ROYAL INCEPTION

Meet the Super Meteor from 1956!

- HALLEY PRABHAKAR

The Super Meteor, it's the name that Royal Enfield uses for its all-new parallel-twin 650cc cruiser. You just read what Abhay had to say about it after he came back impressed from the first ride in Jaisalmer. However not many probably know that its name and inspiration go back to the fifties when Royal Enfield decided to build a parallel-twin motorcycle primarily for the American market that was into bigger machines. This new motorcycle looked a lot like the Bullet from back then but was named the Meteor, the first twin-cylinder Royal Enfield. In the fifties, British motorcycles dominated the biking scene across the world and saw the top motorcycle makers battle it out in the 650cc segment. Bigger engines were always regarded as better and Royal Enfield went on to launch the 700cc Meteor making it Britain's largest parallel-twin motorcycle. But then in the year 1956, Royal Enfield went a step ahead to launch the better and more powerful, Super Meteor. Interestingly, it was also the year, Madras Motors started building the Bullet in India under license from Royal Enfield and also imported and sold several other British motorcycles.