# Really Mundane: New Motorcycle! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 2, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377 "2022-03-02T23:36:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/1 "2022-03-02T23:36:28Z")
My old Honda Shadow and Ms. P’s old Yamaha Virago both reached the “ain’t worth it to fix it” stage. We decided that we would get a new one to share, at least until I retire in a few years. We got a candy apple red Royal Enfield Meteor. These bikes are made in India; if you’ve seen pictures of whole Indian families on a motorcycle, you’ve seen a Royal Enfield. They are retro, and every model I’ve seen is totally cool. It won’t break any speed records, but it’s more fun to ride that any bike I’ve had. I love it! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/2 "2022-03-03T02:43:06Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > it’s more fun to ride that any bike I’ve had That’s the important part. It doesn’t have to be about speed or anything else, just what you enjoy. I don’t have a need for speed either. I just enjoy cruising around and enjoying the ride. I’m not familiar with the Royal Enfield. I had to look them up on google. You don’t see many of them around here but it looks like a nice bike. I like the retro style, but then I do like older bikes. I assume this is basically yours? [https://2yrh403fk8vd1hz9ro2n46dd-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2021-Royal-Enfield-Meteor-350-First-Look-cruiser-motorcycle-India-7.jpg](https://2yrh403fk8vd1hz9ro2n46dd-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2021-Royal-Enfield-Meteor-350-First-Look-cruiser-motorcycle-India-7.jpg) FWIW, here is my much older Harley (1997). [![](https://i.imgur.com/nzFGmta.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/nzFGmta.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/3 "2022-03-03T14:17:09Z")
My funnest bike is also my slowest. Go figure. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/4 "2022-03-03T17:26:23Z")
I had a Honda CB175 from 1972, a smallish motorbike that was great for commuting but scary to ride on a highway, which I avoided. It didn’t accelerate fast enough to merge in with speeding cars, and if a big truck passed you, you almost felt like you were going to get whooshed off the road, which I could never get used to. I pretty much rode it into the ground, and sold it cheap to a grateful restorer. Not rushing to get another one but I wonder if one of those Enfields would fill the gap - are they commonly obtainable in the US? ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/5 "2022-03-03T19:55:51Z")
There are a couple of dealers in the DC area; one is in Maryland, one is in Virginia. I got lucky and found one in stock. If it has to be ordered from India it takes months. I’m sure there are parts of the country where dealers are hard to find. Transportation costs jack up the actual price a good bit higher than the sticker cost (which was 4400). I ended up paying more than 5K to ride it off the lot. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/6 "2022-03-03T22:19:25Z")
Yep, that’s the one. Your jacket looks like the one I’ve had since 2006. It’s starting to fall apart, which makes me almost as sad as my old bike falling apart. Your Harley is almost the same color as my old Shadow. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/7 "2022-03-03T23:52:05Z")
Not mundane at all! They are cherry! My daughter took the MSF course last year passed and of course wanted to buy a bike 🥰 a family tradition and she’s a first time rider, bought a yellow 350 RE Meteor. Finally got the break in miles on it, she started taking it to work 30 mile round trip Commute, until winter parked inside right now. That time she said the evasive maneuver worked well in a sudden traffic stop? 💩 🦺 ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/8 "2022-03-04T00:13:53Z")
We might have picked the yellow if it had been an option; I think that was my wife’s choice. The yellow one was already sold. Ms. P is like your daughter; she doesn’t ride in the winter. She’ll be doing most of the riding once summer gets here. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/9 "2022-03-04T16:54:10Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > My funnest bike is also my slowest. Go figure. Have fun! I’ve always had “slow” bikes, but I can make them go pretty fast around the twisties. Here are my current three slow bikes (had them all for many years now - I don’t cycle though motorcycles very fast). Well, these aren’t mine, but they are the same year and same colors although that CB350 is what I wish mine looked like. Mine is a perpetual project. Your Meteor is very similar to my CB350 but you have better slower downers. Enjoy! [![](https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1970_honda_cb350_161719808963aba75f0054956f7DSC0797.jpg?fit=940%2C627) ](https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1970_honda_cb350_161719808963aba75f0054956f7DSC0797.jpg?fit=940%2C627) [![](https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2008-Suzuki-DR650SEa-small.jpg?d=1&i=1) ](https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2008-Suzuki-DR650SEa-small.jpg?d=1&i=1) [![](https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/upload/219044/images/02buell-ulysses-xb12xt.jpg) ](https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/upload/219044/images/02buell-ulysses-xb12xt.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/10 "2022-03-04T22:43:43Z")
This is my first 350, but I did have a Kawasaki 305 at one time. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/11 "2022-03-04T23:36:01Z")
I’ve had three CB350s over the many years - I’m a fan. Never had one of the 4-cyl versions but I have rode one…dinky pistons! ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/12 "2022-03-05T00:11:58Z")
A four cylinder 350 sounds weird. The only 4 cylinder bike I had was a 650. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-mundane-new-motorcycle/960377/13 "2022-03-05T16:05:23Z")
It is an oddity. They are hard to find and relatively expensive compared to their twin brothers. > **[Honda CB350F](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CB350F)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The Honda CB350F is a four-cylinder, four-stroke, 347 cc (21.2 cu in) motorcycle based on the larger versions of the day (CB750, CB500). The motorcycle was manufactured by Honda in Japan from 1972 to 1974. At the time, the CB350F was the smallest capacity four cylinder motorcycle ever to enter into full-scale production. There were no changes to the 1973 model, but Honda designated the 1974 bike the CB350F1. > Soon after production was discontin...