Royal Enfield has finally launched the Meteor 350 cruiser motorcycle as a replacement on the phased-out Thunderbird 350X. The new motorcycle is based on an all-new J-platform and a new G-Series engine, which will also underpin the next-gen Classic 350. In this article, we bring you a specifications based comparison between the RE Meteor 350 Vs Thunderbird 350X –
Meteor 350 Vs Thunderbird 350X Price
– The new Meteor 350 is available in 3 variants – Fireblade, Stellar and Supernova – priced at Rs 1.75 lakh, Rs 1.81 lakh and Rs 1.90 lakh respectively.
– The Thunderbird 350X was offered in 2 variants, priced between Rs 1.63 lakh and Rs 1.64 lakh (ex-showroom). The new model is around Rs 11,000 expensive than the 350X.
Meteor 350 Vs Thunderbird 350X Engine
The new Meteor 350 comes equipped with new G-series 349cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine with an OHC design. Paired to a 5-speed gearbox, this single-cylinder engine churns out 20.2bhp of power at 6,100rpm and a peak torque of 27Nm at 4,000rpm.
The Thunderbird 350X was equipped with a single-cylinder, air-cooled 346cc engine that churns out a maximum power output of 19.8bhp at 5,250rpm and a peak torque of 28Nm at 4,000rpm. This motor was hooked to a 5-speed gearbox. Also See – Honda CB350 Vs RE Meteor 350 Vs Jawa 300
The new engine in the BS6 emission form is around .4bhp more powerful; however, the torque has been reduced by 1Nm.
New Platform
The new motorcycle is based on an all-new platform, which company calls the J platform. It is a twin-downtube platform, which makes the new Meteor 350 lighter by 6kgs compared to the Thunderbird 350X. The Thunderbird 350X was based on the single-cradle chassis. The company has also added balancer shaft to reduce the vibrations and improve the overall riding experience. However, the Meteor 350 has 15-litres of fuel tank that is around 5-litres less than the Thunderbird 350X.
Braking System & Wheels
– The Meteor 350 comes with 300mm front disc and 270mm rear disc, while the Thunderbird 350X had 280mm front disc and 240mm rear disc. The brake size has been increased, which improves the overall braking system.
– Adding to it, the Meteor 350 gets dual-channel ABS system as against a single-channel unit in the Thunderbird.
– The Meteor 350 rides on 19-inch front wheels and 17-inch rear wheels shod with 100/90 and 140/70 section tyres respectively. On the other hand, the 350X rides on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels. The smaller size rear wheel will make Meteor more agile than the previous model.
Meteor 350 Vs Thunderbird 350X Changes
– The new motorcycle also comes equipped with a new semi-digital TFT cluster along with a Tripper pod. The trippers pod has bluetooth connectivity option, and buyer simply need to connect the phone with the bike using Royal Enfield application. This system offers navigation for the riders along with turn-by-turn instructions. The previous model was equipped with one analogue cluster with the only odometer as an only digital element.
– The new Meteor gets a well-cushioned split seat arrangement, while the Thunderbird had single seat arrangement.
– The motorcycle comes with a cruiser stance, featuring low seat, high set handle bars and forward set foot pegs for comfortable upright seating position. In terms of features, the bike gets circular headlamp with LED DRL, a USB charger, a swooping rear fender, a peanut-shaped fuel tank, LED tail-lamp and a large windscreen.
