The BS3 and BS4 models of the Classic 350, Bullet 350, and Thunderbird can now be updated with E20 fuel with a retrofit kit available at dealerships
Royal Enfield has presented E20 retrofit kits for the owners of its BS3 and BS4 motorcycles in the Indian market. This exercise is carried out to address the concerns related to the engine’s compatibility with the 20 percent ethanol-blended fuel. The E20 kits, priced at Rs 1,700 for the BS4 bikes, will be highly useful for older models of the Classic 350, Bullet 350, and Thunderbird, which come with carbureted UCE (Unit Construction Engine). Just so you know, Royal Enfield’s BS6 motorcycles are already E20 fuel compliant and do not require any conversion kit to adapt to the new fuel regulations.
The BS6 emission norms came into effect from April 1, 2020 in the Indian market. The company has already made it clear that all the motorcycles in its portfolio produced since then comply with the E20 fuel. Hence, these retrofit kits are aimed at BS3 and BS4 motorcycles with a 350cc engine which uses a carburetor. There is still on clarity on similar conversion kits for the 500cc models.
The E20 kits rolled out by Royal Enfield comprise of several components in the form of O-rings, tubes, and seals. These parts need to be replaced in the BS3 and BS4 motorcycles to prevent the accelerated wear of rubber and certain metal components due to the usage of increased ethanol content in the E20 fuel mandated by the Union government in India.
These E20 conversion kits are available at Royal Enfield dealerships across the country. In the case of 500cc models, there are no such specific retrofit kits available. However, the dealers recommended the updation of certain components of the fuel system to eliminate the potential blockages in the long run. It is advised to contact your nearest RE dealership for more information on the same.
It was widely reported in media that non-E20 fuel compliant models have witnessed a steep drop in mileage after using E20 fuel. And, hence it remains to be seen how impactful is this retrofit kit introduced by Royal Enfield and upto what extent it counters this dip in fuel efficiency. Although we expect minimal improvement as it is highly unlikely that mileage will bounce back to pre-E20 levels.
Presently, these kits are available in limited numbers as several dealers our friends at AutoCar India spoke to didn’t have them in stock. So, the existing owners of the older BS3 and BS4 motorcycles can get in touch with their local company dealer to check the availability of these E20 fuel conversion kits.
