Royal Enfield

Meteor 350 is the latest offering from Chennai-based manufacturer; and will replace Thunder 350 and Thunderbird 350X
Motorcycle enthusiasts who were patiently awaiting launch of the new Meteor 350 would have to hold on a bit longer. Royal Enfield has now postponed the launch of Meteor 350 to next month.

Technically, the launch has not been postponed – as Royal Enfield never really announced a launch date for Meteor 350 officially. It was the reports via leaked images, sources and brochures, which confirmed that launch of Meteor 350 was to take place later this month. But now same sources state that launch has been postponed indefinitely.
The reason for this postponement of launch is yet unknown. But it is likely, the reason is due to the upcoming Honda Cruiser. In the last few days, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India has announced that they will be launching a new cruiser motorcycle on the 30th of Sep. They have also released a teaser, which includes the exhaust note of this new motorcycle.
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It has been years, where Honda has talked about entering the sub 500cc cruiser segment, to take on Royal Enfield. As of now, in the 350-500cc segment, it is Royal Enfield which enjoys monopoly with over 85% market share. Will Honda finally give India a fitting rival to Royal Enfield motorcycles on 30th Sep?
The teasers indicate that the upcoming Honda motorcycle is either the Rebel 300 or Rebel 500 or something which is based on them. In either case, one thing is confirmed that this new motorcycle is going to be a direct rival to a Royal Enfield motorcycle in India. The question now remains is, which RE motorcycle will be targeted by this new Honda cruiser, and what will be its price.
With Honda Cruiser launch date so near, it is possible that RE would want to wait and see what is Honda actually going to launch and in what price segment. And this could be the reason why launch date of Meteor 350 has been postponed (unofficially).
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Meteor 350 Engine
Meteor 350 is built upon the new J1D platform and will draw its power from a new 349cc single-cylinder air-cooled motor. This unit is capable of producing 20.2 bhp and is 27 Nm of torque. This is 0.4 bhp more and 1 Nm less than the previous generation 350cc engine.
The new generation Classic 350 is expected to be the next motorcycle under this range. The transmission is likely to be a 5-speed gearbox however this new gearbox is said to offer far smoother gear shifts. Similarly, the clutch is also newly developed with less number of linkages and components- resulting in a better clutch life.
Features on offer
As far as features are concerned, the Meteor 350 will be equipped with a semi-digital and semi-analog instrument cluster. It also comes with a USB charging point which enables the riders to charge their phones and action cameras, thus becoming a handy touring option. The TFT screen reads out important details of trip metre, service reminder, odometer, etc. It gets a round-shaped halogen headlamp which is circled by a ring of LED DRL.
Extended features include inbuilt turn-by-turn navigation called ‘Tripper Navigation’ and Bluetooth connectivity. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is likely to be priced from Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. More

Royal Enfield posts lower sales both in domestic and export markets
In August 2020, Royal Enfield once again managed to breach the 50,000 unit mark. This is a good sign, considering the several months of slow down due to corona virus and lockdown. Though Aug 2020 sales are in the red, it is largely due to supply constraints. Royal Enfield has stated that they are sitting on a backlog of about 40,000 orders.

In Aug 2020, total sales (domestic + exports) stood at 50,144 units, down 5 percent from 52,904 units sold in August 2019. However, despite YoY de-growth, August sales show a steady growth from 38,065 units in June 2020, to 40,334 units in July 2020 and then on to 50,144 units in August 2020.
In the past month, domestic markets, sales stood at 47,571 units down 2 percent as against 48,752 units in August 2019 while dispatches to global markets were at 2,573 units down 38 percent as against 4,152 units exported in August 2019. Royal Enfield also noted an increase in market share in the two wheeler segment to 3.91 percent in August 2020.
Royal Enfield Aug 2020 Domestic Sales and Exports data
Model wise sales breakup in domestic market
It was only the RE Classic 350 that contributed positively to total domestic sales last month. Sales of the Classic 350 stood at 34,791 units, up 48.47 percent as against 23,433 units sold in August 2019. The Classic 350, the most popular model in the company lineup, and is offered in multiple variants and colour options. Price of this model has just undergone an upward revision by Rs.1,837. This makes the Classic 350 now priced from Rs.1,61,688 to Rs.1,86,319.
The RE Bullet 350 and Electra 350 noted sales of 7,257 units and 4,129 units respectively in the past month, down 38.62 percent and 17.39 percent respectively as against sales in August 2019. RE’s flagship and adventure tourer, the 650 Twins and Himalayan contributed 864 units and 530 units to domestic sales respectively. With the festive season fast approaching, the company is set to launch the new RE Meteor 350 which should boost domestic sales.
RE Exports
Maximum demand was noted for the 650 Twins in global markets. There were a total of 1,409 units of these two models exported last month, down 27.07 percent as against 1,932 units exported in August 2019. De-growth was noted for the Classic 350, Classic 500, Thunderbird 350 and Bullet 500 while there were zero units of the Bullet 350 exported. There were no exports of the Electra 350, Bullet 350 and Thunderbird 500 last month.
No
Royal Enfield Domestic
Aug-20
Aug-19
Diff
%
1
Classic 350
34,791
23,433
11,358
48.47
2
Bullet 350
7,257
11,824
-4,567
-38.62
3
Electra 350
4,129
4,998
-869
-17.39
4
650 Twins
864
2,172
-1,308
-60.22
5
Himalayan
530
1,653
-1,123
-67.94
6
TB 350
0
3,843
-3,843
-100.00
7
Bullet 500
0
57
-57
-100.00
8
Classic 500
0
702
-702
-100.00
9
TB 500
0
70
-70
-100.00
–
Total
47,571
48,752
-1,181
-2.42

No
Royal Enfield Exports
Aug-20
Aug-19
Diff
%
1
650 Twins
1,409
1,932
-523
-27.07
2
Himalayan
884
882
2
0.23
3
Classic 350
178
527
-349
-66.22
4
Classic 500
98
413
-315
-76.27
5
TB 350
2
61
-59
-96.72
6
Bullet 500
2
329
-327
-99.39
7
Electra 350
0
0
0
–
8
Bullet 350
0
8
-8
-100.00
9
TB 500
0
0
0
–
–
Total
2,573
4,152
-1,579
-38.03
Price Increase
Royal Enfield has increased prices of its entire range in India. This is the second time that the company has increased prices of its BS6 model lineup, the first being in May 2020. Prices of the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Bullet 350, Himalayan, and 650 twins have been increased by Rs 1,800-2,800, depending on the variant.
The most affordable Royal Enfield bike, the Bullet 350, now starts at Rs.1.27 lakhs going up to the RE Interceptor 650 which now ranges from Rs 2.66-2.97 lakhs and Continental GT 650 which now costs between Rs 2.82 – Rs 3.03 lakhs. All prices are ex-sh.
Also Read –Honda India Cruiser launch on 30th Sep to rival Royal EnfieldKTM India Aug 2020 Sales and Exports More

After increasing prices of the Classic and Bullet range, RE has increased prices of their Himalayan and 650 range
Auto entities are working on strategies to make the most of business, especially now with the expectation of improved activity owing to the ongoing festive season. This is all the more necessary considering FY21 started on a note of no activity across the industry.

With this came deferred decisions including the need to increase product prices, a necessity in the face of increase in input costs. As business continues to pick up, manufacturers have used recent weeks to introduce vehicle prices for the model year line-up.
Royal Enfield has increased the price of its retro-classic, and also the iconic brand’s adventure tourer. The BS6 compliant Himalayan which was launched in January this year had been initially priced at Rs 1.87 lakh. After upgradation to the latest emission norms, the makers revised price for the first time in May.
Old vs New Prices
Himalayan and 650 Twins – Sep 2020 Prices
Following the current revision in prices, BS6 Himalayan range is now offered at a starting price of Rs 1.91 lakh and goes up to Rs 1.96 lakh depending on the colour one chooses. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom. Colour options include Granite Black, Snow White, Sleet Grey, Gravel Grey, Lake Blue, and Rock Red. With this, Himalayan is pricier by about 1,800 bucks. The periodic price hike doesn’t entail any cosmetic mechanical change and can be attributed to offsetting increasing input costs.
Himalayan is powered by a 411cc air-cooled, single-cylinder unit that cranks out 24.5 bhp and 32 Nm of torque. Transmission is carried out by a 5-speed gearbox. Recently, the adventure motorcycle was inducted into the Argentinian police. Royal Enfield also inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.
Apart from Himalayan, Royal Enfield 650 twins too now cost more, starting at a hike of Rs 1,800 depending on model. While a price hike is inevitable, the manufacturer has had to power through with a reduced product lineup since April 1, 2020 owing to mandated BS6 emission. Also Read – RE Classic, Bullet Prices Sep 2020
Upcoming RE’s
Business decisions led to some bikes being discontinued as they were not given a BS6 update. Moving on, the bike manufacturer is geared up to introduce new products. Of its new launches, Meteor 350 is the first new product available, and is ready for launch.
Alongwith focus on regaining lost ground in the domestic market, Royal Enfield is keen on improving its market share in the international arena, especially where mid-size bikes are concerned. In the segment, apart from the current 650 twins, Royal Enfield is already testing a 650cc cruiser. More

The BS6 compliant Classic 350 and Bullet 350 draw their powers from the same 346cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine
Royal Enfield has increased the prices of two of its most popular commuter bikes- Bullet 350 and Classic 350. This is the second price revision for both the bikes since the transition from BS4 emission norms to the updated BS6 standards. While the bullet has received a price hike of Rs 2,756 on all its variants, the Classic 350 has witnessed an increment of Rs 1,837.

This makes both the models about Rs 16,000 dearer to their BS4 counterparts which seems a very steep hike considering these models have not received any sort of upgrades. The BS6 models carry forward the same features and cosmetic elements from the BS4 models as they just tweaked the engine’s emission levels.
The Bullet 350 is now offered at a starting price of Rs 1.27 lakh and goes up to Rs 1.42 lakh for the top-spec trim. The Classic 350, on the other hand, is offered at a price range of Rs 1.61 lakh and Rs 1.84 lakh. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom. This is not a surprise since almost all models in the recent past have undergone multiple price hikes post the BS6 transition.
Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and Classic 350 Prices Sep 2020
Powertrain Details
The Bullet 350 and Classic 350 are powered by the same 346 cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine which generates 19.2 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque. The power output is slightly lower than the BS4 model whereas the torque has increased by 1 Nm. This unit is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Both bikes have an increase in their kerb weight by 1 kg due to a larger catalytic converter.
Despite the price hike, the Classic 350 remains the most affordable retro commuter in its segment which also comprises Benelli Imperiale 400 and Jawa Forty Two. The Bullet 350, on the other hand, competes with the Jawa Classic and is also way cheaper than its Czech counterpart. The Jawa Classic is offered at a starting price of Rs 1.74 lakh whereas the Bullet 350 is available at a starting price of 1.27 lakh. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom.
Upcoming Launch
Meteor 350 is replacement to Thunderbird 350X
The Chennai-based bike manufacturer is currently gearing up to launch the upcoming Meteor 350 which is set to replace the outgoing Thunderbird 350 and Thunderbird 350X. The new cruiser bike will be powered by an all-new 350cc engine under the new ‘UCE350’ range. The upcoming cruiser will be based on an entirely new architecture which is being called ‘J1D’. Most of the details of the bike has already been revealed. The bike is expected to be launched in a few days. More

Royal Enfield created history of sorts by competing in the American Flat Track competition
Royal Enfield Twins FT Production Twins racer saw the brand compete in its first American Flat Track (AFT) event in production twins class at Williams Grove Speedway in Pennsylvania, USA. The feat was accomplished following months of development and testing. The Royal Enfield Twins FT is a joint effort between Royal Enfield and Moto Anatomy race team, that racer Johnny Lewis owns and operates.
Team behind the machine

In the last six months, Johnny’s team worked with Royal Enfield, road racing chassis builder Harris Performance, and engine tuning specialists S&S Cycle. With Lewis getting on track in the weekend’s AFT races, overall focus remains on Twins FT platform development.
The remainder of the season will be effectively utilised to introduce necessary changes and adjustments. Lewis said, “The bike performed well and we’ve got a great foundation to build upon.” The race bike was shipped from India on Monday (September 07th) as more or less a flatpack, and the team worked endlessly to put it together.

In March 2020, the current AFT season was postponed owing to Covid-19. The prototype motorcycle had been developed early in the year. All partners continued working through chassis changes and updates as he prototype was tested at Lewis’ Center Hill, Fl facility.
The team was undaunted by multiple time zones, and challenges of shipping parts overseas, and worked tirelessly for weeks, culminating in the weekend’s successful race. With focus on development, the team aims to utilise all its learning from race weekend to better the bike for the next race in two weeks time on September 25-26 at the Dallas Half Mile.
2020 AFT race season
At the Atlanta and Daytona Beach AFT rounds, Lewis will be accompanied by participants of Royal Enfield’s Build Train Race (BTR) programme, who will compete in an exhibition, using custom INT 650 motorcycles. The 2020 AFT race season will be crucial to gather data and feedback on the Royal Enfield FT package ahead of the 2021 AFT season. With the race motorcycle arriving in the US only three days prior to race day, the following two days were spent in assembling the unit, leaving no time for a track test.

Friday’s official practice session was the first time Lewis rode the Twins FT, and went on to secure 3rd place Semi-final finish, and 6th place finish in the Main race. On Saturday, new chassis setups were tested to improve handling than the previous day.
During the Semi Final, a weakened head gasket failed and he had to pull off the track. This was identified and fixed with an hour and a half to go before the Main. Once fixed, the bike was back onto the track in 13th spot, minutes before the green flag. At the end of race weekend, the team secured seventh place. More

Royal Enfield Meteor Easy Cruiser is going to be launched on 22nd Sep in India in three variants – Fireball, Stellar and Supernova
Indian bike maker Royal Enfield gears up for the launch of a new motorcycle set to be a replacement of the Thunderbird. Called the Meteor 350, this upcoming bike is positioned on a new “J” platform. Many details regarding this upcoming RE has already been leaked. Now, another set of new information has leaked, which tells us more about its specs, as well as how the company plans on marketing the new Meteor.

Meteor 350 will be presented in three variants of Fireball, Stellar and top of the line Supernova. Each of these variants will be set apart by a series of cosmetics though all three will sport Tripper Navigation, a Bluetooth-enabled GPS system as standard.
Royal Enfield will market the M350 as an Easy Cruiser. As per the leaked marketing material, Meteor 350 is Easy as well as Cruiser. Easy because it has Easy Turning Ability, Smoother Gear Shifts, Low Cost Ownership, Refined Engine. Cruiser because it has Leant Back Seating, Forward Footpegs, Raised Handlebars, Low Seat Height.
Royal Enfield Meteor Easy Cruiser
Royal Enfield Easy Cruiser Specs
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 engine specifications get detailed in a leaked document. It will be powered by an updated BS6 compliant, 349cc, single cylinder engine offering 20.2 hp power and 27 Nm torque mated to a 5 speed gearbox. This new long stroke engine is now an SOHC setup, and not push-rod setup like that of older Thunderbird or that of Classic 350 BS6. In comparison, this new UCE350 engine offers about 0.4 bhp more power and 1 Nm of less torque. Below are the detailed specs.
Specs
Meteor 350
Engine
Single Cylinder
Cooling
Air Cooled
Displacement
349cc
Setup
OHC
FI
Yes
Power
20.2 bhp @ 6100 rpm
Torque
27 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Drive
Chain
Transmission
5 Speed
Front Suspension
Telescopic 41mm Forks, 130 mm Travel
Rear Suspension
Adjustable Twin   Springs
Front Brakes
300 mm Single Disc
Rear Brakes
270 mm Single Disc
ABS
Dual Channel
Front Tyre
100/90
Rear Tyre
140/70
Front Wheel
19 inch Alloy
Rear Wheel
17 inch Alloy
Fuel Tank
15 liters
Equipment and Colour Options
The RE Meteor 350 base Fireball variant will get two colour options of Gloss Yellow and Red. It will sport coloured decals and will miss out on some chrome accents which will be seen on the two other variants.

The Stellar variant is presented in colour options of Stellar Red (metallic gloss), Stellar Black (matte) and Stellar Blue (metallic gloss). It will get body coloured panels, chrome accents seen on handle bars, fuel cover and exhaust. A back rest will be an added feature for rider comfort while it will sport a 3D logo.
The top of the line Supernova trim will see two dual tone colour scheme of blue and black or brown and black. The Supernova also gets premium dual tone, machine finished alloy wheels, a revised seat cover and windscreen while it also receives chrome finished indicators.
Features and Launch Date
Common to each of the variants are a semi digital instrument cluster, TFT navigation unit, turn by turn indicators and smartphone connectivity. The Meteor will be the first motorcycle from Royal Enfield to feature this level of technology. The instrument cluster consists of 8 LED signs and an LCD screen revealing information on odometer, trip meter, time, service reminder, etc. It gets a rounded halogen headlamp with an LED ring and the same feature is also seen on its tail lamp. For a more comfortable ride position over longer distances, the bike maker has fitted the Meteor 350 with raised handle bars and a back rest.
The new Meteor 350 is expected to be launched in India on 22nd Sep. No prices have been detailed as on date but estimates put the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 in a price range from Rs.1.65-1.70 lakhs. RE Meteor 350 will compete with the likes of other similarly priced motorcycles like Jawa.
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