Royal Enfield Meteor India Launch Delayed: Will Rival The Honda H’Ness CB350

Published: Saturday, October 10, 2020, 10:35 [IST]

Royal Enfield Meteor launch has been delayed yet again in the Indian market. The Meteor will essentially replace the brand's Thunderbird 350 motorcycle which was supposed to arrive much earlier in the market.

According to the latest report from ET Auto, the company has is delaying the launch as it would like to launch a new motorcycle customization application for buyers. Called the ‘Make Your Own', the application will let buyers customize the bike they are buying.

Royal Enfield Meteor India Launch Delayed: Expected To Arrive After Diwali

The application is likely to debut with only Meteor on-board and other vehicles getting added in a phase-wise manner. Customer looking to add aftermarket accessories to their Royal Enfield motorcycle can now do it right from the factory.

The report also suggests that the company is still facing difficulties in the production of motorcycles, which is another reason for the delay in Meteor's launch. The company is still way behind the attaining full capacity after the nation-wide lockdown ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A top company official stated that Royal Enfield aimed to reach 70,000 production units during the month of September 2020. However, the company only managed to produce 55,000 units during the same month.

In addition to the delayed launches, the report also reveals that the Royal Enfield has scrapped the project of entry-level 250cc motorcycle for the Indian market. Called the ‘Project V' has not been discontinued, as the company wants to focus on existing range and its cost structuring.

Speaking about the Meteor itself, it will be an all-new motorcycle from the old-school motorcycle manufacturer. It is will be using a new modular J platform for chassis along with an all-new OHC powertrain as well.

It will be an all-new set up of the current 346cc air-cooled single-cylinder UCE engine. It will be a long-stroke engine that will be producing a maximum of 20.2bhp and a peak torque of 27Nm. In comparison, the current UCE engine produces 19.1bhp and 28Nm — 1.1bhp less and 1Nm of torque more than the new engine.

The motorcycle features raised handlebar giving an up-right rider ergonomics. However, it is expected to retain its suspension and braking setup from the Thunderbird models. This includes telescopic forks, twin-shocks at the rear and disc brakes at both ends. It could be offered with dual-channel ABS as standard.

One among the biggest upgrade will be the new Bluetooth enabled digital instrument console. The motorcycle will feature a twin-pod design with the larger pod reserved for main information, while the smaller pod will operate as the on-board navigation system called the ‘Tripper Navigation Unit'.

The Tripper Navigation Unit is Bluetooth enabled for smartphone connectivity and shows the route in the form of pace-note type arrows. The navigation unit will also have Day and Night modes — here are more details.

Thoughts About The Royal Enfield Meteor Launch Getting Delayed In India

Royal Enfield seems to have hit a major roadblock in its supply chain, which the company is working on overcoming as soon as possible. The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting nation-wide lockdown has affected most manufacturer with their product launches, including Royal Enfield.