Bullet ThunderBird

But apart from power and speed what does one really expect from a cruiser???

The answer is comfort in seating good suspension and easy controls....

Guys let me say the thunderbird lacks these things. The company has to put a real thought into it if they really want a big chunk of the power lovers market.

Thought the Thunder Bird is extremely good looking and powerful it is not very comfortable to ride.The rear suspension is very hard hence making it a real pain for the pillion rider.The brakes and clutch levers are quiet stiff...hence makes it tiring after some time. And the typical oil leak from the block that the bullet has, still persists.All these issues put together dose not give it a comfortable ride where it comes to long distances.Nither can one zoom around in town due to its weight and suspension problem.

I believe it needs a bit more R&D to give it a WOW effect.

But hey I just love the bike... and if these issues are sorted with ....man its the best bike in the world and bullet owner will agree :-)

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Beast ......

I use this beast for office use as well as Long rodes ( rides vary frm 500 km to 200 km) , in different terrains . It satisfied me every time .

If you are going for new one , go with disc brake ( mine don t have ) . With periodic checkups , servicings you can trust this any time .

about mileage , City: don t know . It gave max on Gurgaon - Ajmeer highway 43-44 kmpl with pillion ( driving abobe 80 kmph ) !!!

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Lived in Delhi for a year and a half and bought me a Thunderbird. A beauty. Black and chrome. Rode it once down to Rajahstan, just across the border, and back to Delhi and I could have continued for several hours. It's such a wonderful bike to ride. Brought it back to Sweden when my assignment ended and thought that it would be easy to register such a modern bike in Sweden. BUT, Sweden being a part of EU is now cought up in rules and regulations that makes it impossible to have my lovely Thunderbird registred. It seems that my Thunderbird is the first ever in Europe and as it is not officially imported to Europe no one has ever had it tested and approved for EU. It is such a shame that the Thunderbird is not imported to Europe at all. It is only the Bullet, the 65 and the Electra being imported.

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I have always been a fan of the ’’Bike that Men Ride’’ - namely the Harley-Davidson/Red-Indian/Royal-Enfield. Unfortunately, since I am in India, the first two options are out, unless

of course you are stinking rich, and have the moolah to import one.

Of course, there is nothing to sneeze at any of the beauties from the Royal-Enfield stable.

After a very very very long time, I was able to finally realize my long time yearning. I am now the proud owner of a Royal-Enfield Thunderbird, that too one of the new generation bikes. Even though I was capable of going in for a 4 wheeler, I didn’t. Only because it is truly an experience to own one of those steeds from the Royal-Enfield stable.

I own a black beauty, and let me tell you. She’s an absolute looker and stunner. As they say, she truly is one black-beauty.

I mentioned that she was from the new generation. And let me tell you, it really really looks much much much better than the older generation Thunderbirds. What hits you from a distance is the dual-tone decals on the bike. Silver colored decals adorn the bottom sides of the tear-drop shaped beauty of a petrol tank. The same can also be seen on the sides of the battery-guard and the side of the tool box.

When you near the beauty, another amazing feature that hits you is the ’’Royal Enfield’’ writing that has been written in chrome-shining boldface, and feels like like it has been embossed on the petrol tank. The older generation had a measly sticker, which you’ll instantly dislike once you see the newer beauty. It is truly an altogether different experience when you run your fingers on those boldfaces. The feeling is just indescribable.

The Thunderbirds come with optional Front-Wheel-Disc-Brakes and Electronic-Start. I have gone in for both of them. Let me tell you, both are really important, especially the Front-Wheel-Disc-Brakes. I recently almost got involved in a fender-bender with a car where I was doing about 50, and if not for the Front-Wheel-Disc-Brakes, would have been a nasty accident to get out of to.

There is a very very generous amount of chrome all over the bike, along with two mounted dials on the front panel (one houses the speedometer and the odometer, while the other houses the rpm-tachometer).

Even though she weighs in at a 187kgs on a full tank and full oil (apparently the dry weight is about 168kgs), the bike is amazingly easy to control, thanks to the extremely confortable bucket-type seats. I have had absolutely no problems controlling this beauty till date even in the hopeless and highly irresponsible traffic in Bangalore.

In fact, owning any of the Royal-Enfield stable’s steeds itself will make you a better driver. It will make you appreciate the sense of responsbility that comes with it. I know I appear to be patronizing here, but then, I myself feel that I have learned to be a much more careful rider than I was before I owned the Bullet. And that is a good thing.

She initially did have some ’’teething’’ problems. Like there used to be regular oil leaks from below the engine. This got corrected after the first service when the highly helpful and understanding mechanics at the Royal-Enfield workshop explained what the problem was, and replaced the faulty gaskets of the engine.

The experience of owning this beauty was so much that one weekend, I took her on a long ride intending to just do about 20 kms roundtrip. But then, the experience was so exhilarating that I totally forgot about checking the distance, and found that I almost did 50 kms one way. Yup, that is right, I ended up doing 100 kms roundtrip, when I intended to do just 20. Hahaha.... the only negative from that was, I got all hopelessly sunburnt. But then, I dont mind it, because the experience needs to be experienced, and can’t be described in words.

The gear shifting has been shifted to the left hand side, while the rear-wheel drum-based braking is on the right-hand-side. Hence shifting from any other 2 wheeler japanese bike shouldn’t be any problem.

I should say here this: treat her like a princess, treat her with love, talk to her, caress her, take very very good care of her, and she’ll make sure that puts on ALL her charms when you ride her.

If you need to visualize when I mean above, I suggest you see the movie ’’Gone in 60 Seconds’’. There is a shot where Nicholas Cage sweet talks to a 1967 Shelby GT 500 which is beautifully called Eleanor.

I dont think I can even name a single thing that I dislike about this bike. There isn’t any. Absolutely.

Ok, I can think one single niggling problem I used to have initially - the bike’s gear transition system features false gears between the main drive-gears (sort of an intermediate neutral between gears) which have been provided so that you go to an intermediate neutral in a hurry, like when you are forced to apply sudden brakes. Unfortunately, whenever I used to engage the higher gears, the higher false gear would always engage, which you do not realize, until you accelarate again, in which case the engine snarls from the sudden jump in the engine rpms when the gear system hasn’t engaged the engine. Of course, this is an extremely minor point, which is also a very personal preference. The folks at the Bullet workshop fixed this in a 2 minutes.

Hmmm... I am supposed to suggest ’’Who should buy this vehicle’’. What can I say - if I had my way - EVERYBODY. :D

Ok, more seriously, loving the Royal-Enfield is something like liking Beer (which incidentally I don’t :( - please do not send me hate mails regarding this :D ). You either like it, or you dont. Loving any of the Royal-Enfield’s steeds is a love that is inborn. You’re born with it. I’ve been told that its probably something that can be gained ... but then I seriously doubt it.

But then, if you love the macho image of the Royal-Enfields, and are looking for something more modern, the Thunderbird is THE bike for you. Go for it, and do not think twice about it.

Damn! Royal Enfield. The very word itself evokes indescribable feelings.

After just 2 months now, my feeling is ’’KIDS RIDE CHEAP JAP BIKES - MEN RIDE THE BULLET’’

That is exactly what you will feel.

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After a long wait .. I finally bought a new thunderbird.. before deciding on buying TB I almost read 30 to 35 reviews in various websites and almost all reviews in mouthshut..

one thing I want to say about it is .. its not the proper way to read reviews and decide about thunderbird.. just testride it once and u need no review..

I bought my new red/silver Tb in dec and I already completed 1300kms .. and I just love riding it.. planning for a long drive soon..

Initially I was not happy about the thump and now that I have changed the silencer to retro... its awesome .. really awesome to ride my bullet...

I too found a minor leak initially but its just a matter of changing the gasket which costs u hardly 100 bucks..

The mileage is good ( I havent checked it ) and the power, road grip and riding grip are great.. ( please dont compare with pulsar , unicorn etc..--only kids compare a bullet with dolls)..

And i'm sure .. riding a bullet (TB) is a lifetime exp.. one should def get this.. and one more apprehension is that bullet is for people with 6ft and 90kg wt.. Noooo

u know,

My girlfriend drives my thunderbird yaar..

so .. u just need guts and desire... u can enjoy life..

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Purchased a Black Thunderbird with Disc Brakes on 15th Nov 05, i.e approx 15 days back.Costed me 90K,On Road -Pune. Purchased it from J Williams, one of the oldest and renowned Auto dealer in Pune.

Oh Man what a bike it turned out to be!! Had shortlisted Karizma too. But One test ride of Thunderbird, made me forget any other bike. Even for test rides!!

Its like taming a beast,a beast with 346 cc and 18bhp at its disposal - Sheer Power.

Its 160kgs heavy ,offering you good sturdy balance.

Inspite of being tall and heavy it offers an Excellent Handling on crowded roads.

Seat is buck type and is broad offering a comfortable and tireless ride to rider.

Black Thunderbird I purchased has a slight green tinge(which is visible only in daylight,that too if observed very carefully)With lot of chrome on sides, front and rear giving it a true classy look.

Braking system with disc brakes is excellent, bringin the beast to halt in no time. I would strictly recommend Disc brakes over drum brakeshich brings beast to halt in no time. I would recommend Disc brakes as drum brakes are not that effective.

When I purchased Thunderbird, I filled in 10Ltrs of Petrol, which gave me average of 43 kmpl!!!!And am not exagerrating a bit. But this was possible only by strictly adhering by the rules led down for riding during run in period, i.e not to cross 50KMPH mark etc etc.

So far damn satisfied with my valued purchase, and its amazing features/aspects(not to mention the additional benefits of head turns on roads, that ego boost which can be achieved only by owning a Royal Enfield and that extra glance on signals !!)

So guys, if you have the moolah and want to go for power biking, Thunderbird is the right choice.Dont think further.

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Lets see whats the one thing that comes into our mind when we say cruiser bikes the ans is non other than the big boss harley davidson.well here is a bike which can is unbeatable for an cruiser bike on indian roads so we can easily say that the thunderbird is the big boss of indian roads we are talking about an engine of 350 cc engine, a bike that can reach speeds upto 110 km/h without any hesitation, and the pride of owning an royal enfield. each and everything of the bike is plane amazing in its class except one that is the gear shaft its too small for such an huge bike or else the bike is plain unbeatable.Anyone who has a desire for owning a cruiser bike should go for it without second thoughts and for those who like light weight with all due respect dont even think about this bike.

NOTE;once you get it you will get addicted to it so just remember to keep your safety gear with you coz the bike respects those who know to respect the their life and others and of course the bike ''happy and safe ridding''

''I AM EXTREMELY SORRY FOR ANY SPELLING MISTAKES''

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It has been over a month since I bought this bike, and I should say I am really a happy man ever since!! You couldn't want more when almost everyone around you is staring at your bike when you stop at traffic signals. The new Thunderbird that was launched recently is what I have. It has a splash of silver along with the normal colour, Royal Enfield is written in shining boldface (the older one had a measly sticker), the shock absorbers are enhanced and the ignition circuit is different (this is not an enhancement since the new circuit necessarily requires at least a small amount of battery charge to start up). There is an option for electric start too, but I don't think its targeted at men. The styling and the positioning of the rider are what make the Thunderbird stand out, and the effect has only got better with the new version. There is generous chrome all over, and the two protruding dials in the front make the picture look complete. Compare that with the Enticer or the Avenger which have only one dial. It makes the guy look like he is holding a begging bowl.

The best part of the bike is that in spite of its weight (163kg) and its 346 cc engine, control is never a problem. Infact I sometimes feel they could have jolly well packed in more power. The weight and the size of the bike have to an extent been underutilized. Gear shift is on the left and brake is on the right. So starting off with it is no different from any other bike. This to an extent has undermined the classical awe associated with a Bullet, which is definitely a loss that Royal Enfield could have done without.

Also the bike requires constant attention - screws very often get loose. There is one design issue too. The left footrest is a bit too large, and the trouser often gets stuck in that when you need to place your foot down. This is not just annoying but even dangerous at times.

Overall I will say the Thunderbird is for those who want their bike to make a statement. Don't go for it if you are looking for a commuter vehicle that gives 50+ mileage. Right now I am getting a mileage of around 32, and that is after the first servicing. I started off with just 27!! Buy it if you can be generous with cash, not just for the initial purchase but ever afterwards too. With a bike like this you will always like to take the long route!!

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Iam a poud owner of a new Thunderbird 2005 model which is around 93k on road in chennai bought from Southern Motors anna nagar. I was a fan of Yamaha 100 and 135 which I owned too. After riding yamaha no one will go for any other cheap a-- bike like pulsar, cbz etc. so I went for Thunderbird which gives the Pickup and power more than that of Yamaha and the pride of driving and owning an Enfield. One good bike to invest on. The best part is there is no fibre work in the bike everything is metal so it will not go away useless or start making sound like that of two years old pulsar or CBZ. I swear the looks and whenever I wait in the signal there will be atleast 3-5 ppl asking me about the bike performance. Once I raced with a Pulsar 180 cc on the way to Pondicherry in ECR Iam gone. I Love my bike and Iam satisfied on investion 93k on the bike which will be worth for atleast 5 years. Thanks and I mean my comment.

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The thunderbird is the best bike u can u buy in india,thats the reason for me to buy this bike.I actually planned to buy a karizma,but my dream to buy a royal enfield forced me to visit the showroom and take a test ride.The first impression was when I sat on the bike,the bike felt like a car on two wheels,the huge seats you so comfartably that a lounge bar sofa fades away in shame.The performance was amazing,inspite me been a CBZ rider for 4 years.What I like in this bike,is the great looks ,the powerful engine and the comfartable seat,the seat to handle relationship feels like its been made in heaven.The only weakness in the bike is the front suspension which feels harsh and the company fitted silencer feels its been made by TVS .The company recommended Retro fit silencer is the best for the bird,with it sounds the best.My driving experience has been great with the bike,i forgot my car permanently,let it be rain,heat or cold,the bird has been my partner,which can never down you.I recommend this bike to everyone who respect the Great Marque,which we should thank for getting in such a bike.The bike is not suitable for those have problem of driving a heavy bikes,this bike weighs 176 kgs,so it may feel a bit hard for senior people and short people.But once u get used to it,this will change ur outlook towards biking.

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I recently bought the new fully loaded Thunderbird in Delhi and it has been an experience riding the same. I earlier test-rode 2 more pieces of same model, but the rattling vibrations scared me to an extent that I was on verge of buying a Karizma instead. Just a day before I was about to buy the Karizma, I chanced to visit Jhandewalan in New Delhi. So just thought of taking another test-ride at Ess Aar motors, the largest sellers of Royal Enfield in India. And, my perceptions were completely changed. The ride was fabulous, I rode on the most bumpy roads around, but the ride was smooth as cake. There were no irritating vibrations and the seating was as comfortable as it could be for a 6 feeter like me. I later came to know that earlier I had rode untuned bikes so felt so scared about vibrations. The new Thunderbird I felt had much less vibrations, more deeper and melodious grunt, extremely fabulous shock absorbers and the comfortable ride as usual.

Its now 15 days with my Bird and am enjoying every moment with it. The looks are awesome and catch attention everywhere. The Red-Silver Royal couch is quite regal and makes you feel like a king on road.

I would come up with further insights into this royal machine as I spend more time with it. But as of now, no significant problems.

I filled my tank with 14 litres of Speed and got 500 kilometers when I refilled another 3 litres. So the mileage is at least 36 kmpl before first service. This is in city driving conditions.

For those having any apprehensions about this bike, do take a test ride once more. In Delhi, visit Ess Aar Motors and talk to Mr RMS Rawat. The roads around offer ample scope to test Thunderbird in toughest road conditions as well. And Mr Rawat arranged for a properly tuned Thunderbird for testride.

Another caution - do buy a strong leg-guard. I had a near-fatal accident in Highway, and the leg-guard saved my leg and my engine.

If you really want a comfortable royal ride and ample head-turns, look nowhere else. Its price is higher than fiber bikes and Avenger, but in long run and as a personality statement, it would payoff much more.

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I bought the beast in Dec 2003. So have enough good experience on this. This is my first bike. But have ridden many other two wheelers including Luna. I ride this in Bangalore City and of course for escaping from the maddening traffic in Bangalore.

Reason for purchase: I was looking for a bike which has enough power and comfortable riding. The cruiser style is what would suite this. I had two options for this: Enticer and Thunderbird. Enticer had larger wheel base for small CC and bhp. This means power is not enough to drive the bike for longer distance. The Royal Enfield make here wins over the others hands down. 350CC with 18 bhp ofcourse for 168 kgs is more than enough for me to ride 500+ kms in one day!

The oterh misc reson was the mileage v/s power. TB gives more mileage than many other bikes which have smaller CC and bhp. So obviously this was the best option that I had. Ofcourse this is Royal Enfield make.....

Likings: Ease of handling in city driving conditions. You may not believe this, I find this much easier than riding Yamaha 135CC in Bangalore traffic. One fact is that this is well balanced vehicle. Also, when bullet is coming people would give way. This is something I liked a lot. On many turns I bend so much that my foot rest touches the ground and nothing happens to the bike.

Driving experience This is something that varies from people to people. I ride this bike gently. I don't race it in city or outside. I took on a continuous 3 day ride across Karnataka as far as Karwar to Mangalore to Bangalore all together about 1600 kms. Next day I was in the office. So no back pains nothing. I have touched the speeds of 125 kmph continuously for about 5 mins. Coz good roads don't last longer ;)

Who should and shouldnt: There are roumours that u need physique and personality to ride bullet. This is far from true. Bullet is such a nice beauty that it can be handled by anybody. Only problem could be to reach the ground while sitting.

My bike still gives me mileage of 42 kmpl in City and 48 kmpl on long drives. This is coz I don't go beyond 3500 rpm. This is something one should bother for good mileage.

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One thing I realised during the runin period is that you need to be areful the way you handle it.

Things to watch out:

1) First 500 kms dont cross 2000 RPM at all gears. That ensures you remain within speed limits as specified in the manual

2) Dont ignore the importance of run in. Just follow the rules. You wil benefit in th elong run

3) Keep a close watch on oil ad fuel leaks. Fix them ASAP once you notice

4) Make sure you are always fuelled enough. I ran out of gas once. Its a LOTSAAA hard work pushing it around physically. you better be strong and fit. This one's heavy.

5) Just dont cross 50 kph in 1st 500 kms and 60KPH in next 1500 kms.

6) in 1st servicing, make sure you have mechanic smoothen the gear shifting piece

7) Check if the fuel gauge top cover. Its of fibre. The rim on my bike flaked off alot very early.

Nazar utar lo bike ki -U get lotsa stares and subdued gasps from people when on road.

Great handling. I got a mileage of close to 44 on the Pune - Mumbai highway riding at 50-60 kph(still in run in period)

get the 3 line crashguard looks good. and you will need the protection as another boarder piinted out.

The brakes are good and responsive. No nasty surprises like in a new pulsar or karizma.

get a pair of biking gloves on long rides. The handle is a bit rough

Kick start - very smooth start.

Enjoy heaven - This ones a traffic stopper. Great for the EGO. One feels like a king nothn else

Feels like GOD - Oh yes - bullet should have picked the tagline earlier. Suits the TB not an impostor like the Avenger

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I was contemplating to buy bike - The option - HeroHonda, Pulsar, Honda and likes

Test ride on Thunderbird - No second thought - just go for it.

One of the satisfied owner since Novemeber'04.

Absolutely trouble free bike so far. Good average (40 KMPL in city condition). Needs a little careful handling in terms of understanding of the working of the bike.

Perfect bike for a city condition.

People who wants comfort and style with a brand should go for it.. Its a bike for the passionate lot. Its a statement.

People who want the sell it off after a while.. stay away.. that will be an insult. Its a bike with an attitude so pls understand ur style and personality before going for it..

Irrespective of whether u're skinny or heavy built, its the way you ride it defines the outlook.

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I have always been an Royla Enfield fan all my life. But when I got my 1st bike, Bullets still used to come with a Right gear shift. After riding a Yam Rx 135 (5 Speed) for 5 yrs I finaly bought a Thunderbird last month. And let me tell u one thing, this is the best bike ever.

It has the gud old 350 cc engine which gives out 18bhp and a 5 speed gear box (which is on t left). Though many complain that the bike lacks the classic thump of the old bullets, I feel the thunderbird has its own distinct thump and for people who need the gud old thump, they can always put the electra silencer. one thing I felt was that the bike could have come with gas filled shocks and electric starter cause the price I fell was overpriced. I paid 86 K for it.

But anyway this is one of the best bikes around, though the 500cc is there still that has the old cast iron engine, rt gear shift and maintanenace is a pian

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I didn't get any other space where I cud have written my opinion about Avenger..i I thought if nayone going for a cruiser sud visit this page n read my atricle.

Avenger is just not one more cruiser,its perfect for cities even like delhi..though there are cons pros weight more.

I bought Avneger on Aug 3rd .I had my eyes on market for two months n Avenger didn't get launch here but I Noida it was available..i wanted a delhi number So waited for a while n it paid me it was about thousand bucks lesses in Delhi.

Pros

looks awesome..people will definately keep looking n envy for sure..the style is gr8

the position of leg gears n brake makes you feel sitting on royal chair

Beam light is very powerful

mileage in 37-40kmpl

pillion have most comfortable back seat though bit small..hope ur gal friend is not a bull-dozer

180cc is more than enough to zoom on city roads

cons

huge turning radius...u can't zip ride..u have to be bit careful...if car can zip ride..its afterall a bike..

i had problem my trousers stucks in gear-paddle..it can happen with any bike I guess

lesser mileage--who cares after u have invested so much...

no engine stop button..u have to bend down to do the same.i'm tall 6'2..but can't reduce my height..

no turning siren..

handle lock n engine lock are diff n are on sides...so have to do kinda car locking...

but overall I had taken the best decision of going for Avenger...though I had options like fazer TVS-fx2

CBZ thunderbird...but I guess it pars everyone in the domain....happy riding

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Ive been a Royal Enfield enthusiast forever. Being raised in various cantts around the country, I grew up with em around me and always yearned to own one. Mothers being mothers, mine wasnt too keen on me owning the 'army walli bike' hence I got stuck with a Bajaj Pulsar 180.

Still my heart yearned for the beast! A few years and about 10 accidents later, my mother finally relented. By this time the Thunderbird had established itself in the market. My mind did not need any choices. Though being an old school Royal Enfield fan, I realised the advantages of the AVL engine, the gear/brake side shift etc. Of course the styling classifies the Thunderbird into India's first ''Man Chopper'' unlike the Avengers and the Enticers of the world!

Contrary to the cribs of people regarding obsolete technology, heavy maintainence, sluggish rides, the Thunderbird is as smooth as a Royal Enfield stable bike can get. It underlines your presence on the city roads like no other bike can. People cant help but sit up and take notice. And as for the highway...oh what better site than a lonely bull coming down that winding road!

Its like the old ad of the Bullet said

LET THE BOYS RIDE THE TOYS....A MAN'S BIKE IS STILL A BULLET

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Hi! This is Nagesh .

Just test drove a Thunderbird last week . This was my first bullet ( depends as many RE lovers do not consider a Thunderbird a bullet at all vis- a vis the Electra and the Machismo !)

Well! It was really an awesome experience. I grew up in the two wheeler riding segment very traditionally ! I drove a Kinetic Honda for nearly 9 years and then moved on to a KB Caliber which I have been driving for the past six years. I am now daydreaming about moving on to the Thunderbird !

The first thing I felt was the weight . Boy was it heavy . Whatever doubts I had on the handlability of this bike vanished the moment I started to drive. I had a few tense moments on the first few kilometers and soon my tentativeness began to vanish being replaced by pure appreciation !

The Bile just pulls along and it is power on demand . Even at 70 -80 Kmph you have absolutely no vibrations and the engine is still at a low RPM! The Disc Brakes in the front brings the bike to a complete stop sans the screeches and the skidding even at 70 kmph. No problems there absolutely.

The shocks could do with a bit of improvement. The exhaust is too close to the foot stand on the right and this caused my right shoe to burn . ( Maybe it is because I wear an oversize Size 11 !) This could do with some fine-tuning. The Lights go really low when on idling.

Overall a very good and a positive experience. !

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=Update after 1000 kms====================================

So, how do I feel after 1000kms on the machine? As good as it was the day I bought it!!! Here are my learnings:

1. It is a man's machine. Ride the bike. Ur bum will get adjusted soon enough.

   
   




2. Polish the chrome regularly. I do it once a week. U are gauranteed to get drooling looks.

   
   




3. Shri Mahadev Agencies in Noida from where I bought the devil is awesome on service.

   
   




4. If you ride much, get a disc brake. I got one and find it very useful.

   
   




5. Still haven't got the starting correct. Somedays it starts at half a kick, sometimes it needs 1o-15 kicsk to start. I have a feeling that it doesn't start if I have my helmet on when I kick start it. Pretty loony, but I intend to test my hypothesis a bit more.

   
   




6. Yes, the world does give way to a bullet!!!

   
   

======================================================

Ok, so this is what I feel about the red beauty after the first service: Awesome.

The only gripe I have is that quality of chroming is not too great and the rear seat backrest has started to rust. A bit of polish with Nickel powder seems to have controlled it for the time being, but for a bike this expensive, I was expecting better finish.

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Hi

I am 32 and last drove a bike (a 100-moped as the RE lovers lovingly call the indo-jap two wheelers :)) nearly 10 years ago. However, ever since I can recall, I had always wanted to own a ''bullet''. However, it probably would have always remained one of those wishes that you never fulfill, but for a chance visit to a national park in US about a month ago. Just ahead of my car were a bunch of guys in their harleys and I just knew it then and there that I was going home and buying the thunderbird the first thing.

So, here I am with a new red thunderbird. How am I liking it? Enoromously :) Why? Because it commands respect. It is like AB. There may be other bikes which are more comfortable, better built, more efficient, but then they are not enfields.

On a more serious note, I think I am going to get some additional foam on the seat as they are not very comfortable (especially because my bums are now used to comfy office chairs and car seats). I read at some of the reviews that it is good idea to replace the shockers with nitrogen filled ones. I think that is a sound advice as the default shockers could do with some improvements.

The exhaust, well, I am not sure whether I like the somewhat muffled sound this TB produces over the shorter exhausted bullet. But once it roars into action, it is very deep.

I love the rear view mirrors and the instrument controls. The start is easy and does not try to break your leg. My wife, who loves riding the TB even more than I do, can start it at one go.

The engine run-in period is very frustrating because you are not expected to take it beyound 60-70 kph and trust me this is very frustrating. You just know that the animal within the AVL engine is dying to break free. But then c'est la vie.

Like others have reported, the engine cluttering does exist, but it seems to be going down with every km that I am adding on to the bike. I have a feelign that it will be negligible if I run in the engine properly, though only time will tell if I am correct or not.

All in all, it is what I had imagined it to be.

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I last visited this site when I was looking out for a bike which could fulfill my needs. My needs were simple not typical though. Typical needs for an Indian bike buyer would be good looking, good mileage, good pick-up, etc etc for a dirt cheap price for a stupid jap bike. Yes, that’s not typical of me, you can’t ask for the world and pay peanuts for that. My reason to opt for a bullet was the strong influence this bike had on my past which being the long rides, cruises and tours that I’ve had on the Std 350s, 500s, Machismos. Royal Enfield has been exemplary in this sense. They have evolved slow but not once have they failed to infuse with every bike manufactured decades n decades of heritage as you ride these beasts with such a simple and sorted out mechanism called BULLET. All kudos to british engineering which over the previous 100 yrs gave us brands like Enfield, Norton, BSA and Triumph

Two bikes from Royal Enfield have allured me into buying one of them. One being Thunderbird and the other being Machismo. Both these bikes have the same configuration and the same engine. Machismo looks more of stereotype bullet but T’bird just looks and feels good n different. Bike comes with a constant vacuum carburetor which helps you kick start the bike lot more easily. The aesthetics of the bike are pleasing to the eye because of sufficient chrome at the right places and battery being tucked in neatly behind a cover. The tyres especially the rear are mammoth and provide excellent road grip and control even during monsoons and roads covered with sand and gravel which would make most of the other Indian bikes skid. People have criticized it because they have tried so very hard to see and feel a cruiser in it. I believe this one is a real good bike and the only mistake Royal Enfield made when launching this vehicle was by branding it as a cruiser. From the day I saw the bike and test rode it, I’ve never perceived it as a cruiser but have accepted it for what it is…and which it is and is capable of providing is- A sheer pleasure of a ride. Below are few of the things that I have seen people commenting negatively about in their reviews. Find my comments/solutions on them:

• This bike makes you sit pretty elevated and straight and not low hung like typical cruisers. Don’t know about others but I prefer this posture. At least I don’t have to raise my feet from the foot rest to change gears (like in enticer and now avenger) which could be a pain in the as in Bangalore’s traffic. This posture makes you sit upright instead of slouching.

• The silence juts out a bit too long for one’s liking and also muffles the engine thump to meet the new emission norms. A lot of people I know prefer this. And they may be right. This bike could be a classic in the making with this kinda silencer look and sound. Solution: You can change this to a retro/bottle neck silencer.

• The seat is hard when you go for a long ride. Solution: Get some extra foam on to those seats.

• Thunderbird uses the AVL engine built in collaboration with AVL Corp of Austria, a leader in engine manufacturing. The aluminum engine is less heavy than the iron cast engine used in standard bullets and electras but in return offers better mileage, higher top end speed and a lot better pick up. The one problem this engine has the clatter (sound) produced. If you can live with this, then t’bird is definitely your beast to own. TB is AVL engine and the push rod (Al) expands more when the engine is hot, makes clatter.

Sol: 1) You may change the cam gears, but after 10000km, the sound will re-appear.

2) Adjust the tappet when the engine is little hot.

3) If you know some good engineering workshop mechanic in your area, then make a Steel pushrod (should be identical to old TB push rod). Adjust the tappet when the engine is full hot....Wear a helmet to further curb the noise. Issue fixed.

• I use the decompress knob to turn off the bike. Even when I’m waiting for the signal to show green, using decompress to kill the engine helps me start the bike with ease in one single attempt. This completely eliminates the need to have a self starter. Anyways, kick starting your bike is good for the engine and should be used on cold engines even if you have a standard bullet or Electra with the self start option. The rare backlashes are not as severe as the older models of bullets.

• A few are not happy with the handle bar not being high and cruiser look and feel like. Solution: Change the handle bar to the Lightning 535 cc one. But handling the bike within the city is better with the standard T’bird handle.

• Upgrade your rear shocks to the gas filled Nitro gas filled shocks which you can exchange directly from the dealer when buying your Bird. The brand is Endurance. This will cost you around 1800/- Rs. This makes all the difference about how you feel when you hit real patchy and bumpy roads.

• Fit the Bosch Super 4 spark plug. Conventional Spark plugs are single electrode and get dirty very soon requiring cleaning. The Bosch super 4 is a 4 electrode spark plug which fits into T’bird and Machismos without any alteration. Have a look at the link below:

https://aa.bosch.de/advastaboschaa/Product.jsp?prod_id=76&ccat_id=26&language=e
n-GB&publication=1

The engine runs smoother the difference was immediately evident. The engine starts a lot better, sounds better, runs a lot better and returns great mileage too. This plug costs a mere 120 bucks.

Let me tell you something. Thunderbird is an awesome vehicle even without any or all of the alterations/changes I’ve mentioned. As I mentioned before, this is not a cruiser and don’t expect to be one because cruisers have a typical image created by generations of Harleys and Indians. Indian manufacturers are no where close to that segment yet. Thunderbird is an awesome vehicle nevertheless which will let you pick up fast enough to shy away most of the jap bikes in Indian market and be able to reach a top end speed of 120 on the odometer without throwing any tantrum. This bike is rock steady at high speeds and the disc brakes (a must have) are the best. It gives you the control and confidence to dare those speeds with confidence. Also note that this is a 18 bhp 350 cc engine. But still, the oil does not leak like in the standard bullets and the nuts and bolts remain pretty much intact compared to the other RE models. I’m saying this coz of the hue and cry made in these forums by a lot of people for the lack of thump in t’bird. The low thump leading to lesser vibration is what actually does not lead to oil leak and nuts staying where they should be. So would you discard a model only because it does not have a typical bullet’s thump though it has a better pick up, has a better top end speed and gives a better mileage(38-45 km/ph) compared to all other bullet models. And by the way, t’bird has a thump.

But much more suppressed and unique in its own way. This is another classic in the making. I’m happy I have one for this life time and will pass it on to my generations to cherish this just like my dad passed on his legacy( A standard 350) to me when I was 14. For once my mechanic doesn’t ask me if I was unwell if I don’t turn up to his garage once a week which used to be the norm with my early Iron Horse.

Bottom Line: Don’t get influenced by what people have to say about any model of RE. Go for what your heart believes in. RE rules essentially.

Merry Thumping folks!

Drive Safe…Always wear a helmet.

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