Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Expected India Launch By June: Will Rival The Jawa 350

Speaking to carandbike, Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, confirmed the launch timeline of the Meteor 350. He also stated that the Meteor 350 will be Royal Enfield's all-new 350cc motorcycle that significantly feels better than the existing bikes in the company's current line-up.

The new motorcycle was scheduled to launch during April. However, like most product launches it has also been delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent nation-wide lockdown announced in the country. According to the earlier reports, the Meteor 350 is expected to replace the Thunderbird X range of motorcycles when launched in the Indian market.

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 features a complete overhaul over the previous model. The bike will be built on an all-new platform which is codenamed 'J1D'. It uses a double cradle chassis, and will also employ the newly-developed 350cc engine.

The company is said to be working on an (OHC) OverHead Camshaft version of the current 346cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine. The new OHC engine is expected to be more refined with lower NVH levels, offer better fuel efficiency, and increased performance over the current tappet-valve UCE engines.

In comparison, the BS6 compliant UCE 346cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine produces 19.1bhp and 28Nm of torque. The engine is also expected to come mated to the same five-speed gearbox as well. Mr Dasari also stated that the new OHC engine will be sold alongside the old UCE engine for some time.

Apart from the new frame and an all-new engine, the new Royal Enfield 350cc motorcycle is also expected to come with a host of new features including a single-pod semi-digital instrument cluster, and Bluetooth connectivity; among others. It is also expected to feature connected technology and offer a host of information to the rider.

The new Meteor 350 will be the brand's first product under the Royal Enfield 2.0 strategy. The company has announced that the new platform will spawn a host of new motorcycles for Indian and international markets under the new strategy.

The company will offer over a thousand of customisation and personalisation options with every new product released under the new strategy. The company will continue to offer a range of accessories with the new motorcycle as well. Royal Enfield has also announced that the motorcycle will come with factory-level customisation options, including adding your name on the motorcycle.

Once launched the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will rival the Jawa 350, the Jawa Forty-Two, and the Bajaj Avenger 220 Street in the Indian market. We expect Royal Enfield to price the Meteor 350 around Rs 1.68 lakh (ex-showroom).

While the nationwide lockdown has been partially lifted, it is still imposed at most parts of the country. The company has resumed its operations at its production plants, and will comply with the government's health and safety protocols to ensure the safekeeping of its workforce. It has also re-opened about 50 per cent of the company's dealerships across the country as well.

Alongside the upcoming Meteor 350, Royal Enfield is also gearing up to launch another motorcycle in the Indian market. Trademarked as ‘Hunter', the motorcycle was recently spotted testing after the nation-wide lockdown was partially lifted in the country. Some of the features and details of the motorcycle were revealed from the images — here are more details.

Thoughts About The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Launching By June In India

Royal Enfield has restarted its manufacturing, testing and retail operations across select cities in the country. The company will be launching a slew of motorcycles in the Indian market starting with the Meteor 350. The upcoming urban cruiser is expected to be the first model to come equipped with a lot of new features and a reworked engine.