Thunderbird- RE into a new era. Review on Bullet ThunderBird

I last visited this site when I was looking out for a bike which could fulfill my needs. My needs were simple not typical though. Typical needs for an Indian bike buyer would be good looking, good mileage, good pick-up, etc etc for a dirt cheap price for a stupid jap bike. Yes, that’s not typical of me, you can’t ask for the world and pay peanuts for that. My reason to opt for a bullet was the strong influence this bike had on my past which being the long rides, cruises and tours that I’ve had on the Std 350s, 500s, Machismos. Royal Enfield has been exemplary in this sense. They have evolved slow but not once have they failed to infuse with every bike manufactured decades n decades of heritage as you ride these beasts with such a simple and sorted out mechanism called BULLET. All kudos to british engineering which over the previous 100 yrs gave us brands like Enfield, Norton, BSA and Triumph

Two bikes from Royal Enfield have allured me into buying one of them. One being Thunderbird and the other being Machismo. Both these bikes have the same configuration and the same engine. Machismo looks more of stereotype bullet but T’bird just looks and feels good n different. Bike comes with a constant vacuum carburetor which helps you kick start the bike lot more easily. The aesthetics of the bike are pleasing to the eye because of sufficient chrome at the right places and battery being tucked in neatly behind a cover. The tyres especially the rear are mammoth and provide excellent road grip and control even during monsoons and roads covered with sand and gravel which would make most of the other Indian bikes skid. People have criticized it because they have tried so very hard to see and feel a cruiser in it. I believe this one is a real good bike and the only mistake Royal Enfield made when launching this vehicle was by branding it as a cruiser. From the day I saw the bike and test rode it, I’ve never perceived it as a cruiser but have accepted it for what it is…and which it is and is capable of providing is- A sheer pleasure of a ride. Below are few of the things that I have seen people commenting negatively about in their reviews. Find my comments/solutions on them:

• This bike makes you sit pretty elevated and straight and not low hung like typical cruisers. Don’t know about others but I prefer this posture. At least I don’t have to raise my feet from the foot rest to change gears (like in enticer and now avenger) which could be a pain in the as in Bangalore’s traffic. This posture makes you sit upright instead of slouching.

• The silence juts out a bit too long for one’s liking and also muffles the engine thump to meet the new emission norms. A lot of people I know prefer this. And they may be right. This bike could be a classic in the making with this kinda silencer look and sound. Solution: You can change this to a retro/bottle neck silencer.

• The seat is hard when you go for a long ride. Solution: Get some extra foam on to those seats.

• Thunderbird uses the AVL engine built in collaboration with AVL Corp of Austria, a leader in engine manufacturing. The aluminum engine is less heavy than the iron cast engine used in standard bullets and electras but in return offers better mileage, higher top end speed and a lot better pick up. The one problem this engine has the clatter (sound) produced. If you can live with this, then t’bird is definitely your beast to own. TB is AVL engine and the push rod (Al) expands more when the engine is hot, makes clatter.

Sol: 1) You may change the cam gears, but after 10000km, the sound will re-appear.

2) Adjust the tappet when the engine is little hot.

3) If you know some good engineering workshop mechanic in your area, then make a Steel pushrod (should be identical to old TB push rod). Adjust the tappet when the engine is full hot....Wear a helmet to further curb the noise. Issue fixed.

• I use the decompress knob to turn off the bike. Even when I’m waiting for the signal to show green, using decompress to kill the engine helps me start the bike with ease in one single attempt. This completely eliminates the need to have a self starter. Anyways, kick starting your bike is good for the engine and should be used on cold engines even if you have a standard bullet or Electra with the self start option. The rare backlashes are not as severe as the older models of bullets.

• A few are not happy with the handle bar not being high and cruiser look and feel like. Solution: Change the handle bar to the Lightning 535 cc one. But handling the bike within the city is better with the standard T’bird handle.

• Upgrade your rear shocks to the gas filled Nitro gas filled shocks which you can exchange directly from the dealer when buying your Bird. The brand is Endurance. This will cost you around 1800/- Rs. This makes all the difference about how you feel when you hit real patchy and bumpy roads.

• Fit the Bosch Super 4 spark plug. Conventional Spark plugs are single electrode and get dirty very soon requiring cleaning. The Bosch super 4 is a 4 electrode spark plug which fits into T’bird and Machismos without any alteration. Have a look at the link below:

https://aa.bosch.de/advastaboschaa/Product.jsp?prod_id=76&ccat_id=26&language=e
n-GB&publication=1

The engine runs smoother the difference was immediately evident. The engine starts a lot better, sounds better, runs a lot better and returns great mileage too. This plug costs a mere 120 bucks.

Let me tell you something. Thunderbird is an awesome vehicle even without any or all of the alterations/changes I’ve mentioned. As I mentioned before, this is not a cruiser and don’t expect to be one because cruisers have a typical image created by generations of Harleys and Indians. Indian manufacturers are no where close to that segment yet. Thunderbird is an awesome vehicle nevertheless which will let you pick up fast enough to shy away most of the jap bikes in Indian market and be able to reach a top end speed of 120 on the odometer without throwing any tantrum. This bike is rock steady at high speeds and the disc brakes (a must have) are the best. It gives you the control and confidence to dare those speeds with confidence. Also note that this is a 18 bhp 350 cc engine. But still, the oil does not leak like in the standard bullets and the nuts and bolts remain pretty much intact compared to the other RE models. I’m saying this coz of the hue and cry made in these forums by a lot of people for the lack of thump in t’bird. The low thump leading to lesser vibration is what actually does not lead to oil leak and nuts staying where they should be. So would you discard a model only because it does not have a typical bullet’s thump though it has a better pick up, has a better top end speed and gives a better mileage(38-45 km/ph) compared to all other bullet models. And by the way, t’bird has a thump.

But much more suppressed and unique in its own way. This is another classic in the making. I’m happy I have one for this life time and will pass it on to my generations to cherish this just like my dad passed on his legacy( A standard 350) to me when I was 14. For once my mechanic doesn’t ask me if I was unwell if I don’t turn up to his garage once a week which used to be the norm with my early Iron Horse.

Bottom Line: Don’t get influenced by what people have to say about any model of RE. Go for what your heart believes in. RE rules essentially.

Merry Thumping folks!

Drive Safe…Always wear a helmet.