Five Reasons to Buy a Motorcycle This Year

Why is 2021 the year you should buy a motorcycle? Maybe because 2020 wasn’t — and maybe it’s because Royal Enfield just released the 2021 Meteor 350. Designed by Royal Enfield’s UK design and engineering team, along with their counterparts at their India design center, the Meteor 350 is as easy and fun to ride as it is affordable, making it a great bike for a first-time-owner. If you spent the past year virtual window shopping for your first bike, now is a great time to pull the trigger. Here are five more reasons this is the year you should buy a bike (and if you hadn’t noticed, we have a beauty already picked out for you).

Royal Enfield

#1 You have to commute again.

For many of us, one silver lining of quarantine was working from home, and, specifically, avoiding our commutes. The average American spends an hour a day commuting. Whether you’re spending that time underground on a subway train, stuck in traffic in your car, or standing on a packed bus, that can amount to a depressing percentage of your life. On a motorcycle, the commute can be a chance to get into a good headspace before reaching the office, and a post-work buffer — not to mention a time-saver (especially in lane-splitting states). And if you like a low seat height and a balanced ride, with plenty of comfort from twin-tube Emulsion shock absorbers, the Meteor 350 is the perfect bike to transform your commute.

#2 It’s time to get out and explore.

Spending time outdoors boosts your mental health, and after a year spent cooped up inside, a motorcycle is a perfect way to feel the sun and fresh air again. The Meteor 350 is made for exploring backroads. The wide seat is supportive and luxurious at the same time, and its relatively upright positioning makes it comfortable for all-day exploring — that’s in addition to the estimated 70 mpg fuel economy. One of our favorite features is the Tripper navigation system: The built-in GPS connects to Google Maps and Places, and you can add up to 20 waypoints.

#3 Motorcycles are cost-effective.

It’s a simple matter of dollar signs. You can get a brand-new Royal Enfield at the price of an absolute lemon of a car. And don’t forget about insurance and fuel. And perhaps most importantly, motorcycles have modest maintenance costs. The Meteor 350 even comes with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty with roadside assistance. (All good points for a slightly concerned significant other.)

Royal Enfield

#4 Riding a motorcycle burns calories.

If you gained the “quarantine 15,” you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that riding a motorcycle can help you get in shape. Motorcyclists can burn up to 600 calories per hour while working their thighs and core. And if this sounds like a lot of hard work, don’t worry. The Meteor 350 is designed to be easy to handle. With its low center of gravity, the Meteor 350’s stiff chassis design provides straight-line stability, giving the bike easy and comfortable maneuverability.

#5 It’s time to express yourself.

After a year of sitting inside in sweatpants, you’re ready to take every opportunity to show off your personal style. The Meteor 350 is a completely new design and comes in seven color schemes with tons of fun customization options. Each scheme has its own variations and customizables, including two-tone paint jobs, chrome or black exhaust systems, a passenger backrest and wide footrests. Some of our favorite colorways are the classic Fireball Red with its black matte exhaust system, the sleek Stellar Black with chrome exhaust, and the chic windshield-equipped Supernova Brown. Both the Stellar and Supernova schemes include a passenger backrest, too.

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