RE keep improving the fit and finish on their bikes...looking forward to the Himalayan 450 unveiling Nov1st...i hope they get the INT650 Scrambler out by Xmas so i can buy myself a gift if it looks and rides well
Appears RE has refined their 650 platform with this model. Would be interesting to see the INT650 updated with a similar suspension and refinements. Excellent real-world review!
I prefer my Interceptor 650 over this but it wins by a small margin. The Super Meteor handles surprisingly well in the city and has better brakes than my bike. My main gripe is the footpeg position. Overall, it's a step up in quality over RE's previous bikes.
Really thorough and informative review Mark and probably another success for Royal Enfield. That's a good ride to Abbotsbury. Picture quality was excellent
Very impressive, all-round bike. The Bingley Wheeler has just swapped two of his bikes in against a brand new one of these and seems to love it, so far. That road from Weymouth to Bridport, is one of my favourite local rides and I have been along there twice in the last week.
I bumped into The Bingley Wheeler the other day in Pately Bridge riding his New Super Meteor 650 on its Maiden trip, I have to say it looked superb & Dave was a very a Happy Bunny.
I'm tossing up between this and a Moto Guzzi V100. It's going to be a bike for me and the missus as I already have a sportsbike. Thanks for the review, Mark. I test rode the Guzzi yesterday and it was superb - character and comfort. Will test the RE in about 10 days. I'll give an update once I've tried both. Quite a substantial price difference between the two though.
Two entirely different bikes and two different prices for sure. I have a Moto Guzzi v7 Classic and absolutely love it, especially the shaft drive, but it’s amazing how awful it is trying to get parts for it in the US from the Italians. I could walk to Italy and get the parts faster than getting them mailed from Mandello. I’ve owned royal Enfields in the past and and at the time it was still a bit difficult to get parts (definitely different now with how popular Enfield is in the US and the dealership network growing), but it was amazing how easy it was to get parts and how fast they’d show up. I remember one time I ordered parts from New Delhi on a Friday afternoon. They literally showed up to my door step in the US on Monday morning. I didn’t pay any extra or anything. I was shocked. If i ordered parts from Moto Guzzi on a Friday, I’d be lucky if they showed up to my door on Monday morning…of next year 😂
Thanks Mark. Another informative review on a bike that is of interest which i have test ridden. I understand RE is bringing another version of the 650 genre out soon which i will wait to look at before considering a purchase.
Great review, riding again after 30 years, with a test looming this has given me something to think about. Love that Chesil road myself, i do it on my 125, lovely place, thanks for the video
There is not a lot going on in the cruiser world, but this one seems to be a great value bike. Would love to try one. Detailed review Mark. Got my like, just like always.
Great to see more of a ‘day’ ride / tour review on different roads, very good review probably your best review to date… and clearly you loved the bike! 👍
My problem now is which RE do I get (had two already) you need to stop testing them! Also you owned a Hntr, are they any good at touring / cruising above 60mph + all day as looking at touring abroad again next year (south of France)?
@@grahamcrighton8113 hi Graham the hunter is a fantastic bike but no I wouldn't recommend it for touring...best for short trips country rides etc ...you could tour on it gently...but I'd be looking at something with a fairing and or a bit more power for relaxed all day touring Cheers mark
Awesome review Mark! Thank you! Night time as well! That's extra mile! Great work! Ready to buy! Bar end mirrors and maybe dark tinted fly screen for the Astral Black I will purchase. Exhaust... off the bat it sounds great! But likely after ownership will consider something with sound for that beautiful engine that also won't attract Po*ice. Forward controls I can do however, mid mount option after market, on this style bike and size I could be tempted with. Anywho, great vid!!
This is a great little cruiser bike, my friend has one and he let me ride it and its really a good little cruiser. It doesn't have a lot of torque but it is adequate to cruise with and that's what its about. I actually like it a little better than my Vulcan S 650, but my Vulcan does have more power and torque but its not a good as cruiser comfort wise. This bike will not blow your socks off, but its a good bike with some good character and my friend who owns this bike just loves it.
Very nice review. Here is an idea you might consider for future reviews: A few words about what chain maintenance is like on the bike would be useful. I have never heard a reviewer say a word about it, but It's something all owners of chain drive bikes have to mess with, and in today's motorycle market where it's almost all chains and very few center stands, chain maintenance can quickly become a very tedious chore. On the Super Meteor, where the chain is hidden behind a big silencer, it looks to be a bit of a pain in the backside, and it's really a pity that RE didn't give it a belt drive.
"""On the Super Meteor, where the chain is hidden behind a big silencer, it looks to be a bit of a pain in the backside,""" I have had belt drive bikes for the last 17 years and love them but with the bike on the centre stand chain maintenance is a breeze, one hand spinning the rear wheel and the other with the cleaning brush or chain spray makes it a 5 or10 minute job.
Excellent, detailed review, Mark! Thank you. These are not available in the states yet but I'm looking forward to sitting on one. I'm 6' with a 34" inseam and wonder if it may be a smidge cramped. It seems RE manufactures its bikes with a smaller rider in mind. I'm torn between this and another Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic. They seem very similar but the Vulcan has maybe 10 more HP, maybe a little roomier and definitely $2000 more. If you get a chance to compare the 2, I'd sure appreciate your views. Thanks again!
An exceptionally thorough review. I especially like the way you covered each and every aspect of the motorbike; be it night riding, highway, slow speeds, how it is to push around and put on the centre stand, etc. A wonderful bike in my opinion, looking forward to riding it, having booked it recently. Subscribed to your channel!
Can’t decide between this and a Kawasaki Vulcan, love the look of both especially the old schoolness of the super meteor, I’m just worried about the weight of this. I’m only 5ft 4, and reasonably strong girl, but riding a cbr300r at the moment so its about 80kg heavier.
Really great bike for the money! Problem is that people into cruisers want Harley (or sometimes Indian) and they tend to want big engines.i think the interceptor will sell better. 🤔 PS: I really had the feeling the handlebar wasn't straight, quite disturbing 😁
Thanks Mark. This smashing looking bike reminds me of the ones around when I was young lol. I'm pleasantly surprised by the addition of led lighting, "baby Brembo" brakes and Showa suspension, that's useful upgrades. Someone thanked you for reviewing night riding - I second that, a nice thought which many reviewers ignore. I have been enjoying your recent work especially the Royal Enfields, I should probably try one sometime. :>)
Hi Mark! Just wanted to let you know that you have been casting spells again. A while back you demo tested the Honda Rebel 500, and I went out and bought one. This time you have demoed the RE Super Meteor 650 and three weeks ago I put a deposit down on one. Just waiting for it to arrive. Am going to start telling you when I am considering a new bike and ask that you NOT demo ride it 🤣👍
Excellent review, thanks. When I look at this bike, it looks......weird. It's like it needs to go on a diet. It's bulbous, shiny and, at the same time, rather charmless. I've not tried the 650 RE engine, I can imagine it's great. But, 240kgs for a 650, beginner bike, is excessive. Chrome on bikes is like a lure to the uninitiated, about how it can corrode horribly, and be impossibly expensive to restore. Every RE bike that comes out seems to receive the same accolades for being just.......great! Sorry, I'd rather spend the extra and get something that weighs a proportional amount to its power - and doesn't look like a beached, shiny whale.
Yes much the same :) but there are no mechanical changes to the engine in the new models, only that the Super Meteor’s airbox and exhausts are all-new, which coupled with revised mapping for the ECU delivers a Cruiser-friendly wider spread of torque, with 80% of that peak grunt already available at just 2,500 rpm. Best wishes mark
Hi it's a loan machine...royal Enfield chain and sprockets are fair quality not quite DID quality..I'd say you would get 10k miles from a set no problem Best wishes mark
Not keen on the instrumentation, tripper is no use to me. I don't know why they didn't fit the twin clocks from the Interceptor. I have a Meteor and Classic and i wouldn't swap for this one. That's a nice route that I have ridden a few times myself.
Is this half the bike for half the money over the Triumph Speedmaster, or is it a better value? Which one would you buy if you were in the market for one?
Just what I was thinking. The Speedmaster at nearly double the price, has nearly double the power and torque from it's 1200cc engine, twin front discs with Brembo calipers, rear mono shock, cruise control.
Hi the intervals are 7500 km or approximately 4600 miles ....I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were were you ... these are relatively cheap and easy to service bikes compared to like a BMW ...even if the intervals were like honda 8000 miles I would still want to change the oil about 4000 miles ...it's about £150 average service cost here in the UK. Plus once out of warranty these are simple to change the oil on as a DIY thanks for the comment Best wishes mark
@@markpulling12 That's better than I thought but it's not the cost, it's the inconvenience. I have just been to the far SE corner of Bulgaria (right to the Turkish border) on my Tiger 1200 and did over 4,000 miles in 2 weeks. I guess one of these would be great for say a week trip to the Ardennes or something
RE are making some great bikes and this is another … I just wish they weren’t putting that horrible looking speedo it looks so out of place i prefer the dials on the interceptor.
I think they will up the HP when the A2 license power limit is raised. Also, this bike has a different purpose which is why it does 0-100 kmph about a second and a half later than the 390. Also depends on which 390 you are talking about.
For a cruiser the seat is high, service intervals are crap for modern bikes and its too heavy for a 650. They would be better off dumping that tripper and fitting a rev counter.
Fantastic value for money and a great all rounder. If you don't plan on changing it for a few years, depreciation wise makes great sense.
yes couldnt agree more :)
RE keep improving the fit and finish on their bikes...looking forward to the Himalayan 450 unveiling Nov1st...i hope they get the INT650 Scrambler out by Xmas so i can buy myself a gift if it looks and rides well
Appears RE has refined their 650 platform with this model. Would be interesting to see the INT650 updated with a similar suspension and refinements. Excellent real-world review!
I prefer my Interceptor 650 over this but it wins by a small margin. The Super Meteor handles surprisingly well in the city and has better brakes than my bike. My main gripe is the footpeg position. Overall, it's a step up in quality over RE's previous bikes.
Great review. Nice to see a night time riding section too, not something I've seen anyone else do 👍
Many thanks 👍
Really thorough and informative review Mark and probably another success for Royal Enfield. That's a good ride to Abbotsbury. Picture quality was excellent
Thanks for the feedback Alan yes that's a great ride
Cheers mark
Very impressive, all-round bike. The Bingley Wheeler has just swapped two of his bikes in against a brand new one of these and seems to love it, so far.
That road from Weymouth to Bridport, is one of my favourite local rides and I have been along there twice in the last week.
Thanks Dave yes I've watched the bingley videos ...very good 😊
I really enjoy that road ...try and ride it as often as I can
Best wishes mark
I bumped into The Bingley Wheeler the other day in Pately Bridge riding his New Super Meteor 650 on its Maiden trip, I have to say it looked superb & Dave was a very a Happy Bunny.
A cruiser a all arounder ? A naked/upright would better fit that description, or a adventure bike.
Love night riding section in the video Mark,very well done & a useful addition to the bike review.
Thanks John yes I've done it a few times before when I've had a bike on long term loan
Best wishes mark
I'm tossing up between this and a Moto Guzzi V100. It's going to be a bike for me and the missus as I already have a sportsbike. Thanks for the review, Mark. I test rode the Guzzi yesterday and it was superb - character and comfort. Will test the RE in about 10 days. I'll give an update once I've tried both. Quite a substantial price difference between the two though.
Hi yes let me know what you decide...the super meteor is very good indeed 😀
Best wishes mark
Think I can predict a winner not the RE but who knows
Two entirely different bikes and two different prices for sure. I have a Moto Guzzi v7 Classic and absolutely love it, especially the shaft drive, but it’s amazing how awful it is trying to get parts for it in the US from the Italians. I could walk to Italy and get the parts faster than getting them mailed from Mandello. I’ve owned royal Enfields in the past and and at the time it was still a bit difficult to get parts (definitely different now with how popular Enfield is in the US and the dealership network growing), but it was amazing how easy it was to get parts and how fast they’d show up. I remember one time I ordered parts from New Delhi on a Friday afternoon. They literally showed up to my door step in the US on Monday morning. I didn’t pay any extra or anything. I was shocked. If i ordered parts from Moto Guzzi on a Friday, I’d be lucky if they showed up to my door on Monday morning…of next year 😂
Excellent review Mark. Cruisers don’t appeal to me at all, but to those who are into them, this seems a very viable option.
Thanks Keith yes this is one of the best middle weight cruisers at the moment
It rides superbly best wishes mark
Very well done video 😊
everything is just about right there isn't it , spot on for that road ;;
Thanks Mark. Another informative review on a bike that is of interest which i have test ridden. I understand RE is bringing another version of the 650 genre out soon which i will wait to look at before considering a purchase.
Mark, again a very useful review. As if I had ridden it by myself 😀
Great review, riding again after 30 years, with a test looming this has given me something to think about. Love that Chesil road myself, i do it on my 125, lovely place, thanks for the video
Great review…Beautiful area…I just took delivery of this bike..Same color..Looking forward to riding…Gotta wait until the storm passes..
Another great review, very informative and good watching. Thanks mark.
Many thanks Colin :)
Love the super meteor
Shout out from Dallas, Texas... Love your videos and reviews! Always insightful! Royal Enfield will definitely be my next bike.
Hi Martin....many thanks 👍
My mum lives in Kentucky
Cheers mark
Welcome to the Super Meteor 650 club Mark 😊👍
There is not a lot going on in the cruiser world, but this one seems to be a great value bike. Would love to try one. Detailed review Mark. Got my like, just like always.
Many thanks as always
Best wishes mark
What a great bike for the money. Brilliant video very helpfull. 👍
Great to see more of a ‘day’ ride / tour review on different roads, very good review probably your best review to date… and clearly you loved the bike! 👍
Thanks Graham yes fantastic bike
Best wishes mark
My problem now is which RE do I get (had two already) you need to stop testing them! Also you owned a Hntr, are they any good at touring / cruising above 60mph + all day as looking at touring abroad again next year (south of France)?
@@grahamcrighton8113 hi Graham the hunter is a fantastic bike but no I wouldn't recommend it for touring...best for short trips country rides etc ...you could tour on it gently...but I'd be looking at something with a fairing and or a bit more power for relaxed all day touring
Cheers mark
Mark, another great video. Very informative. I can't wait until the bike is available in the States.
Yes David many thanks... hopefully soon for the state's best wishes mark
Awesome review Mark! Thank you! Night time as well! That's extra mile! Great work!
Ready to buy! Bar end mirrors and maybe dark tinted fly screen for the Astral Black I will purchase.
Exhaust... off the bat it sounds great! But likely after ownership will consider something with sound for that beautiful engine that also won't attract Po*ice.
Forward controls I can do however, mid mount option after market, on this style bike and size I could be tempted with.
Anywho, great vid!!
Many thanks...glad you enjoyed it...and the night ride 😁
Best wishes mark
Lovely views, fantastic part of England 👍
Thanks Andy yes I've ridden that coastal route many times...it's lovely
Cheers mark
Thanks Mark very good review. I did notice the exhaust pipes are bluing next to the engine.
Yes Andrew ...that happens on most Chrome exhausts I've experienced
Cheers mark
Fantastic bike, might want to paint over the Roger Ramjet decal on side casing.
Thats one beautiful looking motorcycle.
Yes thanks Daniel....I'm not really a cruiser fan but I would have one of these cheers mark
looks a decent bike and many questions answered, cheers
many thanks andy...yes it rides superbly cheers mark
This is a great little cruiser bike, my friend has one and he let me ride it and its really a good little cruiser. It doesn't have a lot of torque but it is adequate to cruise with and that's what its about. I actually like it a little better than my Vulcan S 650, but my Vulcan does have more power and torque but its not a good as cruiser comfort wise. This bike will not blow your socks off, but its a good bike with some good character and my friend who owns this bike just loves it.
Very nice review. Here is an idea you might consider for future reviews: A few words about what chain maintenance is like on the bike would be useful. I have never heard a reviewer say a word about it, but It's something all owners of chain drive bikes have to mess with, and in today's motorycle market where it's almost all chains and very few center stands, chain maintenance can quickly become a very tedious chore. On the Super Meteor, where the chain is hidden behind a big silencer, it looks to be a bit of a pain in the backside, and it's really a pity that RE didn't give it a belt drive.
And many other manus. Scooters require belt change every 12k
"""On the Super Meteor, where the chain is hidden behind a big silencer, it looks to be a bit of a pain in the backside,"""
I have had belt drive bikes for the last 17 years and love them but with the bike on the centre stand chain maintenance is a breeze, one hand spinning the rear wheel and the other with the cleaning brush or chain spray makes it a 5 or10 minute job.
@@volt8684 Other than Honda 16k miles and 8k oil/filter
Official RE video on the subject here ua-cam.com/video/PQAS-xXjEjM/v-deo.html
Excellent, detailed review, Mark! Thank you. These are not available in the states yet but I'm looking forward to sitting on one. I'm 6' with a 34" inseam and wonder if it may be a smidge cramped. It seems RE manufactures its bikes with a smaller rider in mind. I'm torn between this and another Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic. They seem very similar but the Vulcan has maybe 10 more HP, maybe a little roomier and definitely $2000 more. If you get a chance to compare the 2, I'd sure appreciate your views. Thanks again!
UK only gets the 650cc Vulcan.
Superb review Mark , I'm seriously thinking of adding one as a bigger bike to my hunter 350
Thanks Gary yes that would make a great addition to your hunter 😁
Best wishes mark
An exceptionally thorough review. I especially like the way you covered each and every aspect of the motorbike; be it night riding, highway, slow speeds, how it is to push around and put on the centre stand, etc. A wonderful bike in my opinion, looking forward to riding it, having booked it recently. Subscribed to your channel!
Much appreciated! Many thanks for the sub
Best wishes mark
Awesome looking bike
Thanks Frank ...yes I think so too 😄
Hi Mark, great video as always. Do you think RE will ever go up in CC? Maybe a 900 in the Interceptor one day ? Luke
Hi Luke ...the speed at what royal Enfield are coming out with new bikes ..it wouldn't surprise me ..hope they do
Cheers mark
Can’t decide between this and a Kawasaki Vulcan, love the look of both especially the old schoolness of the super meteor, I’m just worried about the weight of this. I’m only 5ft 4, and reasonably strong girl, but riding a cbr300r at the moment so its about 80kg heavier.
Hi the weight in these cruises is carried quite low so you should be fine ...the honda rebel 500 is a bit of a lighter alternative:)
Best wishes mark
@@markpulling12Honda rebel is very ugly.. SM different story
yes , years ago i could achieve 60 plus mpg on my zx6 on a run , so this re will easily do it ;;
Really great bike for the money! Problem is that people into cruisers want Harley (or sometimes Indian) and they tend to want big engines.i think the interceptor will sell better. 🤔
PS: I really had the feeling the handlebar wasn't straight, quite disturbing 😁
Wow but you promote this bike like nothing before . You must really love it ❤️ so much.
Thanks Mark. This smashing looking bike reminds me of the ones around when I was young lol. I'm pleasantly surprised by the addition of led lighting, "baby Brembo" brakes and Showa suspension, that's useful upgrades. Someone thanked you for reviewing night riding - I second that, a nice thought which many reviewers ignore. I have been enjoying your recent work especially the Royal Enfields, I should probably try one sometime. :>)
Glad you enjoyed it
Best wishes mark
Can't wait till you test the new Shotgun.
Yes should be soon Steven
Cheers mark
I can understand people going for this, but I wouldn't buy one. Good review, Mark. NJ
Hi Mark! Just wanted to let you know that you have been casting spells again. A while back you demo tested the Honda Rebel 500, and I went out and bought one. This time you have demoed the RE Super Meteor 650 and three weeks ago I put a deposit down on one. Just waiting for it to arrive. Am going to start telling you when I am considering a new bike and ask that you NOT demo ride it 🤣👍
Haha 😂 great 👍...oh well you can never have too many bikes imo
Thanks 👍 best wishes mark
Excellent review, thanks. When I look at this bike, it looks......weird. It's like it needs to go on a diet. It's bulbous, shiny and, at the same time, rather charmless. I've not tried the 650 RE engine, I can imagine it's great. But, 240kgs for a 650, beginner bike, is excessive. Chrome on bikes is like a lure to the uninitiated, about how it can corrode horribly, and be impossibly expensive to restore. Every RE bike that comes out seems to receive the same accolades for being just.......great! Sorry, I'd rather spend the extra and get something that weighs a proportional amount to its power - and doesn't look like a beached, shiny whale.
Good review, cheers. Not my kind of bike, I assume the engine and gearbox feel exactly the same as the Interceptor and Continental.
Yes much the same :) but there are no mechanical changes to the engine in the new models, only that the Super Meteor’s airbox and exhausts are all-new, which coupled with revised mapping for the ECU delivers a Cruiser-friendly wider spread of torque, with 80% of that peak grunt already available at just 2,500 rpm.
Best wishes mark
Is this your bike or a lowner? I would love to find out if you need to change the drive sprockets and chain prematurely?
Hi it's a loan machine...royal Enfield chain and sprockets are fair quality not quite DID quality..I'd say you would get 10k miles from a set no problem
Best wishes mark
The steering bar is not straight
Not keen on the instrumentation, tripper is no use to me. I don't know why they didn't fit the twin clocks from the Interceptor. I have a Meteor and Classic and i wouldn't swap for this one. That's a nice route that I have ridden a few times myself.
Is this half the bike for half the money over the Triumph Speedmaster, or is it a better value? Which one would you buy if you were in the market for one?
Hi I'd buy this Enfield ...when you are pottering along at 60 mph it's such a nice ride ...this is definitely more than half as good 👍😊
Just what I was thinking. The Speedmaster at nearly double the price, has nearly double the power and torque from it's 1200cc engine, twin front discs with Brembo calipers, rear mono shock, cruise control.
How when comparing to Kawasaki z650rs? Which would you prefer?
Ooh two completely different bikes both are brilliant
But I actually prefer the chilled out comfortable nature of the super meteor
Best wishes mark
Does the tripper navigation have sound?
No I don't think 🤔 so 🤔
It does through your phone on Bluetooth.basic navigation directions
has anything changed between this review and the one you did about 7 months ago?
No it's still exactly the same bike as far as im aware
Cheers mark
Few horsepower so how taking over looks like? How about the acceleration?
Hi the acceleration is quite good because it has very good torque from low rpms so it pulls very well
Best wishes mark
What one..but only one dealer in hole Sweden..
It's the short service intervals that always puts me off a bit. A bit of a touring limitation
Hi the intervals are 7500 km or approximately 4600 miles ....I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were were you ... these are relatively cheap and easy to service bikes compared to like a BMW ...even if the intervals were like honda 8000 miles I would still want to change the oil about 4000 miles ...it's about £150 average service cost here in the UK. Plus once out of warranty these are simple to change the oil on as a DIY thanks for the comment
Best wishes mark
@@markpulling12 That's better than I thought but it's not the cost, it's the inconvenience. I have just been to the far SE corner of Bulgaria (right to the Turkish border) on my Tiger 1200 and did over 4,000 miles in 2 weeks. I guess one of these would be great for say a week trip to the Ardennes or something
Would be great to see you try out a Harley, don't think I have seen you ride one yet?
Hi yes I agree it's not from lack of trying...I've tried to get in with Harley dealerships but to no avail
I'll email Harley UK again
Cheers mark
RE are making some great bikes and this is another … I just wish they weren’t putting that horrible looking speedo it looks so out of place i prefer the dials on the interceptor.
Maybe it's the angle of the camera but the handle bars looks crooked.
Hi no they are fine 🙂
Cheers mark
Only improvement required is BELT drive rather than really really old chain nonsense!
Cracking bike otherwise. 😊
No sound.
It's just uploaded it will come soon :)
I've had this before cheers mark
Nice bike, but the Vulcan S is still a better option.
If you can stretch your budget a bit, go for the Rebel 1100.
Dunno know what's up with your video mark...there is no sound
its just uploaded and youtube is STIL Lchecking ...i have sound on my pc it will come soon ...i had the same thing a few weeks ago
cheers mark
Sound is working now 😊
@@jasonosullivan8068 phew thanks Jason
Nice bike but for just a bit more one could have a Honda Shadow.
My ktm 390 will leave it in the dust. RE needs to up the HP.
I think they will up the HP when the A2 license power limit is raised. Also, this bike has a different purpose which is why it does 0-100 kmph about a second and a half later than the 390. Also depends on which 390 you are talking about.
KTM reliability issues
For a cruiser the seat is high, service intervals are crap for modern bikes and its too heavy for a 650. They would be better off dumping that tripper and fitting a rev counter.
Hello, Did u control? How many litres benzin spending in the city and out of city for 100 km?
Hi it's very economic...about 3.5 liters for 100km average
Best wishes