Launch Report: 2012 Royal Enfield ThunderBird 500 & 350 – Price, Pictures & All Details

Royal Enfield launched its much anticipated and premium-most bike in India, 2012 Thunderbird 500. We updated you with live updates as soon as they happened from event. Below you will find a detailed launch report with all the details of the bike and more bike pictures from the event.

Thunderbird was first launched in 2002.

• Royal Enfield says that ThunderBird 500 is an outcome of the feedback given by highway cruisers.
• The company claims that ThunderBird 500 is suitable for long distance riding because of its range, braking, night riding visibility, luggage carrying capability etc.
• Royal Enfield is targeting the bike among tourers and time and again the ‘touring’ was used to emphasize the utility of the bike.
• ThunderBird 500 is powered by the same 499cc single cylinder 4 stroke Twinspark engine with Electronic Fuel Injection which does duty on Classic 500.
• The peak power and torque outputs are also exactly same at 27.2bhp @5250 rpm & 41.3Nm @4000 rpm.
• ThunderBird500 comes in 3 shades of black – Stone, Flicker and Twilight.
• The rear seat can be done away with to enhance load carrying capability
• Rear oval section swingarm has been redesigned
• Handle bar with vibration resistance
• ThunderBird 350 also gets updated with the new design theme
• Thunderbird 350 comes in 2 color options – Flicker & Twilight
• Thunderbird 350 doesn’t come with EFI
• The company claims a total range of over 500kms in a full tank of petrol for 500 and over 600kms for 350 (Obviously under test condition’*’)
• Royal Enfield also says that they have altered the footpegs and handle bars geometry and enhanced the overall riding posture for extremely comfortable long journeys.
• The new Thunderbird also comes with a redesigned pillion backrest
• Royal Enfield has stopped bookings of the older Thunderbird 350
• The company also mentioned that they are working on improving the service standards and overall experience would be bettered.
• The company also plans to launch the Cafe Racer sometime next year.

Features

• 55W Projector headlamps
• LED ring endowed tail lamps
• 20 Liter tank
• Bungee Cord mounts
• New footpegs with Royal Enfield Logo
• New design wider Rear View Mirrors
• 41mm thick front forks
• Blue backlit LCD display
• Two trip meters
• Hazard lamps – a first for an Indian manufactured motorcycle. (All 4 indicators glow at the same time)
• 240mm single caliper Rear Disc Brake

Thunderbird 2012 Edition Price:

• Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 : Rs 1,43,346
• Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 : Rs 1,82,571

At this price, Thunderbird 500 is approximately 30k+ costlier than Classic 500. And the new improvised Thunderbird 350 is approximately Rs 25,000 over the older Thunderbird 350.

All prices On-Road in Mumbai.

Royal Enfield MotorCycle Gear

Royal Enfield has also launched motorcycle gear which includes

• Riding Jackets
• Riding Denims
• Modular eye wear with ‘anti-fog’ treatment
• Headwear
• AGV branded Open and Full face
• Motorcycle boots
• Tee-shirts
• Polos
• logo pin badges

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 Specifications

Check out more 2012 RE Thunderbird 500 and 350 from the event.