Royal Enfield Meteor 350 - which seat ? Touring seat or standard seat ? Big comparison video.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Video timestamps :
01:47 Seat dimension comparison
04:21 Riding impressions
06:35 Final conclusions
11:15 Other Bods' Mods featuring Doctor Doolittle's Meteor Stellar Cellar 😝
17:10 Ruby says hello to the internet people 😍
17:25 Ruby nearly chokes on a treat 😂
17:47 My long farewell
After testing the standard seat for a prolonged period, in this video I compare it to my previous touring seat and give you all of the information you will need to decide whether or not the Meteor 350 touring seat is a worthwhile upgrade for you.
This video also features channel subscriber Doctor Doolittle's Meteor 350 "Party Meteor" mods in a new Other Bods' Mods segment and a brief cameo appearance by my fluffy companion Ruby.
Here are the links to the parts used by Doctor Doolittle in modifying his Meteor 350 Stellar :
The rear rack ( not Meteor specific and subsequently modified for a better appearance ) :
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274379688382
New locks for the two panniers to enable BOTH to be locked/unlocked with the same key :
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3307342328...
The pannier and mounting frame is an official RE catalogue accessory.
DD bought two sets and cut, welded and modified one frame and pannier to fit on the "wrong" side.
If you want to send me images and details of your own Meteor mods, you can send them to my instagram account here :
/ economicalrides
If you enjoy my videos or find them useful, you can now choose to say a very special thank you by buying me a coffee using my new Buy Me A Coffee page here :
www.buymeacoffee.com/economic...
Needless to say that all proceeds will go towards improving the channel and enabling further exciting projects for the future.
Thank you for dropping by, watching my video and supporting my channel !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
![มองหน้ากันไม่ติด (Awkward) - โอ๊ต ปราโมทย์ FEAT. MAIYARAP [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4b02SY_r6Gw/mqdefault.jpg)
what a sweet dog. it's going to steal the show one day 😋
By the way Merry Xmas to you 🎅
That shouldn’t be too difficult William ! 😂
At least she is happy in front of the camera unlike old ER 😉
A Happy Christmas to you too !
I‘m intending to do a brief video wishing all a Merry one but in case I don’t get around to it, best Christmas wishes to all !
@@economicalrides Thank you very much 🙂
Dear ER,
SO HAPPY TO BE 1000th SUBSCRIBER TO YOUR CHANNEL MY FRIEND !!!
Haha ! So you've been lurking and withholding your sub for all this time, just to give it to me when I needed it most ? 😂
Thanks KS, yes, you do have that honour.
Here is your medal 🎖
You now own the "Star of Economical Rides" medal 😉
Thanks for pushing me through the 1000 my friend, I really appreciate it and enjoyed seeing your comment ( I hadn't realised that I was so close to 1000 until I saw your comment ). Amazing to think that 1000 people think I am worth a sub !
Thanks again KS and have a great day !
ER. 🥂🍾🥂🍾
Very helpful and informative content. Thanks for taking the time out to make the video.
You’re welcome Akhil,
thank you for watching and commenting 👍
I always intended this channel to be a bit of a knowledge base for the bikes I own, so it’s great if I was able to help you out !
Cheers Akhil,
ER
@@economicalrides Yes you did help a great deal and I got more info through the comment section as well. I've been riding Bullet Electra since 2008 and will be buying Meteor next week.
I'm 5'10" and I enjoyed both seats during the test rides but I didn't like the wide footpegs as they are straight not slanted.
Will look forward for more information via your channel. Thanks again. 👍🏻
Really appreciated, detailed and comprehensive. Good comparison
Thank you QPB.
It looks as though this video has already helped a couple of people to decide which seat to go with, so in that regard "my work here is done" 😛
It's always nice to produce a useful video from time to time, although obviously they are the most work 🙄
Thanks for watching and commenting QPB !
Take care and stay warm.
Cheers 👍🏻
ER.
Great vid as always ER......love the remix of the Other Bods Mods jingle! 😂🤣
Thanks James ! Top man ! I’m glad you enjoyed the remix. I thought I should tone the jingle down a bit since it was offensive to some people’s ears but after spending „all of that money“ getting it made ( he made me pay the bill in full, the cheeky sod 😉 ) I thought it would be a shame not to use it !
I‘m glad you enjoyed the video James. I was going for the most in depth comparison of two motorcycle seats ever to hit the TH-cams and if there is an award for that, I‘m think I am now a shoo-in for a nomination 🥳
Stay safe and warm, have a great Christmas James !
Cheers 👍 ER.
@@economicalridesHa! 🤣😂 Same to you ER, wishing you all the best for the New Year 👍😎
What a brilliant bit of analysis and extremely useful compared to subjective comment. Keep this up Gary and you will be replacing FortNine 🤔😂.
Thanks NP 😂
Well, I do like me some science in my videos but due to a lack of scientific background that tends to be restricted to using a tape measure and sometimes some scales.
I don't think Mr FortNine needs to be losing any sleep just yet 😝
Cheers NP 🙂
Garry & Ruby
More excellent information for Meteor owners, very well put together. I enjoyed the scenery along the way.
Dr D’s mods were excellent. I’m a big fan of wine storage, and I agree that single panniers don’t look right.
Ruby stole the show in the end of course. It’s about time you got her a sidecar 😉
Sssssshhhhhhhhhhh - don't mention the sidecar !!!
😉
Thanks SB, a video a long time in the making but I think it was worth it in the end.
Cheers buddy, looking forward to opening today's window later !
👍🏻
ER.
No mention of sidecars, right 🤭🤐 oops!
Cheers El Otro 👍🏼
Danke schön! Ruhig und sachlich wie immer. 👍
Bitte schön ! Vielen Dank für das Lob weltsauerstoff 🤗
Ich ziele immer auf den schmalen Grat zwischen ruhig und tod langweilig. 😂
Wenn ich den mit diesem Video getroffen habe, dann ist das eine Kunst für sich eigentlich 😇
Nein, ernsthaft, vielen Dank für das nette Kommentar und dafür dass Du meine Videos guckst 👍
Ich freue mich immer zu hören dass meine Videos geschätzt werden und besonders wenn sie Anderen hilfreich waren !
Vielen Dank. Ich wünsche Dir ein tolles Wochenende mit anständigem Wetter.
Cheers 🥃
ER.
Nice informative video ER with nothing left to question (It's all in there), You are now known to me as the Meteor Guru ... Ps Ruby really does need to learn to chew, I bet she was anticipating a follow up treat !!!
Thanks Mr Fed up n angry, yes, I was going for most extensive comparison of two motorcycle seats ever to hit the internet ! It took a while to make, especially preparing the graphics, but I got it done in the end. My award from TH-cam is probably already in the post ! 😂
I knew that a lot of people liked the IDEA of the touring seat but had doubts about various aspects of it and this video should help those people to decide. I was pleasantly surprised by just how nice the standard seat was and if I didn't already have the touring seat, I would have been perfectly happy to leave the standard seat on there. Swapping seats is a 5-10 minute job once you get the hang of it, so having both seats and swapping them as per your immediate requirements is also an option - I could have mentioned that in the video !
I am humbled to be your Meteor Guru, I never anticipated Guru status when I made my first ever video for the channel ☺️ ! Thank you !
Yes, that's the problem with Ruby. She "inhales" her treats because she thinks "the sooner this one is gone, the sooner I will get the next one". Unfortunately it doesn't work like that but I doubt that she'll ever learn 🤨
Take care Mr Fed up n angry and have yourself a Merry Little Christmas, best wishes from the two of us to you and yours !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER.
thank you for sharing! nice video, it realy helped me with my decision.
Fantastic ! That's great to hear. That's why I spent ages measuring things and swapping seats out, to help others to make the right decision. 🙂
Thanks for letting me know, I really appreciate knowing that my video served its purpose 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Cheers Shadow !
ER.
THANK YOU FOR THIS !!
You are welcome Ankit, I hope it was helpful to you.
If you have any further questions about the two seats, just ask me and I will get back to you 🙂
Cheers,
ER.
Excellent video !!!
Thanks Douglas !
Yes, I don't think I've ever made a video with more "science" in it than that one 😂
I hope you found it useful and if you have any follow-up questions feel free to ask away !
Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment, I appreciate it !
Cheers
ER.
Many thanks for the seat comparison. Based on your experiences and my own riding pattern (rarely ever more than one hour without a stop), I'll keep the standard seat on my Supernova as it's just fine.
Absolutely the correct conclusion to draw Mark. I forgot to mention it in the video but changing seats is a 10 minute job if you do it right, so anybody who does do the odd long road trip could easily own both seats and just fit the touring seat for the odd occasion when they actually need it. For the rest of the time the standard seat is probably more comfortable.
For your use case ( and 99% of mine ) the standard seat is absolutely fine, that is true, you are not missing out on anything !
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I'm glad that my conclusions were of use to you, that's why I made the video 😇.
Have a great Christmas Mark and thanks for your support !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER.
Very informative, thank you.
You’re welcome Edward !
Probably the most comprehensive seat comparison ever 😂
but if you have any further questions, feel free to ask away 🙂
Cheers,
ER
Hey ER!!!! ive only had a few short rides since i got the bike, but i'm completely in love with it, its so smooth, the more i ride it the better i'm starting to feel the bike and the more fantastic it is. You were totally right: the bike is superfriendly. But also: its an actual motorcycle, its not a moped!! Its big and its engine is big! Sadly though, its freezing here in belgium right now so theres probably some ice on the roads, wont be able to ride for a few days. I also got a GoPro so i'll be posting my own review later for your enjoyment :)
Great stuff BD, see, I told you it was going to be awesome !
Looking forward to checking out your video, just make sure that it is a little bit worse than one of mine, ok ? 😉
No, good luck with your bike, the weather and your vlogging efforts BD.
Stay safe and warm. Happy Christmas and stuff.
Cheers 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides and happy christmas down there!
You are the master of comparison ! I just bought the touring seat because, as you mentioned, I like the looks. I have yet to try it out. ( It’s nice how the touring windshield uses the same fork mount as the fly screen- just pop one out and put the other in) Cheers mate Allan USA
Thanks Allen , too kind ! 🤗
Don’t be disappointed if the touring seat feels like it’s made of wood for the first couple of rides. By the third ride it either softens up or your butt gets acclimatised ( not really sure which ). It never feels soft and plush but after the break in period you should find that you can ride pain free for 2-3 hours, which is really the whole point of it. If you like it for the looks and are not struggling for space on the standard seat, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed but please do give the seat a few decent rides before judging it. It does feel rock hard initially !
That’s interesting, that the two screens use the same mount, I did wonder but never had the opportunity to check. So basically I can cruise around all cool looking 😎 with my fly screen but if I buy a touring screen, if I am facing a long or higher speed trip, I can just fit the touring screen for that one trip. That definitely sounds like a nice option to have, maybe I’ll add a touring screen to my collection 🤔 Thanks for that, I’ve learned something new !
Take care Allen and enjoy the new seat !
Cheers 👍
ER.
@@economicalrides Thank you for your detailed reply! Yeah the fly screen as we say here in America is “ dope” I just sat on the classic 350 interesting bike-very comfortable very upright but for what I need a meteor hit it right on the head! I also felt like the shifter on the classic 350 was a little hard to get my boot under. The heel/ toe shifter is a very classy and a nice feature on the meteor. Happy rid’n mate- luv the channel!!
@@allans7281 Thanks Allan, I see that you are now browsing through my back catalogue ( no, that is not a euphemism for something else entirely !!! ) and finding things of interest to you,
Honestly, I totally agree with you about the Meteor v Classic. The Meteor just feels right, comfortable and friendly, doesn't challenge you at all. The Classic, with its various little quirks, does demand a bit more of you. I view it as a motorcycle enthusiasts motorcycle ( which I imagine is how RE intended to market it in the west ) whereas the Meteor has no pretensions, it's just cruiser style general purpose transport.
It's such a great bike for new or returning riders or for those who've decided to hang up the racing leathers, keep the points off their driving license and just enjoy motorcycling in one of its purest forms.
The Meteor just blows me away every time I jump back on it. It's just sooooo good.
Cheers Allan 👍🏻
ER.
The 'Dr' approves Sir , very nicely done! Never mentioned to you my particular reason for preferring standard seat, from my hip bone to the floor is 96 mm so you saw the inflatable cushion allowing even more bum area!
Well of course that‘s the most important thing of all DD, glad I did alright, didn’t want to let you or your Meteor Cellar down !
Yes, unfortunately I only saw your seat mod when the video was almost done and we‘d never discussed it before, so it didn’t get a mention.
Still, if anyone is curious I’m sure they can ask you all about it on here 👍
Is your seat now still comfortable after a two hour stint H ? I’m guessing that probably it is, since you spend most of the lap hanging off it with your knee down ?
Take care and thanks for letting me share your awesome mods on the channel !
Cheers DD old chum 👍 ER.
Apologies bothering you but RE rider put up question re IOM sticker and no way can I find how to answer direct - believe it or not, Ebay!
@@drdoolittle5724 Don't worry DD he made a boo boo. He was asking about a rubber tank protector which he thought he saw on this channel. Actually it was on MM350's channel. I actually guessed what he meant because I'd seen it myself and asked him if he's made a mistake posting it here and he realised that he had.
MM350 just fitted a rubber protector in the middle of the tank coming up from the seat, to protect the tank from zip scratches. RE-Rider is after one of those. I did think at the time that it would have been useful if MM350 had put a link to it in his video description but I don't think he did, hence RE-Rider's question !
Case closed 🙂, he's off over there to ask the man responsible 😉
Cheers DD 👍🏻
eBay ? I thought you had to be a lap record holder to get one of those stickers 😇 !!!
ER.
@@economicalrides Yea, they are doing the knock-off versions with my sig rubbed out!
@@drdoolittle5724 👍🏻😂
Though I'm planning on taking a road trip in the spring, I think I'll be keepng the standard seat. For a stock seat, it's among the best I've ever experienced; it's just one of the best seats, period. Thanks for confirming my initial leaning here... :)
You're welcome Mark, glad I was able to help you to make up your mind. I would definitely say that the standard seat should be fine and if you're doing the ride in an enjoyable manner, you will probably be planning to stop every couple of hours anyway ( I would strongly recommend doing so, the trip is supposed to be enjoyable and not just endurable ! ) so there really should be no issue with your backside, even with the standard seat.
As Marc mentions in his comment, should you plan to do such trips more often in the future and would prefer the extra support the touring seat offers, you could always buy the touring seat and only fit it when you need it. With practise it really is a 10 minute job to swap out the seats ( and I am a hopeless mechanic but still managed it ). But definitely worth giving the standard seat a try before changing anything. If you take regular breaks I'm sure it will be fine 👍🏻
I look forward to your road trip report once you get back Mark ! I'd love to do something similar but having Ruby and no sidecar, all of my rides have to end with me being back home within 4-5 hours 😕
Take care and have a great Christmas !
Cheers. 👍🏻 ER.
@@economicalrides I was planning on taking my time to reach Tampa, FL, where my brother lives; I plan on taking a week or so to travel the 1,000-1,200 miles there. I'm planning on taking US highways (equivalent to British A roads?) vs. the Interstate, our equivalent to the British Motorways. Many of the US highways, which precede our Interstates, parallel the Interstates. For example, US 301 parallels I-95 much of the way down the US east coast; US 40 parallels much of I-70; and so on. I've found three different routes via US highways that will keep my Meteor happy... :)
I plan on going over the Chesapeake By Bridge, something I haven't done since I was a wee lad decades ago. I plan on going through the Outer Banks of North Carolina; I'd like to see the Wright brothers' place at Kitty Hawk (where the first plane flew) and see the famous Cape Hatteras lightouse. I plan on stopping whenever I see something interesting. Besides, with my bladder being what it is at my age (I'll be 60 in February), I can't go much beyond two hours anyway... :)
I have two cats, one of whom is special needs (diabetes). Whenever I'm going away, I hire a pet sitter to care for my cats. She cleans out the litter box, replenishes it, feeds the cats, changes their water, administers shots to the diabetic cat, and spends time with them. If I want to go out when she needs her shot (07-08 and 19-20 hours), then I need the pet sitter to come. If I'll be home soon outside the time window, e.g. 2030-2100 hours, I'll give Mitten her shot myself, as I'm not far outside the time window. However, if I'll be out past that, then I need the pet sitter to come. SO! I can do a day trip on my Meteor, since I'll be home in time to administer the evening Insulin shot; OTOH, if my plans keep me out later (e.g. attending a local, Saturday night auto race in the summer), then I need my pet sitter to come. Do you have anything like that where you are? Are there pet sitters who can care for your dog at all?
very good article E R, on previous bikes i have owned , i used a bumbags for bikers seat pad.they are filled with organic buck wheat ,very good for distance riding. i still have it. the best i have used is called Air rider and it is made in the uk. the same as the bumbag. i still have that also. i owned a Triumph street scrambler with one leather pannier on the right hand side. my own meteor i only ride for an hour or so, so will stick with standard. very good viewing and nice to see the isle of man ,dr, dolittles bike.
Thanks John, I‘m glad you enjoyed it and found it useful. What with all of the seat swapping, riding, measuring and making the graphics, it took a while to get it all done. In my opinion the standard seat is the right choice in your instance, unless you prefer the looks of the touring seat. For 1-2 hours on a weekend the standard seat is more comfy initially and still ok for more or less the whole duration of your ride.
I have heard of Air Rider before but have never fitted a seat cover to any of my bikes. Those sorts of things are always a great option if the factory doesn’t offer a truly comfortable seat as an accessory, I agree.
Thanks again John.
Stay safe and warm. In case I don’t get to say it beforehand, have a great Christmas too.
Cheers John 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides same to you E R and to everyone else ,merry christmas and a happy new year.
Thank you
You're welcome mate, I hope it was of use to you.
I think this was a pretty exhaustive seat review, probably the most complicated one on the whole of the internet - I don't know what I was thinking ! 😂
If you have any questions, just let me know and I'll be happy to give you my "seat of the pants" opinion !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER
Thx for the video, useful information. I test rode both a Meteor and a Classic, and will end up buying the Meteor as I enjoyed the ride more. I would say however that the seat on the classic is way better than on the Meteor, started getting a bit of numb bum after 15 mins due to the lack of support. No such issue with the classic. So, it sounds like I need the touring seat. I do wonder if the standard classic 350 seat fits on the Meteor though.....
Hi Matt,
yes, the Classic standard seat is a bit firmer than the Meteor standard seat, so offers more support and is comfortable for longer. If you buy a Meteor I would recommend the touring seat if you tend to ride 2 hours or more at a time. It is not as soft as the other two seats mentioned but that's why it stays comfortable for longer. But don't be surprised if the touring seat feels very hard to begin with though ! That's normal, but by the second or third ride your backside gets used to it and then you realise that you can do two hours in the saddle with barely any discomfort at all. It's not plush but over a longer period it is more comfortable !
I'm pretty sure that the Classic seat will not fit the Meteor. I think they have different attachment points. I will try to take a look next time I have both bikes outside.
Thanks for watching. I think the Meteor is an excellent bike. If you are not obsessed with having a bike with the Classic's styling and looks then the Meteor offers way better value for money and is an easy and relaxing bike to ride.
Cheers Matt,
ER.
ER, now that I'm going on longer rides (3-4 hours or more), the standard seat is, shall we say, wanting? Where the discomfort manifested itself was when I did long rides two days in a row; on the second day, my butt literally hurt! Hence, I'm contemplating the touring seat. I watched this video to hear your comparison again, and to hear "Other Bods' Mods"; it's been a long time since I heard it... :)
Hi Mark,
well the touring seat is definitely an upgrade. Whether it will help after two hard days in the saddle, I can't say, since I have never been able to try that. But it is not too expensive and is easy to swap out, so I would certainly consider getting one if you are going to be doing more long rides. It will be better than the standard seat, that's for sure ( even though on short rides the standard seat feels plusher initially ).
If you do get the touring seat, be sure to give it three days before deciding whether or not you like it. For the first couple of rides it seems very hard but as soon as it gets used to your but it starts to give in all of the right places and becomes more comfortable.
Other Bods' Mods depends upon people sending me their mods but I now have two or three more viewers' bikes to show and am planning on adding an OBM segment to a future video soon 🙂
Thanks Mark, take care and if you have any other questions regarding the touring seat, just get back to me and I'll be glad to help !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER
Hallo ER, das langersehnte Video...😉
Sehr informativ und umfangreich, vielen Dank dafür.👍
Ich werde erstmal im Frühjahr eine längere Tour mit der Originalsitzbank machen und gucken ob es für mich bequem genug ist.
Diese Woche sollen endlich meine Papiere von der Meteor kommen, dann kann ich sie, "Gott sei Dank", zulassen.
Der Umbau der Kofferhalter von Dr. Doolittle ist nicht schwer, da werden nur die Befestigungsköpfe abgetrennt, um 180° gedreht und wieder angeschweißt.
Das Gleiche habe ich auch vor. Ich habe mir aber Ledersatteltaschen besorgt, pro Seite 18 Liter.
Die originalen Koffer sehen aus wie Mülleimer.😂
Ich wünsche dir ein frohes Weihnachtsfest🎄
Gruß Stephan
Hi Stephan,
ja, ich hoffe ich habe Dir genug Infos für den Anfang gegeben. Wegen deiner Größe, später einfach 3cm weiter vorne auf dem Standardsitz sitzen. Da keiner GANZ HINTEN auf dem Standardsitz sitzt, denke ich dass 3cm weiter vorne ( mit dem Steißbein ) ungefähr richtig sein sollte. Wenn die Sitzposition für dich so ok ist, wäre der Touringsitz auch eine Option für dich 👍
Ich fand den Koffer Mod schon sehr aufwändig aber gut, ich hatte auch schon eine Panikattacke als ich die Tankschoner auf den Tank kleben musste 😂 Wenn das alles für dich kein Problem ist dann ist es ja gut !
Ich drücke Dir die Däumchen dass Du bald endlich los starten kannst 🤞
Danke fürs gucken und für dein Kommentar.
Wie gesagt, bei weiteren Fragen zu diesem Thema, kannst Du dich jederzeit hier wieder melden.
Pass auf dich auf und ich hoffe Du hast dein Meteor bald unter dem Hintern !
Dir natürlich auch ein frohes Weihnachtsfest Stephan 🌲🌲🌲
Cheers 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides danke für den Tipp mit der Sitzbank, das werde ich auf jeden Fall ausprobieren. Sollte ja nicht schwer sein 3cm nach vorne zu rücken. Für mich ist solch ein Umbau kein Problem, ich schraube schon über 35 Jahren an meinen Fahrzeugen.
Cheers Stephan
@@economicalrides heute bin ich dann endlich mal gefahren und habe das mit den 3cm ausprobiert.
Vermutlich wäre der Touring-Sitz doch die bessere Wahl für mich, ich kann dann die Fußbremse besser bedienen und sitze noch etwas entspannter am Lenker.
Man merkt erst wenn man sich mit der Maschine bewegt dass die Meteor keine kleine Maschine ist.
Ich habe aber auch festgestellt dass ich noch ein paar Dinge einstellen muss, wie z.B. die Schaltwippe und die Position der Spiegel.
Ob man das Bremspedal auch von der Höhe her einstellen kann habe ich jetzt nicht gesehen.
Wünsche einen guten Rutsch ins Jahr 2022 🎆
Cheers Stephan
@@stephanl.4857 Hi Stephan, wenn Du keine Schmerzen in der Hüfte und den Knien hast wenn Du so sitzt ( und hast nicht das Gefühl dass der Beinwinkel dann unbequem wird ), dann spricht sicher auch nichts dagegen. Wenn Du wirklich vor hast den Touring Sitz zu kaufen, stelle erst danach alles andere auf dich ein. Es könnte sein dass das was jetzt super passt, später suboptimal ist. Also wenn Du den Touring Sitz kaufen willst, kaufe sie, montiere sie und fange erst danach an die Kontrollen anzupassen. Ob man an dem Bremspedal etwas einstellen kann, bin ich auch überfragt. Bei mir passt eigentlich alles mehr oder weniger und ich habe mich bisher nicht mit ergonomischen Optimierungen groß beschäftigt 🙂
Wir wünschen Dir auch einen guten Rutsch Stephan 🥂 und freuen uns auf ein Wiedersehen in 2022 !
Cheers 👍🏻 ER.
P.S.
Schön dass deine Maschine endlich da ist !!!
🥳🥳🥳
@@economicalridesda ist sie schon seit zwei Wochen aber seit Vorgestern ist sie zugelassen. 😄
Der Beinwinkel ist dann nicht unbequem, eher wie bei der Moto Guzzi V50 Polizia. Also sehr entspannt.
As a Biology teacher, to me a quick look at those seats face to face in the thumbnail reminds me of petals of a flower😁
Thanks JT,
see, sometimes I even get all artistic 😝
Just don't come to expect it ! What with all this science and measuring of things, there isn't much time left for my artistic side to come out 😂
Thanks for watching, commenting ( and bizarrely ) enjoying my thumbnail JT.
Happy Christmas and Cheers 👍🏻
ER.
Merry Christmas to you too👍
yaaaay treats for ruby!!
I know. I‘d prefer it, and she‘d probably taste them more, if she chewed them rather than inhaling them though ! 😂
Ruby says hi BD 👅🐕
Have to say that as someone with an arthritic spine and worn facet joints the Meteor is the only bike (and I've had loads) that has been comfortable in stock form out of the showroom, ill be sticking with the standard seat on mine. Great review though and I'm sure someones anatomy will benefit from your experience and comparison. Keep up the good work.🙂👍
Thanks for watching and commenting Jonathan. I’m glad you thought that I did a decent job, it was a long time in the making !
Having never used it before this test ( I never got to test ride a Meteor before buying either ) I was genuinely surprised by how good the standard seat was. So much so in fact, that I almost left it on the bike ! I was feeling lazy and thought that I might as well just leave it on, since I was quite enjoying it. But the next time I washed the bike I decided to take the seat off to clean underneath it and when I did that I refitted the touring seat.
I could have quite happily continued with the standard one though, it is very comfortable for quite a long time.
It looks as though next year’s Classic 350 will come with the same seat, so that bike could be another option for people with similar health problems to your good self.
Stay safe and warm and have a great Christmas 🌲🌲🌲🌟
Cheers Johnathan 👍 ER.
Thanks ER, you too. I'm looking forward to seeing the Classic 350 in the flesh and having a road test on one when it arrives in the UK, looks a cracking bike. However, the seat height is a lot higher than the Meteor and coupled with a different riding position it may alter the dynamics so the comfort rating takes a hit. One of the reasons I chose the Meteor was for the low seat height and the handlebar position. I have seen one or two Indian road tests of the Classic and the commentators say that power delivery on the Classic is different to the Meteor with the latter coming out on top for acceleration. The opinions so far is that the Classic is perhaps best around town but the Meteor retains its crown as the cruising mile muncher. Its all subjective and the proof as they say is in the pudding. Look forward to your future videos and updates, all the best for 2022.👍
@@jonathandeeley6276 Cheers Jonathan. Yes I‘ve also been watching Indian videos about the Classic 350 and was surprised to hear that the Meteor supposedly has a more lively character than the Classic 350. I imagined the engines would be identical in character but apparently not. It will indeed be interesting to do a back to back comparison of the two bikes when the Classic 350 becomes available.
I might have to buy one first though, almost impossible to get a test ride here unfortunately ! Still, we live in hope. The Classic 350 in red and chrome does look beautiful and I‘d like it with a single seat if possible. I see on the Indian website that you can even have a sprung single seat, they sell the springs as an accessory. They also have LOW SEAT accessories, so it appears as though there is more than one available seat height 👍
Have a great evening Jonathan.
Cheers. ER.
Hey Jonathan. I'm also suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis and also buying Meteor next week. Maybe we can share our experiences going forward. Let me know.
Nice work! Great comparison. I haven't rode longer than 1.5 hours so haven't had any discomfort on my standard seat. I see strap-on "gel" seat covers are available Ebay for $25.00 CAD. May be an option. My Siberian Husky, Leo would love to meet Ruby :)
Hi LB,
yes, John mentioned seat pads/covers, I‘m sure there are plenty of options for those with the standard seat who might like to do the odd longer ride. Actually I think Dr Doolittle has one on a standard seat, if I‘m not mistaken, certainly looked like it in the photos.
Unless you really prefer the looks or are intent on doing long road trips, I really don’t see much need for anybody to buy the touring seat.
That was an easy conclusion to reach once I‘d tried the standard seat and realised just how nice it is !
If Leo sends Ruby a picture, I‘ll be sure to show it to her LB 👍🐕
Stay safe and warm over there and have a great Christmas !
Cheers 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides Tried sending pic to your hotmail but was returned...
@@lancerbiker5263 Bizarre, maybe the file was too big ? You might have to send it in year 2000 image quality 😂
As long as it’s below 20MB most mail servers should let it through though.
Ruby is patiently waiting 💞🐕
@@economicalrides Lol I tried twice. Is only 5.5 MB. I''ll use my nemaltd address...Hang on Ruby !
@@lancerbiker5263 Yey ! That worked !
Ruby says hi to Leo 💞🐕
👍 ER.
Morning to you both & thanks for another informative upload. Quick question (and apologies if it's been answered elsewhere); how long did it take you to swap out the seats? Still deciding which way to go and, with only one or two long jaunts planned annually, having both seats seems like a good option...
Hi Marc,
that's a brilliant question and no, nobody has asked it before. Well of course it comes down to practise really. The second time was way easier than the first time.
You have to remove the front two bolts from the grab rails ( 6mm allen I think ), then you can lift the pillion pad upwards and under there there are two bolts holding the rear of the front seat down ( 10mm ) which you also remove. Then you should be able to lift the front seat up and pull it away from the tank and off. The front seat has two rubber grommets with alloy top hats in the mounting holes. You just push these out and into the equivalent holes on your other seat. Then push the second seat up against the tank ( there is a tongue at the front underneath which mates with a slot in the frame ), then once it is located in the forward slot, drop to down put the 10mm bolts back in. Finally let the front of the pillion pad fall back down and put back the two 6mm allen bots through the grab rails into the seat. Job done.
Second time took 5-10 minutes, so a very easy job. First time took longer because I made the mistake of removing the pillion pad from the bike completely and it took ages to get the locating tongue to clip cleanly into its retaining slot at the back. It is a sod to get it in, not least because you can't actually see where it is going. DO NOT remove the pillion pad completely would be my advice ! Once the two allen bolts are out, you can just carefully hinge it backwards, leaving the rear tongue located all the time, to access to two bolts at the rear of the front seat. Doing it this way saved me 20 minutes . The first time I wasted 20 minutes trying to get the rear of the pillion seat relocated !
I see absolutely no reason why you couldn't swap seats before a long trip and swap back when you get home. It is an easy job and if you do it carefully there should be no wear and tear on anything either.
So in other words, definitely worth considering !
Thanks for watching and for posting an excellent question which may be of interest to others Marc.
I hope my answer helps you to decide.
Stay safe and warm and Merry Christmas !
ER.
@@economicalrides thank you! Not only is that a good idea for swapping the seats; it'll also be good next time I do the valves. The tank needs to be removed for that, which means the front seat has to come off. BRILLIANT!
@@economicalrides That's really helpful, thank you Sir! Definitely going to order both then. Have a great break, stay safe & keep riding!
On the standard seat on my first long ride I did find I wanted to push backwards an inch or so to ease my back occasionally so no way will I be going for the touring seat. Thanks for the review.
Hi caahacky,
yes, moving back very much is definitely less of an option on the touring seat.
But the standard seat is decent enough. Soft initially and still perfectly ok after 60-90 minutes, by which time you SHOULD be looking to take a break anyway 🙂
Cheers 🥃 and you’re welcome !
ER
After riding the stock seat I've gone for the touring as I found I can sit a little further back.
That's on odd one. I find I can sit further back on the standard seat because it's soft all along its length ?
As measured here, the touring seat has 5.5cm less usable length and 2.5cm less usable width.
But as long as it works for you that's the main thing. The standard seat is very nice though, I was surprised by just how good it is.
Cheers. ER.
@@economicalrides We are all made different 👍
I'm still looking for a longer flatter seat option as my rear could still do with sitting further back and lower than the standard seat or the touring seat.
Yes, you make a very good point, I‘m surprised that nobody has come up with one yet ( as far as I am aware ), it would certainly be a great option for riders with longer legs ! Seeing how the two current seats are mounted, I think it would be tricky to fit a single piece dual seat without additional brackets. The Classic 350 is coming with dual seats but from memory I can’t say whether they are on the same level or stepped like on the Meteor. If the Classic 350 seats are flatter, there might be a way to fit them to a Meteor.
I am going to see a Classic 350 tomorrow (hopefully) and if I do, I‘ll post some video and you can take a look at the Classic‘s seating setup, maybe something similar can be done with the Meteor.
Cheers 👍
ER.
Hi Snaketree11.
Just letting you know that I saw a Classic 350 in the metal this morning and the front seat is just as sculpted as on the Meteor, making it impossible to slide back off the front seat onto the rear one. Also the rear seat mounts in a completely different way, on its own subframe, to enable people to have their Classic with just a single seat without exposing the brackets and whatnot of the rear mudguard ( which is what happens if you remove the Meteor's rear seat ).
So unfortunately it looks as though you will have to wait for an aftermarket option to become available. It is not inconceivable that there might be a one piece seat available from an Indian third party manufacturer. It might be worth casting your net a bit further afield if you are getting desperate.
Good luck and if you find something which works for you, please let me know and I will recommend it further on this channel.
Cheers 🥃
ER
@@economicalrides Many thanks for the update. I thought that would be the case. However I have a cunning plan lol.
@@snaketree11 Great. In that case do let me know when you've found a solution !
Cheers.
ER.
Did you notice the Airhawk cushion fitted to Dolittle's bike ?
Hi Julian,
yes, I saw that he had a seat cushion but unfortunately he never mentioned it in the list of mods he sent me so I wasn't sure which brand it was, so didn't mention it. In the comments section of this video he does say that it is an inflatable one and that it does give him more seating area over the standard seat. I think these kinds of seat cushions do a great job although some might think they look slightly "untidy" compared to a factory seat. But we have choices. If you value comfort over looks then it's another great option if you have the standard seat but still do longer rides 🙂
Take care Julian and thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Cheers 🍾
ER.
With having both those panniers can you use only one key to open both up?
Hi Noah,
yes. They come with two keys, just so you have a spare. The locks are the same on both sides, so I only need the one key on the key ring with me when I'm out riding, which is obviously preferable !
Cheers Noah,
ER.
ER, I know that this is off topic, but a Brasilian chap on Old Man Ronin's channel said that RE Brasil just issued a recall to reflash the Meteor's ECU, and that the Meteor's speed is now 133 kmh, or 82+ mph! You can find the comment in OMR's four month, long term review of the Meteor 350. The new top speed would be more in line with its power output. Why? I recall reading about the small, Suzuki GZ250 cruiser that has a 20 hp, 250cc air cooled single, and its top speed was in the low 80 mph, or 130 kmh, range. I haven't heard about this here in the US yet. Did you get notice of this over in Europe? Anyway, I thought that you'd like to know. Cheers!
Weird. I did reply to this but my reply went missing ! No, I hadn't heard about that previously !
I'm guessing there is some law in Brazil which forced RE's hand. Maybe a law against deliberately removing functionality from a product sold or something like that ?
I really can't see it happening in Europe. The eurocrats won't want to give us EVEN MORE speed to kill ourselves with 😂 They don't want us using these deadly contraptions in the first place !
To be honest, for me it doesn't matter anyway. I'm never going to hit my current 120 kmh limit in normal riding and neither would I want to. So another 10-15 kmh will make no difference to me whatsoever. I appreciate however that some will always want all of the speed they can get, it's nice to have a bit of overhead to play with, I get that.
I really don't expect the same to happen in Europe but you might get lucky and see it happen in the US.
It will certainly be interesting to see what happens, if this story has any truth to it !
Thanks for the heads up Mark !
Cheers 👍🏻
ER.
@@economicalrides I forgot to address the original issue: the ECU reflash giving higher top speed. Here are my thoughts: while it doesn't matter to me most of the time; while the speed limitation doesn't impact me most of the time; there are instances in which it would come in handy. Though I try to avoid the freeways or Interstates; though I try to avoid what they colloquially call "the super slab"; the fact of the matter is that I can't always avoid it.
For example, I might need to bypass a bad neighborhood in the city. There might be a traffic jam on my preferred route. I might need to beat a storm. I might want to get home before the sun sets; because we have a large deer population in my area, I alwasy try to get off the bike before the sun goes down. I have a few reasons that I might need to use the super highway. In those instances, the extra few mph would help. Even on our equivalent of an A road, there are times a few extra mph would help, e.g. working with merging traffic. Because the Meteor isn't a fast bike, when I do travel on faster roads, I'm in the slow lane. Well, that means dealing with on-ramps and merging traffic; having a few extra mph means could move ahead, not always drop back to make room; dropping back may be iffy if you have someone riding your tail. Yeah, that happens, even when you're in the slow lane and Rocket Jockey has other, faster lanes he can use. So yeah, I'd appreciate having a few extra mph, as it would come in handy here and there.
I know that the Meteor is happiest at 80-90 kmh, and that's where I ride most of the time. At my age, I don't HAVE much interest in going much faster than that! Even so, the ability to do so on rare occasions gives the rider much appreciated flexibility when the need arises. Those are my thoughts...
@@economicalrides That would be great if it really happened here in the US, especially here in California. Thanks for the great comparison with the seats.😊
@@artiecisneros4691 Thanks Artie, I think I covered the relevant points in this video although I did forget to mention that with practise, changing the seat is a 10 minute job, so if anybody is undecided, owning both seats and swapping them as required would also be an option.
It would be interesting to know WHY the restriction is being removed in Brazil, that way we might be better able to assess the probability of it happening elsewhere.
Thanks for watching and commenting, it will be interesting to see if this de-restriction becomes more widespread.
Cheers Artie 👍
ER.
Hi Mark,
so I've done some research into this and apparently they were forced to come up with new software for Brazil because Brazilian petrol was causing pre-ignition which over time would damage the engine ( they also recalled Himalayans and Interceptors/Contis ). In the course of doing this they have either removed the limiter from the code or the way they have had to change the ignition curve has meant that the limiter code is now confused and cuts in much later. Interesting but unfortunately that seems to rule out the rest of the world getting a reflash, since our petrol has different attributes and doing so would probably cause a whole host of other problems.
I think we can expect the speed limiter to remain in place in all other markets, unfortunately. The changes they made for Brazil seem to have confused the limiter code, that would be my guess.
Thanks for the heads up though, very interesting !
Cheers. ER.
How about pillion touring vs normal seat ?
Sorry, can’t help you there because I never carry a pillion. I expect the Touring pillion seat to also be better than the standard one though. I think it’s made of the same stuff as the Touring rider seat, so….
Size wise no difference with the pillion seats I believe, so nothing to worry about there.
Cheers,
ER
Hellos sir ,I'm a short rider of 5.4 I hope touring seat will be much better for me .Need your opinion?
Hi John,
in terms of height there is barely any difference, the mounting point is exactly the same for both seats. As I state in the video, the padding of each seat results in a padding height of 70mm for both seats, so again, padding does not affect the seat height.
For shorter legs seat WIDTH is also important but again, the seat width at the front is similar with both seats, so I don't think either seat particularly suits shorter riders.
If you like the look of the touring seat, I recommend that you should get one. It will make longer rides more comfortable.
Seat height will be the same with both seats, so there is no advantage to be gained there.
I hope this helps !
Cheers John,
ER.
@@economicalrides thank you,By the way I was thinking to raise the handlebar with a handlebar raiser that might help me..I will let you know if it makes any different.Thank once again
One comment that I have to disagree with occurs at 2:37 of your video, where you say the rear bolster portion of the touring seat is formed with wood. Having just poked and prodded my touring seat, there is no evidence of any wood in there, as I can easily push my thumb into the seat from any angle on that bolster section with no hint of a hard piece of wood in there. Otherwise, a well done and informative video.
I actually said “as if made of wood” not that it was actually made of wood.
On my seat there is barely any give in that section of the seat at all. The only give is in the covering itself and none below it. Maybe yours is different, on mine that section has barely any padding whatsoever. The point being that you cannot sit on this part of the seat with any sort of comfort, so you do end up with less usable seat area.
Cheers,
ER.
@@economicalrides OK, my bad. You did say "as if made of wood". However, my touring seat does have foam throughout that bolster area and it gives to the push of my thumb in front, back and sides. Odd that there is a perceived difference there. Less usable seat yes, but to my thinking better in that the shaping keeps you in a comfy pocket, rather than tending to slide around a bit on the stock seat from braking and acceleration.
@@megalumpproductions5362 Yes but you cannot sit on that part, which as my measurements show, results in less seating area than the standard seat. And that is my point. Somebody who already has to sit at the very rear of the standard seat will not be able to do the same with the touring seat. The measurements don’t lie. The touring seat gives you less seating area front to rear than the standard seat, which might be the deciding factor for somebody with longer legs or who already feels cramped with the standard seat.
This video should simply help people to get a sense of whether or not the touring seat would be better for them.
But you chose the touring seat and it’s right for you and that is all that matters. I just want to prevent somebody buying the touring seat and finding that it doesn’t suit them. I just want to prevent people wasting money on something which they ultimately find they cannot use.
For you and me the touring seat is worthwhile and here I am simply giving others as much information as possible to decide whether or not the touring seat will work for them 🙂
I spent a long time making the graphics and measuring everything, solely with the intention of helping people to make an informed decision 😇
For us at least, the touring seat was a worthwhile upgrade 👍
Thanks for your input MP 🙏
ER.
Ruby is the goodest of girls :D
Actually she really is. She is never actually naughty. She IS the goodest ! It would just be nice if she would chew here treats occasionally rather than always „inhaling“ them 😂
Thanks H-D, Ruby sends 👅s and I send you my best wishes, as always.
Stay safe and endure, ahem, sorry, ENJOY Christmas 😉
At least this year you can always withdraw to your snug 😍😍😍
Cheers 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides the bestest of doggo licks.
Haha, aye... I'll be beating the retreat as soon as family obligations are achieved 🤣
@@HippoDrones A most excellent plan !
🍺🥃🍺🥃🍺🥃
I‘ll be with my parents on Christmas Day before returning to full-on Christmas denial mode when I get back home 😂
I have wine, whisky and the 800 subscriber bottle of Cava to get through, so I need to keep at it 🤪
Cheers H-D 👍 ER.
@@economicalrides 😁
Personally I'm not a fan of the huge ugly looking hard cases with all the metal work especially with reto looking bikes, just looks agricultural
Yes but it depends upon your needs as well as just the aesthetics I guess.
I don’t need luggage permanently on the bike but from time to time it would be useful to have some storage with me.
I‘m still searching for a solution which works for me to be honest. But I definitely prioritise looks over practically which is why I‘ve not managed to fir any luggage to the bike in the six months that I’ve had it 🙂
Cheers Kevin 👍
ER.