Despite its middle-of-the-road looks, there’s a lot to love about the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. Royal Enfield’s lively 648 cc parallel-twin engine is easy to get along with, and the Super Meteor’s low seat and relaxed ergonomics give it an easygoing vibe. But there’s nothing easygoing about this Super Meteor chopper from Roland Sands Design.
Commissioned by Royal Enfield themselves, RSD’s custom Super Meteor is lean and unapologetic, with compact chopper lines, a hand shifter, and no front brake. And we’re here for it.
Roland Sands’ Californian shop is known for both its custom bikes and bolt-on parts, so they took the opportunity to use the project as a test bed for some new Royal Enfield 650-specific parts. As for the bike itself, the crew went way further than just bolting on a few look-fast parts.
Getting the look of the fuel tank and the space underneath it right was an entire saga unto itself. RSD started with a small Wassel tank, then spent an inordinate amount of time (and swearing) Frenching the OEM fuel pump into it. With a smaller tank perched on top, the frame needed a serious clean-up.
The guys hacked off everything from the steering neck down and fabricated a new single downtube, ending in a clevis that replaces the front motor mount. The design is ultra-minimal, with a new dimpled neck gusset adding a touch of elegance. Out back, the stock shock mounts made way for a custom set, tailored to the chopper’s revised silhouette and hooked up to a pair of Öhlins units.
Sitting tall and proud up front are the forks from a Harley-Davidson Sportster—but they’re hardly recognizable as such. RSD stripped them, shaved the brake and fender mounts off the lowers, and treated the uppers to a gold nitride coating. They also extended and re-valved them for good measure.
The Super Meteor now rolls on RSD’s retro-fabulous ‘Morris’ wheels, measuring 21” up front and 16” at the rear. The forks sit in super-narrow yokes from TC Bros, so RSD had to machine a custom front hub to make it fit. Firestone Deluxe Champion treads add some classic style.
Since the bike only runs a rear brake, the crew figured that upgrading it would be a smart move. The setup uses a Galfer rotor, and a nickel Brembo radial mount caliper on a custom-made bracket.
A custom fender hovers above the rear wheel, leaving just enough clearance for the type of riding that Roland Sands likes to do. A slim ribbed seat sits up top, and there’s a tiny taillight attached to the lower swingarm mount on the right.
At the opposite end of the bike, tapered handlebars are perched on a set of impossibly long risers, with a small headlight perched up front. The cockpit is as sano as it gets; there are no switches, no levers, and no speedo. RSD fitted new grips and a single cable throttle, then fabricated a foot clutch and hand shifter arrangement with custom linkages lower down.
While RSD’s fabrication team was bringing all of these ideas to life, their design team was busy sketching and prototyping a set of parts to adorn the Super Meteor. They were responsible for the bike’s ribbed engine and sprocket covers, and its points cover. They also created new ignition and battery covers, both featuring a vented design with gold mesh backing.
Smaller details included a sneaky ignition relocation, machined RSD foot pegs, and an RSD gas cap. Custom twin exhaust headers flow into a pair of RSD mufflers, and, if you look closely, you’ll even spot a tidy engine guard just in front of the motor.
It’s an audacious look for the mid-sized Royal Enfield cruiser, made even more so by the striking black and gold livery. Gold flames take center stage, outlined with subtle silver stripes. But get closer, and you’ll spot a number of gold leaf pin-stripe details too.
There’s a lot to take in, like the judicious mix of gloss and matte finishes, and the way the tank’s central rib is echoed in the rear fender. It also helps that Royal Enfield’s ‘650’ engine is one of the best-looking mills on the market right now—and that the bike’s revised layout highlights it. Then there’s the gold Cerakote finish on the wheels, which complements everything else perfectly.
RSD’s Royal Enfield Super Meteor is a far cry from the mellow vibe of the original bike—but it’s also proof of just how versatile a platform it is. It hits the mark as a no-nonsense, bare-knuckle chopper that’d be just as happy ripping around town as it would carving up canyons.
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