Review: Royal Enfield's Thunderbird Twinspark

[ilovetv]

Twinspark offers better mileage
December 29, 2008
One of the Enfield rides I fondly remember is to Amritsar from Delhi, en route to Lahore, Pakistan. I rode an AVL T-bird and it left a very good impression on me. This chassis can handle more cornering forces than what most owners are capable of and the rubber, despite looking a bit thin design-wise, provides decent grip and a sense of solidity to the proceedings. That is good news indeed for those who plan to spend their days exploring winding roads that lead to spectacular sunsets. And the ride quality over bad roads or no-road conditions is the best in its class in India.


The engine, with hydraulic tappets and an automatic primary chain tensioner apart from the twin-spark ignition, will help RE meet future emission norms easily and more importantly it returns 40 kpl (combined cycle) without much effort. So it is an improvement over the single-plug model and hence a landmark for the legendary brand. But I do have a question which I hope will be answered by the three men whom I mentioned at the start of this report.

[ilovetv]

Royal Enfield continues to be in a league of its own
December 29, 2008
Couldn't Enfield source a complete single cylinder motor from an established motorcycle maker? Maybe Yamaha? Alright, if that would have proved expensive, couldn't RE look at dedicated engine makers like Bombardier? Or develop a single with an established motorcycle maker who would have liked to benefit from cheap labour in India?

The point I am driving at is that RE needs a refined, reliable, economical and green engine -- and the Twinspark model looks like an interim, unrefined, oil dripping option more than anything else. It could have been done better... period. I can hear the excuses already -- we will steadily improve the bike over the years, right? Well, aren't you bored doing that already?



In short, I would still rate the 500 LB with electric start over the Twinspark T-bird as the motorcycle of choice from the Enfield stable. And that is only because Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki and perhaps Bajaj have not understood the need for a large bore, single cylinder motorcycle to satiate my appetite. Change, as they say, is the only constant in this world and in the case of Royal Enfield, I am happy to attest, it is a continuous process rather than a sudden phenomenon.



If you are looking for an ownership experience that would get you ready for even tougher institutions like marriage, then the Royal Enfield is for you. It continues to be a character building exercise rather than a mere motorcycle. And when the lust is lost and love translates to care... you will go a long way with a Royal Enfield. To sum up, Enfield continues to be in a league of its own and that means I have no option but to recommend it. Try the 500 LB too before you sign on the dotted line, okay?