The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650’s launch in India marked it as the third middleweight cruiser alongside the Kawasaki Vulcan S and the Benelli 502C. We’ve already compared it against the Kawasaki, so it’s time to fare the Meteor against the 502C.
Design
While both bikes adorn proper cruiser styling, the Meteor 650 takes a more retro approach. It gets a round LED headlight, a round bulb tail light, a bulbous fuel tank, and a split seat setup. So the Super Meteor 650’s design cues are quite old school. On the other hand, the Benelli 502C gets a butch styling but with a dash of modern bits. Its LED and slightly sculpted fuel tank paired with the scooped single seat give the 502C a more modern look. Not to mention, the Meteor’s proportions also seem more balanced than that of the 502C.
Features
Royal Enfield has equipped the Super Meteor with LED illumination and a twin-pod instrument console. The larger dial is an analog setup with a digital inset and the smaller unit is for the Tripper Navigation which can be accessed using Bluetooth connectivity. The Benelli 502C only gets LED illumination and an LCD instrument console sans smartphone compatibility.
Engine
Powering the Meteor is a 648cc parallel-twin motor with the output rated at 46.3 bhp and a torque of 52.3 Nm. It’s mated to a six-speed gearbox. The Meteor’s engine is a comparatively long-stroke unit with refined performance and a laid-back approach. On the flip side, the 502C houses a 500cc inline twin engine dishing out 46.8bhp and 46Nm and linked to a six-speed gearbox. Compared to the Meteor, the 502C is a little youthful and sprightly in terms of power delivery.
| Parameters | Model 1 | Model 2 |
| Engine Capacity | 648cc parallel-twin air/oil-cooled | 500cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled |
| Power | 46.3bhp at 7,250rpm | 46.8bhp at 8,500rpm |
| Torque | 52.3Nm at 5,650rpm | 46Nm at 6,000rpm |
| Gearbox | Six-speed | Six-speed |
| Front Suspension | 43mm USD front forks with 120mm travel | 41mm USD front fork |
| Rear Suspension | Preload adjustable dual rear shocks | Monoshock |
| Front Brake | 320mm single disc | 280mm single disc |
| Rear Brake | 300mm single disc | 240mm single disc |
| Front Wheel | 19-inch | 17-inch |
| Rear Wheel | 16-inch | 17-inch |
| Front Tyre | 100/90 | 120/70 |
| Rear Tyre | 150/80 | 160/60 |
| Fuel Tank | 15.7-litres | 21-litre |
Hardware
The Meteor 650 marks the first Royal Enfield bike to get USD front forks along with dual rear shocks. It uses a single disc brake at both ends mounted on alloy wheels with tubeless tyres. The Benelli 502C also gets USD front forks and a monoshock with dual front discs and a single rear unit. It too rides on alloy wheels wrapped in tubeless tyres.
Price
Royal Enfield has priced the Super Meteor at Rs 3,78,900 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the top-of-the-line model. It comes loaded with a transparent visor, wider handlebar, touring seats, and a pillion backrest as well. You can also add other accessories on the Meteor that are available in Royal Enfield’s catalog. Benelli has priced the 502C at Rs 5,80,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).
