The allnew 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a smalldisplacement cruiser that packs a moderately modern punch while dressed in charming, classic styling. At a relatively low $4,599 MSRP this Enfield is easy on the wallet and its pleasant ride is a reminder to the escape of motorcycling.



Royal Enfield centers the Meteor around a 349cc air/oilcooled single cylinder engine for its traditional feel. As part of our testing structure, we ran the 350 on our inhouse Dynojet 250i dyno, recording horsepower and torque measurements. This electronically fuelinjected, lightweight cruiser produced a very modest 17.9 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 18.2 poundfeet at 2,800 rpm at the rear wheel. Realworld power delivery is gentle and steady as it chugs along toward its maximum 7075 mph top speed. An added boost of power would be gladly welcomed here, especially considering the safety factor of having extra rollon power to squeeze through traffic. Advice: Stick to the slow lane and cruise! Regardless, the equipped balance shaft does an excellent job minimizing engine vibration at any speed.

Light clutch pull and a wellspaced, fivespeed transmission complements the single’s pleasant power delivery, proving particularly rider friendly in the tight confines of urban riding. The Meteor 350 is fitted with a heel/toe shift lever as standard equipment, which takes some adaptation for riders accustomed to a traditional setup. A measured 29.7inch seat height means easy flatfoot contact for this 5foot7inch tester, while relaxed ergonomics boost comfort and ease of use—a nice touch for less experienced riders.

Tight dimensions, a measured 421pound wet weight, 55.1 inch wheelbase, and a low center of gravity make for a neutral ride with great straight line stability. The 19inch front and 17inch rear wheel combination helps here, while adding to the traditional classic cruiser aesthetics. To add to that, a nonadjustable 41mm telescopic fork and preloadadjustable twintube emulsion shocks offer an awesome balance of smallbump compliance and bighit support for the imperfections found on southern California tarmac.

The unimpressive braking performance is a reminder that the Meteor 350 isn’t made as a sporting machine. Brought to a halt via a single twopiston caliper clamping to a 300mm disc up front and singlepiston caliper with a 270mm disc at the rear, the 350 recorded a measured 159 ft. 60to0 stopping distance. For reference, similar sized machines record in the low 140 foot range. Poor lever feel worsens the problem by limiting the understanding of brake pressure to the rider. The combination robs confidence in tricky situations, and might not be attractive to beginner riders.

Still, Enfield engineers packed a modern punch to the Meteor in the form of the Tripper navigation function found on the right side of the instrument cluster. Tripper is powered by Google Maps, pairing via Bluetooth with the Royal Enfield mobile app for turnbyturn directions. Simplistic design makes for easy navigation and connection to the motorcycle, ultimately adding a welcomed 21st century feature to this budgetfriendly model. An analog tachometer and small LCD display also display relevant information.

The 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a pleasant ride in a budgetconscious package, but leaves engine and braking performance to be desired. Added grunt and stopping power would make the 350 more attractive in every riding scenario while adding a degree of safety useful to every rider. Regardless, the Enfield is a peaceful ride with a norush attitude that acts as a reminder to the simplicity of motorcycling.

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Videography/edit: Bert Beltran

Photography: Jeff Allen

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