Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 is one of the most desirable cruisers styled motorcycles that come with elegant styling and powerful engine. To keep up with changing times, the company has launched the refreshed model of this motorcycle – Thunderbird 500X. The motorcycle has been targeted at urban buyers, to whom modern design plays an important role. Though mechanicals remains the same and hence, the motorcycle will have the same driving capabilities.

The new Thunderbird 500X looks sporty and aimed at the younger buyers. It comes in bright-coloured fuel tank and blacked-out paint jobs treatment which adds to its sporty look. The motorcycle features projector headlamp, LED tail lamp, low-set, flat handlebar, 9-spoke alloy wheels and tubeless tyres.

 

In terms of proportions, the Thunderbird 500X is same as its regular model –2,040mm long, 830mm wide and 1,140mm tall. The motorcycle comes with a wheelbase of 1,350mm, while its kerb weight is 197 kg. The motorcycle is equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels shod in 90/90 profile tyre up front and an 18-inch wheel shod in fatter 120/80 profile tyre at the rear. Interestingly both the tyres are tubeless.

 

The seat of the Thunderbird 500X has been changed – it looks modern and has been designed to ride long distances with comfort. The perfectly positioned footpegs and handlebars reduce fatigue and give the rider a comfortable upright riding position. If we talk about the fit and finish of the components, it's decent like any other Royal Enfield motorcycles and the quality of the material used for switchgear is also impressive. The the comes with dual-pod part-digital instrument cluster which has a neat design layout and tells you everything you need to know.

The Thunderbird 500X has no mechanical changes from the regular Thunderbird, which means the performance is cruisers the same. Plenty of torque in the lower and mid range of the power band makes Thunderbird 500X remains motorcycle in the city and on the highway cruising. The balance between ride and handling has been well achieved and the motorcycle offers a good blend of both, with the focus more towards comfort.

 

The suspension system consists of telescopic, 41 mm forks in front and twin gas charged shock absorbers with 5-step adjustable preload suspension at the rear. The suspension setup the absorb most of the bumpy surfaces without any drama.

The new Thunderbird 500X will definitely enjoy a lot of road presence and attract the young RE enthusiasts.

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X returns an average mileage of 30 km/l which is good for this size of a motorcycle. With a 20-litre fuel tank, one can comfortably expect a cruising range of 600 kms.

Mechanically, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X continues to be powered by the same 499cc air-cooled, fuel injected single-cylinder engine that returns a peak power of 27.2hp at 5,250 rpm, and peak torque of 41.3 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox.

Braking duties are carried out by a 280-mm disc brake up front and a 240-mm disc brake at the rear, both of which are ventilated.

The new Thunderbird 500X will compete with the likes of UM Renegade Sports and Bajaj Dominar 400 in the Indian market.