Royal Enfield has launched a new set of twins apart from the 650cc motorcycles that are in the plans. The new twins are the urban renditions of the Thunderbird 350 and the Thunderbird 500. These are being called the 350X and the 500X, and are Royal Enfield’s versions of the factory built custom motorcycles.
The inspiration for the urban renditions has been drawn from the various customized motorcycles that Royal Enfield customers have built on the factory versions. These new launches came after the company launched the Himalayan Sleet. The X series is priced at INR 1.57 lakh for the 350X and INR 1.99 lakh for the 500X. This makes the bikes highly appealing and the company promotes these bikes as the street-specific models for their cruiser range. The demand of these urban renditions has been higher than the company anticipated, making the waiting list longer with each booking.
There are no mechanical changes on the Thunderbird X series. The only changes come in the form of the cosmetic changes. There are new colours available in the X series, a Getaway Orange and Drifter Blue on the 500X and a Whimsical White and Roving Red on the 350X. Both the models get body-colour rim stripes on the new 9-spoke alloy wheels with tubeless tires. This makes the X series motorcycles the first Royal Enfield bikes to get tubeless tires and 9-spoke alloys. Other colour changes include a black-themed exhaust and suspension.
On the Thunderbird X series, the handlebars are flatter for a more street-like stretched riding position and the split seats have been swapped out for a single gunslinger styled uni-body unit that is made out of dual fabrics to give the bike a more contemporary look. The street look of the bike is also enhanced by the removal of the backrest and the introduction of new grab rails. The rear mudguard is also shortened to provide the bike with a more clean look.
