Yezdi Roadster vs Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Performance Comparison Review

Two different takes on one genre… which one offers you the most performance?

The Yezdi Roadster and the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 are two different takes on one genre – an entry-level Cruiser. While one uses a modern, short-stroke liquid-cooled engine, the other flaunts a simpler long-stroke air-cooled unit. But which of these should you really go for? We compare the V-box performance test numbers to see which one comes on top.

The modern engine architecture of the Yezdi clearly shows its advantage here. The Roadster is quicker by almost a second when sprinting to the 60kmph mark. However, the gap widens to three seconds as these bikes approach the 100kmph mark.

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350’s long-stroke motor falls short in the roll-on tests as well. Though the RE’s motor is not as exciting as the Roadster’s, it is more refined and easier to live with. The peaky nature of the Yezdi means you have to constantly work the gearbox in the city which isn’t the case with the Meteor. Furthermore, the Roadster’s motor feels very vibey and unrefined compared to the Meteor’s.

The Roadster again comes on top in this test, thanks to its superior braking equipment. Another thing that plays to the Roadster's advantage is the braking force as well as the feedback at the lever. In this regard, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is rather thanda. It has decent performance but lacks strong bite.

While the Yezdi Roadster’s modern architecture gives it an edge in terms of performance, it doesn’t really help with the fuel efficiency. You see, the Royal Enfield Meteor’s easy-going nature makes it lighter on the pocket, and thanks to the bigger fuel tank, would give you a better range per tankful too.

The Yezdi Roadster clearly wins in terms of outright performance. However, this bike will always keep you on your toes, and if that’s what you are looking for, the Roadster is for you. But given the glaring quality issues with the brand, we would advise you to wait until Yezdi fixes them. Sure, it is the best product from Classic Legends, but it still has a long way to go.

Meanwhile, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 wooes you with its impressive quality, good fuel economy, and more importantly, it’s easy-going nature is what one would expect from a cruiser. So, if you are looking for a bike that embodies the ‘cruiser’ ideal better cruiser, this is the one to go for.