RE Thunderbird, Bullet, Classic 500 discontinued as the 500cc engine that powers them won’t be updated to BS6…
So it was in the air but it was not confirmed. Royal Enfield’s update of the older pushrod 350cc engine to BS6 further left everyone confused. However, here comes the official word from the maker…
Royal Enfield has announced that it will make the single cylinder 500cc UCE engine ONE LAST TIME and that is before the Bharat Stage 6 cut-off date. This is a direct confirmation that this 500cc engine will NOT be upgraded to BS6 emission norms and hence can not be sold from April 2020 onwards.
This also directly means that all the standard 500cc Royal Enfield motorcycles have been discontinued from the market – a hint of which we first got when RE deleted them from its official booking website (more details).
So, the Classic 500, Thunderbird 500 and Bullet 500 have breathed their last, at least on this engine. This 500cc motor was launched around 2007 and was last updated to Euro 4 or Bharat Stage 4 compliance in 2017.
2020 RE Classic 350 BS6 Specs Revealed
When it was launched, it was one of the most powerful engine Royal Enfield ever produced. However, with the introduction of the new twin cylinder 650s, the equation has changed. Royal Enfield is expanding the lineup of respective 350 cc motorcycles with new shades (and few features) to bridge the vacuum that has been created. For example, apart from the price hike on the new Classic 350 BS6, the model now spans across Rs 17,000 (against Rs 10,000 of the older model).
BS4 to BS6 – Here Are 8 Changes on the 2020 Himalayan
For the lovers of this engine, there is one last chance that the maker is providing with the limited edition Classic 500.