CarandBike reports that the India launch of the
Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X will take place around or before the 2018 Auto
Expo. However, the company has not finalised the official date yet.
Royal Enfield has decided to give
the Auto Expo a miss. The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X was spotted at a
dealership last month. The 500X comes in bright colours with colour-matching
rim stickers. The wheels are alloy units, and it would be the only Royal
Enfield bike that comes with alloys as standard. The seat is now a single piece
unit. The rear gets split grab rails instead of the cushioned back rest.
Instead of the wide rear view mirrors, this Royal Enfield uses circular units.
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. The bike
uses the same cycle parts as the normal Thunderbird too. It gets telescopic front
fork and twin rear gas-charged shock absorbers. The tyres are likely to be
tubeless ones since the alloys are tubeless-compatible. Brakes include 280 mm
front and 240 mm rear disc.
The 500X retains the crucial highway-friendly
features that the Thunderbird is known for. It gets the same 20-litre fuel tank
and a twin pod instrument cluster with digital inset. The handlebar, however,
is different and is meant for a slightly sportier riding position.
