Royal Enfield Classic 650 vs Shotgun 650 vs Super Meteor 650

The Royal Enfield iconic parallel twin 648cc engine has now entered the best-selling nameplate from this brand, the Classic, and the Classic 650 has been launched at Rs 3.37 lakh ex-showroom. This is the sixth motorcycle in the lineup to use this engine, but this article will focus on three bikes - the Classic 650, Shotgun, and Super Meteor - to find out which one suits which type of rider. So, let's start, and in the meantime, make sure to join the 91Wheels Whatsapp Channel to never miss out on automotive updates.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Vs Super Meteor 650; Which One Makes More Sense?

Design

Classic 650

Starting with the brand new product here, the Classic 650, which doesn't really shift away from the Classic design language but is a much wider and bigger-looking motorcycle. This carries the same set of features as its 350 iteration, such as circular LED headlamps with twin lamps inside of it, halogen blinkers, a teardrop tank, and a lot of chrome to make it appealing. Now, the overall look of this bike will suit people who are above 30 in age, as the aesthetics of this bike will appeal to a mature person who has expensive taste. Also, the twin-exhaust gives it a distinctive personality and separates it from its 350cc version.

Shotgun 650

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is a very unique type of bike in the brand's lineup, as it's hard to put it into one box. It can be easily used as your daily ride or for cruising, and you can also play around with it. The overall styling of this bike is quite unique compared to all the other Royal Enfield bikes, as from a distance or on close inspection, it reminds us of American cruiser bikes. Features like LED headlights, a digital MID, a removable pillion seat, and USB charging make it a highly appealing bike that caters to young riders. The overall aesthetics are sporty, but the kerb weight of 240 kg doesn't allow it to be that quick.

Super Meteor 650

This one is the flagship motorcycle of Royal Enfield, and from all angles, it looks like a proper cruiser bike, made to cover long miles comfortably and in style. With its long-slung seat, forward-set footpegs, and cruiser-style handlebars, you can expect a long journey with your partner or group to the mountains in the utmost comfort and style. This bike too gets twin-exhaust, a digi-analog instrument cluster, wider sections of rear tires, and all these add up to its characteristics of a cruiser bike. However, this is also a big negative, as it cannot become your primary vehicle because taking it in city traffic feels like a nightmare, and moving it left-right will make your arms stronger.

Supension Setup

These bikes are built on the steel tubular spine frame and also carry the same engine. Additionally, the rear suspensions are again similar - twin shock absorbers with 90 mm travel. However, at the front, things get different, as the Shotgun and Super Meteor get USD front forks, while the Classic 650 gets the old-school telescopic forks. Also, the Classic is the only motorcycle here to get the biggest wheels - 19 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear. The Shotgun 650 gets 18 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear, and lastly, the Super Meteor gets 19 inches at the front and 16 inches at the rear.

Which Is Best For You?

To answer this, we are gonna use on dimension figure of these three bikes, and surround our answer by it. So, that dimension figure is, seat height. The seat height of the Classic 650 is 800 mm, which means this motorcycle is best for people above 5 feet 7 Inches, as they would sit comfortably and their feets will touch the ground fully. Now, this seating position also denotes that for city commutes, the Classic 650 is great and it will also remain comfortable for up to certain km long journeys.

Now, the seat height of the Shotgun 650 is 795 mm, which is just 5 mm short, but this now translates to even shorter people than 5.7 can sit, and its cruiser-like seating position is also complemented by the footpeg positions. So, this bike strikes as the perfect cruiser that allows you to move in traffic freely and also complete long journeys in the most fun way. Now, this bike also falls between both the bikes and provides something of both. Upright seating with a matured stance and cruiser bike capabilities, it does it all.

Lastly, the Super Meteor 650, with a seat height of 740 mm, offers you a proper laid-back seating position, where it has just one thing to offer, and that is high mileage. Now, this is both a pro and a con, as you cannot use it as your primary vehicle because driving it in jam-packed cities is painfully hard. Also, the fuel tank capacity of 15.7 liters allows you to keep moving without having any sense of range anxiety.

Engine

Now, at last, let's quickly take a look at the engine specifications. This 648cc parallel twin engine makes 47 ps and 52.3 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Until now, we haven't driven the latest bike here - the Classic 650, but we have ridden the Super Meteor, and we are happy to report that it's a tastefully great engine, which loves to be revved hard, and at any time, you won't feel that there is a shortage of power. Now, the same type of performance is also expected from both the above bikes.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Vs BSA Goldstar 650: Detailed Comparison