Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350

Features: The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 has a traditional cruiser styling and is among the most beautiful offering from Royal Enfield. The simple and flowing lines make it a visually pleasing motorcycle. Design highlights include a round headlamp, bulbous tank, a large saddle and spoked wheels. Also, unlike other cruiser offerings that get dollops of chrome for the bling element, the Thunderbird 350 goes for a more stealthy appearance with fewer chrome elements. The Thunderbird 350 features a projector headlamp, hazard lamps and an LED tail light. It gets a twin-pod instrument cluster with an analogue speedometer and tachometer, while there’s a small LCD display for fuel gauge, odometer, trip meter, service indicator and clock.

Engine: The Royal Thunderbird is offered with two engine options - 350cc and 500cc. The Thunderbird 350 is the more popular offering and features the same engine as seen on the Royal Enfield Classic 350. The single-cylinder, air-cooled, twin-spark engine delivers 20PS at 5250rpm and 28Nm of torque at 4000rpm. The cruiser bike employs a single downtube frame and uses the engine as a stressed member. A 41mm telescopic front forks and gas-charged twin shocks at rear take care of damping duties. The Thunderbird was the first Royal Enfield to feature disc brakes on both ends. The bike tips the scale at 195kg and features a humongous 20-litre fuel tank, which means lesser fuel stops while touring.

Rivals: UM Renegade Commando: The UM Renegade Commando is the closest competitor to the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350. While it might not have the brand recognition that RE has, it does offer a refined and powerful engine. The large dimensions and modern cruiser styling is something that will grab a lot of eyeballs. Bajaj Dominar: The Bajaj Dominar kick-starts the affordable power cruiser segment in the Indian market. Powered by the KTM 390 Duke sourced motor which has been tuned to suit the demands of cruiser bike, it offers the best performance for any bike in its segment. Being a Bajaj offering, it has been priced aggressively while being equipped with an all-LED headlight and optional dual channel ABS. Hyosung Aquila 250: Although it is not exactly a direct rival to the Thunderbird 350 given its pricing, the Aquila 250 does hold the distinction of being the most affordable cruiser bike with a V-twin engine on sale. It has the quintessential cruiser styling with lots of chrome, but the premium pricing of above Rs 2.5 lakh works against its favour. Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise: Among the most popular cruiser bikes on sale in India, the Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise offers a fantastic value for money proposition. The Pulsar 220-sourced engine delivers a fine balance of power and frugality, but it doesn’t have the oomph or the presence that the Royal Enfield Thunderbird commands.