Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twinspark

I have also a BULLET bike, its very comfortable and helpful, because no one day I get trouble with this bike , this bike is so first n so attractive.

This bike can run 500km/hr, so most people and police officer are interested with this bike.when your journey on this bike you feel so comfortableness system is very strong.this bullet bike is so nice to ride.all men and women in whole world is like this bullet bike I also like because it is a wonderful bike no one another bike can compare with this bike.sometimes it happens a terrible job.

When you are in a trouble kindly go for a bullet bike it is gave you most powerful service.for along drive you must choose this bullet bike.I always riding this bullet bike.dear brother , sister and friends you must ride this bike for your body fitness and look smart.In america most of the people are choice this bike and all celibrites are also. Thank you.*

Reaching 30 this year, I realized that if I didn’t now fulfill my boyhood dream of owning a Royal Enfield, I never would.

I had ridden only the Royal Enfield (RE) Std350, but when I checked the web I found out about the Thunderbird Twinspark. I had never previously seen one(I now live in Kanpur, not the most modern of cities), but I liked what I read about the TBTS in mouthshut.com and other websites, and decided to go for it. I booked a red TBTS which I received in 10 days—Rs100, 000(on road). I have now had it for over two months and have done around 2500km onit.

I have mainly positive opinions of the bike, and a few complaints. The bike gives a great ride. It is smooth and powerful and has great presence. It dominates the road when you ride (even without the famous engine “thump” of the other REs).

The riding comfort is superlative. You won’t feel tired or get an aching back or bottom on this bike. Its shock-absorbents are very good; believe me, some of the roads here in Kanpur are more potholes than road. I have read complaints about the shocks in other reviews, but those owners probably just need to get them adjusted.

The brakes are good. The disk front brake is very powerful(and should be used with caution at low speeds and on curves, as it can lock the wheel), the less powerful rear-drum brake is ideal for low-speed braking, speed corrections and bike stabilization. It was a good idea for RE not to put in two disk brakes, as that would have made the bike more difficult to control during braking.

The fuel efficiency is good. I haven’t checked rigorously, but I believe I am getting 40+ kmpl--- which is outstanding for such a big bike. The service is good. RE is ensuring the service for thisbike is especially good as, I think, it wants TBTS to become its main product in the future.

It is a great cruiser. I haven’t gone too fast on this bike, keeping around 60kmph during its “break-in” period, but on a few occasions recently I took it effortlessly to a cruising speed of 80kmph and a maximum speed of 100kmph. (I believe I could have gone faster, but I didn’t have the nerve!) I did not notice any significant shuddering or vibration even at the latter speed.

While clearly a cruiser meant for long-distance riding, the TBTS is okay for city riding. I have taken it into the worst of Kanpur rush-hour traffic where you will find trucks, tempos, scooters, motorbikes, rickshaws, cyclists and pedestrians all jammed within spitting distance of each other. Despite the big size, the TBTS is very light on its feet when it is moving and does not have problems in maneuvering.Once the traffic comes to a stop, however, you need to be somewhat muscular tohandle the heavy bike. (But RE enthusiasts are usually better built than average!)

The real problem with the TBTS in city driving, however, is its false neutrals. There is a neutral between every two functional gears, and in stop-and-go traffic when you are changing gears every few seconds you invariably get into these neutrals and the TBTS roars ineffectually instead of accelerating as it should. (You actually need to change gears in the TBTS, not run along in 4th gear as in the RE Std 350s!). These false neutrals are the main reason I will give the TBTS a C+ for city riding, while I give it an A in all other departments: ride, power, comfort, looks, cruising, fuel-economy, etc.

I had two other, more minor, problems with the TBTS:

Mirrors: the rear-view mirrors are relatively useless. They are too small, have limited adjust ability, and are positioned too close to the central axis of the rider. You end up staring at your shoulders, for the most part, when you look through them. However, I found that Pulsar(!) mirrors are just about perfect for the TBTS; they are larger and hang just over the hand-grips, giving a clear view of the rear field from both mirrors. I changed to the Pulsar mirrors within a couple of weeks of getting my TBTS.

Turn signals: The turn-signals do not make a beeping sound to remind the rider that they are on; a green LED indicator on the dashboard is the only warning. This causes the rider to quite often forget he has left the indicators on (who keeps looking at the dashboard in rush-hour traffic?) which is both embarrassing and dangerous.

I think RE should rectify the problems with the indicators and the mirrors very soon. I think they should really work on the problem of the false neutrals, which significantly undermines the TBTS as a city bike.

I think the TBTS is a major initiative by RE to break its very loyal clientele from their love with the old 1950s Royal Enfield to introduce something that looks and feels traditional but yet is much more modern (at least 1990’s!). This is a risky maneuver for any company, and hats off to RE for trying it. I think that the TBTS is a vastly better cruiser than the older versions of REs (my apologies to the old RE fans), and you should very seriously consider buying it if you are into REs at all.

My final verdict is that the TBTS is a great bike, but not yet perfect. But it could become a classic with a few improvements. With all the above problems rectified, I think that, in a couple of years, RE should go in for a 500cc version which would deliver 30BHP and around 35+ kmpl, without a significant weight increase. That bike would be a classic. In the meanwhile, you can buy the current TBTS while you wait!

Hi , it’s been 3 months with this beautiful machine. Must say, it was my dream machine ever since the first of its kind was introduced. It was also a long wait to receive the bike after booking, 2 months to be precise. I have done 4500kms on it and would like to share my experience with this bike.

My daily travel is around 60 to 100 KM., except on holidays, I think it’s the perfect machine to do it comfortably as well as economically. I just love the way it responds to the throttle, chugging ahead of a bad traffic situation. Riding single or with a pillion u hardly feel any difference, thanks to the 350cc mill, But beyond 100 kmph I find it is unstable some times.

My usual riding speed is 50 to 60 kmph, but I ride it at high speeds some times. The braking is good but could have been much better. The thing that is surprising is its fuel efficiency. Riding at a range of 50 to 90 kmph I normally get back 45 kmpl, compared to my expectation of 35 kmpl. , but ride a little carefully and u will receive up to 50 kmpl. The worst I received was 38 kmpl. My riding is a combination of highway 50% and city 50%. (nice peripheral ring road , Bangalore) I really cannot be complaining about the fuel efficiency of this monster. Thanks to the twinspark technology that RE haveperfected so well*, compared to the others who boast about it.The sound is pretty simple and low, Don’t expect it to thump like the electra or other machines from RE . Changing gears may be a little tricky, as you’ll encounter false neutrals. also its heavy and parking may be cumbersome in city conditions.

2 free services of the total 4 are over and the 3rd free service is fast approaching. You have to shell out around 800Rs for the free service itself, thanks to the mammoth oil tank. I had to leave the *motorcycle *at the service station recently because of a clicking noise that developed in the cylinder head after a short spell of 100+ kmph run. The problem was rectified free of cost underwarranty, and took 5 working days. I am still not informed about the cause, as the chief mechanic attending my machine is out of station. Let me inform you that I did go on a high speed run again, and did not encounter any problem after receiving the bike. MY experience with the workshop is good.

Looks wise, … I’m satisfied. I’m a fan of choppers, bikes with fat wheels, stand alone head lamps, low slung frame etc... This machine belongs to the cruiser class. It has the looks of a British retro cruiser (Autocar). It does grab a lot of attention from the crowd and other motorists.

Over all, I’m happy that I bought this motorcycle (with my own money). Although my parents were skeptic about it, now even they are proud of it, especially after the recognition it gets form their friends.Don’t compare it to any other bikes like (u know what I mean). Owning one of these monsters is a different experience all together, if u have a biker deep in you. And finally if you end up owning one, welcome to spiritual biking…..Remember, ride safely, care for other road users, avoid road rage and follow traffic rules… it’s a request.

I stood outside. That was the last day in my college where my friends took this bus and went back to their native… I stood all alone outside seeing them fading away from my sight.

As it’s raining and the days where I used to have lots of fun with them made me feel nostalgic. I wish if I had spoke to her like for the last time where she stood in front of me expecting me to say my final words of love.

At times fate plays so cruel in our lives. I walked back to my room and sat for a while. I didn’t find piece of mind and kodaikanal (Hillstation in India) where I studied was getting breezier than ever.

It was just I, me and myself… Well, it’s not just I, Me and Myself but my bird. Thunderbird.

Royal Enfield:

What am I supposed to tell you about my bird which is known as a cruiser to many that offers comfortable ride and packed with lot many modern technology that made it more brilliant?

Royal Enfield like the brand says makes us feel ‘Royal’. Thunderbird which has single cylinder , four stroke 350 cc engine that gives a power of 18 bhp @ 5500 rpm was more than any bike could gift.

I don’t know if I can convince you the fact that this ‘hulk’ can actually take you all the way from the start to the destination without causing much worries to the rider.

I was talking about the initial pick up, mileage which is surprisingly an average of 45 kilometers per litre. Sometimes when I used to ride on this bird all the way to the hills made me realize that I need not change my gear since the power is brilliant.

Oh bird, thy art fly so low just above the land where I feel like flying.. flying so low yet above the land… This reminds me off the rough patches where I just felt like touching the land so smoothly and yet with the help of its hydraulically damped telescopic forks.

Also for the fact that its rear suspension is outfitted with those short swing arm which is actually can be adjusted five way shock absorbents.

Not many of us will accept the fact that a Royal Enfield comes up with left foot gear shift but then due to the maintenance (that’s what the showroom person spoke to me when I asked why this change).

They decided to keep the gear shift from right to the left. I guess only Standard comes up with right gear shift currently. And I believe that will also be changed sooner.

Let me get into technical:

This is truly from Royal Enfield. I guess there is no match for Enfield other than ‘Enfield’. The company says 120 kms to 130 Kms but then the longer you ride the faster you cruise on this bird.

This one is preferably for those who like long rides and especially for adventurous trips. I already spoke about front disc and the rear is an adjustable gas filled shock absorbents which give pleasure in riding.

All you need to do is just ride and keep riding. The torque which is at 27.5 Nm @ 3500 rpm will actually teach you the art of riding.

When I was riding other bikes, the problem was the ground clearance which gives a lot of tension when we ride through those rough patches but with this bird’s amazing ground clearance about 140 mm keeps me away of those unnecessary worries.

Have you noticed the treys? If not kindly have a check on it. Those wheels will actually make you roll. At times will make you feel swing and slip through these ‘Indian Roads’.

Royal Enfield is actually made for riding. I do believe that the maintenance can be a problem but then who cares when we get what we want? I like the head lamp and with its 12V, 35 / 35 W will make you feel like riding at day time.

Like you know the new Thunderbird comes with UCE engine with its new gear box allows us to cruise better than before.

Style:

I had this red color one however I would recommend all of you to go for the black one. I didn’t find the silver one that appealing too.

But everybody has their own taste. I like the twinspark. I just like twinspark not for its looks but for its comfort and the reliability. Now you may ask the changes that actually made me fall in love with Thunderbird again.

Features:

• New halogen lamp replaces conventional lamp which is more powerful and has long life.

• Foldable foot rest.

• Rear brake cable on the right hand side of the bike.

• Chain sprocket is moved to the right side.

Back to the scene:

I think our life is too short to keep things for later point of time. I think all good things come to us in a blink of an eye. I wanted to see her and fix a smile on my face and send her happily.

I rushed towards to the place where my bike was parked. It was drizzling and as I pressed my self-start button this bird gave me the sign of confidence.

The bus must have gone 30 kilometers from here but then my bird smiled and winked at me saying, ‘I’ll take you there’… with a blink of an eye on that slippery road I moved along with the cold breeze.

Oh bird, thy art fly so low just above the land where I feel like flying… flying so low yet above the land… Oh bird, thy art fly so low, flying so low yet above the land…

I had narrowed down my choices to just two. Thunder Bird and Yamaha R15. I could not get Yamaha R15 for a test drive. So I settled for the thunderbird. Before my test drive I had driven motorcycles for only about an year, so I was a little apprehensive about buying the gigantic bike. But the moment I test drove it I was hooked.

I am writing this review after spending almost 3 months and 3000 kms on this bike. Initially I found the bike a bit too big for the chennai traffic . I also found the suspension a bit hard I weighed only 72 Kgs so whenever I rode without a pillion I found the ride too "Jumpy". I reponded by loosening(reducing the tension of) the rear suspension. But now the suspesnion appears to have gotten better. The bike is heavy only when it is not moving. Now I find this bike very comfortable even in a crowded street.

For the first 2000 kms I followed the guidelines and rarely increased my speed beyond 70 km/hour. But now I have started testing the limits of the bike. Today I took the bike to Pondichery(150 kms from chennai where I live) and back, a total of 300 kms in a day, in 6 hours of to be exact. When I started back to chennai it was already dark and so I got to enjoy some night driving at over 100 km/hour too. But I must admit that I would have liked the head lights to be more powerful. I had to tail cars just to get a better view of the road. But I am very satisfied with its perfomance at top speeds. I found that I could cruise quite comfortably at 80 - 90 Km/hour. I topped 100 Km/h quite often. The maximum speed I attained was 120 km/hour at full throttle. The handling is good at high speeds. I am also getting over 40 kms/litre.

I use the service station near Thiruvanmiyur and the service is satisfactory.

First of all, do not go for a TBTS, if u r not matured enough on riding. the TBTS demands a lot of maturity in riding. u will have to be very very patient and lot of hard work needs to be done to tame the beast.

i bought the beast for the first time on 27/07/2008 . initially I thought I made a wrong decision by going for a TBTS bcos it was newly launched by RE and I hardly knew about the new engine.

This is one which is NOT meant for B'ore trffic and will suck ur energy u will start sweating. and my first bike a 100CC CD DAWN which was light and slim and it was my darling. riding CD Dawn in traffic is like doing Salsa dance.

But my first non stop ride to Mysore got my beast, completely tamed. I started feeling emotionally connected with it. u go with it and the heads will turn towards u.

I had booked Machismo first and u wont believe, it was like God forced me to go for the new TBTS. I went with my mom to take the delivery of Machismo, and she who has no idea about these machines saw the newly arrived TBTS in the showroom and forced me to go for TBTS. ...

Thanks

Sanjeev Kumar C.B.

"I'm an outcast riding into town alone. I got wanderlust branded deeper than the bone" - Megadeth

Anybody getting their hands on this bike cannot resist the temptation of long drives. I always say Thunderbird is not a bullet and it should never be compared with one. TB was a step in a different direction and TBTS is a further step in the same direction. I believe RE had taken feedback from mechanics and other TB users and have genuinely addressed some of the issues like tappet valve sound, oil leaks etc.

Till now I have completed 8000 km in around 4 months, drove non-stop for about 560 km from Bangalore to Cochin, clocked 1210 km in 4 days in a trip to Kasargod/Kannur & have ridden on almost all kinds of terrains other than snow covered mountains ;-) Whether there are roads or NO roads this bike is as comfortable as a limo.

I easily get 35-40kmpl in city and 45-50kmpl on highways. Handling was a bit tough initially but within a month of biking the TBTS turns from cumbersome to a graceful machine may be it gets way too smooth and manageable that you might want to try some stunts on it :-) I cannot comment on reliability since it has only ran for 8000km and may be after I cross 20K mark I might come back here and give my feedback.

Ok, enough of TBTS glorification, talking about some CONs, please note that I am not mentioning the legacy concerns with respect to RE Bikes. Most of the unique features of RE bikes like over priced spare parts, poor servicing, vibrations & certain amount of rusting holds good for TBTS also :-) Other additional special effects which comes with TBTS are.

> Disc Brake assembly problems, it continuously gives a squeaky sound. hopefully it might get fixed with next service.

> TBTS starts panting &coughing once you cross 90kmph, the engine sound changes and I would not suggest you to test the limits of the bike. But once I did go up to 120kmph on the speedometer. :-)

> The bike has a muffled sound hence a Goldie for the rescue. Now it thumps like a Bullet

> Even the halogen lamp is not satisfactory

&

Lastly, once you buy this bike you are going to spend all your leaves& weekends on long drives and more long drives and hence inviting wrath from family, friends & girl friends. I say Enfield should start giving a statutory warning with all their bikes, so that they should not be held responsible for any kind of family crisis. Ride safe!

20000 km update

Thanks to pradeep for reminding me about my promise ;-)

> Bike still rolling like a monster

> Chain sproket assembly worn out by 15K km even after regular lubrication, so replaced : that particular service costed me 3500+ :(

> Clutch cable and accelerator still the original ones, regular lubrication done during service

> On an average a paid service costs around 1500bucks for me

> Minor oil leak problems, nothing major

> After changing the silencer and removing muffler I am still facing leakage at the exhaust pipe and silencer pipe joint, still not fixed, still the bike backfires :(

> Tyres are worn out, bike has alignment issues still the stability is rock solid :)

Can't think of anything else, no matter what I still love this bike, riding her becomes more and more special with each passing mile, take good care of her and she will take care of you when you are on highways ;-)

Totally recommended!!!

Bullet TBTS is one bad choice for the the follwoing reasons:

Very Poor servicing by Auth. Centers Lethargic attitude of the sales team Very poor after sales service Technically un-supportive spares

I bought this bike in June'08, since then i'm facing with minor problems (now turning into a major ones).

Except for the brand name, there is nothing that this bike has to offer. Thanks to the poor service rendered by the authorised service stations, bullet is turning into just another ordinary bike on Indian roads.

Problems: Front shocks makes noise, Disc Brakes are always problematic, Chain gets loosened quit often and makes lot of noise, Self starter started giving problem they even changed my self starter release equipment after complaining buth that has not solved the problem, within 5000 kms my bike's swing arm bush was changed because I complained of back wheel wobbling dangerously (this was denied by the authorised service station many times) and the bush was once again changed on my 3rd Service.

I believe I may have to get the swing arm bush changed every 1000 kms.

I can go on and on with the problems.... but I know there is not solution...

So I strongly recommend for those who are willing to buy this bike, "Do not buy this".

As I purchased a new Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twinsppark I feel like I must share my experience. So finally I registered Here at this site & here's my first review

Firstly I'm a fan of Yamaha & driving RX100 since childhood & Yamaha R15 is in the market & many Other good bikes so I was a little confused which one to buy ?

2 bikes which I selected were -

Honda Unicorn (best money value in 150 CC segment)

Yamaha R15 (Best looks & performance in 150 CC segment)

Finally I asked my brother he's die hard fan of RE & asked a few friends. They all said unicorn is Good, R15 is not good for a 6 feet tall if price is not a concern go for thunderbird

Now about the bike, unlike the traditional Bullet this bike is totally different. that's very right said by prasanna tbts in below review it's a single unit engine & no external gearbox or clutch.

The new Thunderbird Twinspark also incorporates hydraulic tappets

Rest of all the specs you can find out online

Joke: One person there at showroom was saying sir

now RE has implemented DTSi technology in this 346CC bike but you won't find it printed on catalog or anywhere else.

Driving experience:

Driving experience increases with comfort and smoothness & comfort is maximum what i've noticed

although pillion seat is not as soft as drivers but still very comfortable.

Pick is good but not very great, in city bikes like pulsar yamaha honda etc can easily take over.

0-60km/hr it's ok but after 60 acceleration is very good

The real pleasure of acceleration starts on Highway.

One can enjoy excellent pick up & power after driving 25-30Kms when engine is hot.

Although Bike is heavier than other 150 cc bikes

but you won't feel it while driving, can only feel a little heavy while driving in traffic jams.

After 1st servicing smoothness increased engine sounds very good.

Mileage:

I've not accurately measured but it's about 38Km/lt before 1st service,

After 1st service mileage in city is 30 Km/lt I must take take it to service centre today may be a little setting should be done, not to worry

company claims average of 50 you can guess what will you get, people saying avearage is better than older thunderbird model.

showroom staff & service support:

Well not very great but ok,

they still can't manage a saree guard it's more than a month now.

What people there say is sir saree guard & leg guard these 2 accessories & not supplied by company, (is it true ??)

We will arrange for you via local vendor.

Pros:

1. The power and torque is good and Pick up is very good but not very great

2. Handling & Balance is Superb.

3. Braking is excellent , no skidding at all.

4. Comfort is maximum not to be compared with any bike hence no stress in long drives. Driver's seat is like a sofa.

5. Mileage is OK

cons:

1. Every thing is Ok but main problem is low ground clearance, on speed breakers Main stand touches almost every time with a pillion if speed above 15 Km/hr.

2. Shifting gears are much heavy as compared with other bikes.

3. Tail light is a bit outwards so take care when you reverse.

4. Silencer is a bit more in length than required

but that's not a problem I guess.

1. Horn is not good you must add 1 more of the same type.

2. Lacks the traditional Thumping sound

Purchased: 03-10-2008

Price: Rs. 99500 on Road + 6500 extra for alloy wheels

Showroom: Tamanna Automobiles, Meerut (U.P.)

Conclusion:

Whatever the +ve & -ve's, the bike is excellent other bikes on road looks like bicycles lol. People can resist watching the bike even if they are on there new pulsar, karizma or whatever.

People watch in respect after all its ROYAL ENFIELD. I guess it's not a very descriptive review but it's my true experience.

Happy Riding

I feel happy to write a review about my beast. A few sentences about me, I am identified as Business Analyst in a IT company in chennai.

Generally you may have seen many bulleters describing their bikes as Beast(including me), Because Royal Enfield being a niche product developer in this market with its very long and successful history has produced/producing many powerful machines, which is uncomparable to any other bikes in terms of its power and life of the engine per se. Thats why its called BEAST.This is the 1st bike that I own myself, previously was using 110cc bike (LML Energy fx) gifted by my parents.

Like all teenagers; Owning a Bullet was also a dream for me.....At last I made it true on road now.After doing a lot of research for more than 3-4 months on net and with enquiring about the bullet with many people (who own it) and with mechanics, service engineers, friends, I got a understanding about it and I finally accepted myself and prepared my mind to go for it. The bikes with I compared irrespective of its price and value was (TVS apache RTR, Pulsar 200 & 220, Yamaha FZ/R15).I don't want to discuss here all the reason why I left out these bikes when compared to RE TBTS, One of the simple reason which I could say is "VALUE FOR MONEY" above all, though the mentioned bikes has its own pros and cons visible.

Finally it was on 6th October 08' Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twin spark was delivered to me.

*Main Part of the review:

*I am interested to tell you the feedback about the machine instead of telling you the technical specifications and colors coz they are readily available on net and in product brochures.Before that few informations on New Performance standards that are added to this machine, which is very essential so have a look:

The Engine:

Its a Unit construction engine (UCE) which marks a dramatic shift in the traditional Royal Enfield engine architecture. This is world away from the traditional Royal Enfield engine, which has an external clutch and gearbox. In Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twinspark, both these elements are integrated within a common crankcase space. This makes the Thunderbird Twinspark’s engine more compact and reduces transmission loss, friction, maintenance and while at the same time being more reliable than the traditional Royal Enfield Engine.The new Thunderbird Twinspark also incorporates hydraulic tappets - which are a first in India and combined with the new lean-burn combustion technology and twin spark plugs, give better power, torque and fuel-efficiency. The clutch in Thunderbird Twinspark has also been beefed up with an all new 6-plate one.This engine is built Indigenously by RE and the Noise, Vibration, Harshness is tested by Europeans or European Standards.In addition to this the chain sprocket is shifted to the right side of the frame, to have a direct link to the brake, which is very very effective in which the earlier models of TB has a rod connected to it which makes the brake ineffective after some few thousand kms.Automatic chain tensioner, Bigger SV BS-29 carburrettor, Unique TCI system, High RPM Auto engine cut-off, Trichoidal High flow Oil Pump, Auto Decompressor, High density foam seats.

*Feedback:

*Pros:

1. The power and torque is very very good and Pick up is superb so that you feel like racing with this 182 kg machine.

2. The seating comfort is excellent so that there is no stress in this city traffic,

3. Braking is fantastic, there is no skidding even on rain at 50-60km/hr.

4. Shifting gears are bit heavy but its a art I learnt it within a week time.

5. Couldn't feel the weight of the bike when moving so its easy to control, turning radius is very maximum when compared to other bikes.

6. Headlight is more powerful than the other models in RE.

7. No oil leak and minimum vibrations.

8. Support from Royal Enfield is good thro' net as they feel proud in solving their peoples problem.

9. Thiruvanmaiyur service station in chennai is excellent in handling peoples issues as its a company owned direct service station.

10. Mileage is decent within city as 42 kmpl* after 1st service.

11. These many pros and few cons are itself a pros isn't it.

*Cons:

*1. The built quality is not that good, you may see some minor hick ups here and there but its adjustable when its solved in service.

1. For this heavy machine, the horn is very small it doesn't sound loud - I changed Roots spider horn.

2. The side stand lever is very low so that it gets hurt when we ride above speed braker with a pillion, and the silencer is very long extending still back beyond the tail light so that people coming back with their bikes sometimes hit it in traffic.

3. Little vibration felt at 2000 RPM, but some bulleteer says it is good for the new bike as it is a part in running-in.

4. Regular maintenance is needed unlike other bikes as the parts made of iron even painted gets rusted in the rainy season.

5. Very little thumping sound from the silencer many don't like it - But I like it.

*Conclusion:

*As a whole is a fantastic bike worth saying "Built Like a GUN, goes Like a BULET" - you will feel this once you ride this bullet. And I have made a stickering in my numberplate saying "The LEGEND rides on" - I feel proud to own this machine.

I will update with more on Top speed after completing my bulls running-in.

*1st Update: (Trip : Just completed running-in)

* Ist trip was to B'lore with Metal Men - a community especially for Thunderbirds. The trip was awesome, had very good experience and explored some different things which I have not done in my life since...so totally it was 2 beautiful days with my bull, enjoyed a lot.

The max. speed which I am able to attain is 120km/hr. There was a much noticeable vibration after that so I didn't try beyond it moreover I felt personally that it might be hard to control this bull beyond this speed.

After the trip, I changed my silencer to a new one which is especially available for Thunderbird twin spark....(It looks like the short open type but slightly lenghty and circumference is big compared to it) The company people say that there wont be any drop in the mileage or pick up per se. I have not checked it mileage yet...will update with it later.

Happy Thumping

It is my pleasure that I am the first one to write a review under this section. Guys !!!!! what are you all doing? Let the world know your feeling on this machine. Anyway, I will let you know my experience. Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twinspark (RETT) is my second bike in my life.....

I had a 100 cc bike perviously which I gave to my younger bro.........then I decided to buy a new car.........but guys , after experiencing the trffin in Bangaluru. I was in two minds.........what to buy??????

I wanted something very very special for me. Suddenly one day my eyes fell on Royal Enfield bike. I promptly found out all about this stable of machines from the internet.........

At last I decided to go for THE RETT. I got this machine booked in Teknik Motors in June2008 and kept on waiting everyday eagerly for the delivery day. I used to dream that in Chennai today some part of my bike is being assembled in the factory. I used to laugh t myself.

So one day in July 2008 the day came when I received a call from the showroom to come and collect my bike. I was very very excited and immediately started off from my office to take the delivery.........it was raining.....but I did not mind and was drenched totally when I reached home with my bike..............

Now guys comes the main part of my review...............

That evening when I got home with my bike............it was not a good evening.......cause........the handle lock was not working and fell off with all the levers and miniscule springs......this made me very very sad.............

The next day I went to Teknik motors and showed the dismanteled lock.........the guys were good enough to rplace all the lock from my bike with new one................and now I am happy.............

I started using my bike regularly...........and I was expecting that the milage in Bangalore roads would not be more than 35 KM/l..

To my surprise....the first milage was 36 km/l...............I was overjoyed...........

Then on regularly the milage went on increasing and till the first service I was getting 40 Km/l......

Now I have driven over 2000 kms and recently the milage is 45km/l..........guys......i am very satisfied............

More of my experience to come later.................

UPDATE AS ON 30-DEC-2008

----------------------------------------------

It is now over 3000 Kms that I have been riding with pride..........

I have noticed people around me on the road giving a look at my bike.....

I was also disappointed on a few occasions......first the colour on the tank got blisters.

I reported it to my showroom, and they agreed to change my tank. After 1.5 months I got a new tank replaced by the company.

Second, when I gave my bike for 2nd service, the service engineers detected that the rear wheel axel was not properly adjusted. Though, I did not find any issue while riding it. Anyways, the bike was in the showroom service station for 1 week before the issue with the axel was rectified......

At this moment I have started feeling that Royal Enfield is just making bikes and not doing proper QC..........

The third issue was with the clutch plates...............It so happens that while accelerating on any gear, at times the bike would lose power and you would experience short and rapid jerks.........

I complained the first time to the service station.......and they adjusted the clutch externally and assured me it is rectified................later after a month the same issue reoccured..........

I again mad a complaint..........they did the same and assured me the same.................. I was still not satisfied and reported the matter to Chennai headoffice.

They suggested me to contact the regional service manager............I contacted him and told hime to replace my bike...........He asked me to deliver the bike at Manjunath Garage in Bangalore (which was very near to my house). He opened the whole clutch adjustments and cleaned it, lubricated it and then fixed it and now the problem seems to be no there...........though at time I feel the issue still remains.........may be my over cautiousness created this illusion........the engineer told me that the lubrication was not proper...........So friends.............this again makes me feel that RE is not having good QC checks before they deliver..............

One good thing..........the only silver lining..........is that I am getting good milage........arount 43 to 44 Km/l.............

More of my experience to follow......................

Price: Rs1, 06, 000 on road in Bangalore