Cars Motorcycles And Travel

Royal Enfield Bullet: Thunderbird Twinspark

Just when we thought that Royal Enfield needs something new to consolidate its market position, they have come up with Thunderbird Twinspark. This motorcycle is launched with an aim to target young buyers and to consolidating Royal Enfield’s position in the market.

The new UCE (Unit Construction Engine) is fitted on the same old frame, chassis and fuel tank. The whole fit and finish is a lot more refined with negligible protruding welding lines. There is a new chrome pillion backrest which looks beautiful and sports a Thunderbird label. Thunderbird Twinspark has the same instrumentation cluster, headlight and mudguard as the old Thunderbird but no two tone paint on the body. It sports a Twinspark badges on side panels.

The brakes and the chain are shifted to the right side of the bike. Folding footrests have been incorporated in the front which was missing in the phased our Thunderbird. The front disc and rear drum brakes in Twinspark are excellent and the bike comes to a standstill more steadily and quickly while holding its line. The UCE had a square design with a matte finish which is refreshing and better looking than the old rounded shaped engine. Huge 19-inch steel wheels keep the bike stable on high speed.

The overall ride quality is same as any other bullet. The kick lever still need strong legs to pump it down and is as awkwardly positioned as ever, but an electric start does the trick and save you from the trouble of kick starting the bike. New 6-plate clutch and spectacular low end torque makes Thunderbird Twinspark a delight to ride, but the high end torque is far from being satisfactory.

Royal Enfield’ UCE is fitted with an auto decompressor which activates at 250rpm and helps in reducing startup troubles. A finer rotatory pump is incorporated which pumps oil at a great pressure to ensure more efficient cooling system and increased reliability. With 19.3ps at 5250rpms and with 28 nm of maximum torque at 4000rpms, it can attain a top speed of 110 kmph. It offers a decent mileage of 42 kmpl. With a fuel injected engine on sale in Europe, the company’s market share is bound to shoot up.

The famous bullet thumping sound is toned down a little by the new bazooka silencer. With its light weight and a more fuel efficient engine, it is better than any other Royal Enfield models. It’s apparent that Royal Enfield is finally shifting its focus on superior technology and improved reliability which will surely pull younger generation towards its bikes.