Being someone who has ridden the Meteor and the Honda H'ness CB350, I’d say the Meteor is more comfortable for long rides. The suspension is softer, this is great when driving on bumpy roads. But, at higher speeds the H'ness feels more stable. Really, it depends on your riding style and the type of roads you will be on.

I love the look, but it has to be said that it does compromise some practicality. For daily use, it can be annoying that there are no modern features such as a USB port or a comprehensive digital display. Additionally, the classic round headlight isn’t as effective as some modern LED setups you’ll find on the latest eMTBs for night riding.

The Meteor’s handling is good for what it is, but it does seem a tad old school compared to bikes like Honda’s CB350 or even Royal Enfield’s own Classic 350. At higher speeds, the vibrations can be annoying and it has a bit of trouble on steep inclines. But it’s got character that a lot of modern bikes don’t have.

But I'd say the Meteor deserves most of the hype. It's not aiming to be the fastest or most advanced bike, it’s about giving a certain riding experience and it does this really well. It's smooth engine, comfortable ride and classic looks all mixed together to be more than the sum of its parts. Plus, the price is something that most riders can afford.

I can say that as a Meteor 350 owner, it is a very good first bike. It's easy to ride in city traffic with the low end torque and the build quality gives you confidence. But there’s not much here in the way of modern features that a beginner might find useful, like a gear indicator.