Agreed. I sold off my Harley for a Royal Enfield Meteor. I am 58 and I find that I don't need a heavy bike to enjoy riding. Fuel consumption is a big reason too. That 15 Liter tank lets me ride further without having to look for a Petrol Station.
im a brit RIDE A 66 BULLET IN A BULLET ARMY FRAME i prefer the gears on right drum breakes use it evey day ive had all sorts of bikes im 61 i rode brit bikes mainly cant beat brit iorn lol each yo there own i do miss 5th gear
Almighty God KABIR is the CREATOR OF all SOULS -- SAINT RAMPALJI MAHARAJ LIVING BEING IS OUR RACE, MANKIND IS OUR RELIGION, HINDU,MUSLIM,SIKH,CHRISTAIN, THERE IS NO SEPARATE RELIGION ALMIGHTY GOD KABIR is the father of all souls that JESUS, MOHAMMAD, GURU NANAK, VEDH was telling in BIBLE, QURAN, GURU GRANTHA SAHEB
From 23 yrs to 45 yrs ALL i wanted was the fastest sport bike going, from 45 yrs to 53 yrs ALL i wanted was the 1000cc+ brand adventure bikes, I sold my bought new 2018 r1200gs bike (took a £7000 loss) and bought a new UK 2021 Himalayan and never looked back, it is my daily commuter, workhorse and loaded up with camping gear my touring bike, I just love it and will never let it go, I bought a new interceptor in march 2022 but only use that on nice days, love that as a lifetime keeper too, need another RE and am loving your 350 meteor reviews, due to the character and fun rideability RE bikes have, you just cant help falling in love with the brand 🥰 My Himalayan will soon go through its second UK winter with salted roads and if you wash it once a week, it shakes off the so called rusty salt and screams give me more!! , absolutely no rust is showing...need to go and buy another RE 350 with black engine and exhaust...I just love the fun and chilled out enjoyment that the smaller engine RE gives you! take care and have fun OL' Man Ronin..loving your channel as you are a genuine honest guy 😁
I've just travelled from the Uk to Cyprus on a Vespa 300 GTS. It coped incredibly well with everything that was asked of it including mountain roads in Bosnia and Albania in the pouring rain.
I’ve recently conceded that I’m now (actually) 70 and my 1200 Triumph Explorer had become too heavy for me. My replacement Himalayan is a real treat in so many ways and a great alternative! Should have made the switch a few years ago!
Everything you quote is reflected in Stuart Fillinghams channel over here in the U.K. Enjoy this Channel , yourself and Stuart are spot on. I have a classic 350 which has had its first service last week so not in a position to ride to its potential just yet.😊
I just got my Chrome Bronze back from the 300 mi check up Saturday. I guess we gotta wait for the 1200 mi mark to let it rip but mileage is so difficult to rack up here in SoCal. If you can't get on the freeway you can't really get to the fun stuff too easily but I'll get there some day.
What's the joy of getting to a location in zero seconds flat?? You miss all the scenery because you are so focused on passing and not crashing. Now that I'm older I get there when I get there. Hence, I have more fun on my Himalayan even fully loaded. The weight of my KLR is just becoming a beast when fully loaded and taking it off-road I feel like I'm wrestling with a baby Grizzly since the bike tends to be a bit top-heavy IMO and when you load the panniers, top box, and camping gear. It's fine if you're not stopping and needing to put your foot down. Great video as always... 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks for another awesome Video! - I have to say you're hitting right in the wheel house with these. I've been riding motorcycles for 43 years (and I'm only 49!) and owned lots of huge, powerful, and 'flashy' bikes... Just turned 49, and all I dream about anymore is smaller, lighter, simpler, and more reliable. Still torn between another KLR650 and a RE, but the idea of running all over the place on a machine with 1 lung and just a couple dozen horsepower really appeals. :) Thanks again.
I turned 70, November 1. Still riding my 2007 C50. Love her, but she’s heavy. Love riding the back roads in my area. Don’t want to go 70mph anymore. Torn between the Meteor and the Classic. Will do a demo ride this summer to decide. Love the videos. From Roslin, Ontario.
I'm 60 and started riding at 11 years old. I've owned many bikes. My wife owns a meteor 350 and sometime I ride it to work. It's awesome. It's so easy to just push out the garage and go. The only thing for me is I live in a crazy city with inconsiderate drivers so I'd like to have a little more pep to get out of negative situations.
I love the the aesthetics of the Royal Enfields, especially the Classic 350, and aesthetics matter. Also, I’ve toured over 28,000 miles in the last two years on a 250cc bike , and a 600cc bike. I had more fun traveling on the 250. Size also matters, and smaller is better.
Nice video and enjoyed your message. I believe you're on something in bikes with better mileage and lower cost is the future which translates to smaller engines. And yes more fun and ease riding. It's also happening in auto industry. I recently traded large cruiser to 2 small bikes, one for road and one for trail's. Couldn't be happier and safer slowing down.
Love my little Himalayan. As long as I'm not on the main highway, the speed limits aren't faster than what the bike can do and that's out here in the desert. I just need more practice in deep sand and I'll feel like I can truly go anywhere.
Another excellent video Ronin 👍 Those "Classic" Triumphs looked like a Tiger 900 (mid 1990's) and a Trophy 1200 from about the same era. Probably classic in the sense that they were bikes from the early Hinckley factory when John Bloor had just got Triumph back on their feet again.
I totally agree with this, those I know with the big baggers seem a lot less likely to hop on for short trips or just fun runs than I am. Whereas I'm always looking for a reason to hop on the Meteor
I craved for a Harley all my life and finally got a 883 with considerable money here in India and guess what...my 74 bullet 350 and my 16 Himalayan are much more useful in our typical riding conditions...but the Harley is a joy to watch just standing still
I've been running a Meteor now for over seven months. I fully endorse all your viewpoints. I no longer need any other means of independent travel. I cover long, medium and short range trips in comfort, on time and with maximum economy.
Totally agree with you on every point. I'm 65 and a bit beat up, so moving bigger bikes around was getting difficult. Got a yellow Meteor now (thanks for convincing me) and I am still riding around at the same speeds, even while running it in carefully.. Isn't that J platform sweet. I live in Germany near the Dutch border. With current fuel costs it is only a minority driving above 60 mph on the autobahns now. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to you getting hold of a Hunter.
I'm in Brazil, next Friday I'm going to get my Yellow Meteor 350. Since this bike came to Brazil I was thinking about getting one, your videos helped me to make the decision. The maximum speed limit in Brazil is 110 km/h (68 miles per hour). Most of highways in my area are between 80 and 100 km/h (50 to 62 miles per hour) so this bike will serve me well.
I am one of those people! I recently bought the Meteor 350 for a couple of major reasons. 1) Fuel efficiency and 2) An easy bike to ride and maintain. I'm now into my 50s and have returned to motorcycling after a number of years away from the scene and no longer want a large bike.
Missing Jeff and his Royal Enfield content! The Meteor 350 is an excellent touring bike, comfortable and economical. More smiles per mile, and more miles per dollar than any other bike I've owned and toured on a dozen different motorcycles, from 250's to 1700cc. My Meteor 350 is outfitted with hand guards, heated grips, panniers, rear rack and Givi top case. I recently upgraded the tires to Continental 80/20 RADIALS for better ride on the highway and gravel roads! (I consider tubeless tires a REQUIREMENT for long-distance touring!) Stay tuned for a ride report to the Black Hills!
How do you’s picked up a royal Enfield 350 classic and Halcyon green love the bike I’ve got a 2002 victory touring motorcycle that has just sat in my garage forever but you can’t pride me off at Royal Enfield with wild horses I love it so much more everything you say about that bike riding experience the economy spot on.
At the 18 min mark you said something I’ve not heard yet. Are these bikes electronically limited in speed? I plan to put a +1 tooth front sprocket on to cruise hopefully at 75 on highways. Wishful thinking haha
Those Triumphs have been sitting there since at least 2019 when I rode past them for the 1st time on my Honda Super Cub. The cover was completely on that green one next to the road. They haven't been moved an inch. Kinda sad.
I got myself a new Royal Enfield Classic 350 a few months back, its now done nearly 1,800 miles and I've done a few 300 mile weekends away on it, including a fair bit of riding on 70mph roads. I've had zero issues with the bike, I've never had a sore arse or aching joints when I've got to where I'm going, which I think is in no small part due to the lazy nature of the bike. I've had a lot of different bikes in my time, but none of them have come close to how good this bike makes me feel. I couldn't give two hoots if all my mates bikes are way faster than mine, I just love the way this bike gets along the road.
I like the RE Tripper on my Himmie, execpt you can not save waypoints and routes. I find if I want it to be more useful I waypoint parts of the route on paper and if the tripper needs rebooting or I turn off the bike I can re-input it faster.
I have the exact same bike, just cleared 1,000 miles and couldn’t be happier. In regards to speed, my experience has been it’s just fine on any highway that has less than a 70 MPH limit. It corners beautifully and accelerates from a dead stop just fine. On the highway’s with 70 MPH limits, you’ll have it flatlined/full throttle just to stay at the speed limit. So, you’ll be getting passed by every car on the road. I just camp out in the right lane and stay alert. Just something to be aware of, 95% of my cruising is not on those types of highways, so no major issue for me. It’s stylish and often confused with a Triumph, that’s been my experience. RE really hit a home-run with this bike. Great video and all of your points are accurate, based on my first 1,000 miles.
Agree: as a US. spec 2008 Royal Enfield 500 AVL rider.. I see and ENJOY RIDING so much more at 60-65 mph on the back roads on my relatively tame 500 single.Looking forward to the new 650 bsa single.
I really like your videos, I used to watch them on repeat in the 4 months or so my Meteor was on back order and for a couple of months or so after I got it but not maybe so much after until recently, I wanted to know if you still liked it after your anniversary because I love it more and more the more I ride it. I do think they missed a trick by not making the Tripper a digital rev counter in some form too but they did keep the cost down, otherwise it's an amazing little bike that feels like a big bike without all the hassle of a big bike. With the air filter kit I get 75-77 mph most times I wind it open and better pull uphill, it feels much faster than it is too. All in all a gem of a bike.
G'day Ronin from Australia, your spot on about the big not the best today, l have just bought another motorbike, it's a Royal Enfield, it's a 350cc, it was made in India, it's a cafe racer style, and it was made in 1971, and I pick it up on Sunday, it's a little gem, and it comes with two boxes ap spares, now it's my turn to be as happy as a pig in poo, cheers mate love what you do, all the best regards, Neil.
I started on a Honda Grom 2014, sold it to buy a 2017 Yamaha FZ09, that thing was a beast. After a year with it I missed the fun factor of the Grom but wanted to be able to do highways so I sold the FZ09 to buy a 2019 Honda CB300R. The CB was great, light, felt like a big Grom. Crashed the CB300R last october, ran into a deer at 90kmh. The CB is dead now, I took a year off riding to get better and think about what will be my next bike. Saw a RE Meteor at my local grocery store, totally fell in love with it. So I'm going to buy one next summer. Watching your vids and all the reviews helped out in my choice of bike. I was looking at HD and don't want to spend that much money on a bike. Can't wait to ride again
OMR, I TOTALLY AGREE! My Kawasaki ZRX1100 would get like 45 mpg or so. I could get more if I babied the bike, but you don't baby a bike like that; bikes like that are made to be ridden in, shall we say, a spirited manner? BTW, on the highway, my Ford Focus can get 40-42 mpg at a steady 65-70. I'm just sayin'. It cost less than a big touring bike, and it offers FULL weather protection! Big touring bikes like the Honda Goldwing are marvels of engineering, design, and manufacture; they're great at what they're designed and built to do. But anything requiring a reverse motor is too heavy for me. Back when they were made, I looked at a Kawasaki Vulcan 2000. Talk about a HUGE bike! That weighed 800#, if not more! I sat on one in the showroom, and I could barely get it off the kickstand. I couldn't imagine riding that thing anywhere at a slow speed. BTW, my ZRX, which weighed like 550# wet, I dropped it in the Walmart parking lot? Why? Because I was tired; the bike was heavy (though not like a Goldwing); and the weight is up high. I was traveling at low speed, and I was a little slow reacting to it getting away from me. With the Meteor, I don't know if that would've happened. Not only is it a lighter weight bike; the weight is down low too, so it feels lighter than it is. But yeah, I see big touring bikes, if not going the way of the Dodo, certainly being far fewer in number in the near future. Why? One, they're expensive; they cost more than many cars do. Thanks to the economy, people simply will not have the money to buy one. Two, their operating costs are high. It costs a lot to insure a big, expensive fully faired bike. They're difficult, if not impossible, for the average rider to buy, let alone operate. They're heavy and ungainly/. Finally, their fuel economy sucks! With gas (petrol for our UK friends... ;)) set to go up even more, many folks won't be able to afford to ride them. OTOH, on my Meteor 350, I can literally ride from my house to Port Jervis, NY and back to my house, while only burning 2 gallons-WOW! If it becomes a choice of not having a big bike or a smaller one, many of us will choose a smaller, more affordable bike... :)
I love those back roads. You live in a beautiful area. I love rural areas and avoid cities. I would love the Meteor I am sure, but, that said, I just keep my old bikes and keep avoiding spending money. I do most of my back road riding on a vintage 1980 Honda CB750F.
I agree to a point. I still have my nice big Harley road glide and I ride it when going long distances. I live in eastern Ohio so places like Tennessee or Myrtle Beach. For my everyday “joy” riding I ride my 2014 Honda CTX 700 or my 2000 Honda 250 nighthawk. Both are lightweight, comfortable and very fuel efficient. I average 60-70 mpg on each. I won’t be selling my Harley anytime soon but as I get older it’s just easier to get on a smaller bike for a short enjoyable ride. Stay safe!
I have to agree with the weight issues as well as the prices of bigger motorcycles. Motorcycles should be cheap, practical AND fun, not expensive show pieces like some fancy Swiss wrist watch
Even though I'm capable of riding those bigger sized touring bikes I'm not willing to spend that kind of money for one. I'm not an every day rider and honestly don't ride a lot but when I want to ride I just want some fun, enjoyable and cost effective bike to buy and run so that's were the RE Meteor and Himalayan will get the hard look in the spring. My local dealer will have the SCRAMS coming in and a fresh selection of Meteor's in stock along with the Himalayan's. Til then I will enjoy you vids. One thing like I have mentioned many of times is your Meteor and the way you have it setup is a big reason when I'm looking at the RE line.
I don’t understand the logic of spending $000’s on an additional smaller bike + insurance and maintenance costs and with the depreciation just to save a few dollars on fuel - that doesn’t add up. However I do agree that smaller bikes are the way to go, everything you say about them is spot on and I’ve “downsized” recently and love it for all the reasons you highlight. However I sold my tourer because financing a second bike was way more expensive than simply putting a bit more fuel in my bigger bike. Great video.
My question is the way Harley has drastically changed and now trying to hit a new market of younger people. Do you think they will make a small displacement cruiser 350-500 cc in the future??? Back in the 70s they had those 125cc Italian made Harley’s
I have to agree 100%! I am thinking about selling my Road Glide and begin touring on a Int 650? And my gas mileage on my Himalayan is 70 mpg! Can a Harley guy say that? Ride Safe
At the moment, I own 3 motorcycles: a Royal Enfield himalayan, a Kawasaki Z400, and a 2012 Kawasaki ninja 1000. Honestly, the ones I enjoy the most are the Himalayan and the z400. I really like the ninja 1000 because it's great for touring but it gets awful gas mileage and it's heavier than my other two bikes. With my z400 and Himalayan, I get better gas mileage and I get more excitement pulling both bikes at full throttle.
The people I know who have large bikes literally can't handle them. I bought into the BMW GS world and I find it just too much effort. As a result it's just sat there in my garage looking pretty. I never go over the speed limit on it anyway.. ! Got my eye on the Royal Enfield 350... 😉
It maybe my lack of experience with a variety of bikes. But when I had The Himi I spent a lot of time changing gears to maintain speed limits. I drive a V7 MG now and change gears much less often.
So 10-12 years ago a 750 was classified as a BIG bike most people ride around on 250-400 cc units and that Yamaha 350 two stroke naked was everywhere. I have several XRs and then DRs but my first bike was a Honda CB250RS with kick start I rode the wheels off that. People kind of forgot that the biggest bike may not be the best if it’s sitting at home in the carport because you can’t afford to run it because of the payments and you’re constantly worrying about damaging it.
Hey Ronin! What about the Versys 300? Still a small bike with some punch in it. I have been deciding is going with it or the Meteor. What would you recommend?
Been riding for 50+ years and I've never had a bike larger than a 600 (except for the Spyder which I regret buying). Mostly because I couldn't afford it but it was never a desire either. The Meteor is great for a single person tourer Especially if there's no hurry.. It would be interesting to see a Sturgis style rally with sub- 600 bikes... Looking like a "Little People's" convention.
Hi Ronin, I have the meteor 350 same colour etc. However my bike was supplied with big fly screen and sidebar for £4039. I think fantastic value. God bless .
you are fortunate to be able to test ride the bikes. Our dealer will not let you test ride any of the RE's. I am in Northern Ky, Does your dealer let anyone test ride or just video bloggers?
Hi Ronin great video as usual & a lot of sense being spoken, now I don’t know much about Harley Davidson’s but why don’t they(if they don’t already) produce a 350 or less cc bike to introduce newbie’s to the world of bikes? Even if it was say 2k more then an Enfield or likewise? I get that in the USA you got Highway’s that go on for ever & big bikes chew them up but as as you rightly point out the price of fuel & parts even are becoming a factor in purchasing a new bike! Wots your take! Tnx
they delved into 500 and 750cc bikes a couple years ago and they flopped. My thoughts on those were they were far away from what Harleys were and looked more like Japanese bikes.
@@OlManRonin I think it’s time to reassess & rethink! If there previous designs looked like Japanese bikes then surly it’s a Design Fault? If little old Enfield can produce a cruiser style bike(Meteor)can’t HD? Maybe like RE Draw inspiration from there past? Just a thought! Tnx👍🏻
@@JohnSmith-xw5qe I said this NUMEROUS times on my channel. Harley SHOULD have made a smaller version of the Milwaukee 8. air-cooled, fuel effiecient and EPA compliant. But then again, HD couldnt get $20 k out of it lol
Your Harleys are hot rodded for performance. No wonder they suck gas! My 114" Heritage is totally stock, even the pipes. I get 50 mpg in identical conditions where the Classic 350 gets 85 mpg. 2-up, long distance I still prefer the hog but for most riding the Classic is my go to. I appreciate your channel and especially your headline with a question mark. So much better than that retired British cop who basically said the same thing but with the headline YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY A BIG TOURING BIKE!!! He lives on a rock in the ocean. Of course he has no need. He loves to preach and you don't. That is one of the many reasons I watch your channel.
Why thank you Dan Yeah I saw he posted the video as I was editing mine and thought crap. Regardless you are exactly right, my Harleys are definitely performance minded. But as I was rebuilding, why not? lol Thanks again Dan, much appreciated
Weight! That’s why I sold both my Street Glide and Road King in the past two years. No fun at sixty years old with bad knees. Bought a Himalayan and it feels light as a feather.
The thing with the zero to 60 times is that even on the smaller bike your still quicker than most production cars. Even in those cars when pulling in to a freeway how often do you shove your foot through the firewall to the speed limit? Hardly ever it’s the same with huge bikes.
As always a great Meteor video. I went from an NC750X to the CB500X due to weight and the Scottish roads being ideal for adventure 500's, but plan to add a 350 Meteor in February/March as again the country roads here simply don't need anything larger. As for the economy at 100 UK MPG it can't be beat with our petrol sitting around $7.71 a gallon (down from a high of $9.86)
How would it pull West (by God) Virginia (around 5%?) grades at roadway speed? Thinking the I70 upgrade to Cabelas in Wheeling as an analogy although I do not plan to ride Interstates, however the back roads along the Alleghenies are like that. Thanks for your channel.
easily. I rode through WVA to Virginia and back in July on the Meteor with ZERO issues. If you've been watching, HEAVY RAIN killed my GoPros and I lost all my footage. So rebuilt GoPros later lol
@@OlManRonin Thanks again, I am a native of the Shenandoah Valley (VA) living in SW Ohio and that is in the back of my mind using the US40/US50 scenic routes over the Alleghenies into the Valley. I am a new subscriber that is still poking through the backlist. Currently leaning toward the INT650s at Throttle but challenged by yours and Mr. Fillingham's discussions.
Enjoyed your vid, but disagree as I missed the mentioning of other factors why people ride bigger bikes (better breaks, comfort etc.) - horsepower alone isn´t it. Stay safe Q
I can definitely see the wind protection as a plus, but not sure you need super awesome brakes if it weighs 1/3 to 1/2 as much. My meteor has no problem stopping safely
@@ChadWinters it's not about weight rather than immediate bite - Europe's streets are much faster and busier, plus we don't have much backroads and therefore need to use highways often to get anywhere (also forced by the limited number of vacation days). Anemic breaks like the one of my RE Hima which I enjoyed for 4 years don't inspire confidence. Windprotection wasn't that bad - at least for my 5'10".
Got into the low 40º's here in LA last night. Was thinking I need to get some heated gear again - vest for under the jacket... Even though I'm from Montana, my blood has thinned out here. Personally, I love riding in cold and going somewhere for hot food and coffee. I scoffed at heated gear before my wife bought me a vest 20-odd years ago. It changed my life! I've changed "shape" since then, so I have to get a new vest. If anyone has recommendations, please post up. Hoping you have more days of riding before the snow, etc. comes your way! Ride Safe 🙏🏼
@@OlManRonin so. Do you think that the Royal Enfield Classic 350 can handle the draw of a heated vest/jacket?? I’m trying to see if I can calculate that before buying. Might have to get. 7v battery unit if not ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We ain’t seen nothing yet on higher fuel prices. Sky high fuel prices will dictate the market. Even HD is developing small displacement bikes in China. When true high fuel prices hit we will see them here in dealerships selling…
I own a meteor and use it as my daily ride to get me to work and local journeys of up to 50 miles which the bike excels this is about 95% of my journeys on a motorcycle.I have in the past done some long distances on small motorcycles and as long as you are comfortable it is perfectly doable you just have to accept that you are going to take longer. I personally try to avoid motorways on the bike as though it is capable of 70 to 75 mph it is not where the bike is at it’s best and in the UK when the motorways are busy I just don’t feel comfortable. Would I use the meteor for touring yes I would if I was going solo two up though I would still use the Harley .
Very thought provoking Ronin. Question bearing in mind RE traditionally offered 350 and 500cc motors, do you think they will bore/stroke the J series engine to 500cc? There been no mention of it here in the Rainy UK
@@jimstewart2141 in India we actually do not need one. A 350 single is good enough and people hardly bought a 500 when it was in production due to lower mileage per litre. Plus there would be no point in bringing a 500 after a 350 and a 650 launch. Himalayan 450 is in the works too and would be launched be early 2023.
@@shankyrocking92 Really interesting to hear that the 500 didn't sell in India. That is perhaps the difference in riding for utility lost mainly in the European market and the home market where though i have only briefly been to northern India, spent millennium in Nepal, motorbikes are mainly work horses, not purely play things. I was wondering if the new himalayan is going to use a derivative of the J series engine, or continue being up board? Have they said.
@@jimstewart2141 yupp….these used to be mafia bikes used mainly by influential people since they needed to be maintained well and were costly to own against the little hondas which required little servicing and returned more efficiency. So these sold mainly for its looks which was almost the same in both 350 & 500s. So the idea of 500 never really took off. Himalayan is going to be a lot more modern this time…almost looks like a baby tiger. I don’t think they are going with the J series engine since that was the case earlier as well. A new engine was solely dedicated for Himalayan. Though this time RE is upping it’s game and going in with liquid cooling for the first time. It would produce about 40 ish BHP and 45ish NM of torque with a bigger tank. Another version of Himalayan called the Himalayan Raid will sport better off roading equipments for a bit higher price.
I AGREE. NO MORE BIG TOURING BIG CRUZERS. MY VULCAN 900 IS TO HEAVY AT 640 LBS . I'VE ALREADY DOWN SIZED FROM 900 LB GOLDWING AND YAMAHA VENTURE THEY WERE GREAT. BUT TOO HEAVY . I WIL BE DOWN SIZING AGAIN. OL MAN WALTER!
