The Classic has always been the bread winner for Royal Enfield. But with the entry of the Meteor 350, the Classic has a new rival in its own family. While our real world comparison of the two bikes will be up by the end of this month, here we tell you how the Meteor 350 and Classic 350 fare against each other on paper.
Pricing
So let’s get the most important aspect out of the way first. Royal Enfield has positioned the Meteor 350 above the Classic with a starting price of Rs 1.75 lakh for the Fireball variant. Meanwhile, the Stellar and Supernova versions of the Meteor cost Rs 1.81 and 1.90 lakh each.
On the other hand, prices for the Royal Enfield Classic 350 start at Rs 1.61 lakh for the single-channel ABS variant and go up to Rs 1.86 lakh for the Chrome version.
Features
One of the major reasons the Meteor 350 is priced higher than the Classic 350 is the features it offers. To begin with, it gets Royal Enfield’s ‘Tripper’ navigation system across all variants. The Meteor also offers a semi-digital instrument cluster as compared to the retro-styled, all analogue unit on the Classic.
Moreover, the Meteor also comes with accessories like a large windscreen and backrest on the Stellar and Supernova variants- something which even the top-spec Classic 350 misses out on. Nevertheless, both motorcycles (except the base version of the Classic 350) are equipped with dual-channel ABS.
Engine
Now the Classic 350 uses a 346cc, single-cylinder engine that is air-cooled and fuel-injected. On the other hand, the Meteor 350 is powered by a heavily revised version of the same engine with a slight bump in displacement as well.
So, the Meteor 350’s 349cc unit churns out 20.2bhp at 6100rpm and 27Nm at 4000rpm. Whereas, the Classic 350 offers 19.1bhp at 5250rpm and a minutely higher torque figure of 28Nm at 4000rpm. Both engines, however, come paired with a five-speed gearbox.
Cycle Parts
Royal Enfield has built the Meteor 350 on a double downtube frame with 41mm telescopic forks and six-step adjustable shock absorbers at the rear. The 19-inch front wheel comes with a 300mm disc while the 270mm disc brake at the rear is fitted with a 17-inch wheel.
Meanwhile, the Classic 350 rides on a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel combination that goes well with its upright cruiser character. Suspension duties are taken care of 35mm forks upfront which also offers 130mm of travel like the Meteor and a pair of five-step adjustable shocks for the rear.
Colour options
Royal Enfield is known to offer multiple colour options for its motorcycles so the Meteor 350 and Classic 350 are no different. The Meteor 350 is offered in a total of seven colours- Fireball Red and Fireball Yellow, Red Metallic, Blue Metallic and Black Matte along with two, dual-tone colours- Blue and Brown.
The Classic 350 is available in a total of 13 colours that include- Stealth Black, Chrome Black, Metallo Silver, Orange Ember, Gunmetal Grey, Classic Black, Stormrider Sand and Airborne Blue. The standard variant gets Chestnut, Ash and Redditch Red while the single-channel ABS version is offered in Pure Black and Mercury Silver options.
