2020 BS-VI Royal Enfield Thunderbird Spotted Testing — Features Relaxed Riding Position

The next-gen Royal Enfield Thunderbird has been spotted testing yet again. This time around, it has been recorded on video and thereby reveals more details. The next-gen Thunderbird will be fuel-injected and will be BS-VI compliant.

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird is a cruiser motorcycle that has been around for a long time now. It was first introduced in 2002 with an old-school 350cc engine. It was then re-introduced in 2012 with the 350 and 500 variants.

2020 BS-VI RE Thunderbird Spotted Testing

Over the years, the motorcycle has developed a cult following and there are several biking groups that ride on the Royal Enfield Thunderbird. The motorcycle is a little too old and hence royal enfield introduced the Thunderbird X in 2018 with attractive aesthetics to attract younger buyers.

The Thunderbird X sold reasonably well in the market. Yet, it is very evident that the Thunderbird line-up is offering old hardware and cycle parts, hence Royal Enfield will be launching the next-gen model soon.

It is this very next-gen model that has been spotted and we're glad to report that it isn't just aesthetic changes or small mechanical changes. The spy video by Santhosh Kumar reveals that it is an all-new model and it has seen several changes including major ones to the chassis and engine as well.

The frame now has a dual-cradle design instead of the single downtube design used by the current model. This should cut down on vibrations to a large extent. The engine cases too would need to be redesigned as it would need new mounts to fit into the new chassis.

2020 BS-VI RE Thunderbird Spotted Testing

We're expecting Royal Enfield to use rubber damping in the new engine mounts to reduce vibrations, which are a constant pain in the current model. The headlamp and the handlebar have been positioned lower.

The fuel tank looks exactly like the one on the current-gen model but the fuel filler cap has been shifted to the centre instead of sitting towards the right. It also features a new split-seat that appears to be flatter and wider than in the current-gen.

The entire rear-end of the motorcycle has been redesigned and it includes a curvier fender design and new tail lamp and turn signal indicators. The rear suspension is more angled, it features a new swingarm and a new shorter exhaust design as well. RE will update the Thunderbird X as well with similar design.

The current-gen RE Thunderbird has an upright riding position that will cause fatigue and lower back aches after a few hours of riding. This has also been solved on the 2020 Royal Enfield Thunderbird as the footpegs have been set forward by a few inches and handlebar has been lowered.

The rider seen in the video has a more relaxed riding position. The 2020 Thunderbird will continue to be offered in the 350 and 500 variants. Both variants will be fuel-injected and might just see a slight increase in power figures.

Thoughts On 2020 Royal Enfield Thunderbird Spotted Testing

Royal Enfield is not updating just the Thunderbird but will also be updating its entire 350 and 500cc product line-up. This includes the Classic, and Bullet models. The 2020 Royal Enfield Classic 350/500 has also been spotted testing recently. Royal Enfield might just be able to continue its rule in the Indian market once these models are launched.

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Read more on: #royal enfield
Article Published On: Tuesday, July 16, 2019, 10:58 [IST]
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