Test rode the new Classic 650: Royal Enfield has built something great!

I also took a test ride of the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 and the Shotgun.

BHPian buzzy_boy recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Classic 650 - first impressions

Test rode the Classic 650, Shotgun, & Super Meteor at Bullmen Motor, Coimbatore.

Few observations:

1. All three of them seem to be well-made compared to the 350s. However, I did not look closely enough at the quality.
2. All of them are stylish. The Super Meteor is understated, the Shotgun is purposeful, and the Classic is, well, just classic!
3. The Classic will certainly be an attention magnet. It is large, long, and stately. I just wish that RE had offered more colors.
4. The Classic is wide. All of them are heavy. One will certainly get used to their weight, but all prospective customers must decide whether they want to—especially if they are going to use them daily.
5. I'm 5'10". I couldn't flat-foot the Classic due to its width. However, it did not affect my sense of balance.
6. The overall stance is more of an upright cruiser than a tourer!

Riding experience

1. One sentence summary: What a machine!
2. RE are masters at creating unique riding experiences for their vehicles, and it is no different here - Shotgun = exhaust note & drama, Super Meteor = refinement, Classic = indestructibility!
3. My mind was made up within five minutes—I liked the Classic among these three! But each of them will definitely find takers.
4. There is something sublime in the way the Classic batters the road into submission! I found the stock suspension to be well-tuned, but I felt the rear was on the slightly firmer side. As for the Super Meteor—I didn't ride it long enough to form an opinion.
5. The same theme continues with the exhausts: The Shotgun is dramatic. The Super Meteor is refined. The Classic is somewhere in the middle. It has enough refinement to not be bothersome but enough drama to keep you entertained.
6. Grip levels were okay, but not great; the same goes for the chassis of all three.
7. Engine performance is more or less the same; yes, they are tuned slightly differently, but the differences are negligible, in my opinion.
8. Gear shifts were alright—no false neutrals and generally positive.

Overall, RE has built something great with the Classic. Is it sublime? In my opinion, yes!

P.S. I found the showroom experience at Bullmen to be great.

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