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Meteor 650 first look

QIbHom

QIbHom

Well travelled
Location
Dulles, VA, USA
Don't get to ride one until tomorrow, but I just dropped by my dealer to sit on the new Meteor 650 and crawl around it. (Currently ride a 350 Classic)

Seat was higher than I expected on a cruiser, but workable. It has a crazy deep lean angle for a cruiser. You are going to hit the exhaust or centre stand before you hit the peg guards. Stock seat is less wide at the front than the Classic 350 stock seat, which is good (I hated that seat, and replaced it). There are pre-drilled holes for a back rack. It'll be a little harder to work on than a Classic, but still doable. Engine sounds good. The pillion looks ok, but I'd want to do something about it to make it a little more comfortable and less threatening (I give a lot of people their first rides and have friends who love to go on long rides with me). Handle bar position is nice, gauges are easy to read. No tach, which is a bit of a bummer.

My sales guy has ridden it, and loved it. He's seriously considering buying one (he doesn't have a cruiser).

I love my Signals Classic Reborn, but was a cruiser rider for years, and am seriously tempted. If I enjoy the ride tomorrow, it'll be a serious and hard decision about whether or not I want to trade in my Signals.
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

Well travelled
Location
Woodstock, NY
QIbHom said:
Don't get to ride one until tomorrow, but I just dropped by my dealer to sit on the new Meteor 650 and crawl around it. (Currently ride a 350 Classic)

Seat was higher than I expected on a cruiser, but workable. It has a crazy deep lean angle for a cruiser. You are going to hit the exhaust or centre stand before you hit the peg guards. Stock seat is less wide at the front than the Classic 350 stock seat, which is good (I hated that seat, and replaced it). There are pre-drilled holes for a back rack. It'll be a little harder to work on than a Classic, but still doable. Engine sounds good. The pillion looks ok, but I'd want to do something about it to make it a little more comfortable and less threatening (I give a lot of people their first rides and have friends who love to go on long rides with me). Handle bar position is nice, gauges are easy to read. No tach, which is a bit of a bummer.

My sales guy has ridden it, and loved it. He's seriously considering buying one (he doesn't have a cruiser).

I love my Signals Classic Reborn, but was a cruiser rider for years, and am seriously tempted. If I enjoy the ride tomorrow, it'll be a serious and hard decision about whether or not I want to trade in my Signals.
Click to expand...
I want another bike and more or less always looking and have the money set aside. But I will keep my 22 Ventura Blue Interceptor. The only plan with it is that when it is my No. 2 bike, I will put everything back to complete naked original, other than keeping the sump guard, and ride it day-to-day for coffee runs. It won't be as clean but in 15 years, when I can barely get a leg over, I will probably enjoy it more than I do now. I could trade it in, but unless it is dying, I know I will regret that decision the minute it goes. Point is, will you regret losing Flea even if you really enjoy your new ride?
 
QIbHom

QIbHom

Well travelled
Location
Dulles, VA, USA
Oh, I'm keeping Flea. And I'll keep modding her. Maybe, next spring, I'll trade her in for a Meteor, because I do like them. If I'd had a choice between a Meteor and a Classic last spring, I'd have bought the Meteor. But the character of a Classic, the people I meet riding her....that would be tough to give up, even if I am a cruiser rider at heart, and miss having my friends on the back.

Enjoyed riding the Meteor today. Tubeless tires, really easy to shift, comfortable, more power but not twitchy, nice controls.

My sales guy stole a minute to sit on Flea, with the solo springer seat. He loved it, and the crashbars, didn't want to get off. He's got a longer inseam than me, so the springer really suits him. I hope he can steal a little time to ride her someday. Properly broken in, the Classic engine does a lot better than when new, and he's only ridden new REs.
 
davidw99

davidw99

Getting there...
Location
Boston
Took a short parking lot ride on one yesterday. Thought it was very nice. Comfortable. Easy to maneuver. I liked the sound. Definitely on my list. Would not be surprised to have one next spring. Right now winter is closing in and I'm looking at my last ride(s) of the year on my Honda.
 
Easy Drifter

Easy Drifter

Finally made it
Location
Clearwater FL
Picked up mine a few weeks ago. I've got two gripes with it, one that I can fix, one I can't. Fixable one; the rear suspension is way too stiff. Have tried multiple shock settings to no avail. Just ordered the Hagon replacements from Hitchcock's that are also 20mm shorter. Hoping the multitude of adjustments on these will help, and lowering it will help with form and function. The center stand....maybe I'm spoiled by my old Honda's as this bike is a royal pain to not only get up on the stand but also get it down. It will only get used out of necessity.

I've added the DNA air filter, Rhino Racing Exhaust mufflers (no baffles installed), Royal Enfield engine guard, bar end mirrors, rear fender rack, RE windshield. Bar end mirrors installed after these pictures were taken.

Air filter and mufflers really made the motor come alive and it sounds better than a big V Twin.
Windshield is rather useless as it isn't tall enough to get the buffeting over my helmet, will try an extension. If that doesn't work I'll just break out my old school goggles and go that route as my old eyes can't take the wind very well.

The shifting that was a bit stiff has smoothed out with miles. I ordered a heel/ toe shifter from RE. It came with no bushing in the pivot shaft opening. Dealer can see the busing in the catalog but there's no part number. I'll take it apart, measure and order one from the local hardware supplier I use. It sucks that it doesn't come with it, I don't want to try and press it out, possibly damage it, and not be able to ride until I procure another.

Like anything, nothing is perfect but I would buy this bike again, and am looking forward to the release of the Shotgun 650 in the USA.

1411914120

14122
 
Landisr

Landisr

Well travelled
Location
Gilbert AZ
Easy Drifter said:
Picked up mine a few weeks ago. I've got two gripes with it, one that I can fix, one I can't. Fixable one; the rear suspension is way too stiff. Have tried multiple shock settings to no avail. Just ordered the Hagon replacements from Hitchcock's that are also 20mm shorter. Hoping the multitude of adjustments on these will help, and lowering it will help with form and function. The center stand....maybe I'm spoiled by my old Honda's as this bike is a royal pain to not only get up on the stand but also get it down. It will only get used out of necessity.

I've added the DNA air filter, Rhino Racing Exhaust mufflers (no baffles installed), Royal Enfield engine guard, bar end mirrors, rear fender rack, RE windshield. Bar end mirrors installed after these pictures were taken.

Air filter and mufflers really made the motor come alive and it sounds better than a big V Twin.
Windshield is rather useless as it isn't tall enough to get the buffeting over my helmet, will try an extension. If that doesn't work I'll just break out my old school goggles and go that route as my old eyes can't take the wind very well.

The shifting that was a bit stiff has smoothed out with miles. I ordered a heel/ toe shifter from RE. It came with no bushing in the pivot shaft opening. Dealer can see the busing in the catalog but there's no part number. I'll take it apart, measure and order one from the local hardware supplier I use. It sucks that it doesn't come with it, I don't want to try and press it out, possibly damage it, and not be able to ride until I procure another.

Like anything, nothing is perfect but I would buy this bike again, and am looking forward to the release of the Shotgun 650 in the USA.

View attachment 14119View attachment 14120

View attachment 14122
Click to expand...

If you think the center stand is a pain now, wait until you lower the bike...
 
QIbHom

QIbHom

Well travelled
Location
Dulles, VA, USA
Nice loo
Easy Drifter said:
Picked up mine a few weeks ago. I've got two gripes with it, one that I can fix, one I can't. Fixable one; the rear suspension is way too stiff.
Click to expand...
Nice looking bike! I've read a few places that the suspension softens up nicely after 10k miles, but who knows? RE windshields all seem to be too low, or angled wrong. Had to put an extension on my Signals 350 windshield.

What was the non-fixable gripe? The centre stand? There is supposed to be a leverage trick that I can't get working, the next time I run into the person who tried to teach me, we'll go over it again.
 
Easy Drifter

Easy Drifter

Finally made it
Location
Clearwater FL
Hagon shocks installed last night. After fine tuning them, they do exactly what I wanted which is not only soften the ride but lowered the tail 29mm. There is now no visual gap between the top of the rear tire and the lower edge of the fender. The tire just fills it well. No negative impact on handling at all. I'm very happy with the outcome and will post pics if I can ever get out of work in the daylight!
 
davidw99

davidw99

Getting there...
Location
Boston
Alright. Sealing the deal on an Celestial Blue. Will pick it up in about ten days (my schedule is busy til then and it's still winter).
 
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