Spied – Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 caught in lens at Chennai

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Just a day before, we posted an article saying that Shah Rukh Khan rides Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 in Yash Chopra’s latest upcoming untitled film shot in London. Now the company seems to be committed to launch as the Thunderbird 500 was recently caught testing in Chennai. Thanks to Motor Vikatan on FB page for the snap.

Iconic motorcycle maker Royal Enfield first unveiled matte-black Thunderbird 500 at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo which was the showstopper at the Royal Enfield pavilion. Though the price has not been officially announced we assume it to be priced close to INR 2 lakhs, for it features an impressive amount of kit, including the follows;

  • The engine now sees black powder coating
  • An instrumentation console with dual digital tripmeters
  • Completely redesigned seat which offers better seating posture
  • Lock mechanism to open the seats
  • Pillion seat can be removed to carry more bags and ride longer trips!
  • Bungee hooks, useful when cruising towards long destinations
  • Handlebar modified for better ergonomics
  • Royal Enfield logo on the all new foot-pegs
  • New design mirrors and the LED tail lamp
  • The main ignition lock also functions as a central steering lock
  • Hazard lamps in the switch gear, a first for a motorcycle manufactured in India
  • The new headlight with a 55W projector lamp for its low beam and a 55W halogen bulb for the high beam
  • 41mm thick forks in front and an oval section swingarm at the rear to allow the rider to handle the additional power.
  • The biggest surprise is the addition of the rear disc brake. The braking system is supplied by Bybre, a fully owned subsidiary of Brembo.
  • Large 20-liter fuel tank with the tank cap placed asymmetrically on the top right hand side of the tank, instead of the conventional central mounting; another distinctive styling element of the Thunderbird 500.

All these changes are primed to make the Thunderbird 500 a truly superb cross country tourer. The styling though, seems to be heavily inspired by a certain Harley Davidson Sportster. It will be launched in India sometime in 2012 and once it meets the Indian demand will start exports.

Under the skin, the Thunderbird 500 features a fuel injected, twin spark 500cc unit construction engine produces a peak power of 27.2 Bhp and delivers a prodigious peak torque of 41.3 Nm. The engine is mated to a five speed gearbox and uses maintenance free hydraulic tappets. (See more pictures and technical specifications of Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500, below the jump)

 

Also see – 2012 Auto Expo – Royal Enfield unveils the Thunderbird 500

 

See more pictures of Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 –
Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 - 001     Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 - 002     Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 - 003     Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 - 004

 

Technical specification of Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 –

Engine Specifications

  • Displacement:   499cc
  • Engine:   499cc, 4-Stroke
  • Maximum Power:   27.2 Bhp @ 5250 rpm
  • Maximum Torque:   41.3 Nm @ 4000 rpm
  • Gears:   5 Speed
  • Cooling Type:   Air Cooling

Dimensions

  • Length:   2060.00 mm
  • Width:   895.00 mm
  • Height:   1300.00 mm

Other Specifications

  • Weight:   195.00 kg
  • Ground Clearance:   135.00 mm
  • Fuel Tank:   20.00 ltrs
  • Wheelbase:   1350.00 mm
  • Electrical System:   NA
  • Headlamp:   55W projector headlamp
  • Battery Type:   Maintainance Free
  • Battery Voltage:   12V
  • Battery Capacity:   14Ah
  • Wheel Type:   Spoke
  • Wheel Size:   90/90-19 – 120/80-18 mm

 

Source – Facebook (MotorVikatan)