[shailinder]

Originally Posted by diwa

I think you should take a test drive. I think the weight is masked very well when the bike is on the move. This is a characteristic of a cruiser and it definitely helps in the balance of the bike in high speeds and this shouldn’t be a reason alone to reject it completely. I am only talking from my personal experience, Thank you!

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

I think despite the weight, it is still worth a test drive if you want. While its heavy to push around, once it gets moving, you don't even notice the weight, its pretty easy to drive around. It masks its weight much better than other RE's from before

I agree that I, or for that matter anyone, must not reject any bike on account of weight - at least test ride and then take action. However, we don't ride the bike every time. One has to park it in a parking bay, mall, or roadside; often, one would push and pull them from tight spots.

More so, traffic and road conditions are not the best in Bangalore; manoeuvring and managing a heavy bike around will be a challenge.

I hope people from Bangalore or similar cities will be able to understand my point better. Thank you for the suggestion, though.: thumbs up

[windiesel]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

Yesterday was when 100kms were finally completed on the bike. And within 2 weeks, there has been a lot I've observed about this bike, which I would like to add on.

Firstly, a new and better pillion seat is certainly a necessity. I sat pillion for the first time and the immediate thing I notice is the total lack of space present, even for someone who is not tall like me. It could have certainly been more longer, and preferably wider. This leads to a situation where a thin and flat seat, coupled with a powerful bike leads to a chance of pillion literally being flung out if they weren't holding on tightly.

Secondly, a more detailed update on the suspension. I took the bike to the highway for the first time, and the suspension is keeping the bike totally planted, the suspension and the brakes ensure that no wind or not other factors could effect a stable cruising. But this fill eventually lead to issues elsewhere especially in the city. Going over a bump means where is a sharp suspension response, which is usually managable, but I would not risk it over a very bumpy road with deeper potholes. Secondly, because the suspension of the bike is tuned the way it is, it will ensure any and all undulations in the road are felt. This is usually okay, but for rumble strips and deep potholes, it becomes annoying.

The next update would probably be during 1st service, or whenever all accessories would be made available, which despite so much time, has still not reached.

Signing off with a photo of the beast

Attachment 2448398

Compared to this 241 kg behemoth, even the Versys650 at 219 kg appears sprightly!

[TorqueMonster]

Today was the first service for the bike. In this service, an oil change was done along with change in oil filter, and valve clearance being checked and adjusted.




A couple of pictures of the valve clearance adjustment being undertaken.





Pictures of the bike connected to the diagnostics tool and the diagnostic tool.





As of now, no accessories have been recieved for the bike, with a tentative date of next week being stated for the delivery of crash guard, backrest and sump guard.



More updates would be posted next when the accessories will be recieved, where a review of the same regarding fitment and quality will be made.

[febz]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

Firstly, a new and better pillion seat is certainly a necessity. I sat pillion for the first time and the immediate thing I notice is the total lack of space present, even for someone who is not tall like me. It could have certainly been more longer, and preferably wider. This leads to a situation where a thin and flat seat, coupled with a powerful bike leads to a chance of pillion literally being flung out if they weren't holding on tightly

Owning an astral black for almost 4 months with 3.8K distance covered.I have had the back seat changed to the touring seats and the back rest assembly has been installed(RE GMA).its way better than the stock seats for the astral but not exceptional and you might have to wait for a while to grab it due to the inefficiency of RE GMA on accessories. Good aftermarket choices are available.
Suspension is stiffer initially but it gets better over the time.If you are primarily a solo rider,adjust the rear air pressure to 36 psi.
To the guys out there concerned about the weight-You wont feel it as its masked perfectly and after a couple of days of usage your brain will adapt on to how to park the SM650 smartly without physically staining to pull or push it back which is laborious. I have been using it in city traffic and highways both comfortably.
By the way,you will experience the power of the beast once the running in is complete and I was in awe post 2K mark taking it for longer highway rides.

I would sum up SM650 as "A proper and capable cruiser in a comfortable price range and reasonable ownership cost"

[abhoumick]

I have always been in love with bikes.
It was sparked in my childhood with my maternal uncle buying the Yamaha RX100 & teaching me to drive. Oh boy, that feeling of cutting through the wind, the gush of adrenalin & the sensation of freedom overtook me sooner than I expected. That was somewhere around 1988-89. I was born & brought up in the industrial town of Durgapur, West Bengal. Well paved tarmac roads & very few 2-wheelers on them. I had the time of my life on that RX100.

Later, as I started earning I bought a Bajaj Calibre, then a TVS Fiero F2 & then a Bajaj Pulsar 220 and then I migrated to cars.
Fast forward to 2023 & I realised that my time to ride bikes is passing away, I should get one now or I can never again.

Thought of the Harley & came to know they have stopped doing business in India, BMW was a good option, so was the Benelli or the KTM but didn’t like the aggressive driving position which I so used to love. I decided to look for a cruiser & chanced upon the Super Meteor 650.

The sitting position was an instant hit, the upright body position & slightly foot forward stance was very comfortable. I am not migrating from any motorcycle so I did not carry the baggage of the crouched aggressive position with your feet under your buttocks. In the aggressive riding position the weight is more on your knees whereas here it is on your bums. Where the aggressive position allows you to dart into corners easier & take tighter turns, it is not comfortable for long rides. Where the crouched position helps you cut through the wind better, this seating position subjects you to more wind blast on your chest. There are advantages & disadvantages, but I liked this position. RE has provided a large windscreen to save you from the wind blast but there a buffeting issues at high speeds.

I realised the heft of the bike as I tried to move it. It is a very very heavy bike, it has the capability of giving you muscle pulls & slipped disks in the parking lot. But, into the midlife crisis, the heart rules the mind in these decisions & rationale gives way to carpe diem. I guess that's what happened to me. I bought the bike. I did not have to wait for the 4~6 months after booking. In fact I never booked the bike, there was one available owing to someone's cancellation & I grabbed the opportunity.
One good thing, when moving the bike while sitting on it is very convenient as there are no foot pegs to bite into your shin bone or calf muscles, those are forward mounted & out of your way.

After bringing it home, it took me 2 days to realise what I have done. Then I started taking it out on short drives to re-familiarise myself to bike riding & to learn to handle this huge machine. I realised that I have not only got a huge & heavy piece of machinery but also a very powerful one. I'll not go into the maths in this forum of technically aware comrades, but if you do the math you'll realise that this bike is more powerful than the Mini Cooper….and that's frightening, because you are on 2 wheels. After almost 20 years of driving cars, in which sometimes I used to wonder if my car is genuinely doing 120kmph on expressways because I don’t feel a thing, now the speed of 80kmph on a bike seemed frightening. The windblast at 100kmph is a commendable force to reckon with.

As I started getting comfortable with the machine, I noticed that when riding, the wight actually gives me the confidence of being on a planted machine. The ground clearance being low in this bike, you have to take speed breakers with love. I'm yet to scrape the underbelly.
The upright & low seating position, low CG & long wheelbase translates into wider turning radius than your average motorcycle. Add to that an excellent pair of shoes from CEAT gives the bike better than anticipated eagerness to lean into corners & the come back upright. It felt somewhat like the center weight of a good steering wheel, the bike is eager to come back up to the upright riding position from the tilt fluidly & confidently.
Esthetically, the RE badge on the tank & blacked out engine looks stunning, but the Super Meteor 650 badging on the side panels look like an afterthought.
The other positive is that the dual silencers do not stick out or rise upwards, like the interceptor for example, they are parallel to the sides & quite tucked in. The advantages you get are a narrower profile for meandering through tight spaces & your pillion sits more comfortably, not in a knee-up position.
The engine is high on torque so getting out of tight spots or overtaking is a breeze.
The LHS & RHS stock mirrors are of excellent quality, they do not vibrate, hence giving a stable view of your backside, maybe the stalks could have been a trifle shorter?
The gearbox, I'm told is way better than other RE bikes but, I feel it still is not as refined & smooth as the lesser competitors in market. I have experienced occasional slips. Some shifts are smooth while some are clanky. Getting to the neutral is tough sometimes. In my case the 3rd gear slips at times.
The brakes have the adequate bite in them to stop this huge machine. No complaints there.

I bought the Touring version (Celestial), meaning wider, more comfortable seats for the rider & pillion. These are very comfortable seats, better than the ones on the Interstellar & Astral. My PoV, the touring seats coupled with the backrest robs the bike of it's low-slung cruiser look that you get in the Interstellar & Astral owing to the tapered off almost non-existent pillion seat.

Once you get the muscle memory right, you start noticing the other parts around you, the switchgear for example, they are of very good quality, gives the impression they'll last a while. The side stand engine cut-off is a very nice feature, will definitely prevent some accidents. The LED headlamp which doubles up as DRL during the day is a nice touch, the light beam has a nice spread, but it should have been be stronger (more lumens). The fantastically shaped & optimally positioned handlebar could have grips a trifle thicker. The gear & brake levers though adjustable still seems designed for larger hands. The factory fitted windscreen is not vision corrected, so looking through it doesn't give you the right impression of the road ahead.
Another observation I have is the engine heat. This being a huge engine between your legs you tend to feel the heat on long rides. Specially if you were to stop at a redlight or railway crossing. Even while riding the bike I tend to feel the heat.
My observation is that the suspension is a tad stiff specially at the back, this is mainly because the scope of travel is very limited at the back. The USD forks in the front do a very good job whereas the rear dual shocks are already at their softest setting when I bought the bike. I believe this much stiffness is required to give the bike the agility that it has.

A few things I didn't quite get. Are these misses by Royal Enfield's engineers (very hard to believe) or are they deliberate omissions (we think!)?
1. Some kind of protection/guard for the primary brake cylinder. Looks like it is waiting for you to inadvertently kick it or was it designed such so that the fluid level is visible? An explanation will cull the aftermarket promotions as they lead riders to believe that with out a protection/guard you cannot survive.
2. The other thing might not be a miss, but I feel the fantastic looking petrol tank lid could be more flush, not allowing for a gap in between for water to flow into the cavity during rains. Could RE have put a malleable gasket in-between to cover that gap. There is a drain hole beside the inlet opening, probably for this purpose.
3. The Oil filter is positioned right behind the front wheel almost aiming at it. Stone chips thrown back by the front wheel will directly hot that cover. Maybe that cover is designed to withstand that assault. But since there is no clarification from RE, sump guards are a must-have aftermarket fitment.
4. Finally, the colour options are limited. I mean the same bike is coloured in so many colours already, why the limit of only red & blue for the highest trim? I believe the top tourer trim could have been offered in all the available colours, it's after all only the change of seat & addition of the windscreen. Some reviewers have remarked that the tourer version as a little different handlebar, but I couldn't make that out.
5. The internet is rife with photographs of the paneers mounted on the Super Meteor 650 and they look absolutely stunning. Even the official RE website sports such a photograph right on the homepage. But, you can't get them from either the online or offline RE stores. RE please make the accessories available with the bike now, it's been more than 4 months that this bike has been released.
6. Then there is the USB port for charging your smartphone. It's located inside the left side cover where you have the air intake. So, you need an extra long & strong cable to travel all the way from there to the handlebar or tankbag depending on where you keep your phone. Point to note that this wire will travel directly above the engine head & will have to tackle all that heat (650cc).
7. Then there is the horn. It is definitely not commensurate with the bulk of the bike, it sounds puny. Feels like it's been plucked from a 100cc bike.
8. With the kind of power on tap, I believe RE could have added riding modes like the lesser competitors have. I don’t know the implications of adding a host of electronics apart from the increase of the base price of the vehicle, but maybe RE will add them in later versions.
9. What I really miss is a tachometer. I feel, the speedo on the left the tacho on the right with the tripper on top would probably have been the best dash layout for this premium bike. But that's only my PoV.

All said & done, I have had people showing me the thumbs up sign on the road, this bike does get noticed, it's a looker for sure. RE has matured hugely with this machine. I sincerely believe this bike will age well & will be one of those machines that are passed on from father to son.

[bonesmith]

Only a couple of kilometers have been put into the bike so far, and more updates would be put as more kilometers are covered and if and when any changes are made to the bike.

Thanks for thr review. I am considering the SM 650. Which dealer in Trivandrum is among the better ?

What is your experience after 5 months with the SM 650 .

[TorqueMonster]

Now that it has been a couple of months since I've had the bike, I think this will be the right time to compare it with the experiences I have had with previous Enfields. Based on the price point, many people, who probably already own existing Enfields would certainly put this bike in consideration for an upgrade. For this, I have decided to do a thorough comparison of my Thunderbird 350 and the Super Meteor 650.



The 2 bikes standing right next 2 each other. The first and most basic differences look wise is how one is totally blacked out, while the other is just chrome galore. Overall, I still slightly prefer the Thunderbird's looks since I am a fan of spoked wheels, despite its inconvenience. But once again looks are subjective, and for that matter, both bikes are excellent looking.



Looks-wise, the first and major difference between the Thunderbird 350 and the Super Meteor is that of the lighting used. I have switched mine to LED, but by stock, the Thunderbird comes with Halogen Bulbs. They have a decent light throw, and for 80 per cent of your lifetime riding, they would never pose an issue. But for that occasional 20 %, you may need lights, the same way I have also attached auxiliary lights to my bike.

The next major observation would be on how there lies a twin-pod display for the Thunderbird. This, in my opinion, should have been the default design choice, it just makes the instrument cluster much more proportional with the bike. Secondly, it could be seen how the bike uses Telescopic Forks, which do a very decent job at filtering out most bumps and can handle tough roads very easily.



The Super Meteor, in aspect of looks, is certainly a looker, the only minor gripe being the lack of a Dual Cluster. For what is essentially the most expensive Enfield, they could have just added dual cluster, as it would be much easier to read, plus a tachometer being also present. The bike comes with USD Forks, over which I would have very mixed opinions. The components and quality of the suspension are excellent, there is no denying that. But it's also tuned in such a way that its best use lies on a highway, unlike the Thunderbird having a best-of-both-worlds situation, where it is comfortable and planted on highways, but with enough travel to pass through bumps easily.

The LED lights are decent, they are bright and have decent coverage. I have not taken it out on a long-distance ride at night yet, but at least for my day-to-day usage, I have not faced the need for any auxiliary lights. If not, I would be updating this thread to include changes that are needed.



For both the Thunderbird and the Meteor, the side view is the best view of the bike. And for the Thunderbird, it certainly is a looker, and despite the 350cc displacement, certainly looks like a huge bike, which it is. The seating position is fairly comfortable for the rider, with a wide seat, but at the same time, the wideness of the seat does not interfere with placing a planted foot on the ground, due to its low ground clearance (which is still good enough to clear any and all bumps put forth its way). The pillion seat is decent, it is thin, but with a slight change in the seat, it could be made into an excellent place for the pillion to ride around without any disturbances. This, coupled with the backrest makes the Thunderbird an excellent bike for the Pillion.

Regarding footpeg placement, they are slightly forward facing, but not properly forward set like the Super Meteor, which means while the handlebar and seating position is favourable to cruising, it is not a bike with an aggressive cruiser stance and can easily be taken as a city bike.



The Super Meteor has the quintessential cruiser looks, large engine with the bike in itself having huge proportions, raised handlebars and forward set footpegs. And this allows for an almost excellent seating experience too, at least for the rider. The seats are extremely comfortable, even more so than the Thunderbird, and this with the forward-set footpegs makes for a comfortable highway mile muncher. The handlebar is raised, but it is raised at a lesser angle than the Thunderbird. It is raised at a lesser angle but is also facing slightly more forward towards the rider, unlike the Thunderbird where the handlebar is raised at a higher angle.

The Handlebar placement here becomes important as it entirely changes the handling of both bikes. The Thunderbird for that matter, is much more easier to ride around in the city, and to manoeuvre around gaps in traffic and to go small lanes. Not to discredit the Super Meteor's handling inside a crowded city, but the wide handlebars and larger turning radius, combined with the bulk make it slightly cumbersome to ride along in the city.

Lastly, we see the Pillion Seat. This, I would say, is the biggest con of what is an otherwise flawless bike. It's terrible, there is no 2 ways about it. It's extremely thin, at least the stock seat, and this leaves no other choice except to get the touring seat or search for aftermarket options. It is thin and small and ideally should have been better thought of IMO.

When we look at other aspects, the bike is very wide, due to the large engine, and twin exhaust, along with some very wide tyres. The advantages of such wide tyres are that the highway stability is supreme, this is the most stable bike I've ridden on highways, and it can constantly move without hesitation at high speed. The tyres are made by Ceat and I've found them to be pretty good as of now.



The Thunderbird, like almost every 350 in existence, is powered by a UCE350 carburetted Engine, with around 19.5 HP and 28nm of Torque. The Horsepower figures are ignorable because firstly this bike wasn't built for speed. Even if it was, there lies no speed that's humanly rideable beyond 70. 90 if you are adventurous, 100 for the brave souls, 110 for a maniac provided there lies a downward slope.

What does matter, is the torque figures. And 28nm of torque is generous torque, for day-to-day use. This bike can climb any slope thrown in front of it, with luggage and pillion, easily. It can go through the roughest of roads, with no issues whatsoever. The Engine's power all lies below the speed of 70 and provided that you live in a city with minimal or no traffic, this can easily double up as a great city bike, you can drive in 5th gear throughout an entire city run, and that too comfortably.

The Highways also are fine. Yes, 70 is a decent speed for a highway, but at times, especially during overtakes, one would always want that extra grunt from the engine, and it gets extremely annoying to drive beyond 70 courtesy of the trademark vibrations.

Regarding the gearbox, it's slightly clunky. It's not the smoothest and often falls into false neutrals often. This, coupled with the heavy clutch makes it rather annoying to ride through traffic in a crowded city.



The Super Meteor, on the other hand, is having an absolute gem of an Engine. The bike's powerband is massive, right from lower speeds to almost its top speed in triple digits, this bike can pull. It's exceptionally fast when compared to most bikes of it, and below its price, the gearshifts are extremely smooth, and the clutch in contrast to the UCE350's is butter smooth. Despite all the small flaws ergonomics wise, all of that can be easily forgotten when you get the keys to ride this bike. It is fast, comfortable, and within a slight twist of the throttle, you can do speeds that a normal Enfield would never reach, even if it's dropped off a cliff.

The bike is exceptionally stable even at high speeds, and this much power, along with excellent gearing from its 6-speed gearbox makes it an ultimate mile muncher, this bike can easily cover highway distances without even breaking a sweat. The bike is torquey and has decent powers, it can cruise at high speeds, while high slopes and tough terrain are also easy jobs for this vehicle.

Now, to the last part, on whether you should buy this or not. I'll say yes. The Super Meteor is not the most perfect bike, but there are no perfect bikes. It is fast, it is comfortable for the most part, it looks elegant, and for the price, is a very well-sorted cruiser. And as someone who bought this as an upgrade to the Thunderbird, I am delighted with what this bike has to offer, and I'm pretty sure, a lot of Thunderbird or UCE350 Enfield owners in General can clearly distinguish both bikes and their characteristics. This could be a good upgrade for those desiring more power but wanting to stay in the Enfield Lineup.

For those who are used to 200cc or below bikes, but want an upgrade, then even for them, it makes a lot of sense to get this. Aside from the weight, this bike, despite having 47hp is easy to ride, and it takes minimal time to get used to the power delivery.



But like every bike, there are slight things which this bike lacks, which I have clearly noted. And this makes a clear case for why despite the Meteor, the Thunderbird still will continue to be a constant part of my motorcycle journey. Both are similar on paper, cruisers, but both are way different in nature, offering different experiences to the rider. I intended on making this comparison as most riders would have at least some experience of a UCE350 Enfield, or would be Enfield Owners looking for a more powerful bike.

[Nits83]

Hi,

Is there anyone here who has contacts in Zana, Bykology, or any other accessory maker? I saw something which is an elegant solution for a backrest that can be used both as a solo rider and with a pillion. Was wondering if it was possible to manufacture the same for SM650 in India. Apologies for the poor quality. If more details are needed I am open to discussing them.

Regards,
Nitin

[865interceptor]

Originally Posted by Nits83

Hi,

Is there anyone here who has contacts in Zana, Bykology, or any other accessory maker? I saw something which is an elegant solution for a backrest that can be used both as a solo rider and with a pillion. Was wondering if it was possible to manufacture the same for SM650 in India. Apologies for the poor quality. If more details are needed I am open to discussing them.

Regards,
Nitin

AEEDEA.COM, they have it.

[SupMeteorStorme]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

The LED lights are decent, they are bright and have decent coverage. I have not taken it out on a long-distance ride at night yet, but at least for my day-to-day usage, I have not faced the need for any auxiliary lights. If not, I would be updating this thread to include changes that are needed.

Lovely comparison. I always wanted to get a TBTS but wasn't able to pony up the money for it at the time. Your comparison made me desire a city bike just for kicks.

About the LED lights, have you had a chance to ride your SM650 during rains at night on dimly lit city streets? How do the lights feel then?

I found the LED headlamp unusable in such cases; especially during heavy rains at dusk/night. I felt the LED's throw was akin to holding my phone's torch and riding.

[TorqueMonster]

Originally Posted by abhoumick

All said & done, I have had people showing me the thumbs up sign on the road, this bike does get noticed, it's a looker for sure. RE has matured hugely with this machine. I sincerely believe this bike will age well & will be one of those machines that are passed on from father to son.

My criticisms on the Super Meteor have been fairly limited because of the fact that I do not have much experience with other bikes, and your anectdote on the gives a very honest take on the ownership of the bike. I hope you have thousands of fun miles on this bike.

Originally Posted by febz

I would sum up SM650 as "A proper and capable cruiser in a comfortable price range and reasonable ownership cost"

I think it is the best way to describe this bike. Yes, it has its flaws, but it offers the 3 things every bike owner wants, power, comfort and looks. For the price, the Super Meteor is a value proposition.

Originally Posted by SupMeteorStorme

Lovely comparison. I always wanted to get a TBTS but wasn't able to pony up the money for it at the time. Your comparison made me desire a city bike just for kicks.

About the LED lights, have you had a chance to ride your SM650 during rains at night on dimly lit city streets? How do the lights feel then?

I found the LED headlamp unusable in such cases; especially during heavy rains at dusk/night. I felt the LED's throw was akin to holding my phone's torch and riding.

The TBTS was also a very similar purchase to the Super Meteor, as a more capable and reliable cruiser to complement my KB100. Used TBTS's are actually running very cheap, they are some of the cheapest used Enfields you could get on the market despite the Enfield brand in general having good resale. For the price of a new city bike, you could always achieve your dream if you ever feel like it.

As for the LED's, I have not had the opportunity to ride it on rain, since I have shifted to a place with minimal rain now. For dimly lit streets, I've found it adequate, at least for the city and most highways. But since it is just adequate, I have a feeling that in rural or in mountain like pitch dark areas, it may be just adequate or not adequate at all. But for this I will have to take it on a long ride, something which I have not done in a long time.

[abhinavsri01]

[quote=TorqueMonster;5596157

But like every bike, there are slight things which this bike lacks, which I have clearly noted. And this makes a clear case for why despite the Meteor, the Thunderbird still will continue to be a constant part of my motorcycle journey. Both are similar on paper, cruisers, but both are way different in nature, offering different experiences to the rider. I intended on making this comparison as most riders would have at least some experience of a UCE350 Enfield, or would be Enfield Owners looking for a more powerful bike.[/QUOTE]

Nice comparison. I currently have a RE Thunderbird 500 2014 & was looking forward to buy the Super Meteor 650. But got strict instructions from home ministry to first dispose off the Thunderbird which I'm too lazy to do.

[Draken]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

The Handlebar placement here becomes important as it entirely changes the handling of both bikes. The Thunderbird for that matter, is much more easier to ride around in the city, and to manoeuvre around gaps in traffic and to go small lanes. Not to discredit the Super Meteor's handling inside a crowded city, but the wide handlebars and larger turning radius, combined with the bulk make it slightly cumbersome to ride along in the city.

I used to own a Thunderbird as well and it was comfortable for city use. How bad is the meteor in comparison. Ill probably be driving more on Bangalore city roads. Took a test drive and the turning radius did bother me a little. The Sales person on mentioned its not a great city bike and suggested I get another bike for city and use this more for touring. Even more confused now.

[TorqueMonster]

Originally Posted by abhinavsri01

Nice comparison. I currently have a RE Thunderbird 500 2014 & was looking forward to buy the Super Meteor 650. But got strict instructions from home ministry to first dispose off the Thunderbird which I'm too lazy to do.

If you get the Super Meteor, I hope you will still retain the Thunderbird 500, an excellent cruiser which can easily supplement the Super Meteor.

Originally Posted by Draken

I used to own a Thunderbird as well and it was comfortable for city use. How bad is the meteor in comparison. Ill probably be driving more on Bangalore city roads. Took a test drive and the turning radius did bother me a little. The Sales person on mentioned its not a great city bike and suggested I get another bike for city and use this more for touring. Even more confused now.

Okay, so the turning radius is an issue, like I am used to it now, but it certainly takes time to get used to the bulk of the vehicle. While this can be used in the city, it is certainly cumbersome and takes time to get used to.

The Thunderbird for the matter is easily manageable on city roads, the only issue here is the weight, while SM650 has excessive weight and turning radius disadvantaging it.

[abhoumick]

As for the LED's, I have not had the opportunity to ride it on rain, since I have shifted to a place with minimal rain now. For dimly lit streets, I've found it adequate, at least for the city and most highways. But since it is just adequate, I have a feeling that in rural or in mountain like pitch dark areas, it may be just adequate or not adequate at all. But for this I will have to take it on a long ride, something which I have not done in a long time.[/quote]

I did have a single dusk/dark driving experience on the SM650 in the rain, very recently as Delhi-NCR has been seeing a lot of rain this year, I'd say the LED headlight is grossly inadequate for that condition. I have started looking for auxiliary lights for my bike.