A few have mentioned about me riding the Hunter which I have already made a full review on the Hunter here - ua-cam.com/video/dLB7mNxRuMk/v-deo.html ,I have also made a suspension fix for the Meteor at the end of this video is a link for that. Thanks
If ever there was a review that showed how much someone loves a bike, this is it. Brilliant heartfelt review about an amazing bike. And a great level of information for someone wanting to buy one of these, which as you know we will be looking into later this year. Well done, top video, shame about the trees 😂
Much appreciated! Thanks bud, yeah I hope your daughter does get one, they are really nice to plod around on for every reason. They didnt start cutting the trees until 5 minutes after until pushed record...same old ER walkround!
Hi, if you’re gonna miss it that much, BUY ONE, I’ve had one for a year now, now with 6,500mls on on it. On the rear suspension click the preload up one or two notches, the fuel gauge is inaccurate but I zero the trip when I fill up an not worry about fuel until it’s done at least 250mls. have cut of the heal shifter cos I didn’t like it.i have also put on a 16 tooth front sprocket to give it longer legs. But I guess whatever floats your boat. 👍
Spot on. Adding preload makes a massive difference, it unsticks the rear suspension and suddenly it starts working as it should. No need to swap the OEM units in my opinion. The fuel gauge is hopeless once it gets down to two bars but as you say, just use one of the trip meters and fill up every 250 miles or whatever and it's a non-issue really. Glad you are enjoying your Meteor. I definitely feel as though mine is, all things considered, the best bike I've ever bought. Can't imagine ever selling it. I will ride it until it wears out and then, if I can, hopefully buy another one ! 🥰
Not for me, The suspension would have to go-I didnt try to adjust and it was better but still not good enough, for the sake of £100 it can be sorted to ones liking : ) Thanks mate
that was a good ultimate conclusion and like you i feel Royal Enfield are doing a great job and producing some nice bikes .I had an exact same model in the same colour for 1 year , bought at the same time as Gary from Economical Rides bought his . best wishes .
I believe that there is going to be a trim option for the Bullet 350 that has alloy wheels and tubeless tires. It also has a seat that looks the most pillion friendly of all of them. 😎
I like the looks of the Bullet 350 but I know after 50 years of riding it would be too slow for me. I still like a bit of fun and excitement from my motorcycle. Maybe in another 10 years.😂
I used to feel the same , but infact I can settle into slower riding no issue,and for me its a better ride. I also go to the library at the weekends and read till closing time😂
Hi, Steve - I'm 77 and live in central France. I bought my Meteor two years ago and have just over 3000km on the clock. I enjoyed your video and would echo your findings with reference to handling and comfort, it is without doubt the most comfortable bike i have ridden to date! I too found the rear shocks to be harsh, but as I have put on the distance, they seem to have softened, without any adjustment of preload. With regard the gearchange, I have also found it easy to adjust to. Having read observations of sloppy changes and adjustment I bought one of the kits you mentioned, but haven't fitted it yet as I have no problem with mine as it is! I have to say that I don't have any problem with my fuel guage either, but that may be because I always fill up at just under half a tank showing anyway!! Tony {red fireball).
Hi Tony, Its good to hear from an owner. I still miss my loan bike...I had many good times on it and still have more videos to release on this one. Thanks for watching!
Lovely Steve ! You left us in no doubt about how you feel about the amazing little Meteor. As I said to you at the time, it means a lot if you feel that way because you get to ride a lot of very nice bikes on your channel. So this is praise indeed for the Meteor 350 and it's nice to know that I am not delusional in feeling that mine is all the bike I really need. As you now know, adding 2-3 clicks of preload at the rear seems to "unstick" the rear dampers and the rear suspension suddenly starts moving up and down as it should. The ride still isn't great but then it rarely is on any twin shock cruiser style bike. With three clicks of preload I find the rear to be soft enough that I am no longer considering an upgrade. The rear now works about as well as the front, so if you got better shocks on the rear, you'd probably start thinking that the front is terrible and then start messing with the forks. OEM shocks with two ( minimum ) or three clicks of preload are fine for me. I think it's really important that people try adding preload before going down the upgrade route. There definitely seems to be an issue with the dampers sticking when there is no preload on the spring. They seem to stop the spring from being able to move. The preload seems to put the dampers further down their stroke where they move more freely, allowing the spring to finally do its job. Thanks very much for the mention, particularly the living in France part, quality bantz from you as usual Dave ! 😂 Pretty hilarious that trees were being felled all around you. Something a bit different in a bike review. You really do go the extra mile for us Steve. Well done, doubt we'll find that on any other bike review channel ! Maybe next time you could do a bike review in front of an old power station which is in the process of being blown up ??? Something to think about at least. 🤔 As you well know, if you buy a Meteor, the leather chaps are on me mate ! Take care, love to the crew and we'll plan ERmageddon 3 as soon as I can stop coughing 🤬 Cheers Steve, love from France Garry & Ruby
Good to see your getting a bit better. I would buy one but the thought of having chaps through the post is putting me off...if I did get one ,I would have to get Hunty shocks for me...the pre-load adjustment helped but its still too solid for me. Hunty shocks did the job for me and I was all smiles after "trying that chaps bike" Yeah no worries with E.R mate,in ya own time. Say hi to Ruby for me...bless her doggy heart.
I was wondering where my mate was. I payed him to walk past with a canoe, but it seems he decided a chainsaw in the background was a better idea 🤷🏻♂️ Lovely to see how besotted you became with the mighty Meteor 🙂
Fuel gage, if you put it on the main stand you get a accurate reading TEC gear change leaver kit is amazing makes it a almost new bike Screen awful if you are 5’3” I have the fireball wasted money buying one and hated it Bought the seat replacement for the pillion as Ill never carry one with a luggage plate really nice look Engine bars a good option I’ve fitted a ODB2 reader so I can monitor the engine and reset any error codes after looking them up without a journey to the dealer. The oil temperature sensor does get triggered occasionally by leaving a warm garage into cold air. after 9000 km on it its perfect for what it is and I have a 1100 km each way trip to Salzburg planned this summer in all its a cruiser that turns 80mpg …..and after its out of warranty easy to maintain.
Can the rear suspension be upgraded in any way to your knowledge? The fuel gauge would irritate me but I suppose you would get used to it with time. It’s great to see how much you’ve gotten on with this bike, so…when are you buying one? 👀 For the money, you really do get a great bike for your buck, I think it’s very reasonable considering the modern market. I think the bike has a great finish, really classy and tidy looking 🤘 Great video mate, well spoken as always. Hope you’re doing well 🤘
Yeap, I came up with a simple fix using Hunter springs....£100 and its sorted...Halcon also make some for it. Video is linked at the end for the suspension fix. all good, hope you are too mate.
I took a Meteor out for a fair ride and to be honest I believe there is many many better quality products on the market that are around the same cc's. I do like the looks of the The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 but over here in Aussie land the vast majority of Learners and new riders start off with 40 BHP bikes rather than 20 BHP or far less than that like in the UK. I also found the bike too small for me as well so that did not help things either and the braking was far from sharp on the Meteor form its max speed of high 60's in mile an hour...... Oh and the clutch was slipping like crazy on this new demo as well. At first we tried the 500cc Classic and ....lol...... that ran for about 20 miles and then just died and would not re-start on the side of the road and had to get picked up by the dealers truck and be taken away because of some catastrophic electrical failure. So my view on the Enfield products by experience is small and cramped, cheap under powered and unreliable with test riding two Royal Enfield's, one with a bad slipping clutch right out the box brand new and the other failing with catastrophic electrical issues out the box brand new that the dealers road side assist could not fix. And to add to all of that, Well these Meteor 350's horse power is around the same as my zx14r's starter motor, So sorry buddy I was far from impressed.
I can understand why you wouldn't be impressed with that history Roland. Bloody hell ,thats a disaster at every corner there. I'm not sure if smaller bikes would work as well in Aus vs Uk ,,,we have smaller roads here and average speed is 50kph on most roads . I fully respect your opinion ,and after those stories ....I would'nt touch one either!!! But I know many who have the 350 engine here that have had no issues. Great to know your thoughts on it, Thanks mate
I put the clutch down to the pre delivery team to be fair on the 350 but the 500's issue was factory. Both these bikes are not hot sellers over here and they have a reputation of carry a spanner with you as you need to tighten up bolts after every so many miles but it that true? I don't know but that's there reputation. @@exeterrider
@@rolandkeith5322 I don’t pamper my 500. The only failures have been one pilot bulb and the kickstand switch. It lives outside and is used mostly on but a little off road. I haven’t needed to re tighten anything. My BMW F650GS had a fairing bolt that needed re tightened every few weeks though 😂. Having said that that, @Bulletwanderer has had to retighten his (Bullets) nuts occasionally .
IAM totally with you on all RE bikes and cannot understand the hype. So many better bikes imo. But I respect I am in the minority good job we dont all agree
@@craigyllyn yeah I get ya man and given the volume they make them in some problems will occur and that is common for just about any maker. As I said, i do like the look of them i think they got the style right on them bikes but as said too they are not a big seller over here in the world of bikes and there has been many complaints expressed through the bike community. Personally they are not my kind of ride as I am to use to high powered bikes or the max you can get from the factory and then re chip and dyno it and it's just good enough type deals the bigger bikes are superior in all regards, stopping turning comfort and all out power. All those things make for a super easy bike to handle way down at normal speed limits and when you crank them they do everything so well compare to a bike that's on or near its limit at 80 miles per hour.
Hi Steve it's a great bike, even better in that colour! The Meteor has been around a few years now. I hope RE updates it with the Himalayan TFT display, improves rear suspension and fuel gauge. For some reason it reminds me of the excellent Honda Hawk 400 from mid-80s, it has similar performance, sound and ride. If only RE would add a few more HP....
Hi Steve, To be honest, I really like the dials on this bike , also the extra Hp would be handy, but at the same time, the whole bike just works so well with it self, I'm not sure I'd change it...perhaps a little more acceleration may be handy but over all after riding all these big bikes, this bike really floats my boat. Thanks for watching mate
So not just the suspension - the fuel gauge as well! Oh and the sloppy gear changer. Ha ha !! Good vid - I miss mine but don't miss the lack of power or the speed restriction. You need to buy one....never heard you talk so romantically about a bike - like an affair ! Love your bloopers....chain saw and all....😆. "Tree's just come down" - sh1t its all happening there....love that bike but you are making me laugh out-loud now !! Did you go out on it at night by the way? Headlight is appalling unless they have upgraded it. Wow another tree.....😂. Sorry - you KNOW I'm not taking the pee.....just made me chuckle!
Ha, goodo Rob, typical ER walkround isnt it! Headlight was OK for me, not super but just enough...not LED either so when it breaks you pay £2 for a new bulb and not £400 for a whole new headlight. Thanks
Agree, the Meteor gets under your skin. My Meteor's fuel guage did the same thing then after about 2000km sudennly freed up and reads accurately with no sudden jumps. Only thing I can think of is that the float sticks abit and needs to "wear in". Screen extender does work, worth getting if you are over about 5'10".
I'd like to just mention something about the 20hp. In order for RE to bring out an air-cooled single cylinder that would pass Euro 5 emissions, they had to put in a rev limiter. Could it rev faster? Sure, but it would likely result in unspent or poorly combusted fuel, leading to the emissions issues. I think they found the right balance. If they made this engine liquid cooled, I could see it doing 30hp. Look at the new Triumph Speed 400 and it's 39hp from a 399cc engine! Anyway, I have a Meteor 350, it pulls like a tractor, it does what you ask of it. I ride two-up and have never felt out of place on the roads I ride on.
Same mate, there is something about that engine that makes you feel connected, The Hunter has the same engine and it is quicker...I still wouldn't swap it though.
There is a chap local to you selling one exactly the same as this one. £2450 with 5500 miles in excellent condition.... He's on the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Owners UK group.....just sayin, you know you want to! 😬
It’s a nice bike I recon it would be perfect if they put a 450 engine in the bike ,maybe. In the future they might do it,it would sell like hot cakes I think ,old jimmy Aust
Tree mendous video. Love mine. Garry is in Spain.😊 Only issue I have is the seat height…… being 5 foot 4, and a short 27 inch inside leg, I fitted the low seat, which only gives you 11mm. (The Classic is 30mm) I think the shape of the seat makes the the girth of seat wider, making your legs stretch out more. This won’t be an issue if your a 30 inch inside leg. I have the touring seat, in at Tom Hurley custom seats to get the insides replaced with medical gel, and a 30mm reduction and sculptured at the edges too. So hopefully I won’t be on tippy tip toes.😊 I love the ride out on country roads it’s so relaxing, you just sit and go with the bikes flow, don’t push it. I did 2 clicks on rear suspension. (Think Garry has done 3) so might try it. I got the Fireball Yellow, I would of liked RE, to have made an option to purchase the faced rims on your test model (super nova) Planed mods are fuel X lite and maybe the led indicators. Veiw my bike at Wee Mark. UA-cam REvowners is like a family, it’s such a lovely feeling. Hope you enjoy the Hunter.😊
Hi Mark. Steve started saying that I live in France after I kept saying that he lives in Exmouth. It has now become our little thing, just banter. We also call each other Dave from time to time 😝 It's an ER thing 😂🤷♂
Myself and Garry just need to grow up a bit mate, but thats boring so we decided to stay at pre=teenage years to soften the blow of adult wiffle waffle. ha! I had the Hunter and the review is already out on the channel : )
Mine leaves me this coming mon , fully serviced , 20 months old , 11,000 miles , p/x £1000 !! resale is crap . I miss the torque of the 500 . I know i am gonna become billy no mates but new commuter is a honda adv350 , also dealerships are vanishing chichester gone who's next ??
I always sell private for that reason, you can normally double the money then.... But sometimes chopping in is so much easier I know. The ADV is also a nice bike... All that storage too!
Typical Brit reviewer- excessively verbose, doesn't say much that's really useful, and utters such thoroughly ridiculous statements as 'acceleration of the Royal Enfield' when we all know that there isn't any. They don't 'accelerate'- they slowly gather speed. Somewhat.
Brakes? I've read more than one review that says they're not great with not good feel and some squeal. Maybe they have improved from '21-'24 model years?
Yeap, more coming from this one too...little did I know at the time I would have it for another 5 weeks or so...I got a lot of great content from it, all coming up.
As a Super Meteor owner I can say that for me the little Meteor is better looking than it's big brother. I wanted the bigger bike as a compliment to my Classic 500. If I'm in a position to get another bike then this is the one I'm going for. Ridden my mates Meteor and it's great fun to ride.
Fuel level indicator is not wrong, the mechanism is,a floater is floating in the petrol,a fuel level indicates the level of floater..when vehicle moves fuel inside the tank also creates a wave thats why floater also goes up and down ,thats why its show uneven data.. I think to see the actual level you have to stop the bike and have to maintain the steady horizontal level..
I hope you get one some day. I like the thought of you pop, popping around the countryside with a silly grin on your face. This one touched your soul.😊
There's been an awful lot of love and hype for the RE range of bikes, yet none of it has sold me on the bike, until now. OK I'm not about to rush out and buy one as my four bike collection has me covered for every niche. That doesn't mean I'm not now be keen to try one, who knows what the future holds. Sadly the local dealer went bust so I'll have to look to see how far afield the nearest alternative is. Excellent honest enthusiastic review Steve, well done 👍😀
Your attachment to this bike seems mucn more than most riders have with bikes they have purchased. It might be a mistake to let it go because that feeling doesn't come around very often. No martter how many loaner bikes you might have.
Nice to see you pour your heart out a bit. I, as do most other Meteor owners, likely feel the same. Dead of winter here in Atlantic Canada. Lots of snow and minus zero temps, but I too have to go have a look at mine. I purchased the Fireball yellow model about the same time as Economical Rides picked up the same bike back in 2021. Is also when I joined his channel and definitely recommend it. I'm sure he will also agree with your feelings. He is a Brit, but lives and rides in southern Spain. I will be surprised if you don't purchase one. Cheers 🥃
😂👍🏻 Hi Lance, yeah, Steve says I live in France because I keep saying he lives in Exmouth. It's just a thing we do. Deliberately getting things wrong 🤷♂ We also often call each other Dave. It must be an ER thing 😝
I have owned mine for two years and have done 8000 miles on it mainly commuting between home and work with a few longer rides thrown in . The rear shocks do get better with miles mine when adjusted to the 3rd step stopped bottoming out but they are a weak point. The gear change can be improved by replacing the pivot bolt that the gear leaver is mounted on with one from eBay for about £10 the bent wire linkage isn’t the problem it is just unsightly. The fuel gauge is inaccurate especially if you use the side stand but the bike does about 100 miles to the gallon and when the warning light comes on you have about 50 miles of usable fuel left . The only other things that could be better are the tyres and the drive chain.The ceat tyres are ok in the dry but take a long time to warm up and can be a bit iffy in the wet . The drive chain is cheap and not that good I am going to have to replace mine soon due to wear . The only other problem is that Royal Enfield haven’t sorted the spares supply properly since parting with Moto Gb you can get most things but some things are either slow to arrive or unavailable which isn’t good.
@@exeterrider I have to admit that despite these “faults” I love the bike for what it is and would recommend any of the 350’s to people who want a second bike or a low capacity bike to get about . I know it isn’t fast but it is a fun bike to ride and own.
On the suspension issue, if you add a bit of preload (1 or 2 clicks) it makes the suspension a lot better. It seems it puts the springs into a different area of compression that takes some of the harshness out of it. At the moment at £2999 for the Fireball model they are also the bargain of the century.
I thought I'd had an "Exeter Rider" experience when I had that truck reversing in the car park, but you'd gone one-up with your team of lumberjacks 🤣🤣 So... are you going to buy one?
If you think the fuel gauge is bad on Enfield, you should try owning an MT10. Full, full, half, then empty very quickly #empty10 Enfield have changed the face of British motorcycling. So many about because they are simple, beautiful and well priced
Yeap, I remember on my MT-10 ride I started with over half a tank and then it went to nothing within 20 miles...I was worried about getting back. RE has given the motorbike consumer so much and really guided the industry in the right direction for what people "really want"
Morning Steve. Clearly, you really rate it. It's not one i think i could get on with though, but there again ive not ridden one, so who knows? Btw i always get buzzsaws and/or sirens going off too when trying to talk to cam. Lots of 😖😡
I have no affiliation to MotoGB in the UK but just seen on their web site as of 9th Feb 2024 some cracking new Royal Enfield bike bargains. A Meteor 350 for just £3199 inc otr. A yellow one, or +£200 to get 3 other colour variants. Absolutely crazy prices they are selling new Royal Enfield's for. Even a 24 plate Himalayan 411 for £3999 inc otr charges. Ok they may well be ending their continued dealership with RE, but surely it'd still have the 3 year warranty with 3 year roadside breakdown cover. Just shows what prices Royal Enfield CAN be sold for. Afterall it would not cost Royal Enfield in India no more than about £1200, (if that!!) to MAKE a 350 Meteor. Yes a cheap as that. In parts & assembly not even £1200. A truly fantastic achievement of theirs to produce all that for such a price.
How about those trees coming down, any moment I was expecting someone to break into the Lumberjack Song 🤣 But seriously I totally agree with you about how Royal Enfield just nail it, I own four. Regarding the rear shocks, I haven't ridden the Meteor 350 but I do own a Super Meteor 650 that has a similar problem with the rear suspension, and I can highly recommend the YSS shocks. Cheers 😀
I will be asking UA-cam for extra "danger" money soon, putting my life on the line for a video...what a legend I am! ha! 4 Enfields in the garage is amazing , I'd love to see your garage. The 350 Meteor really does add something to the pot...wonderful machine it really is : )
TBH, I'm a returning rider after 40 years. We never had fuel guages in my day, yet got on with it. There's a lovely Meteor at my local bike shop for £3k, so I reckon I'll go for it.
I’m lucky enough to own a 350 meteor, 650 meteor & a Himalayan. As you stated it’s the 350 that gets under your skin. 9K in 18 months. Can’t stop riding the thing.
Over 8000 miles on my Meteor, hagon shocks fitted with only a slight improvement, I think it's the seat position as the classic rides much better with the same shocks. Have had no problems with the fuel gauge so maybe you had a faulty one. Heel toe gear change was replaced with a toe change after 500 miles, so much better. Touring screen caused a lot of wind noise to enter my helmet, so that was removed. Still love the bike anyway.
I’ve recently changed from sports bikes that I’ve been riding for over 30 years, and you’re right these royal Enfields have got under my skin and I think what’s going on is when you’ve got a massive powerful bike you just expect it to do these things and get you everywhere fast ,and doesn’t actually make it that enjoyable, whereas these little 350 capacity bikes it’s like a relationship that you don’t expect it to have your back but it does and you end up respecting it because of it and it just feels amazing, since swapping to this style of bike, I feel like motorcycling has become what it should be. The enjoyment factor has gone through the roof.
As I said when we crossed paths on Dartmoor in Sept. at that road blocking accident between Moreton Hampstead and Ide I was impressed and taken with the yellow loaner Meteor 350 I had. I reckon the HNTR 350 may be as much fun.
Hi mate, good to hear from you again.I have done a full review of the Hunter already...I like it a lot but the Meteor takes the bisciuit for me. Hope your well mate
I take it you like it 😂 I’ve just ordered a stellar blue, like you said the Classic doesn’t come with alloys as standard and I prefer the look of the meteor as it’s more of a 70’s 80’s style bike rather than a 50’s one. You won’t be the first reviewer to end up buying one, there’s something about that engine 😊 all the best buddy 👍
My fuel gauge isn't just as weird as yours. First block about 55 miles then it drops incrementally until the last 2 bars and they will dissappear quite quickly but yes as soon as you're familiar with the bike it's not an issue.. I'm considering the Hitchcock cam shafts for more umpf.... Not so fussed about the back rest.. A length of inch stainless tubing and a pipe bender and you could fashion a lovely grab rail instead.... PS.. I did the airbox mod where you run an inch and a quarter tank cutter through the side.. Put a Red Rooster exhaust and cat remover.. Made a noticeable difference.. PPS.. if the rear shocks feel very stiff from new turn the preload up 2 clicks, it's counter intuitive but it works and takes the initial dig out of road bumps.. PPPS... watch when washing the wheels.. The cut faces are razor sharp as I near lost a finger when cleaning.. Run a file round the edges to debur...
Good point about the wheels , I noticed they were sharp too! I tried all postions on the pre-load, All didn't cut the mustard...but I have made a video on a cheap mod for the suspension, I have flagged it at the end of this video, check it out : )
I have a meteor in fireball blue. Main difference is less chrome. I am really enjoying the bike. I don’t do much motorway and for what I use it for, mainly city and country lanes, I cannot think of a better bike. It never feels underpowered, I had a SV650 previously. I would say if I were to do more motorway miles I would consider trading it in but I am more than happy with this fantastic little bike, and it looks great.
Just bought one of these two weeks ago and then took it on a 1200km run. I quite agree with your comments regarding the rear suspension and inconsistent fuel gauge. My back got quite sore after riding on some bumpy roads and the odd pothole had me thrown about 6 inches up from the seat. Unfortunately with the feet forward pegs you can't really take the weight on your legs when you know a big bump is coming. I found the engine very user friendly but quite clattery when under a bit of strain such as hard acceleration or going up steep hills. I wondered how much better the Meteor would perform if fitted with the new 450 Hamalayan motor ! I love the wee Meteor but have just seen some early videos of the soon to be released Shotgun which has got me thinking ! I'll be interested to see if you get a Shotgun to review and what your thoughts are.
I have the Meteor 650 video out already, which is the same bike...I have the Shotgun coming at some point : ) But I still prefer the 350 myself. Check out my meteor suspension video...its a game changer!
Nice review mate, can't wait to see some of the videos you've made on the Meteor. You always did like this bike, Lovely colour by the way. My question is this Would you swap the NC for one ?.
The NC is my all rounder, I could travel far on the NC quickly and with great storage, so I guess the answer is no....could I chop in the BMW for one? the answer would be yes. That would be a better set up in the garage too TBH. Hope your well Paul.
Feeling the love there ER! Not the bike for me as I’m not a fan of the cruiser style, but I’m becoming more and more inclined to go back to a more basic style of bike. Great video as always.
Hi Keith, You know the funny thing is that I am also not really a crusier fan...however this bike seems to be a cross between a cruiser and a conventional bike... hard to explain, even when sat on it the foot pegs are right below in the perfect position. Thanks for viewing again Keith.
As the chain saw became an issue a two stroke engine smell came across my nose as I am having a pipe while watching. I thought you made smell-a-vision!
@@exeterrider I've ridden my workmate's Meteor and it's clearly a cheap bike. OK, but cheap bike. They couldn't make a gn now. Chrome, real mechanical clocks, a deep squashy seat, rubber mounted bars and footpegs cost money. And more than that that, my GN250 has a indefinable "feel" that Meteor lacks.
5.07 my agent will be in touch about my appearance fee! 😂😂 Some bikes just get under your skin don’t they? If you need an Enfield fix when it goes back you could always borrow SB’s for a bit (as long as you promised to keep it upright!!) 😉
I'm not sure it was you Phil, the indicaters were off. Please send the invoice ASAP and I promise from the top of my heart that you will be 😂paid straight away at some point. SB won't pick up the phone anymore
Ahh thanks for checking in. Yes, I would really like one but I don't use the bikes I already have so adding to that problem wouldn't be good. Glad you enjoy the videos, thanks very much
Wow, thank you! I'm trying to bring a bit more of "me" into it all...hard though often when filming is so stressful at times. Thanks for your comment, I take a lot from that and shows I'm on the right path : )
Ha so I'm not alone in enjoying the meteor. Lots of reviewers rave about the classic... I enjoyed the video. After about 5000 miles I've started to notice the seat is not quite as comfortable as it was, I don't know if the foam has deteriorated or it's my bottom....
That’s a remarkable review. I knew you were impressed but to be that impressed despite the rear suspension really says something. Fuel gauge? I just have a light. Much better solution as we know how far the bike goes and just need a reminder to think about it. I’m being a real Luddite now.
I can see one of these ending up in your man cave, ER. A lot of bike for not a lot of financial outlay. Ideal for those who want a machine that looks pretty good and delivers in most areas.
@@exeterrider I ride this bike with my kid and/or wife. I've done two moto-camping trip with my son and it was a blast. It really doesn't care about the weight - it won't go much faster with less weight, nor will it go much slower. It's like a quick tractor ;)
@@exeterrider I understand that mate only so much time isn’t there!🤷🏼♂️ re the Beemer yeah it’s all good fingers crossed, I did have an issue with the left hand indicator not working and after taking the switch gear apart twice with no result I fixed it by accident, I found the fuse holder was lose, it had just come unclipped and after sorting that out the indicator worked 🤷🏼♂️ and fingers crossed has since!
I love mine to bits, a real man and machine in harmony sort of bike. The meteor also has a centre stand also a usb port on the handlebars, plus there is a great tool kit included. Cheap as chips to tax and insure and comfy two up for touring. Oh, and as frugal as the very devil on the juice.
The faulty reading on the meteor fuel gauge, why doesn't royal Enfield fix this known problem? Also other faults inc wrong gear indicator, and wobbly gear change lever ect
I had no issues with the gear indicater TBh.....also the wobbley gear change I can live with no problem......I would prefer they kept the price low than add £100 to sort the wobble. Thanks for watching bud.
@@exeterrider Good point Dave. If they fitted a rose jointed lever from the factory the bike would be more expensive in the first place. You also have to consider that, even though it looks Heath Robinson, the OEM linkage does actually work and seems to work for a long time. The holes will probably oval out over time but I'm coming up to three years with my Meteor and the OEM linkage still works fine. Once it does wear out and starts playing up, it's great that there are after market solutions out there. That's when I'll upgrade. But the OEM linkage works well enough and helps keep the price down. Like you, I have no issue with that. Fuel gauges on bikes are a bit of a gimmick anyway. On every bike I've ever owned, I've relied on an odometer reading to decide when it's time to fill up. The Meteor has TWO trip meters, so it has me well covered. The fuel gauge is useful when you get the bike out of the garage after a long time away. It reminds you whether you need to find a petrol station some time today or whether you will be alright without one. That's about the only time I appreciate it. It reminds me of the approximate fuel load when I get the bike out again after a long time away from it. Cheers Dave, Eric from France
@@exeterrider no I didn’t, I came across this one video while searching the meteor 350, I’ll check it out! Don’t suppose you have a review of the meteor 650 also?
While you haven't had it long enough to address MY concerns, I'd like to run them by you. I've had 40 bikes, 8 thumpers and I see this or a Hunter in my future. Sadly, they are NOT the bargain they're made out to be. They're $5000 out the door, with a grand of BS fees tacked on, not that way on every make. Secondly, I buy a NEW bike so that I DON'T wrench on it {duh} and these bikes seem very maintenance heavy, ridiculous for an air cooled single. Buy it, ride it for a week and you're hit with a first $600 service, as opposed to an oil and filter change on my 300 Rebel. Then I believe there's another biggie at 3000 miles which is maybe half way through the summer. That means this "cheap $4000 bike" is going to cost you about $7000 the first year. Hmmm ....
It's nothing like that here, servicing is no more than £100 per service, so you won't even go into 5k in the first year. They are cheap to buy and run in the UK.
Pubs, castles and now this, lol? Lucky you! Seriously, thank you for the response. It really sounds as though these bikes were literally engineered to be a money pit on the back end - great for RE but not for us. My new '78 SR500 was nothing like this, oil changes now and then and go. Anyway, ride safe and enjoy!@@exeterrider
Indeed, the only problem is who's going to work on them if you don't? Even with parts availability, dealers won't go near a bike that's more than a few years old or, worse yet, out of production. Seems to me that for $100 an hour, one should be able to say "fix it". Times have changed.@@exeterrider
A few have mentioned about me riding the Hunter which I have already made a full review on the Hunter here - ua-cam.com/video/dLB7mNxRuMk/v-deo.html ,I have also made a suspension fix for the Meteor at the end of this video is a link for that. Thanks
If ever there was a review that showed how much someone loves a bike, this is it. Brilliant heartfelt review about an amazing bike. And a great level of information for someone wanting to buy one of these, which as you know we will be looking into later this year.
Well done, top video, shame about the trees 😂
Who are you? You seem familiar.
I have deleted him off my phone. 😂
Much appreciated! Thanks bud, yeah I hope your daughter does get one, they are really nice to plod around on for every reason. They didnt start cutting the trees until 5 minutes after until pushed record...same old ER walkround!
Hi, if you’re gonna miss it that much, BUY ONE, I’ve had one for a year now, now with 6,500mls on on it. On the rear suspension click the preload up one or two notches, the fuel gauge is inaccurate but I zero the trip when I fill up an not worry about fuel until it’s done at least 250mls. have cut of the heal shifter cos I didn’t like it.i have also put on a 16 tooth front sprocket to give it longer legs. But I guess whatever floats your boat. 👍
Spot on. Adding preload makes a massive difference, it unsticks the rear suspension and suddenly it starts working as it should. No need to swap the OEM units in my opinion. The fuel gauge is hopeless once it gets down to two bars but as you say, just use one of the trip meters and fill up every 250 miles or whatever and it's a non-issue really.
Glad you are enjoying your Meteor. I definitely feel as though mine is, all things considered, the best bike I've ever bought. Can't imagine ever selling it. I will ride it until it wears out and then, if I can, hopefully buy another one ! 🥰
Not for me, The suspension would have to go-I didnt try to adjust and it was better but still not good enough, for the sake of £100 it can be sorted to ones liking : ) Thanks mate
that was a good ultimate conclusion and like you i feel Royal Enfield are doing a great job and producing some nice bikes .I had an exact same model in the same colour for 1 year , bought at the same time as Gary from Economical Rides bought his . best wishes .
Thanks John, How come you sold it in the end? forgive me if you have told me before.
I believe that there is going to be a trim option for the Bullet 350 that has alloy wheels and tubeless tires. It also has a seat that looks the most pillion friendly of all of them. 😎
Very true it does look good. Is like to try one👍
I like the looks of the Bullet 350 but I know after 50 years of riding it would be too slow for me. I still like a bit of fun and excitement from my motorcycle. Maybe in another 10 years.😂
I used to feel the same , but infact I can settle into slower riding no issue,and for me its a better ride. I also go to the library at the weekends and read till closing time😂
There's nothing like a good book. I have one on the go all the time.🤓
@@splodge5714 Last one I read was the BFG in 1987, I need to catch up.
Hi, Steve - I'm 77 and live in central France. I bought my Meteor two years ago and have just over 3000km on the clock. I enjoyed your video and would echo your findings with reference to handling and comfort, it is without doubt the most comfortable bike i have ridden to date! I too found the rear shocks to be harsh, but as I have put on the distance, they seem to have softened, without any adjustment of preload.
With regard the gearchange, I have also found it easy to adjust to. Having read observations of sloppy changes and adjustment I bought one of the kits you mentioned, but haven't fitted it yet as I have no problem with mine as it is!
I have to say that I don't have any problem with my fuel guage either, but that may be because I always fill up at just under half a tank showing anyway!!
Tony {red fireball).
Hi Tony,
Its good to hear from an owner. I still miss my loan bike...I had many good times on it and still have more videos to release on this one. Thanks for watching!
Lovely Steve ! You left us in no doubt about how you feel about the amazing little Meteor. As I said to you at the time, it means a lot if you feel that way because you get to ride a lot of very nice bikes on your channel. So this is praise indeed for the Meteor 350 and it's nice to know that I am not delusional in feeling that mine is all the bike I really need. As you now know, adding 2-3 clicks of preload at the rear seems to "unstick" the rear dampers and the rear suspension suddenly starts moving up and down as it should. The ride still isn't great but then it rarely is on any twin shock cruiser style bike. With three clicks of preload I find the rear to be soft enough that I am no longer considering an upgrade. The rear now works about as well as the front, so if you got better shocks on the rear, you'd probably start thinking that the front is terrible and then start messing with the forks.
OEM shocks with two ( minimum ) or three clicks of preload are fine for me.
I think it's really important that people try adding preload before going down the upgrade route. There definitely seems to be an issue with the dampers sticking when there is no preload on the spring. They seem to stop the spring from being able to move. The preload seems to put the dampers further down their stroke where they move more freely, allowing the spring to finally do its job.
Thanks very much for the mention, particularly the living in France part, quality bantz from you as usual Dave ! 😂
Pretty hilarious that trees were being felled all around you. Something a bit different in a bike review. You really do go the extra mile for us Steve. Well done, doubt we'll find that on any other bike review channel ! Maybe next time you could do a bike review in front of an old power station which is in the process of being blown up ??? Something to think about at least. 🤔
As you well know, if you buy a Meteor, the leather chaps are on me mate !
Take care, love to the crew and we'll plan ERmageddon 3 as soon as I can stop coughing 🤬
Cheers Steve, love from France
Garry & Ruby
Good to see your getting a bit better. I would buy one but the thought of having chaps through the post is putting me off...if I did get one ,I would have to get Hunty shocks for me...the pre-load adjustment helped but its still too solid for me. Hunty shocks did the job for me and I was all smiles after "trying that chaps bike"
Yeah no worries with E.R mate,in ya own time.
Say hi to Ruby for me...bless her doggy heart.
A simple and very effective mod for this bike is the DNA filter kit. Will liven the engine right up, 10% more power.
I Jane one on the garage, just waiting for time to video it
@@exeterrider Perfect! You will feel and hear the difference.
I was wondering where my mate was. I payed him to walk past with a canoe, but it seems he decided a chainsaw in the background was a better idea 🤷🏻♂️
Lovely to see how besotted you became with the mighty Meteor 🙂
You wait till I find your mate. Yeap, lovely bike.
so - it is you again [[
now your making me laugh more --- e. r. lives in spain ,,, there are no alps there ;;;
Its an ongoing joke with me and ER lol
Fuel gage, if you put it on the main stand you get a accurate reading
TEC gear change leaver kit is amazing makes it a almost new bike
Screen awful if you are 5’3” I have the fireball wasted money buying one and hated it
Bought the seat replacement for the pillion as Ill never carry one with a luggage plate really nice look
Engine bars a good option
I’ve fitted a ODB2 reader so I can monitor the engine and reset any error codes after looking them up without a journey to the dealer. The oil temperature sensor does get triggered occasionally by leaving a warm garage into cold air.
after 9000 km on it its perfect for what it is and I have a 1100 km each way trip to Salzburg planned this summer in all its a cruiser that turns 80mpg …..and after its out of warranty easy to maintain.
Brill mate, Thanks for your comment and watching the video.
Can the rear suspension be upgraded in any way to your knowledge?
The fuel gauge would irritate me but I suppose you would get used to it with time.
It’s great to see how much you’ve gotten on with this bike, so…when are you buying one? 👀
For the money, you really do get a great bike for your buck, I think it’s very reasonable considering the modern market.
I think the bike has a great finish, really classy and tidy looking 🤘
Great video mate, well spoken as always. Hope you’re doing well 🤘
Yeap, I came up with a simple fix using Hunter springs....£100 and its sorted...Halcon also make some for it. Video is linked at the end for the suspension fix. all good, hope you are too mate.
I took a Meteor out for a fair ride and to be honest I believe there is many many better quality products on the market that are around the same cc's. I do like the looks of the The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 but over here in Aussie land the vast majority of Learners and new riders start off with 40 BHP bikes rather than 20 BHP or far less than that like in the UK.
I also found the bike too small for me as well so that did not help things either and the braking was far from sharp on the Meteor form its max speed of high 60's in mile an hour...... Oh and the clutch was slipping like crazy on this new demo as well.
At first we tried the 500cc Classic and ....lol...... that ran for about 20 miles and then just died and would not re-start on the side of the road and had to get picked up by the dealers truck and be taken away because of some catastrophic electrical failure.
So my view on the Enfield products by experience is small and cramped, cheap under powered and unreliable with test riding two Royal Enfield's, one with a bad slipping clutch right out the box brand new and the other failing with catastrophic electrical issues out the box brand new that the dealers road side assist could not fix. And to add to all of that, Well these Meteor 350's horse power is around the same as my zx14r's starter motor, So sorry buddy I was far from impressed.
I can understand why you wouldn't be impressed with that history Roland. Bloody hell ,thats a disaster at every corner there.
I'm not sure if smaller bikes would work as well in Aus vs Uk ,,,we have smaller roads here and average speed is 50kph on most roads .
I fully respect your opinion ,and after those stories ....I would'nt touch one either!!! But I know many who have the 350 engine here that have had no issues.
Great to know your thoughts on it, Thanks mate
I put the clutch down to the pre delivery team to be fair on the 350 but the 500's issue was factory. Both these bikes are not hot sellers over here and they have a reputation of carry a spanner with you as you need to tighten up bolts after every so many miles but it that true? I don't know but that's there reputation. @@exeterrider
@@rolandkeith5322 I don’t pamper my 500. The only failures have been one pilot bulb and the kickstand switch. It lives outside and is used mostly on but a little off road. I haven’t needed to re tighten anything. My BMW F650GS had a fairing bolt that needed re tightened every few weeks though 😂. Having said that that, @Bulletwanderer has had to retighten his (Bullets) nuts occasionally .
IAM totally with you on all RE bikes and cannot understand the hype. So many better bikes imo. But I respect I am in the minority good job we dont all agree
@@craigyllyn yeah I get ya man and given the volume they make them in some problems will occur and that is common for just about any maker.
As I said, i do like the look of them i think they got the style right on them bikes but as said too they are not a big seller over here in the world of bikes and there has been many complaints expressed through the bike community. Personally they are not my kind of ride as I am to use to high powered bikes or the max you can get from the factory and then re chip and dyno it and it's just good enough type deals the bigger bikes are superior in all regards, stopping turning comfort and all out power. All those things make for a super easy bike to handle way down at normal speed limits and when you crank them they do everything so well compare to a bike that's on or near its limit at 80 miles per hour.
Hi Steve it's a great bike, even better in that colour! The Meteor has been around a few years now. I hope RE updates it with the Himalayan TFT display, improves rear suspension and fuel gauge. For some reason it reminds me of the excellent Honda Hawk 400 from mid-80s, it has similar performance, sound and ride. If only RE would add a few more HP....
Hi Steve, To be honest, I really like the dials on this bike , also the extra Hp would be handy, but at the same time, the whole bike just works so well with it self, I'm not sure I'd change it...perhaps a little more acceleration may be handy but over all after riding all these big bikes, this bike really floats my boat. Thanks for watching mate
its true though, i own a meteor 350 stellar black and i absolutely love that bike, incredible value for money. cheers and thanks for the video
I do like that colour combination and if I was ever to get a 'slowdown' bike, that would be the one for me.
Yeap, it gives you a different ride.
So not just the suspension - the fuel gauge as well! Oh and the sloppy gear changer. Ha ha !! Good vid - I miss mine but don't miss the lack of power or the speed restriction. You need to buy one....never heard you talk so romantically about a bike - like an affair ! Love your bloopers....chain saw and all....😆. "Tree's just come down" - sh1t its all happening there....love that bike but you are making me laugh out-loud now !! Did you go out on it at night by the way? Headlight is appalling unless they have upgraded it. Wow another tree.....😂. Sorry - you KNOW I'm not taking the pee.....just made me chuckle!
Ha, goodo Rob, typical ER walkround isnt it! Headlight was OK for me, not super but just enough...not LED either so when it breaks you pay £2 for a new bulb and not £400 for a whole new headlight. Thanks
These reviews are pushing me to take my test and leave the 125 behind! 😁
Ha, thats funny, 125s are still great fun mate: ) but yeah, you have lots to look forward too.
Agree, the Meteor gets under your skin. My Meteor's fuel guage did the same thing then after about 2000km sudennly freed up and reads accurately with no sudden jumps. Only thing I can think of is that the float sticks abit and needs to "wear in". Screen extender does work, worth getting if you are over about 5'10".
Meteors are kings of the road : )
The big question is…. Have you bought one yet?
Nope , I have so many loan bikes I would hardly ride it...I still have the other 2 as well....maybe I might sell one to get one.
@@exeterriderthat says a lot! Wow. Nice to know
You're right it's a fantastic bike. I have owned one for two years and i sold it before last Xmas and i miss it day 😢
I'd like to just mention something about the 20hp. In order for RE to bring out an air-cooled single cylinder that would pass Euro 5 emissions, they had to put in a rev limiter. Could it rev faster? Sure, but it would likely result in unspent or poorly combusted fuel, leading to the emissions issues. I think they found the right balance. If they made this engine liquid cooled, I could see it doing 30hp. Look at the new Triumph Speed 400 and it's 39hp from a 399cc engine! Anyway, I have a Meteor 350, it pulls like a tractor, it does what you ask of it. I ride two-up and have never felt out of place on the roads I ride on.
Same mate, there is something about that engine that makes you feel connected, The Hunter has the same engine and it is quicker...I still wouldn't swap it though.
First service at......300 miles???? is $500 dollars!! My dealer in New Hampshire(US) told me this today. That put me off from the git go.
It would put me off as well.! 500! Perhaps try a different dealer.
Over here it's £130 so that's about 145 in your money.
Thanks
There is a chap local to you selling one exactly the same as this one. £2450 with 5500 miles in excellent condition.... He's on the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Owners UK group.....just sayin, you know you want to! 😬
Just trying to sign up to that group now👍
I think you like the bike. RE are doing a good job indeed.
TIMBER......
I love the ergos of it , and this "rootbeer" color, i'm thinkin of it as a second bike for grocery store runs.
Its perfect for that and you will find reasons to get out on it
Yeap, I'd have one tomorrow
It’s a nice bike I recon it would be perfect if they put a 450 engine in the bike ,maybe. In the future they might do it,it would sell like hot cakes I think ,old jimmy Aust
Yes I tend to agree...but like it as is...450 aircooled, maybe : )
Tree mendous video.
Love mine. Garry is in Spain.😊
Only issue I have is the seat height…… being 5 foot 4, and a short 27 inch inside leg, I fitted the low seat, which only gives you 11mm. (The Classic is 30mm)
I think the shape of the seat makes the the girth of seat wider, making your legs stretch out more.
This won’t be an issue if your a 30 inch inside leg.
I have the touring seat, in at Tom Hurley custom seats to get the insides replaced with medical gel, and a 30mm reduction and sculptured at the edges too. So hopefully I won’t be on tippy tip toes.😊
I love the ride out on country roads it’s so relaxing, you just sit and go with the bikes flow, don’t push it.
I did 2 clicks on rear suspension. (Think Garry has done 3) so might try it.
I got the Fireball Yellow, I would of liked RE, to have made an option to purchase the faced rims on your test model (super nova)
Planed mods are fuel X lite and maybe the led indicators.
Veiw my bike at Wee Mark. UA-cam REvowners is like a family, it’s such a lovely feeling.
Hope you enjoy the Hunter.😊
Hi Mark.
Steve started saying that I live in France after I kept saying that he lives in Exmouth.
It has now become our little thing, just banter.
We also call each other Dave from time to time 😝
It's an ER thing 😂🤷♂
Quality 😂
Myself and Garry just need to grow up a bit mate, but thats boring so we decided to stay at pre=teenage years to soften the blow of adult wiffle waffle. ha! I had the Hunter and the review is already out on the channel : )
Mine leaves me this coming mon , fully serviced , 20 months old , 11,000 miles , p/x £1000 !! resale is crap . I miss the torque of the 500 . I know i am gonna become billy no mates but new commuter is a honda adv350 , also dealerships are vanishing chichester gone who's next ??
I always sell private for that reason, you can normally double the money then.... But sometimes chopping in is so much easier I know.
The ADV is also a nice bike... All that storage too!
Typical Brit reviewer- excessively verbose, doesn't say much that's really useful, and utters such thoroughly ridiculous statements as 'acceleration of the Royal Enfield' when we all know that there isn't any. They don't 'accelerate'- they slowly gather speed. Somewhat.
Slowly gathering speed is accelerating?
Brakes? I've read more than one review that says they're not great with not good feel and some squeal. Maybe they have improved from '21-'24 model years?
My press bike brakes had no sqreal at all. The bike was released in 2021 and has proven to be very reliable 👍
in bognor? where? cmw chichester closed, my nearest is heathfield or new forrest now??? please tell
Yeap it was CMW where I went...quite a nice shop!
Good summary ER. You liked the meteor 350 from day one.
Yeap, more coming from this one too...little did I know at the time I would have it for another 5 weeks or so...I got a lot of great content from it, all coming up.
As a Super Meteor owner I can say that for me the little Meteor is better looking than it's big brother.
I wanted the bigger bike as a compliment to my Classic 500. If I'm in a position to get another bike then this is the one I'm going for. Ridden my mates Meteor and it's great fun to ride.
Spot on mate, great to see you like this bike as well.
Fuel level indicator is not wrong, the mechanism is,a floater is floating in the petrol,a fuel level indicates the level of floater..when vehicle moves fuel inside the tank also creates a wave thats why floater also goes up and down ,thats why its show uneven data..
I think to see the actual level you have to stop the bike and have to maintain the steady horizontal level..
Correct, but it shouldn't take so long to get an accurate reading and shouldn't fluctuate between empty and half full so much.
I hope you get one some day. I like the thought of you pop, popping around the countryside with a silly grin on your face. This one touched your soul.😊
Yeap, and my kids : )
There's been an awful lot of love and hype for the RE range of bikes, yet none of it has sold me on the bike, until now. OK I'm not about to rush out and buy one as my four bike collection has me covered for every niche. That doesn't mean I'm not now be keen to try one, who knows what the future holds. Sadly the local dealer went bust so I'll have to look to see how far afield the nearest alternative is. Excellent honest enthusiastic review Steve, well done 👍😀
Thanks mate, all from the heart and just let it roll out my head. RE bikes do give what many others don't. If you catch the wave ,its a great ride.
Your attachment to this bike seems mucn more than most riders have with bikes they have purchased. It might be a mistake to let it go because that feeling doesn't come around very often. No martter how many loaner bikes you might have.
Yeap, it had to go back to Royal Enfield, but maybe I will buy my own at some point 👍
It’s not covered in all that crap plastic it’s a nice bike and good value
100% mate, I have bought a red one now and love it!
What a joke! The words '350' and 'Meteor' in the same sentence.
It's fast enough, no bike is as fast as a meteor if obviously. The RE bullet dosent go as fast as a bullet does it?
So, Did 'ee like 'n' or no? 😉😜😁🤣
Na its rubbish,I was glad to see the back of it. Much like you when you saw me ride off back to Exeter.
@@exeterrider Ah bleddy hell, I nearly spat my tea out then! Nutter!!🤣🤣🤣
😂@@kenbrooks7794
Nice to see you pour your heart out a bit. I, as do most other Meteor owners, likely feel the same. Dead of winter here in Atlantic Canada. Lots of snow and minus zero temps, but I too have to go have a look at mine. I purchased the Fireball yellow model about the same time as Economical Rides picked up the same bike back in 2021. Is also when I joined his channel and definitely recommend it. I'm sure he will also agree with your feelings. He is a Brit, but lives and rides in southern Spain. I will be surprised if you don't purchase one. Cheers 🥃
Yes, its an on going joke that I get his place of residence wrong all the time lol...Its a lovely bike for the money those Meteors.
😂👍🏻 Hi Lance,
yeah, Steve says I live in France because I keep saying he lives in Exmouth.
It's just a thing we do. Deliberately getting things wrong 🤷♂ We also often call each other Dave. It must be an ER thing 😝
I have owned mine for two years and have done 8000 miles on it mainly commuting between home and work with a few longer rides thrown in . The rear shocks do get better with miles mine when adjusted to the 3rd step stopped bottoming out but they are a weak point. The gear change can be improved by replacing the pivot bolt that the gear leaver is mounted on with one from eBay for about £10 the bent wire linkage isn’t the problem it is just unsightly. The fuel gauge is inaccurate especially if you use the side stand but the bike does about 100 miles to the gallon and when the warning light comes on you have about 50 miles of usable fuel left . The only other things that could be better are the tyres and the drive chain.The ceat tyres are ok in the dry but take a long time to warm up and can be a bit iffy in the wet . The drive chain is cheap and not that good I am going to have to replace mine soon due to wear . The only other problem is that Royal Enfield haven’t sorted the spares supply properly since parting with Moto Gb you can get most things but some things are either slow to arrive or unavailable which isn’t good.
Good points there John and yes spares are silly at the moment. I did do a video on a shock upgrade...it will surprise you.
@@exeterrider I have to admit that despite these “faults” I love the bike for what it is and would recommend any of the 350’s to people who want a second bike or a low capacity bike to get about . I know it isn’t fast but it is a fun bike to ride and own.
C00L
On the suspension issue, if you add a bit of preload (1 or 2 clicks) it makes the suspension a lot better. It seems it puts the springs into a different area of compression that takes some of the harshness out of it. At the moment at £2999 for the Fireball model they are also the bargain of the century.
Hi, yeap did that, still not good enough.... Jane you seen my suspension video? I found a fix for it 😉
I thought I'd had an "Exeter Rider" experience when I had that truck reversing in the car park, but you'd gone one-up with your team of lumberjacks 🤣🤣
So... are you going to buy one?
No money, no time to ride it.... I may sell the bmw this year and perhaps get one.
@@exeterrider I can relate to "no money" right now
😢It's not easy mate I know. Ups and downs,
Ups to look forward too🍻and seeing me at SB rideout.
You dodge the bumps in the road on any bike!
Speed bumps and the ones you can't see though? That's when it catches you out 😂
On the shocks if you dial in 2 clicks, it really makes a difference; got the idea from " Economical rides".
Already tried that, it's better, still nowhere near good enough 👍
Great video. Enjoyed it. Having a center stand is a big plus in my opinion. :)
For sure mate. How you're doing well. I hear you're coming on the show soon.
Great stuff, Ill look forward to meeting you 👍
@@exeterrider I am fine. Everything is cool. Yes, I am. :) Will be a pleasure. I am looking forward to meet you too.
Talks too much and says to little....
Who does?
So upgrade the rear shocks?
Yes buy Hunter shocks
If you think the fuel gauge is bad on Enfield, you should try owning an MT10. Full, full, half, then empty very quickly #empty10
Enfield have changed the face of British motorcycling. So many about because they are simple, beautiful and well priced
Yeap, I remember on my MT-10 ride I started with over half a tank and then it went to nothing within 20 miles...I was worried about getting back. RE has given the motorbike consumer so much and really guided the industry in the right direction for what people "really want"
Totally Agee.After 45 years of owning many many different bikes, this is the one I have enjoyed the most.
So Far :)
Right on!
Morning Steve. Clearly, you really rate it. It's not one i think i could get on with though, but there again ive not ridden one, so who knows?
Btw i always get buzzsaws and/or sirens going off too when trying to talk to cam. Lots of 😖😡
Tell me about it mate...People come from out of no were dont they...I can never get over how it happens.
Ohh yes ,I'm a Meteor fanboy!
I have no affiliation to MotoGB in the UK but just seen on their web site as of 9th Feb 2024 some cracking new Royal Enfield bike bargains.
A Meteor 350 for just £3199 inc otr.
A yellow one, or +£200 to get 3 other colour variants.
Absolutely crazy prices they are selling new Royal Enfield's for.
Even a 24 plate Himalayan 411 for £3999 inc otr charges.
Ok they may well be ending their continued dealership with RE, but surely it'd still have the 3 year warranty with 3 year roadside breakdown cover.
Just shows what prices Royal Enfield CAN be sold for.
Afterall it would not cost Royal Enfield in India no more than about £1200, (if that!!) to MAKE a 350 Meteor.
Yes a cheap as that. In parts & assembly not even £1200.
A truly fantastic achievement of theirs to produce all that for such a price.
Yeap! motogb are certainly trying to have a clear out for sure.Very good price for a nice bike.
How about those trees coming down, any moment I was expecting someone to break into the Lumberjack Song 🤣 But seriously I totally agree with you about how Royal Enfield just nail it, I own four. Regarding the rear shocks, I haven't ridden the Meteor 350 but I do own a Super Meteor 650 that has a similar problem with the rear suspension, and I can highly recommend the YSS shocks. Cheers 😀
I will be asking UA-cam for extra "danger" money soon, putting my life on the line for a video...what a legend I am! ha! 4 Enfields in the garage is amazing , I'd love to see your garage.
The 350 Meteor really does add something to the pot...wonderful machine it really is : )
TBH, I'm a returning rider after 40 years. We never had fuel guages in my day, yet got on with it. There's a lovely Meteor at my local bike shop for £3k, so I reckon I'll go for it.
I think you should 👍
I’m lucky enough to own a 350 meteor, 650 meteor & a Himalayan. As you stated it’s the 350 that gets under your skin. 9K in 18 months. Can’t stop riding the thing.
It's good for everything. And easy to pull out and go run errands
Over 8000 miles on my Meteor, hagon shocks fitted with only a slight improvement, I think it's the seat position as the classic rides much better with the same shocks. Have had no problems with the fuel gauge so maybe you had a faulty one. Heel toe gear change was replaced with a toe change after 500 miles, so much better. Touring screen caused a lot of wind noise to enter my helmet, so that was removed. Still love the bike anyway.
Man y have said about the touring screen ...I found the standard screen OK tbh...Good to know you're thoughts, Thanks
I’ve recently changed from sports bikes that I’ve been riding for over 30 years, and you’re right these royal Enfields have got under my skin and I think what’s going on is when you’ve got a massive powerful bike you just expect it to do these things and get you everywhere fast ,and doesn’t actually make it that enjoyable, whereas these little 350 capacity bikes it’s like a relationship that you don’t expect it to have your back but it does and you end up respecting it because of it and it just feels amazing, since swapping to this style of bike, I feel like motorcycling has become what it should be. The enjoyment factor has gone through the roof.
You hit the nail on the head there! I feel the same way...Thanks for passing your thoughts on to me : )
As I said when we crossed paths on Dartmoor in Sept. at that road blocking accident between Moreton Hampstead and Ide I was impressed and taken with the yellow loaner Meteor 350 I had. I reckon the HNTR 350 may be as much fun.
Hi mate, good to hear from you again.I have done a full review of the Hunter already...I like it a lot but the Meteor takes the bisciuit for me.
Hope your well mate
Apart from the gear selector that looks like it’s made out of cheese, it looks like a great little bike. You certainly sound smitten with it.
Yeap, if you get on the zone it's superb👌
I take it you like it 😂 I’ve just ordered a stellar blue, like you said the Classic doesn’t come with alloys as standard and I prefer the look of the meteor as it’s more of a 70’s 80’s style bike rather than a 50’s one. You won’t be the first reviewer to end up buying one, there’s something about that engine 😊 all the best buddy 👍
Exciting times getting a new Meteor! You're going to love it. It takes 1500 miles or so to settle in mind. Good times ahead for you.
Hi Steve, Great video. Could you please also review Kawasaki Vulcan S.
If live too, sadly getting hold of any Kawasaki to test it's almost impossible so unlikely sorry to say.
My fuel gauge isn't just as weird as yours. First block about 55 miles then it drops incrementally until the last 2 bars and they will dissappear quite quickly but yes as soon as you're familiar with the bike it's not an issue.. I'm considering the Hitchcock cam shafts for more umpf.... Not so fussed about the back rest.. A length of inch stainless tubing and a pipe bender and you could fashion a lovely grab rail instead....
PS.. I did the airbox mod where you run an inch and a quarter tank cutter through the side.. Put a Red Rooster exhaust and cat remover.. Made a noticeable difference..
PPS.. if the rear shocks feel very stiff from new turn the preload up 2 clicks, it's counter intuitive but it works and takes the initial dig out of road bumps.. PPPS... watch when washing the wheels.. The cut faces are razor sharp as I near lost a finger when cleaning.. Run a file round the edges to debur...
Good point about the wheels , I noticed they were sharp too!
I tried all postions on the pre-load, All didn't cut the mustard...but I have made a video on a cheap mod for the suspension, I have flagged it at the end of this video, check it out : )
I have a meteor in fireball blue. Main difference is less chrome. I am really enjoying the bike. I don’t do much motorway and for what I use it for, mainly city and country lanes, I cannot think of a better bike. It never feels underpowered, I had a SV650 previously. I would say if I were to do more motorway miles I would consider trading it in but I am more than happy with this fantastic little bike, and it looks great.
Yers , as with all bikes its just about being real about how far you go and how many motorway miles that entails. Really good bikes : )
Just bought one of these two weeks ago and then took it on a 1200km run. I quite agree with your comments regarding the rear suspension and inconsistent fuel gauge. My back got quite sore after riding on some bumpy roads and the odd pothole had me thrown about 6 inches up from the seat. Unfortunately with the feet forward pegs you can't really take the weight on your legs when you know a big bump is coming. I found the engine very user friendly but quite clattery when under a bit of strain such as hard acceleration or going up steep hills. I wondered how much better the Meteor would perform if fitted with the new 450 Hamalayan motor ! I love the wee Meteor but have just seen some early videos of the soon to be released Shotgun which has got me thinking ! I'll be interested to see if you get a Shotgun to review and what your thoughts are.
I have the Meteor 650 video out already, which is the same bike...I have the Shotgun coming at some point : ) But I still prefer the 350 myself. Check out my meteor suspension video...its a game changer!
Nice review mate, can't wait to see some of the videos you've made on the Meteor. You always did like this bike, Lovely colour by the way. My question is this Would you swap the NC for one ?.
The NC is my all rounder, I could travel far on the NC quickly and with great storage, so I guess the answer is no....could I chop in the BMW for one? the answer would be yes. That would be a better set up in the garage too TBH. Hope your well Paul.
Test rode all 3 J series powered models.
Bought a Red and Chrome classic.
Soul character and build
The ultimate retro for me.
I can see why you say its the ultimate retro...they are lovely bikes.
Oh, I forgot, I just bought this jacket. Plus the back protector. How do you like it.?😊
I love it mate...so much so sometimes I have to look at myself in the mirror lol
And speaking of 'getting under my skin', this review has managed to achieve that status long ago.
Goodo👍
I want one...
Me too!
Feeling the love there ER! Not the bike for me as I’m not a fan of the cruiser style, but I’m becoming more and more inclined to go back to a more basic style of bike. Great video as always.
Hi Keith,
You know the funny thing is that I am also not really a crusier fan...however this bike seems to be a cross between a cruiser and a conventional bike... hard to explain, even when sat on it the foot pegs are right below in the perfect position.
Thanks for viewing again Keith.
Bought a new Supernova last year.. Just love it.... Beautiful little bike with bags of character..
Good choice!
As the chain saw became an issue a two stroke engine smell came across my nose as I am having a pipe while watching. I thought you made smell-a-vision!
Anything is possiable on ER...I watch your video 2am in the morning...I'll comment soon!
Hoping to see the new 2024’s before spring in the states. I love the new colors. Great review sir. 😎
Thanks, yes we're still waiting for the new colours here too👍
I luv those, a amazing price and a 3 yr warranty!😮
Watch today's video and you may have a surprise 📹
15:36 The Classic 350 Dark does come with alloys, so I assume tubeless tyres as well. 😊
Ahh OK, didn't know that 👍
i bet you're going to prefer the hunter
Already had the Hunter, this was filmed a while back....Meteor for me : ) Check out my hunter review : )
@@exeterrider .... interesting.... i'll check it out now
It's a pound shop gn250.
Not at all, this gives you what the gn does in a better package👍
@@exeterrider I've ridden my workmate's Meteor and it's clearly a cheap bike. OK, but cheap bike. They couldn't make a gn now. Chrome, real mechanical clocks, a deep squashy seat, rubber mounted bars and footpegs cost money. And more than that that, my GN250 has a indefinable "feel" that Meteor lacks.
@@tombartram7384 OK fair enough👍 I like them alot 👍
5.07 my agent will be in touch about my appearance fee! 😂😂
Some bikes just get under your skin don’t they? If you need an Enfield fix when it goes back you could always borrow SB’s for a bit (as long as you promised to keep it upright!!) 😉
I'm not sure it was you Phil, the indicaters were off. Please send the invoice ASAP and I promise from the top of my heart that you will be 😂paid straight away at some point. SB won't pick up the phone anymore
😂😂😂👍
You will need to buy one , I bought one last year and love it, really enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work.
Ahh thanks for checking in. Yes, I would really like one but I don't use the bikes I already have so adding to that problem wouldn't be good.
Glad you enjoy the videos, thanks very much
Hi
I enjoyed this vid. I think it is one of your best. Funny, relaxed, personal. Great stuff.
Wow, thank you! I'm trying to bring a bit more of "me" into it all...hard though often when filming is so stressful at times. Thanks for your comment, I take a lot from that and shows I'm on the right path : )
Do they also have 2 times service a year in the UK ???
Great video 👍
I think you could be right...If I had one I would just do it once a year myself I think.
Ha so I'm not alone in enjoying the meteor. Lots of reviewers rave about the classic... I enjoyed the video. After about 5000 miles I've started to notice the seat is not quite as comfortable as it was, I don't know if the foam has deteriorated or it's my bottom....
ahh thats good to know...perhaps try another in the showroom.
@@exeterrider Nice idea but I'd have to sit there for about half an hour before it starts to become uncomfortable....!
That’s a remarkable review. I knew you were impressed but to be that impressed despite the rear suspension really says something.
Fuel gauge? I just have a light. Much better solution as we know how far the bike goes and just need a reminder to think about it. I’m being a real Luddite now.
Same as my Beemer, I just wait for the little yellow "ohh ohhh" light to come on. Yes,I did like this meteor alot.. It was my summer of 23 bike.
I have never had a problem with the fuel gauge on my meteor, I have changed the rear suspension units, great bike.
@@davidhall3503 yeap, Brill bikes 👍🍻
love the review, have same bike same colour ,2 years now , love it ,
Nice 👍
I can see one of these ending up in your man cave, ER.
A lot of bike for not a lot of financial outlay. Ideal for those who want a machine that looks pretty good and delivers in most areas.
Yeap, I really enjoyed riding it, even with a pillion it didn't feel down on power. Just a great bike for taking in the scenery in comfort.
@@exeterrider I ride this bike with my kid and/or wife. I've done two moto-camping trip with my son and it was a blast. It really doesn't care about the weight - it won't go much faster with less weight, nor will it go much slower. It's like a quick tractor ;)
Really good final review of this it’s a lovely machine and top video ER
🙌🙌
Indeed it is! thanks Phil.
Treemendous video mate and a fantastic bike 😊
It really is!👍
Enough talking sign the paperwork!👹🤣🤣👍🏻
ha, I should really but still not riding my other 2 enough to warrent it....Hows the beemer now BTW???sorted??
@@exeterrider I understand that mate only so much time isn’t there!🤷🏼♂️ re the Beemer yeah it’s all good fingers crossed, I did have an issue with the left hand indicator not working and after taking the switch gear apart twice with no result I fixed it by accident, I found the fuse holder was lose, it had just come unclipped and after sorting that out the indicator worked 🤷🏼♂️ and fingers crossed has since!
Great review with a slightly Pythonesque background unseen scene going on😊🙃
Yes it was quite busy to my left as soon as I pushed record...typical ER style
@@exeterrider One for the out taxe. It made me proper laugh.
@@simonchilli2088 I seem to get them on every video ha!
I love mine to bits, a real man and machine in harmony sort of bike. The meteor also has a centre stand also a usb port on the handlebars, plus there is a great tool kit included. Cheap as chips to tax and insure and comfy two up for touring. Oh, and as frugal as the very devil on the juice.
My classic is just the same. Comfy on 1000 mile tours as well, but not all in one day 😂
I'm kicking myself I didnt mention the kick stand and USB in my full review....lovely bikes mate.
Need to sleep ha!
The best bike ever for a 60s driver 🎉
😉
The faulty reading on the meteor fuel gauge, why doesn't royal Enfield fix this known problem? Also other faults inc wrong gear indicator, and wobbly gear change lever ect
Lol, all motorcycle fuel gauges are spotty at best. I use the trip as a back up.
Very true matt
I had no issues with the gear indicater TBh.....also the wobbley gear change I can live with no problem......I would prefer they kept the price low than add £100 to sort the wobble. Thanks for watching bud.
@@exeterrider Good point Dave. If they fitted a rose jointed lever from the factory the bike would be more expensive in the first place. You also have to consider that, even though it looks Heath Robinson, the OEM linkage does actually work and seems to work for a long time. The holes will probably oval out over time but I'm coming up to three years with my Meteor and the OEM linkage still works fine. Once it does wear out and starts playing up, it's great that there are after market solutions out there. That's when I'll upgrade. But the OEM linkage works well enough and helps keep the price down. Like you, I have no issue with that.
Fuel gauges on bikes are a bit of a gimmick anyway. On every bike I've ever owned, I've relied on an odometer reading to decide when it's time to fill up. The Meteor has TWO trip meters, so it has me well covered. The fuel gauge is useful when you get the bike out of the garage after a long time away. It reminds you whether you need to find a petrol station some time today or whether you will be alright without one. That's about the only time I appreciate it. It reminds me of the approximate fuel load when I get the bike out again after a long time away from it.
Cheers Dave,
Eric from France
Beautiful success
Thank you! Cheers!
I’ve been seriously looking at these recently! Thanks for your video review, very incite full and helpful!
Glad it was helpful! Wonderful bikes when you get in the "zone"
Did you know I have a full review on the Meteor?
@@exeterrider no I didn’t, I came across this one video while searching the meteor 350, I’ll check it out! Don’t suppose you have a review of the meteor 650 also?
@@oneofnine-_-1068 Yes I do. I can't send links on messages but they are all on here 👍
This has been one of my favorite reviews of the Meteor 350. I agree about how Royal Enfields get under your skin.
Thanks, yes they really do dont they. Lovely bikes.
While you haven't had it long enough to address MY concerns, I'd like to run them by you. I've had 40 bikes, 8 thumpers and I see this or a Hunter in my future. Sadly, they are NOT the bargain they're made out to be. They're $5000 out the door, with a grand of BS fees tacked on, not that way on every make. Secondly, I buy a NEW bike so that I DON'T wrench on it {duh} and these bikes seem very maintenance heavy, ridiculous for an air cooled single. Buy it, ride it for a week and you're hit with a first $600 service, as opposed to an oil and filter change on my 300 Rebel. Then I believe there's another biggie at 3000 miles which is maybe half way through the summer. That means this "cheap $4000 bike" is going to cost you about $7000 the first year. Hmmm ....
It's nothing like that here, servicing is no more than £100 per service, so you won't even go into 5k in the first year. They are cheap to buy and run in the UK.
Pubs, castles and now this, lol? Lucky you! Seriously, thank you for the response. It really sounds as though these bikes were literally engineered to be a money pit on the back end - great for RE but not for us. My new '78 SR500 was nothing like this, oil changes now and then and go. Anyway, ride safe and enjoy!@@exeterrider
@@news603redux I have a 98 BMW850.. Although parts are pricey, it's rare I need any. Old bikes are great 👍👍
Indeed, the only problem is who's going to work on them if you don't? Even with parts availability, dealers won't go near a bike that's more than a few years old or, worse yet, out of production. Seems to me that for $100 an hour, one should be able to say "fix it". Times have changed.@@exeterrider
@@news603redux I haven't found any dealer having a issue working in them. The servicing cost is the same as any other Japanese bike where I am.👍
no ,, the hunter looks better ,, you sound a bit like 2 wheeled willie in this vid ,,,,, so i am laughing ;;; the gear change does look really poor ;;
If I remember correctly. You can fit the Hunter 350 shocks on the meteor. Which are supposed to be better.
Correct ,I made a video on that : )
@@exeterrider that's where I heard it then 😂