A trendier version of the Thunderbird, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X has been spied in the country for the first time.

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X has a matte black theme with contrasting colour on the fuel tank and the rim stickers. The two motorcycles- Orange and Blue were spotted at a dealership. The bikes have a matte black powertrain, with matte black exhaust system as well. The headlight casing; suspension; front and rear fenders; twin pod instrument cluster, and bodywork have black finish as well. The black rear view mirrors look like they are from the Himalayan. New handlebars change the riding ergonomics to the sportier side.


The motorcycle features a more premium single piece seat, and the grab rail on both sides are black as well. Royal Enfield has done away with the backrest in this motorcycle, which has resulted in a much smoother, sweeping rear profile. Another notable change is the inclusion of nine-spoke alloy wheels. This makes the Thunderbird the first Royal Enfield to sport alloy wheels in stock form.

Expect the bike to carry over the mechanicals from the existing Thunderbird 500. The 499 cc single cylinder mill puts out 27.2 bhp at 5,250 rpm; and 41.3 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The gearbox is a 5-speed unit. Since the wheels are alloys, the 19-inch front and 18-inch rear are shod with 90 and 120-section tubeless tyres respectively. Rushlane reports that the motorcycle has started arriving at certain dealerships, and the launch will happen in January 2018. Expect more details about the bike in the days ahead.