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Royal Enfield Thunderbird Image

MouthShut Score

92%
4.17 

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Rs. 1,30,695 (Ex-Showroom)

Royal Enfield

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Royal Enfield Thunderbird Reviews

New Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350cc
Jul 07, 2013 12:42 AM 21290 Views

This is my 6th motorcycle, the 500 cc AVL being one of them,


So to start with,


1 - Booked last year in the month of June, received the motorcycle on the 1st of this month. I had to re-book as the earlier model was discontinued. That was done in the month of November 2012. To technically I waited for 7 months. Booking was done at Teknic motors at Bangalore.


2 - Had collected her at night so could not make out the issues. I knew there had to be, Royal Enfield is not complete without those. So the left Indicator was out of line, the headlight was too low, the gear shift lever was not positioned correctly.The left mirror kept moving out of position above speeds of 20kms.


3 - Got the gear shift lever and headlight corrected the next day Ditto with the left mirror but I am not happy with the gear shift lever. The heel part of the lever is too low, you need a boot to use it. If you are wearing formal shoes or sport shoes its not comfortable. Gear shift is not as clunky as the earlier bullets and in fact almost like a 100 cc motorcycle. If it was not for the Neutral indicator I would not have found the Neutral.


4 - The Instrumental console is pretty informative with clock, 2 Trip meters, Fuel gauge and a tacho. I have no idea why a bullet needs a tacho, I have still not touched 5000 rpms. It also had a side stand indicator but please note the Neutral Indicator/ Side stand indicator are not very visible in broad daylight. The console is always light in a cool blue.


5 - The headlight is very effective and well spread. My older 500 is nowhere close. The LED ring is pretty cool but kind of useless. The High beam is very focused as well.


6 - The 20 liter tank is a huge bonus. Especially on the highway. I have heard that the fuel gauge is not accurate but I have not yet found that issue. But a fuel gauge is better than no fuel gauge. My 500 does not have one and I have had pretty close times of running out of fuel during my touring. Since mine is just a few days old I cannot comment on the mileage.


7 - Less vibrations - I guess its more to do with the UCE (engine). Another plus point is that unlike the older engines there is no need for a separate gear oil. So less maintenance costs there. Its still pretty torquey. But of course its not a bullet without vibrations.


8 - Comfortable seating and very helpful rear seat which can be removed to a luggage carrier.


The rear back rest though is a bit small. Would be nicer if it was a bit more taller like the one of the Bajaj Avenger.


9 - Suspension is on the hard side but the sheer weight of the motorcycle absorbs most of the bumps. Very useful for Bangalore phenomenal bad roads.


10 - I also found the T-bird to be more stable than my 500. The 500 would be all over the place at speeds above 80kms. The tyres on the T-bird are also way better in terms of grip.


11 - The mirrors need a mention here, much much better visibility now but the engine vibrations can still cause blurriness over 40 kms. And thank God they are not the chrome kind.


12 - Except for the small niggles, I am very happy with the overall quality - paint, ride and build of the motorcycle. The black theme is very macho. Royal Enfield has improved over the decades and thats also the problem.....it has taken them decades.


So is it worth it? Well a Bullet demands a ton of patience and if you are looking to slow down in life and learn the finer points of the virtue of patience....then go for it. If you are looking for a hassle free, high mileage motorcycle....this is definitely NOT it.


Will post more details as I ride along........


22/7/2013 - UPDATE ONE


So far...One of the Electrical fuses blew and I managed to get it home. Since we knew the folks at Tecknic Motors, they send one of their mechanics - Imran and he got it up and running in no time. In case you face a similar issue, check under the main seat. There is also a spare 15A and 20A fuses as well in the fuse box.


Mileage is around 25kms per liter and now that  i have finished the first service it should improve.


The fuel gauge is not accurate. Guess I am stuck with that.


08/09/2013 - UPDATE TWO


The fuel gauge is wrong by miles!!!. When it starts to show low fuel..as in the last bar and blinking I still have another 7 liters left!!!


Had a puncture, rear wheel. Please be careful as it a bit difficult with the rear disk. If you notice, the saree guard has the provision of having the last railings removed for removal of the disk brake. Never let anyone open out the brake fluid line.


Rode in pouring rains, was in full rain gear including Tour-master boot covers. The brakes felt a bit spongy. But other wise no problems. Wish it had a bit more power. Maybe my 500 AVL and CBR 250 have spoiled me a bit.


Mileage is closer to 30 kmpl now.


14/10/2013 - Update Three


Rode to Pune and back. Mileage was hovering around 35kms. Was fully loaded with saddle bags, tank bag and the wife!


Both seats are highly uncomfortable in the long run. I am getting them both modified for more comfort.


Cruising at 80kmph was ok but if the roads are bad suggest you drop your speed to 50kms if the motorcycle was loaded with weight - pillion + saddle bags + tank bag etc etc.


Brakes are good but takes times to slow down due to the overall weight. My front fork is now a bit loose after the 1900 kms ride.


No other problems, touch wood.


Regards


Sandeep


A wonderful riding machine
Jan 14, 2013 03:24 PM 18119 Views

This is just a preliminary review. Done 250+ km's till date. Overall a good bike, excellent handling & power. An all terrain bike whether city road, highway, off road. Can't say about mechanical problems as the bike is new and has used it mainly in city and one small highway trip which included steep hilly area and some off road(night riding). No complaints on the performance till now.


Only drawback that I noticed is that its is very uncomfortable for the pillion rider, rear shockers are hard and the back rest is merely for show. It seems that the earlier TBTS model has a better back rest. My next review will follow soon after around 1000+ km's usage. The best part of this bike is the meter automation, looks of the meter, projection head lamps-very bright.


Overall an 8 on a scale of 10. Hope RE make the necessary changes about the drawbacks in this bike based on reviews written by people.


7th Feb, 2013 – A review after completion of 1200 km’s


Type of riding conditions – Mix(City roads as well as highways) even some rough, very bad road tracks.


I will not talk about visual appeal, drool factor etc because every RE rider/fan knows about it. I am happy with the looks of the bike and do not like to make alterations in exhaust pipe etc. The thump of the bike is fine and any louder it will be a pain. On all parameters the bike is a good performer.


As observed by me:


Pros – Good on Ghats(steep hilly areas). Optimum performance on highways specially when it gains speed / momentum. Not bad in fuel efficiency if power & CC is taken into consideration. Brake efficiency is good enough. Maneuverability in city traffic is good considering the weight factor of approximate 200kg’s but in bumper to bumper traffic slightly difficult to ride. Head lights are fantastic(both low and high beam).


Cons - Digital meter is tricky often giving wrong readings in fuel, service tool flashing etc. Analog meter is ok. Some minor quality issues like paint, engine coating but then it is expected from RE as normal quality issues. Tank is too big, can do with a little smaller one like 16 liters and the pillion back rest is not of sufficient height making it almost useless. Pillion seat is also not comfortable.


All in all The PROS weights over the CONS making it a desirable vehicle.


I am getting good response from the service centre(Brahma Motors, Pune) whenever I need their assistance. I have not found any other major issues till now. This bike is meant for enjoying the ride pleasure and everyone has their own way of doing it. I find it the best way is to cruise on highways etc with reasonable speed(60-80km’s) which serves two purposes. 1. Enjoy the ride 2. Have better control on the vehicle.


Further to the rating I posted in my previous review I will still rate this bike 8 points out of 10 points.


It is a vehicle to possess, cherish, love and enjoy. Meant for men and not for boys. I am sure RE and it’s motorcycles will not loose it’s charm for years to come. We RE fans will always love them. Happy riding. Cheers.


Update - 16 Dec 022 - The vehicle is still with me. Still going strong. No problem as such. I take good care of it so it serves me well. Never faced any major problem except breakage of clutch cable two times in last 10 years. Mileage is still consistent 40+ km /litre on highway runs.


Chennai India
This Machine is really ROYAL!!
Nov 24, 2012 04:50 PM 13406 Views

This is Karthik from Chennai. I got my thunderbird delivered on Nov 23rd after a waiting period of 6 months. The dealer committed delivery within 4 months but since the old TBTS 350 is taken off from the market I have to wait for another 2 months.


I have a TVS Victor 2002 model which is still doing good but this Thunderbird will give you a feeling as if you are the king of  the road. I have gone through couple of reviews in mouthshut where the users have expressed their displeasure about the build quality, vibration, maintenance.


Pls understand one thing, Royal Enfield does not advertise like the Honda or Bajaj. But still people are ready to tolerate the long waiting period which shows the value this engine delivers.


I have not checked the mileage till now but I assume it will deliver 40+ under city driving conditions. Driving comfort is too good which you will never get from the machines of Bajaj, TVS, Honda, Yamaha.... Digital Instrumentation is a good addition but am not sure about the accuracy of fuel gauge. Rear disc brake, 20 ltr fuel tank will give this machine a royal look which will be a head-turner when you drive it.


Am sure people who is yet to drive this machine will get addicted after a drive.


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