Royal Enfield channels the look of the American cruiser scene circa the 1980s with its clean little Meteor 350. Modest proportions and a 349 cc mill make this model particularly suited to areas with a robust small-displacement motorcycle culture.

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2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Performance And Capability

Royal Enfield has plenty of experience with thumper mills, and that carries directly over into the Meteor. It relies on both air and oil cooling to dump waste heat and protect the engine's lifeblood while imparting extra stamina for stop-and-go situations.

This is a long-stroke engine with a 72 mm bore and 85.8 mm stroke. That gives it a 349 cc total displacement with a mild, 9.5-to-1 compression ratio that should be very forgiving of poor, low-grade fuel choices.

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 produces 20.2 horsepower and 19.9 pound-feet of torque. Curb weight is a claimed 421 pounds, plus rider(s), so it won't exactly come out of the hole like a sportbike. That's okay, though, since billed as a cruiser, that's not the intended use anyway.

Electronic fuel injection eliminates the carburetor problems at a stroke along with electronic ignition for ease of maintenance and weatherproof performance. Power flows through a standard wet clutch and a five-speed, constant-mesh transmission before heading to the rear wheel via a tough O-ring chain final drive.

Meteor 350 top speed is right around the 70.7 mph mark (113.81 km/h), so technically it's fast enough for the superslab, but I wouldn't risk it. Still, it's plenty fast for highway travel and slower, which is in keeping with its stated urban-cruiser mission. Zero-to-60 isn't available for the Meteor 350 as of this writing, but the Classic 350 was no slouch at four seconds.

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Design

The real charm of the Meteor 350 is how well it captures the post-UJM, American-style cruiser vibe, not entirely unlike the old Honda Rebels and even the Harley-Davidson Sportsters of the era if you ignore the difference in engine configuration.

Liberal blackout treatment covers the underpinnings to include the fork sliders, triple clamp, the headlight can, and upper fork tubes up front. A modest fender rides below a classic round cyclops headlight housing. The headlight comes complete with halogen projectors for good two-way visibility day or night, and an LED DRL ring that adds to the equation for even greater safety.

Dual round gauges bundle all the instrumentation together in classic fashion, and the round mirrors top it out with even more old-school vibes. A pullback handlebar joins with forward-ish controls and a molded saddle to make for a relaxed, upright riding position and low-effort cruising, even on longer trips.

Mainframe-mount passenger footpegs join with a pillion pad, a short backstop, and beefy J.C. handles that should inspire confidence in your riding partner. A bullet-style taillight mounts to the rear fender, with the rest of the gear in the rear mounted on the trailing edge in keeping with its dated design.

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Chassis

Tubular-steel members on the Meteor 350 make up the double-downtube/double-cradle frame. The frame has a heavy backbone member for strength, and it supports the engine rather than using it as a stressed member.

A yoke-style swingarm articulates the rear wheel with dual coil-over shocks to support and dampen. Up front, a set of 41 mm forks work with 5.11 inches of travel, which is about right for a cruiser. However, the rear shocks have the only adjustment with its six-stage, spring-preload feature.

The seat height is 30.12 inches off the deck. While a little high for the typical classic cruiser, it should accommodate the vast majority of riders. Cast-alloy rims mount a 100/90-19 ahead of a 140/70-17 with street treads. That 19-inch front wheel adds to straight-line stability, which is desirable in a cruiser.

The factory opted for the single front brake with a twin-piston anchor and 300 mm disc to handle the bulk of the stoppage. In the rear, a 270 mm disc and single-bore binder mainly serve to keep your rear end behind you. Here we find the only electronic rider aid in the stock, a dual-channel ABS feature. It looks like you can't switch it off, so you'd better be okay with anti-locks.

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2023 Royal Enfield Meteor Price And Availability

The 2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 costs $4,699. That's the starting MSRP, and it covers the Fireball Red and Fireball Yellow colorways. Stellar Black, Stellar Blue, and Stellar Red run for $4,799, and the two-tone Supernova Blue and Supernova Brown packages fetch $4,899.

Competitors

Royal Enfield is playing with the big boys when it goes abroad. I went with one of the biggest names in Japan, Yamaha, and its classic-tastic V-Star 250.

Yamaha V-Star 250

The Tuning Fork Company makes the same sort of connection to the U.S. scene as did Honda with its now-retired original Rebel line. It fits the mold to a “T” right along with its Indian counterpart.

I daresay Yammie took things up a notch with its V-twin powerplant. Sure, it's running a smaller overall displacement with only 249 cc to call its own, but power output is 21 ponies and 15.2 pound-feet of grunt against 20.2/19.9 respectively so that smaller displacement doesn't hurt the V-Star's standing one bit.

The lack of ABS might ding the V-Star's standing, that and the drum brake out back. I get that it adds to the classic look, but there is such a thing as taking it too far, y'all.

Seat height is much lower on the V-Star at only 27 inches high, so it will be more accessible for shorter riders. Price is another break-even point with a $4,699 sticker on the Raven (black) colorway, but that's all you can get, so Royal Enfield definitely wins the paint war.

He Said

“As much as the Meteor emulates the U.S. style, there are unmistakable elements of the Meteor 350 that show its British origins in an interesting blend indeed. I imagine with its top speed at the 70 MPH mark, this bike will lend itself to the urban/suburb commute quite nicely.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “This is very classic UJM styling. It's a nice-looking bike. For as affordable as it is, it does have ABS, and front and rear disc brakes. When you get too far into budget-basement pricing, those things are missing.”

“The Meteor 350 is approachable, and the rider triangle lends itself to comfort. I'd say good beginner bike, or a relaxed, just-have-fun bike as long as your journey doesn't take you onto the Interstate for more than an exit or two.”

FAQ

Q: Is Meteor 350 good for long rides?

The rider triangle on the Meteor 350 is upright and comfortable. The cushy saddle is butt-friendly and fifth gear in the transmission lends itself to easy cruising up the highway. Vibration is minimal so your hands and seat-cheeks won't go to sleep on you. All these considerations lend themselves to a bike that is good for long rides.

Q: Is Meteor 350 good for beginners?

Power in the Meteor 350 is manageable, and seat height is relatively low at 30 inches. Easy reach to the ground and a tame throttle lend themselves to a bike that is approachable for new riders.

Q: How much is a 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor?

In 2022, MSRP for the Meteor 350 was $4,549. For 2023, that price was bumped to $4,699.

Q: What is special about Royal Enfield Meteor?

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a lightweight cruiser with manageable power and a relatively low seat height. It's affordably priced under $5,000 but comes standard with ABS and front and rear disc brakes.