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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Official Scale Models Merchandise Leak

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      The upcoming Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is built upon a completely new platform and will be powered by a new 350cc engine
      Anticipation for the much-awaited Meteor 350 from Royal Enfield grows higher and higher with each day passing as it gets nearer to launch. Till now, the Chennai-based bike manufacturer hasn’t revealed much about its upcoming cruiser neither has it officially released its images.

      However, a series of spied images and videos have been doing rounds on the internet for a very long time. Recently, the brochures of the upcoming bike got leaked and we got some insights on the details. With the launch around the corner, we have received another set of exclusive images that might suggest what the final production-spec model would actually look like.
      The images we have received are of scaled miniature models of the actual production-spec which is expected to go on sale from 20th of September. Along with the new bike, RE will also launch miniature scale models of Meteor 350 as official merchandise. These leaked images reveal a lot more details about the upcoming cruiser bike. As we all know, the Meteor 350 is set to replace the outgoing Thunderbird 350 and Thunderbird 350X.

      Powertrain & Transmission
      The Meteor 350 will sit on an all-new platform codenamed ‘J1D’ which is set to underpin future models from Royal Enfield. It will be powered by a new 350cc powertrain which might have an OHC (Over Head Cam) setup. The current 350cc motor in Classic 350 and Bullet produces 20 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque. The new unit is said to generate an output similar to its predecessor. This engine will be coupled with a 5-speed gearbox.
      Coming to the images shown here, they give a clear idea as to what the final product might be. These scaled miniature models will be sold as Royal Enfield merchandise alongside the actual bike. The pictures clearly show the low saddle height for the rider as seen in a cruiser.
      Variants & Features

      As reported earlier, the new Meteor 350 will be offered in three variants- Fireball, Stellar and top of the line Supernova. All three are visually distinctive from each other. The base Fireball variant will carry all blacked out components, a coloured rim tape in the alloys, graphics with decal and a single colour fuel tank. Meanwhile, the Stellar variant will have body-coloured components, chrome finish on handlebars and a backrest.
      On the other hand, the Supernova variant will sport machined alloy wheels, premium seats, windscreen and chrome indicators. All three variants also offer some common features such as a semi-digital Dual pod instrument cluster and inbuilt turn-by-turn navigation called ‘Tripper Navigation’.
      Expected Price

      The new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will employ a new instrument device that displays a lot more information such as tripmeter, odometer, gear, low-battery, drive modes, ABS MIL and many more. The Meteor is set to undergo the launch later this month and is expected to be priced around Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom). More

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      2021 Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser on Video – Spotter shares New Details

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      Does the new Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser come with belt drive? New images reveal more information
      First ever spy shots of the all new Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser are now all over the internet. All thanks to biker and automotive enthusiast, Karthick Jay, who spotted the upcoming RE on the Perungalatur to Tambaram highway, which is about 30 kms from the Royal Enfield manufacturing plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

      We all knew this was coming – the twin engine’d RE cruiser. It was only a matter of time, and now thanks to Karthick, we have a better idea about the bike and its launch timeline. From the spy shots, it is clear that this is a pre-production test mule, which is not very far from production ready. From this, one can expect the new Royal Enfield Cruiser 650cc to be launched by Diwali 2021.
      Belt Drive or Chain Drive
      From the spy video which was revealed last week, it was not clear whether the motorcycle has a chain drive or a belt drive. Many fans had the confusion over this. But with the latest spy images shared by Karthick, it is now clear that this RE cruiser has chain drive and not belt drive. Take a look at the video below.
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      As can be seen in the video above, what was mistaken for to be a belt drive, is in fact the disc brake. This is also the setup which is seen on board the 650 Twins – Interceptor and Continental. Both these RE bikes come with chain drive, which is on the left side of the rear wheel, while the disc brake setup is on the right side of the wheel. The new 2021 Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser also has a similar setup.
      First Impressions
      In his youtube video, Karthick has tried answering some questions fans have had regarding the bike. Speaking about performance, he answered, “from what I have noticed the engine was so smooth just like continental the bike looked more like bobber version , I believe it’s the same 650 cc engine from the continental twins… The sound wasn’t so roaring it was just so smooth but so quick… It was chain drive … ”
      “Am not really sure about the suspension but as I said early it wasn’t a usual RE it was so quick and so responsive to throttle no sound but just gone. The bike comes with dual channel abs system and the cooling system is just like in the continental twins can see the liquid cooling radiator… Also the first bike from RE with upside down forks…”
      USD Forks
      Many fans have been waiting for RE with USD forks. Finally this will be answered, with the upcoming Cruiser 650. This will also be the first time we will see a Royal Enfield motorcycle with USD forks in the front. Disc brake setup is same as 650 Twins, single disc in the front and rear with dual ABS.
      Front tyre looks bigger than the rear. This will help the RE Cruiser 650 look longer and bigger than it actually is. Rear tyre is fatter than the ones we have seen on 650 Twins, which gets 130 section tyre. From the video, it looks like this will be the longest and biggest RE bike made till date, as far as the dimensions are concerned. The rider position is low slung, with footrest in forward position. This will help riders feet to stay away from the hot 650cc engine.
      The video also gives us a glimpse at the instrument cluster. For now, it seems like carrying the same unit, which will be seen in the upcoming Meteor 350. This unit comes with analog as well as digital display. There is also bluetooth compatibility, for turn by turn navigation.
      Expected to be launched next year, this new 650cc RE Cruiser will be priced higher than the 650 Twins, which are available in the range of Rs 2.65 lakhs to Rs 3 lakhs ex-sh. 2021 Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser prices could be in the range of Rs 3.5 lakhs to Rs 4 lakhs. More

    • 163 Shares199 Views

      New Royal Enfield Cruiser spied – 650cc twin based on KX bobber concept?

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      The motorcycle features a relaxed feet-forward riding posture typical of a slow-slung cruiser – First RE to get USD forks
      The Royal Enfield KX bobber concept which world premiered at EICMA 2018 in Milan is heading for production as evident from this video of a prototype testing in public. Images are credit to Karchick Jay. The test mule was devoid of heavy camouflage and looks almost production ready although some components could change before the bike meets assembly line.
      Bobber to cruiser

      Royal Enfield 838 cc KX Bobber concept
      From what we can see, Royal Enfield has stuck to the concept’s main design traits such as a low slung profile, long wheelbase, alloy wheels, circular headlamp and slender fuel tank. The test mule seems to be using a make-shift fuel tank but we expect the final production version to sport a new unit similar to the one on the concept. While the KX Concept adopted a Bobber look with a single-piece saddle, the production version adopts a more practical seat to accommodate a pillion rider as well.
      Another important thing to note is the front suspension. The KX Concept was showcased with an unconventional girder type front suspension but in its production guise, the new twin-cylinder Royal Enfield cruiser employs an USD fork (the only RE to do so). The retro-classic motorcycle specialist has opted to use conventional twin shock absorbers at the rear.
      Engine
      The new Royal Enfield cruiser is powered by a twin cylinder engine which appears to be based on the 650 cc unit that serves the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650. At the time of KX’s debut, the company hinted that the production model, if given the green light, would be featuring a larger engine displacement worthy of a flagship product.
      Royal Enfield Cruiser 650cc KX Bobber
      The KX Bobber concept employed a 834 cc air-cooled engine and hence, it is reasonable to expect the production version to have a higher displacement than the existing 650 Twin. However, given that the prototype only gets a single disc at the front, we don’t expect the final power output to be drastically higher than that of the 650 cc engine, irrespective of the new displacement.
      Launch
      Royal Enfield has been busy working on coming up with new generation models of its single-cylinder family which will include a new model named Meteor. We expect the brand to kick start a product blitzkrieg starting from early 2021.
      The new twin-cylinder Royal Enfield cruiser is expected to be ready towards the end of next year as the brand’s new flagship. With Harley Davidson reportedly planning to wrap things up in India, the new Cruiser could hit the ground running without any direct challenger. More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      Royal Enfield Hunter and Meteor 350 Spied in Detail – New Spy Shots

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      Royal Enfield is working on range of new motorcycles based on a new platform and engine
      Royal Enfield is the leading motorcycle brand, in the 350 cc segment. Their range of Classic, Bullet and Thunderbird motorcycles powered by 350cc engine, have long enjoyed a market share of 85% in the segment. But with times changing, Royal Enfield knew that they needed to update their best-selling motorcycles as the competition was trying to catch up.
      Meteor 350

      Fast forward to 2020 and Royal Enfield is almost ready to launch their first motorcycle with an all new platform, and an all new 350 cc engine. This will be in the form of Meteor 350, basically the new gen Thunderbird. Royal Enfield has discontinued the Thunderbird name from its line-up, and will be replacing it with Meteor. Details about Royal Enfield Meteor 350 variants and colour options has already leaked. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Badu Shaw and Jai Muni for sharing the spy shots.
      Depending on the styling, Meteor will be offered in variants of Fireball, Stellar and Supernova. These will be further offered in a choice of 7 new colours, depending on the variant. The styling is more or less like the RE Thunderbird, but gets subtle updates.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Unverified sources tell us that the new chassis and engine deliver a smoother and refined ride. Vibrations are also greatly reduced, while acceleration and top speed numbers are now better than before. It will be offered with circular headlamps, split seat (with or without backrest), alloys, chrome exhaust, chrome handlebar, windscreen, speedometer with digital display, bluetooth connectivity for turn by turn navigation, front alloy is larger than the rear, disc brakes at both ends, etc.
      Hunter / Sherpa 350?
      Apart from the Meteor 350, Royal Enfield has planned two more motorcycles. One will be the replacement to their best-seller Classic 350, and the other will be an all new segment motorcycle, about which not much details are available, except for these latest spy shots.

      For now, this new Royal Enfield motorcycle is largely referred to as either Sherpa or Hunter. These two names were patented by Royal Enfield for an upcoming motorcycle. It has not been confirmed that the motorcycle in spy shot above, will be called either Sherpa or Hunter or something else. But for now, it is mostly referred as Hunter.
      With Hunter, Royal Enfield is trying to target a new segment of buyers. Though built on the same platform, it will be lighter, probably the lightest Royal Enfield till date. It will also have a lower seat height. These two points, being lighter and offering a lower seat height are likely going to help the brand target larger number of female bikers.
      Compared to the Meteor, the Hunter seems to have both alloys of similar size. It has a chrome circular headlamp, shorter exhaust, disc brake at the front as well as rear, single seat, LED tail lamps, while speedo unit is probably same as that of Meteor 350.
      Speaking about the engine, from the spy shots, the unit looks similar to the unit seen on board the Meteor 350. But there are reports which claim that this new RE will have a smaller capacity engine. If that is to be believed, RE Hunter will be powered by a 250 cc single cylinder engine, and will be priced cheaper than other RE’s. Probably in an estimated range of Rs 1.2-1.4 lakh. This will allow RE to compete with many other motorcycles in the 200-300cc segment. More

    • 113 Shares99 Views

      Harley Davidson 338R Spied Undisguised For The First Time

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      While Harley Davidson as a brand is more prominently known for its high-end bobbers, the bike manufacturer has also been developing an entry-level bike for masses
      In recent times, American bike maker Harley-Davidson’s grip in the market has been on the wane. Since beginning, the premium bike manufacturer has positioned itself as a brand that primarily caters to a niche segment of bikers. However, off late, due to the economic slowdown and various other reasons, Harleys seem to be losing their old-school charm.

      While traditional bike enthusiasts would still dig for a Harley, with each day passing new models will leave a bigger hole to the consumer’s pocket. Therefore, in light of recent events, Harley Davidson has been developing an entry-level motorcycle which will be much more affordable than its current line of products and cater to a younger audience.
      Dubbed as ‘338R’, this new bike has been the talk of the town for quite some time now. Now, we have got hold of a spied image which is supposed of the final production-spec of the 338R. From the looks of it, the bike is a lightweight naked street racer that will go well with young speed seekers.

      Harley 338R Launch Timeline
      The said image has broken cover in many social media apps. It seems that the image has been clicked at the factory site of QJ Motors, the parent company of Benelli, in China. For reference, Harley-Davidson, back in June last year, had announced its plan to develop an entry-level parallel-twin engine bike in partnership with Qianjiang Motors.
      Design
      With the fuel tank clearly sporting ‘Harley Davidson’ badging and the rear fender showcasing the ‘338R’ branding, reports suggest that it uses the same structure as that of Benelli 302S. If one looks closely at the spy shot, they can clearly view the frame set- mainframe and subframe, suspension, wheels, brakes and even the swing arm to be borrowed from 302S. However, certain changes have been made to the bodywork and the engine will bear slightly more capacity.
      Powertrain
      The 338R is believed to be powered by a 338cc unit which is good to generate a power of 43 bhp. That’s a jump of 5 bhp from the 300cc unit employed by 302S. The engine of 338R is said to be crafted by combining the crankshaft and bottom end of the 300cc unit of 302S and the pistons and cylinders from the larger unit of 502S. The increase in power is evident due to the 13 percent increase in displacement.

      Harley 338 will share its parts, engines, chassis with Qianjiang’s QJ350
      While the American company originally announced the bike with a 338cc unit, it later renamed the prototype as ‘HD350’ suggesting its capacity had been increased further. The final detail on specifications is yet to be revealed whether it will be a 350cc unit or a 338cc unit. Either way, it won’t make much of a difference as far as output is concerned.
      Expected Launch
      This naked street racer has been developed by the company keeping in mind the Asian markets where such bikes have been raging hot. Therefore, it is unlikely to find its place in the US and other Western markets, where Harley is proudly known for its big bikes. The question arises whether this bike will make its way to India or not. With recent reports suggesting Harley Davidson shutting its operations in India by nearly 30 percent, things seem a little tricky right now. However, if it did launch and is priced competitively, it will surely find takers.
      The bike was supposed to be officially launched worldwide sometime later this year, however, chances look bleak now since the pandemic has impacted the time frame adversely.
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    • 138 Shares169 Views

      New Royal Enfield Classic 350, Meteor, Sherpa, 650cc – Spied Together

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      Royal Enfield has a string of upcoming launches starting with the Meteor 350 next month
      Royal Enfield has been one motorcycle manufacturer that has been able to retain its old-school charm and yet top the sales charts in the segment. While the Chennai-based bike maker has been best known to make retro-styled motorcycles, it has consciously decided to part away from this general convention. In the coming months, Royal Enfield is planning to launch a few motorcycles in modern renditions.

      The company has already started working on these new products that have been in development for a very long time now. Some of them, in fact, have been recently spotted testing together on the road.
      In a video uploaded on Youtube by Vilvakumar P, we can see the upcoming Meteor 350, the new generation Classic 350 and two entry-level lightweight motorcycles, which are currently being referred to as ‘Sherpa’ or ‘Hunter’. There is also a twin cylinder motorcycle in the video. Take a look at the video below. Interestingly, the video also somewhat manages to capture the exhaust note of each motorcycle.

      [embedded content]

      As you can see in the video, the Classic 350 and the Meteor 350 are clearly recorded. But the other two motorcycles, which appear towards the end of the video, are barely visible. They are more like a blur, blink and you will miss type. But slow the video down, and you will be able to see the Hunter / Sherpa’s silhouette and the twin exhausts of the last test mule.
      New Generation Classic 350

      New Classic 350
      The first bike being spotted is the new generation Classic 350. With similar design and structure, The bike is an upgrade of the popular retro-styled motorcycle. Although there is no official information regarding the bike, we do know that all the new bikes will be built upon a new ‘J’ platform.
      Meteor 350

      New Meteor 350
      The next bike in line as seen in the video was the Meteor 350. Since unofficial images of the upcoming cruiser bike have been leaked online, it was relatively easier to identify this one. The Meteor 350 is slated to be launched next month and is expected to be undergoing the final testing phase. The Meteor 350 is the first bike to be launched which will be based on a completely new ‘J’ platform.
      As we all know, the Meteor 350 is expected to replace the Thunderbird 350X. It is set to carry forward all attributes of Thunderbird with minor design modifications. It will also be powered by a new single-cylinder engine and it will be interesting to see whether it will be able to retain its original characteristics or not.
      The Meteor is also expected to employ a new twin-cradle design frame which is expected to improve the handling and stability. The Thunderbird utilised a single downtube architecture instead.
      Sherpa/Hunter

      Royal Enfield Sherpa / Hunter
      A lightweight motorcycle was spotted which was referred to as ‘Sherpa’ although there is considerable confusion regarding the nomenclature as many have been calling it the Hunter. It should be pointed out that both names- Sherpa and Hunter have been registered by Royal Enfield. Both the trademarks could be utilised by the company for its upcoming new products. Or they could be variants of their new motorcycle.
      For reference, the Sherpa was a lightweight bike manufactured by Royal Enfield in the 1960s and 70s which employed a 173cc engine. Therefore, it is more fitting that the entry-level is named ‘Sherpa’. However only time and Royal Enfield could tell us which bike will be named what.
      650 cc RE

      650cc RE on test
      The last RE test mule to be seen in the video can hardly be recognized, if it was not the twin exhausts. From whatever we make from the blur, it seems like the Continental GT 650. Maybe the maker is testing a new part or some sort of upgrade. More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Digital Display Offers Navigation – Spied

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      Replacement of the Thunderbird range, new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will launch next month in India
      Equipped with a new engine and an entirely new platform, Meteor 350 will be the newest edition to Royal Enfield’s product portfolio. A replacement for Thunderbird 350 and Thunderbird X 350, Meteor 350 will launch in Sep 2020.

      It will be the first of several other next-gen products that Royal Enfield has plans to launch in the near future. Spy shots had earlier revealed another new RE motorcycle that appeared to have the same power plant as that of Meteor 350.
      Design upgrades
      Meteor 350 sports a new bodywork, even though things like round headlamps, teardrop indicators and wide fenders give it the quintessential RE flavour. It has a brooding character, as can be seen with the blacked out components such as engine, wheels, and exhaust pipe. The motorcycle has a beefy profile and comes with a relaxed, upright riding stance. The motorcycle seems close to perfect for long distance rides and cruising at high speeds on wide open roads.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Key features of Meteor 350 include halogen headlamps with integrated LED DRLs, semi-digital instrument cluster, and long split grab rails. The digital cluster will connect to your smartphone via bluetooth, and offer turn by turn navigation. Components that have been updated include new alloy wheels and brake and clutch levers. Fuel tank design has been refreshed and it comes with a new fuel-filler cap. The side profile also looks distinct as compared to existing RE motorcycles.
      Meteor 350 engine
      Powering Meteor 350 will be the next-gen UCE 350 air cooled, single cylinder engine that gets OHC (Over Head Cam). It will be mated to a 5-speed transmission. Meteor 350 will be the first next-gen RE product to get this new engine. The new engine is expected to offer a range of benefits including higher power output and faster acceleration.
      The existing BS6 compliant UCE 350 engine is a 346 cc single cylinder, FI engine that churns out 20 bhp of max power and 28 Nm of max torque. It comprises an archaic tappet valve system.

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350
      Another key change in Meteor 350 is the new modular J platform. This is expected to be used for various other 350 cc Royal Enfield motorcycles. The new chassis and engine will allow Meteor 350 to be more responsive and have less vibration. The motorcycle will have disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard.
      To make the rides even more comfortable and safer, Royal Enfield will be offering a range of accessories to go with Meteor 350. These include a tall flyscreen or windscreen, broad footpegs, pannier mounts and crash guards. Meteor 350 will primarily compete with the likes of Bajaj Dominar 400 and Jawa. Launch price is expected to be close to Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom).
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      Benelli TRK 800 adventure motorcycle spied – Triumph Tiger rival

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      Compared to the upcoming Indian-spec Benelli TRK 800, the Chinese-spec SRB 750 will sport some minor aesthetic differences
      Italian-origin motorcycle manufacturer Benelli, now under Zhejiang Qianjiang Group of China, is working on an all-new middleweight adventure tourer dubbed TRK 800. The company had officially teased the motorcycle in its early prototype stage. At the moment, not much is known about the new Benelli TRK 800 but one can be sure that it will reach the Indian market in due course. Once launched, it will take on the likes of Triumph Tiger, BMW GS Series, etc.

      Meanwhile, it will debut in China as the QJ Motor SRB 750. Rumours suggest that it would look slightly different than its foreign counterpart but will employ the same internals. The performance could vary slightly on paper depending on local emission norms even though this might not reflect in real-world riding conditions.
      Benelli initially planned to reveal the motorcycle in full to the world later this year. But it appears that COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the launch timeline further. We hope to see the adv on Indian roads sometime towards the end of next year. Still, it is too early to reach a conclusion.

      A low-quality spy shot of a production-spec Benelli TRK 800 has surfaced on the internet. Chinese forums are sharing the same under the tag, “QJ Motor SRB 750 on test”. Even before hitting its home market, the TRK 800 or SRB 750 might hit European markets such as Italy. The relatively new TRK 502 sees decent takers in key markets and its bigger sibling is expected to showcase similar desirability. It could be an affordable yet somewhat equally capable alternative to the big names from Triumph, BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Honda Motorcycle, Kawasaki, Yamaha, etc.
      Powering the new Benelli TRK 800 is a 754cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin engine familiar from the Benelli 752S and Leoncino 800. In the 752S, the motor makes roughly 75bhp @ 8,500rpm and 65Nm @ 6,500rpm while mated to a 6-speed transmission (could be a different setup in the TRK 800 to suit its offroading characteristics).
      Other interesting new products from Benelli
      It is not news that American motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson has teamed up with Zhejiang Qianjiang Group to make entry-level lightweight twin-cylinder models. Dubbed QJ350, the ‘streetfighter’ has made an appearance online. It employs the American brand’s all-new 338cc motor derived from Benelli’s popular 300cc inline-twin.
      Meanwhile, the popular Benelli TNT600i, one of the most affordable inline-four motorcycles in the world, will soon receive a successor named 600N. Patent images have leaked earlier this year.
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