Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 vs Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 vs Royal Enfield Meteor 350. Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500: 27.2 hp @ 5,100 rpm hp, 215 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed Approximately 130 km/h (estimated; note: comfortable cruising is around 100-110 km/h), Motoryk rating 7.0/10. Royal Enfield Meteor 350: 20.2 hp @ 6,100 rpm hp, 191 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed ~130 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Horsepower (hp)
27.2 hp
20.2 hp
Torque (Nm)
41.3 Nm
27 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
130 km/h
130 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
215 kg
191 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
27.2 hp @ 5,100 rpm
20.2 hp @ 6,100 rpm
Torque
41.3 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
27 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
Top Speed
Approximately 130 km/h (estimated; note: comfortable cruising is around 100-110 km/h)
~130 km/h
Weight
215 kg (wet/curb weight)
191 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
Approximately 3.5 L/100km or 28 km/L (typical real-world average)
~3.0 L/100km or ~33 km/L (typical real-world average)
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500
7.0/10
"Buy post-2017 FI only, and you'll smile daily."
Pros
+Addictive single-cylinder character
+Cheap parts, easy servicing
+Comfortable relaxed riding position
Cons
−Pre-2017 electrical nightmares
−Vibration fatigue on highways
−Weak braking performance overall
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
7.5/10
"The best Royal Enfield ever built, warts and all."
Pros
+Reliable modern J-platform engine
+Comfortable relaxed riding position
+Strong low-rev torque
Cons
−Weak above 70mph cruising
−Inconsistent paint and chrome
−Tripper pod wiring issues
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
