it had a rev c😊ounter
Amazing video. Thanks.
Thanks Rodrigo.
a lot of people like the standard pipes , they are loud enough ,,, as for the scout - if you want speed all the time ,- thats the one to go for , - for normal riding the meteor ;; interesting watching this in the uk , proper lefthand drive bike ;;;
Royal Enfield is the pride of India. And the new ceo is working so hard to make it worthwhile in international level
New CEO is destroying Royal Enfield, generation by generation the exhaust of RE is decreasing,
If the bike doesnt burn from electrical fire everything will be good.
going to do a test ride 21.06.2023 but after my 765rs i'm not going to expect fireworks :)
radials on the indian vs bias ply on the meteor? affecting ride quality?
Possible that it would have an affect but I believe what I was feeling was definitely a difference in suspension performance.
I’m hoping this doesn’t have the speed dependent front end shake like the other 650s have had issues with. Love the Enfield 650s but that issue has me hesitant to ever buy another one. Mine suffered from it and many others I’ve met have had the same issue.
For what it's worth I didn't feel anything like that on my test ride.
Glad I’m not the only one who’s experiencing the same. Had my Interceptor for 3 months now and the up and down bouncy feel of the front end is very annoying, gets worse at speeds above 80km/h, especially on smooth surfaces. Spent over $1000 now trying to rectify it and I can still feel it. Balanced the wheel with OEM Pirelli tyres, replaced them with Michelin and balanced again, upgraded front forks with full YSS kit. The rims are not true on lot of them, i.e. egg shaped. Had the front wheel trued today,slight improvement but still feel slight front end bounce. It’s an excellent bike but I’m at my wits end as to what else could cause the bouncy and slightly shaky front end. The Super Meteor I tested is a lot more stable and the rear brake is significantly better than the Interceptor, although a bit lazier in turns.
@@Ciganyfiu Maybe you need to adjust/upgrade the front shocks
@@nerychristian I have upgraded the front shocks with full YSS front fork kit, YSS fork oil 15w, still no good. Since then realised the rims are definitely out, I.e. had a low spot so not perfectly round, unfortunately even after having that adjusted I can still feel it.
@@CiganyfiuIs the bike still under warranty?
Dash is a let down. The interceptor needs this treatment, LED indicators, blacked out engine, cast wheels and Showa forks.✌🏽
Nice!
Ever considered doing similar reviews on older model bikes of interest?
No but that's a great idea!
Wonderful bike. What's the mileage sir
Real world fuel economy of the Interceptor 650 is around 58 US MPG. I'd expect it to be in that ballpark.
Thatll be meteorological winter then?
Compared to winter in other parts of the world... yes. 😁
But we do get snow here in winter from time to time.
........and that's snow joke he said through gritted teeth😉 popeye
Best looking mid weight cruiser, the Honda and the Kawasaki competition don’t have the cruiser looks. Did you give the breaks a test off camera? I wonder how they compare to the Continental with the new fork set and rear break changes. Look forward to the Indian ride, cheers.
Good point. I only tend to notice brakes if they're underperforming. No such issues here.
Hi Paul, I forgot to mention your sound quality is excellent, would not have known it was windy if you hadn’t mentioned it👍🏽
@@farracuda Ok great! Thanks for the feedback Farracuda, I'm doing a lot of work in that department. 😉
Rear brakes significantly better than GT. Front on par.
I LOVE IT.
Great bike, but don't try and order RE panias / saddlebags. I was promised mine 5 months ago and yesterday, the dealer in Dandenong told me : maybe April 2024.
RE, not good enough !
Why can't they make one this color (or red) but with a silver engine, silver wheels, silver forks, and chrome handlebars. I'll buy it.
Nice bike with good engine … powerful machine but supply chain and sales is worst… it was launch in 2022 April, still people are not getting delivery and ask to wait up to 2024, this is insane… company like RE need to plan launch as per delivery model.. and keep in mind supply..
Digital displays too small for Most people!
nice review 👍
Thanks Michael!
Nice bike but you can’t really compare with the Indian Scout which has 100hp
greetings from greece.. is it any good?. i m interesting for this bike
Yes, I like this bike. But after riding the Shotgun 650, it is now my favourite Royal Enfield so far. ruclips.net/video/Fm-OfBKWs20/видео.html
i have a problem.. i m only 1,65 m height.. i need a bike with low seat.. i like the shotgun most but i don t know if i can rich the seat.. this problem is for the most bikes i like
it would be nice to see a comparison between super meteor and indian scout
Coming up!
@@BikesILike i was looking for Super meteor 650 service manual as i own astral black super meteor, can you please help me out.
@@michaelgaston6332 Have you asked at your local dealer?
@@michaelgaston6332 Royal Enfield are very good at putting out DIY videos to help you work on your bike. Here is the DIY playlist for the Super Meteor 650. ruclips.net/video/PQAS-xXjEjM/видео.html
@@BikesILike they don't give it to the customers.
When shotgun 650?
Hopefully it's still coming.
Two clocks telling different time... aye yi yi... still some kinks.
Honest review. Do you love it with your heart?
It was a lot of fun to ride but if I was buying one I think I'd prefer the Interceptor or Continental GT.
Two Royal-Enfields......OR.......One Indian....uuummmmm
Is it already available in the USA?
I just had a look and it doesn't appear to be available in the US yet unfortunately. www.royalenfield.com/us/en/motorcycles/
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i test rode the 2023 and it was adequate and totally underpowered and boring.
The problem I see is that you are only doing a test ride on a bike that was provided by a dealer. To properly do a test ride you need the bike at least 2 weeks.
I also wonder how much self-censorship involved. I mean can you really be 100% honest when a bike is provided by a dealer or the company itself.
I always give my honest opinion and I fully believe it has cost me test rides in the past. If I can't be honest I don't want to ride it.
I'm not expecting to get BMW test rides after making this video for instance. ruclips.net/video/rkJV5x_U_nI/видео.html
@@BikesILike BMW bikes are like their cars. When they are new, they are good. But, when they age. They become endless money pits.
Now, I also own a BMW, but one that my dad bought new in 1956 and R50. Still have the original paperwork and receipt with how many Gilders he paid for it.
I've been living in Taiwan for 22 years. Royal Enfield entered this market in 2012 and they pulled out in 2020. They had two flagship locations one in Taipei and the other in Taichung. There were also a few independent dealers as well. But, it was a major flop.
So many complaints were made against Royal Enfield in Taiwan for their service, lack of quality control and long waits to get spare parts.
One of the largest independent dealers has 27 bikes Continental GT, Classic 500 and Himalayan. They he can't even shift.
People that did buy them also can't even resell them with out losing.
Now here in Taiwan all imported motorcycles have a high import and duty tax on them. For example a year ago I bought a Honda CB 1000R Black Edition. In Europe it's around 14,000 Euros. Here in Taiwan its NT$999, 300 (around 30,000 Euros) so double. The same goes for all bikes Harleys, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph and so on.
The Royal Enfield Classic 500 in Taiwan sold for NT$599,000 (around 18,000 Euros).
Do you know how much on the second hand market they are going for? Anywhere between NT$25,000 and NT$35,000 (between 750 to 1000 Euros) and most if not all have been on the second hand market for more than 2 years.
I've had people bring them to my shop as I also sell second-hand models for people. And like other independents who also sell second-hand. We just don't take them.
In 2018 I did buy one from a guy who came by to see if we could sell his 2016 Classic 500 for him. So I decided to buy it myself. I remember it had between 7000 and 8000km on it. He was selling it because he had been told the camshaft had a problem and it would take 5 months to get a new one. I gave him NT$40,000 (1200 Euros). The camshaft was a problem, but I had a friend in the Netherlands who repairs REs send me one.
But, when I took it apart I was finding some other problems. I rode it for a year and then de-registered it and sent it off to the scrap yard.
Royal Enfield still have a parts distributer, but when he runs out. He isn't replacing anything. In part because he doesn't want to deal with RE.
Even in the Netherlands Enfields sell really bad.
Honda have a bike that they make for the Indian market called the Highness or CB350. It's not a bad looking bike. But, Honda Taiwan and I also know Honda Japan. Won't even touch them. When I was in Japan in March and meeting the Honda people. They did bring a few into Japan, but no one was impressed by the quality. As I was told. It may be a Honda, but it's an Indian Honda, its good for the Indian market.
I don't know if you had a chance to ride a BMW R18. I borrowed a friends last month. Honestly I do like it, but i can tell it just won't hold up.
You were saying in the BMW video you send the link to that you keep bikes to around 25,000km. I usually keep them longer than that. And that is if I sell them at all. But, BMWs I have noticed a decline in their build quality. The keyless ignition on the R18 I find annoying. Why put a system in place that will eventually break. I say just use a key.
This fall or your spring. I'm going to be in Australia for a month touring the country. I had planned to do it in 2020, but that little flu going around stopped it.
I'm starting in Shepparton riding to the coast to Darwin and then back down the coast to Perth, Melbourne and back to Shepparton. I'm going to use a Honda Goldwing.
The furthest trip I did in Australia was in 2018 from Shepparton along to coast to Brisbane.
When I posted. It was only because I have come across a few reviewers when they take a bike out for a day only seem to praise the bike and have never said they are rubbish and one who use to do reviews stopped doing it when the manufactures asked him not to say anything negative so he gave up. I wasn't saying that you do that. But, many of them do sadly.
Why you would want to compare a RE with and Indian which is twice the price. Indians are great bikes, but you really lost credibility with me when you said the the Indian was worth the $7,000 difference in price! Total nonsense!
I hate helmet cams content
They have custom wind shield too❤
An after market exhaust would do wonders on this bike
2 into one exhaust and a S & S Cam upgrade will lift this bike another 15HP but slightly higher revving