OFFICIAL: ROYAL ENFIELD THUNDERBIRD TWIN SPARK LAUNCHED!
Royal Enfield Motors has finally launched the Thunderbird Twin-Spark 350cc motorcycle with UC engine in the market today. The cruiser bike has been priced at 1.03 Lakhs Ex-Showroom Chennai and is claimed to give 45-50 kilometers per litre.
This model is the first one in the series of models that will be launched in the future, that will feature UCE.
RE will intoduce four new models by the end of 2010-2011 with two each catering to the Indian and the overseas market, including Europe, metioned Siddharth Lal CEO and MD Eicher Motors and R L Ravichandran CEO of RE motors. The international models will have a 500cc engine.
By 2010 the company will also launch the twin-spark models of the popular Electra, Machismo and the Bullet 350 said Mr Ravichandran.
“For international markets we are currently test marketing the Bullet Electra EFI and in november this year, the UCE 500 EFI will be unveiled in auto shows at Cologne and Birmingham”, he added.
The new UC engine according to RE, is more reliable, economical, lower maitainence and offers reduced friction and transmission losses compared to the older unit.
The company sold a total of 39,000 units last year and is hoping for an overall 20% increase in vehicles sales this year.
11 People have left comments on this post
Paying so much for what is essentially a dinosaur is ridiculous. Unitised gearbox and engine and things that have been on offer from other manufacturers for nearly 4 decades. What will prevent REM from looking completely idiotic is the prizing of the R-15 by Yamaha. If there are enough people to fall for this kind of stupidity, so be it.
Well the price is a bit on the higher side, nevertheless a test drive will tell us whether it is worth.
Cheers
http://www.motorbeam.com
@Satish…. YZF R15 is a bit overpriced but given the kind of technology and engineering it comes with, i think it is justified. I will tell you how. Take Pulsar 150 as an example, it costs 59k’s ex-showroom delhi compared to the YZF R15 which is 97 k’s. Over and above the Pulsar in the YZF R15 you are getting…
1) Rear Disc Brake
2) Delta Box Frame
3) Water Cooled Engine
4) Link type moncross suspension
5) Clip Ons
6) 6 Speed gearbox
7) Aerodynamically styled fairing, its not just a cosmetic job
8 Twin 35 watt headlamps
9) R1 styled speedo console
10) Sophisticated fuel injection system
11) Lighter pistons
12) Yamaha’s international manufacturing technology like the Diasil Cylinder, explained elesewhere.
Thats beside a more powerful engine and I still havent come to Yamaha quality which is brilliant and intangibles like better engineering overall. The premuim they are charging is well worth it since R15 is a revolutionary bike. Some of technology on the bike is never seen before in the Indian bike market.
evrything is true … and I could not have agreed more but there is just one thing that bothers me .. how did yamaha decide to stick to a 150 cc plan? was it to keep the prices under control or did yamaha think this will the best segment for a long long time to come … I mean if you are going all out to show your performance thing why not do it in 250 cc bracket atleast or in worst case atleast touch 200 cc?
guys,we’re talking abt thunderbird and not the R15.
This forum is for the Thunderbird and the guys drifted to something they are indirectly indicating. ‘another machismo?!!!! Not again’. Refinement, performance, handling, finish, efficiency- all are little alien to this brand. Let the Germans redo it…..it will be second only to Harley’s…
I have taken thunderbird twinspark last week. I have taken test drive all the vehicles what you talked. Thunderbird may be lack in technology compare than other bikes. But its really worthy when you ride. Its a horse not a toy bike. But I won’t recommend this for city ride.
Have they sold even one bike. It looks stupid with the kind of technology around like swirl of the hondas, the exhaustec of the bajaj , the roller bearings, REM is still going around with tappets and like the old tech, will take ages to improve. WHo knows this nike will be a total failure, now they have put the self start on the behind. My friend had bought a machismo ,while riding in the city it came to a complete dead halt, seems there was a prob with the cdi, have you ever heard of these things in a general bike. I have seen chains suddenly coming off ina bullet on the ring road and the guy had lost balance and fallen. Anyways they are selling feww hundred bikes a mth
Now you guys are comepletely confusing me. i had made up my mind to buy a twinspark thunderbird, all against my families wishes. and now you say its not worth it?
On serious front, pls help me decide whether it is worth putting in a lakh of rupees?
pls explain with pros and cons.
KB
whoever experienced the comfort of riding a bullet will go for it only,last week i booked one Thunderbird without even test riding it,because none can beat it king of roads
DEAR FRIENDS, I HAVE BEEN A BIKER AT HEART AND RODE KAWASAKI RTZ AND AFTER THAT SUZUKI SHOGUN DURING MY COLLEGE DAYS. I DID A 5000KMS TOUR OF SOUTH INDIA ON MY SUZUKI SHOGUN. NOW AT 38 YRS, I WANTED TO RIDE AGAIN, AS I GOT BORED OF MY CAR. I BOUGHT A BULLET THUNDERBIRD TWINSPARK ON 9TH OCT. ALREADY DONE THE FIRST FREE SERVICE AT 500KMS. THE BIKE GAVE A MILEAGE OF 50KMS/LITRE. IT PULLS AMAZINGLY AND STARTS IN HALF KICK OR IMMEDIATELY WITH THE ELECTRIC STARTER. NO CHOKE IS NEEDED EVEN DURING THE FIRST START OF THE DAY. THIS IS A VERY GOOD CITY BIKE TOO. THE HANDLING IS SUPERB, PULLS IN 4TH GEAR AT LOW CITY SPEEDS OF 25 TO 30KMS/HR. BRAKING IS TOO GOOD.
AFTER THE FIRST SERVICE, THE VIBRATIONS ARE NEARLY GONE, THE GEAR SHIFT HAS SMOOTHENED AND ABOVE 40KMS/HR SPEED, THE BIKE IS VERY VERY SMOOTH. I WILL RECOMMEND THIS BIKE OVER ANY OTHER BIKE.