We’re back on the road with our Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 long termer, as Axel's journey from dirt to tarmac continues. This update he takes the bike for its first service...
Hi, I’m Axel. I’m a learner rider who has had the pleasure of riding the BikeReview long term Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650cc around for the past couple of months. This update it’s time to take the leap, get its first service and take you guys and girls along for the ride…
Axel clocked up 1000km in no time on the BikeReview Super Meteor 650, so it was time for a first service. Axel chose A1 Motorcycles in Ringwood, Victoria, and he was super happy with the job done and the excellent customer service.
One of the most important things a motorcycle lover is going to do in the lifetime of their bike is drop the bike off to be serviced. This can be nerve-racking. Not only do you not have a motorcycle for a while, but you are also giving away your pride and joy to people you have possibly never seen before.
The best way to tell you need a service is when the light comes on on the dash, or you monitor the kilometres travelled and consult your owner’s manual. In this case, we are going for the first service, which is only 1000km in from new. From this point the service interval will be every 5000km.
Reluctant to part with the bike after bonding for a month, Axel headed to A1 Motorcycles in Ringwood to have the 650 serviced. He was nervous, but in the end super impressed.
As a learner, you could imagine the surprise when I saw the service light come on for the first time, coming from a motocross background. I thought it was the engine warning light and that the engine was going to fail. However, after one minute of research, I learned that it was time to get a service.
Read Part One of Axel’s Super Meteor Long Term updates here…
So where do I go from here? I get home and I start researching. Now, when you’re looking for places to get a service, you need to make sure you find one that’s trustworthy and has good reviews. I landed on A1 Motorcycles Ringwood, as it’s close to me and the overall reviews were great. From there, I gave them a call and pencilled in a date for a few days down the road, quick and easy.
There are a few things to know and do before you bring your bike in for a service. My first and favourite thing I do is wash my Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 because, for one, it’s the respectful thing to do so that the mechanics at the workshop can work on a clean bike. Another advantage is that it gives you an opportunity to really inspect the bike for things that either you can fix or something to bring up when you’re dropping your bike in for a service.
“My first and favourite thing I do is wash my Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 because, for one, it’s the respectful thing to do so that the mechanics at the workshop can work on a clean bike.”
Some things to look out for are the material on the brake pads, and another common thing to check is the play in the clutch cable. Too tight and you will have a clutch slip. Too loose and you will find it hard to shift. The last step I like to do as part of my basic maintenance is check the tyre pressures and oil the chain. Stay on top of all of these and you will have a newer looking and better feeling bike (leave the complex maintenance for the pros).
Read more about the Super Meteor 650 here…
After an all important coffee stop, I finally arrived at A1 Motorcycles. The handover was smooth and efficient. They took down some details and confirmed my number. You may be wondering, how did I get back home? Well, luckily, for the cheap price of $40 a day, I was able to hire a loan bike. I was soon home. Any stress I had about dropping my Royal Enfield Super Meteor off had disappeared. I felt nothing but reassurance in their professional setup and demeanour, everything you could want from a bike shop.
Fresh engine oil and oil filter are crucial for a first service, as the engine beds in there is more metal than usual in the oil and filter as parts bed, from the gearbox and clutch to the camshaft and pistons, bearings, the lot all shed some material.
Two days later, I received the message that my bike was ready to be picked up. I was amazed with how fast they serviced it, especially as we were coming into the holiday season (it was just before Christmas). Riding into Ringwood, I reflected on the fun of riding the hire bike. As a learner rider, riding any new bike is a blessing, but I longed for the familiarity and quality of my Super Meteor 650.
Axel picked up our BikeReview Super Meteor 650 from Royal Enfield’s Mal Jarrett and is starting his on-road journey on the bike.
I must have been the first customer in the door that day. Getting my bike was just as smooth as dropping it off, and what surprised me the most was the price of $337. It may seem expensive at first, until you find out what was done. For the $337 they did an oil change and filter change, this helps the engine run at its best. The chain is adjusted, cleaned, and lubricated, this is great because it saves costs down the line. In my own experience I neglected my chain on my dirtbike and it snapped, destroying my engine casings – its an expensive mistake you only do once!
Chain adjustment, lubrication and rear wheel alignment are crucial tasks in a first service, as are tyre pressures and checking swingarm pivot point tension.
General checks of the bike are done, making sure the bolts are tight, tyres are not worn and everything is in order. Tyre pressures, steering-head tension, engine mounts, fluid levels, battery, fasteners, rear wheel alignment, pivot points lubed, cables adjusted. The first service is one of the most important, as everything has bedded in and needs adjusting.
Read Jeff’s review of the Super Meteor 650 here… and Simon’s Super Meteor 650 ride in India at the world launch here…
Let me tell you, I felt every dollar on the ride home. It felt like the day I picked it up brand new. Each shift felt like butter, the power came on smoother, and the bike had completely enhanced and transformed. Now that I have an amazingly serviced bike…
My skill as a rider has increased lately, as it naturally will, as well as my safety on the road. My journey has continued to be an amazing one, made possible by the Royal Enfield 650 Super Meteor. Since Part One, I have challenged myself with more technical rides through the hills and ventured further away from the roads I am familiar with, putting trust in the bike and my ability.
One valuable lesson I have learnt is to always check the weather before you go for a ride. We all know Melbourne’s weather is crazy. We can get all four seasons in one day, as I found out: leaving on a sunny morning to go for a ride and coming back early, drenched by cold, bitter rain. Then we have the heat waves and the current dry spell. It is crazy…
Tech Talk, Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
The Super Meteor 650 is centred around the award-winning 648cc twin platform that’s been rigorously tested and, since 2018, enjoyed worldwide acclaim within the multi-award-winning Interceptor INT 650 and Continental GT 650.
Royal Enfield unveiled the new Super Meteor 650 at ECIMA 2023. Check out the latest creation from the historic brand…
The Super Meteor 650 is powered by the same first modern Royal Enfield 650 twin engine that is seen in the Continental/Interceptor 650. Created in the 2018, the platform is a single overhead cam, 8 valve, air/oil-cooled, 648cc parallel twin, producing 47bhp and 52Nm. The engine has a strong low and mid-range performance, retaining the Royal Enfield character of accessible torque through the rev range.
Also shared with the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, is the six speed gearbox, especially developed for Royal Enfield. The gearbox is augmented by it’s ‘slip/assist’ clutch, that facilitates easy riding in traffic with a light feel, and prevents wheel-hop when downshifting gears – this was actually a first for Royal Enfield back in 2018.
Created at the UK Technology Centre in conjunction with Harris Performance, the frame and swingarm are entirely new and meet the design brief of a motorcycle with a low centre of gravity for high-speed stability and easy manoeuvrability. Fabricated in steel with optimised forgings, investment castings, pressings and extrusions, the chassis incorporates a new cylinder-head mount for additional stiffness.
Fabricated in steel with optimised forgings, investment castings, pressings and extrusions, the chassis incorporates a new cylinder-head mount for additional stiffness.
Royal Enfield’s first USD forks, with 120mm of travel, premium rear shocks with 5-step preload and 101mm travel, complement the new frame, ensuring the Super Meteor is both stable and rewarding to ride on the open road, yet does not suffer from heavy or wallowing steering through the curves.
The Super Meteor 650 has the dimensions of a cruiser, with a low stance and a narrow-waisted seat, which allows a comfortable stand over. The riding position is one of the key differentiators of any cruiser and the Super Meteor nails this with its feet-forward foot controls and raised wide handlebars. A large tank gives extended range and wide tubeless tyres on 16in rear and 19in front alloy rims are said to provide dependability and peace of mind at highway speeds.
The instrument cluster combines the classic feel of an analogue speedometer with the functionality of an LCD display for essentials such as revs, gear indicator, fuel gauge, clock and trip meter. Adjustable clutch and brake levers offer a smooth operation along, while ergonomically designed barrel profile grips integrate the Royal Enfield logo.
The Super Meteor’s paint finish is excellent while its distinctive tank badges, inspired by historic Royal Enfield designs, are faceted in chrome and accented with two colours of tinted infill
There is Royal Enfield’s celebrated TBT (Turn-By-Turn) navigation pod, known as the Royal Enfield Tripper. A first on any Indian-made motorcycle when introduced on the Meteor 350, this highly-focused tool, developed in collaboration with Google, links to the rider’s smartphone via Bluetooth.
A discreet USB socket is located beneath the left side panel. Further attention-grabbing features on include a LED headlamp, a first for Royal Enfield, which is carefully designed to deliver old-school charm but provide all the benefits of LED technology.
Finally, the Super Meteor’s paint finish is excellent while its distinctive tank badges, inspired by historic Royal Enfield designs, are faceted in chrome and accented with two colours of tinted infill that results in a gorgeous, jewel-like finish.
2026 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Specifications
Price: From $11,990 ride away (as tested).
Warranty: 3 year factory warranty & 3 year roadside assistance
Colours: Interstellar Green, Interstellar Grey, Celestial Red, Astral Green, Astral Black (ours), Astral Blue, Celestial Blue
Claimed power: 35kW [47hp]@7250rpm
Claimed torque: 52Nm [38ft-lbs]@5650rpm
Weight: 241kg wet
Fuel capacity: 15.7L
Fuel Consumption Claimed: N/A
Fuel Consumption (measured): N/A
Engine: SOHC air and oil-cooled 648cc parallel twin four-stroke, eight-valve, 78mm x 67.8mm bore x stroke, 9.5:1 compression, 270º firing order crankshaft, Bosch EMS/EFI
Gearbox: Six-speed constant mesh Clutch: Wet multi-plate slipper clutch, cable actuation
Chassis: Steel tubular spine frame
Rake: N/A Trail: N/A
Suspension: 43mm Upside Down Telescopic Fork, Twin Shocks, 101mm travel, preload adjustable.
Brakes: 320mm disc, twin piston floating caliper (f), ABS, two-piston, 300mm rotor, twin piston floating caliper (r) Tyres: 100/90 – 19 M/C 57H (f) 150/80 B16 M/C 71H (r)
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1500mm
Seat height: 740mm
Ground clearance: 135mm
Overall width: 890mm
Overall Length: 2260mm
Overall height: 740mm
Instruments & electronics: Dual clocks, tacho, speedo, dual trip, warning lights/fuel.
Electronics: Bosch Two-Channel ABS, Bosch EMS.
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