While the cruiser spirit of Super Meteor 650 has been retained, the bike itself has been completely transformed
Royal Enfield bikes are among the favourites for customization projects. The relatively simple architecture makes it easier to perform a wide variety of tweaks and enhancements. A recent example involves a Super Meteor 650 that has been completely transformed into a vintage cruiser bike. A vintage sidecar is another key highlight of this customization project.
Super Meteor 650 Sidecar Custom – The Challenge
Royal Enfield has been working with builders around the world to showcase the immense possibilities that exist with their bikes. This approach has been quite useful, as the company is working on a proactive strategy to target international markets.
This time, a request was made to Kaichiro Kurosu to build a custom bike based on the Super Meteor 650. Kaichiro Kurosu is one of the leading custom builders in the world. His creations have been featured in various TV commercials and Hollywood movies.
Kurosu was given full freedom to experiment on this customization project. The only condition put forth was to retain the soul of a cruiser. Kurosu agreed, and as he always wanted to work on a sidecar, this proved to be the perfect opportunity.
Super Meteor 650 Sidecar – Customization details
Kurosu has created an entirely new custom main frame for this project. Only some of the stock frame sections have been used. It is apparent that the bike had to be completely taken apart for this customization project. Most of the stock parts have been replaced with custom units. It includes the headlamp, wheels, fuel tank, side panels, exhaust and tail section. The front fender has been completely removed, whereas the rear fender has been chopped off.
This customization project has functionality built in, including that of the sidecar. An enhanced vintage look and feel has been achieved with 60-spoke 21-inch and 18-inch wheels at front and rear, respectively.
Full functionality for the sidecar was achieved with the addition of an eccentric adjuster on the front axle. The frame of the sidecar is fully customized, designed and created by Mr. Kurosu. Steel tubes have been used for the frame.
The sidecar gets a 19-inch wheel with 60 spokes. It has a spring suspension setup, comprising leaf springs and dampers. Materials like FRP with glass fibre have been used for creating the body of the sidecar. The sidecar seat has a quilted pattern and looks quite comfy. There’s a compact windscreen mounted at the front. The tail lamp and number plate are mounted on the rear, left section of the sidecar.
There aren’t any changes to the engine in this customization project. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 gets power from a 648cc, parallel twin, air-oil cooled SOHC engine. It delivers 47 PS and 52.3 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox.
