Launch: Royal Enfield’s Thunderbird X hopes to attract urban explorers

There is no doubting its cool quotient.
Thunderbird X
Thunderbird X

Royal Enfield’s Thunderbird X is a new factory-built, custom motorcycle that boasts of a bold styling and an impressive level of detailing. Building on the brand value of the original Thunderbird, this new version takes the game forward thanks to its expressive custom treatment coupled with a blacked out theme and vibrant colours. The vehicle does look a lot younger and there is no doubting its cool quotient. 

Youth connect
The original model was launched in 2002 and has built quite a fan following for it. With the new version, the manufacturer is offering a bike that is young in its outlook, yet retains the essence of being a great highway cruiser. The bike offers a great amount of scope for further customisation as well. Having said that, the stock bike looks stunning with its blacked-out theme combined with a vibrant coloured fuel tank. The latest iteration also gets a ‘gunslinger’ styled seat with a new grab rail, a shortened rear mudguard, a flat handlebar that has been dropped to offer a more aggressive forward-leaning riding posture. Other elements that bring out its looks include the stitching on the seat and the rim tapes on the wheels. Playing a functional role as well as adding to aesthetics of the bike are the alloy wheels fitted with tubeless tyres and disc brakes on both.

Powerful options
The company is offering the motorcycle with a choice of two engine options. The Thunderbird 350X is powered by a single cylinder, air-cooled twin spark unit that displaces 346 cc and is capable of delivering 19.8 bhp @ 5,250 rpm while generating a maximum torque of 28 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. For those who want a more powerful version, Royal Enfield (RE) is offering the Thunderbird 500X. This version comes powered by RE’s Unit Construction Engine (UCE) that displaces 499 cc. The single cylinder unit gets an electronic fuel injection system and is capable of delivering a maximum power output of 27.2 bhp @ 5,250 rpm and a maximum torque output of 41.3 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. It goes without saying that for those who are seeking a bike that will deliver on a nice long road trip; the 500X is the one to go for!

Worth it?
With the Thunderbird X ushering in a renewed amount of excitement in for the brand, RE has been quite careful in not going overboard on the pricing front. The Thunderbird 350X is priced at `1,56,849 while the Thunderbird 500X retails at `1,98,878. For those aficionados who loved the original model, there is good news for it will continue to be sold alongside the Thunderbird X for now.

 

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