The upcoming government norm for the compulsion of ABS is making various bikemakers update their products with this safety net. Royal Enfield seems to be prepping for it already and its latest bike to receive ABS is the Thunderbird 500X – the modern and funky iteration of the Thunderbird. After the price hike of Rs 15,000, it will now be retailed at Rs 2.13 lakhs and we take a look at similarly priced alternatives.
Beginning with its sibling, the Royal Enfield Classic 500 is offered in different style options. This includes the standard version priced at Rs 1.84 lakhs, stealth black, squadron blue and desert storm at Rs 1.87 lakhs along with the chrome variant for Rs 1.95 lakhs. This bike uses the same engine as the Thunderbird 500X, which is a 499cc, air-cooled motor that churns out 27.2bhp of power and 41.3Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed transmission.
UM Motorcycles offers a pair of modern cruisers – the Renegade Commando and Mojave priced at Rs 1.84 lakhs. There’s also a classic iteration available with chrome parts and windscreen priced at Rs 2.02 lakhs. These bikes sport a 279cc, liquid-cooled motor that is capable of 24.8bhp and 23Nm. For those who wish to go a more modern way, the streetfighter-like Mahindra Mojo XT300 could also be an option which gets a 295cc, liquid-cooled mill good for 26.45bhp and 30Nm. This can be bought for Rs 1.83 lakhs.
The segment also consists of the peppy and feature-rich KTMs – the 390 Duke and the RC390. The former is a naked bike while the latter is its sports version which retails at Rs 2.42 lakhs and Rs 2.39 lakhs, respectively. Both bikes are powered by a 373.2cc, liquid-cooled motor that churns out a healthy 42.9bhp and 37Nm and works with a 6-speed gearbox.
Lastly, TVS has a stylish and versatile sportsbike, the Apache RR310, at the exact same price of Rs 2.13 lakhs. This bike is propelled by a 312.2cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder mill that is capable of producing 33bhp of power and 27.3Nm of torque. (all prices are ex-showroom, Mumbai)
