Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Aurora vs Honda H'ness CB350 Legacy
What's the story
Royal Enfield has introduced an all-new Aurora variant of the Meteor 350 in India with a price tag of Rs. 2.2 lakh (ex-showroom).
The bike is available in three colors, namely Aurora Green, Aurora Blue, and Aurora Black.
At that price point, it rivals the Honda H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition.
Between these two middleweight cruisers, which one makes more sense? Let's find out.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Introduced in 2020, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 revived the middleweight cruiser segment in India. It served as a replacement for the legendary Thunderbird model.
With the highly acclaimed J-series engine, the bike became the UK's best-selling motorcycle in the sub-500cc category.
However, Honda now aims to snatch the champion's crown with the H'ness CB350 range.
Design
H'ness CB350 looks more appealing
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Aurora features a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a round LED headlamp, a raised handlebar, a split-type touring seat, a large windscreen, a Tripper navigation pod, and an LED taillamp.
Honda H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition sports a sculpted fuel tank with bold tank graphics and 'Legacy Edition' badges, an all-LED lighting setup, a wide handlebar, an upswept exhaust, and designer alloy wheels.
Safety
The H'ness CB350 comes equipped with Honda Selectable Torque Control
To ensure rider safety, both the Meteor 350 Aurora and H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition come equipped with disc brakes on both wheels along with dual-channel ABS.
However, the latter also has Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC).
Suspension duties on both cruiser motorcycles are taken care of by telescopic forks on the front side and dual shock absorbers on the rear end.
Performance
H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition packs a more powerful engine
The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Aurora is backed by a 349cc, single-cylinder, J-series engine that develops 20hp of maximum power and 27Nm of peak torque.
Powering the Honda H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition is a 348.6cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder unit that produces a maximum power of 20.8hp and a peak torque of 30Nm.
Both mills are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Verdict
Which one should you choose?
In India, the Aurora variant of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will set you back by Rs. 2.2 lakh. On the other hand, the Honda H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition is priced at Rs. 2.16 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
In our opinion, the H'ness CB350 Legacy Edition makes more sense with its better looks, improved safety equipment, and superior engine compared to its rival.