Enfield Meteor 350 Supernova 2022 — Specifications

Four thousand five hundred and ninety euros for a cruiser with a real single-cylinder engine, a proper steel frame, and a look that doesn't resemble a rebadged scooter. At that price, you have to rub your eyes. Royal Enfield built its Meteor 350 Supernova on a simple promise: give the ordinary rider the pleasure of a retro machine without draining their bank account. Mission accomplished — provided you know what you're signing up for.

The Supernova sits at the top of the Meteor range, which translates concretely into two-tone colorways, carefully finished rims, a sissy bar, and a touring screen. Nothing ostentatious, but enough to change the mood of a Sunday ride. The 765 mm seat height remains accessible, the 15-liter tank offers decent range, and the whole package exudes that nonchalance unique to machines designed to savor the journey rather than devour it.

The engine plays it straight. This 349 cc single-cylinder produces 20 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 28.4 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. It's no thunderbolt, and the top speed is capped at 110 km/h. But this modern unit, designed in Chennai for everyday use across multiple continents, has a smoothness of character that wins you over from the first few miles. It pulls from low revs, without nervousness, without harshness. The kind of engine you appreciate on a quiet A-road at the weekend, not in rush-hour traffic on a ring road.

The technical foundation remains sensible: double-cradle tubular frame, 41 mm telescopic fork, twin rear shock absorbers with 80 mm of travel, a 300 mm front disc and 270 mm rear. No sporting pretensions here. Royal Enfield has also slipped in the "Tripper" navigation module and a USB socket — small details that serve as a reminder that the Meteor doesn't live entirely in the past.

Against it, a Honda CB350 or a Kawasaki W175 don't occupy the same price bracket, and a Triumph Speed 400 targets a different style of riding altogether. The Meteor 350 Supernova fills a precise niche: it speaks to the rider who wants a defined style, immediate ease of use, and a bill that still leaves enough to kit themselves out properly. New licence holders drawn to the vintage aesthetic will find exactly what they're looking for, as will urban riders seeking a second bike without the headaches.