Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 Launched @ INR 1.82 Lakhs

Highway cruising is going to be better than ever!!  Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500, which was showcased at the Delhi Auto Expo held in January this year, has been finally launched in the Indian bike market. We can vouch it has been one of the most anticipated launches from the Royal Enfield stable and visually the bike definitely feels a cheer-worthy machine from RE fans. The bike goes on sale with a price tag of INR Rs.1,82,571/- (on road Mumbai).

Mr. Siddhartha Lal, MD & CEO Eicher Motors Ltd. Said “Today, with the launch of the Thunderbird 500 with its unique 360-degree design language and its higher powered engine that has our signature flat torque curve, Royal Enfield has again upped the ante in leisure motorcycling. With touring enthusiasts forming the core of our customer base, the Thunderbird 500 gives them more power, comfort and style for long-distance riding.”

Dr. Venki Padmanabhan, CEO, Royal Enfield was also present at the function and stated “We listened very closely to the needs of highway cruisers in India and designed a motorcycle that is extremely suitable for long distance riding with its range, ergonomics, looks, excellent braking, night riding visibility, luggage carriage capability, even clothing and accessories. We hope that with the Thunderbird 500, our customers will see affirmation of the fact that Royal Enfield is a company bent on listening, imagining and delivering”.

Looking at the motorcycle, we could to a greater extent affirm with the comments of Mr. Lal and Dr. Padmanabhan, though only a test ride would prove how well the motorcycle proves its salt.

As can be made out from the pics, the seat on the new version of the Thunderbird has been completely redesigned to suit the new position of the foot pegs. Very much like the Bajaj Pulsar series, the seat can now be opened using a lock mechanism, accessible through the side panel. Also, like on the RE Classic, the rear seat can be removed to accommodate luggage. The bike also gets a new handlebar for better ergonomics and the pillion grab rail is now an all new pressure die cast unit.

The bike comes with a powerful 55W projector lamp for its low beam and a 55W halogen bulb for the high beam and the tourers would be impressed by the large 20L fuel tank capacity that this bike offers. The tank cap is placed asymmetrically on the top right hand side of the tank, instead of the conventional central mounting. The instrument binnacle is also new.

The new Thunderbird gets newly designed mirrors and keeping in with the trend these days, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 also gets a LED tail lamp. The redesigned front end is seen with 41mm thick forks and the instrument panel gets two digital trip meters. One of our favourite features on the new Thunderbird is the inclusion of hazard lamps in the switch gear.

The anchoring duties are courtesy disc brakes at both front and rear and the braking system is supplied by Bybre, a fully owned subsidiary of Brembo.

Technical specification

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
Displacement:   499cc
Engine:   499cc, 4-Stroke
Maximum Power:   27.2 Bhp @ 5250 rpm
Maximum Torque:   41.3 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Gears:   5 Speed
Clutch:   NA
Bore:   70
Stroke:   90
Cylinder Configuration:   NA
Engine Block Material:   NA
Chassis Type:   NA
Cooling Type:   Air Cooling
Carburetor:   NA

DIMENSIONS
Length:   2060.00 mm
Width:   895.00 mm
Height:   1300.00 mm
OTHER SPECIFICATIONS
Weight:   195.00 kg
Ground Clearance:   135.00 mm
Fuel Tank:   20.00 ltrs
Wheelbase:   1350.00 mm
Electrical System:   NA
Headlamp:   55W projector headlamp
Battery Type:   Maintainance Free
Battery Voltage:   12V
Battery Capacity:   14Ah
Horn:   NA
Wheel Type:   Spoke
Wheel Size:   90/90-19 – 120/80-18 mm

 

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