Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 Mileage

Hi guys!I am heavily built, weighing around 100kgs and standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall. So this bike feels right for me, also its easier for me to maneuver this bike. Do keep this in mind as you read my review. I have owned a re thunderbird 500 since august 2014 and completed 70000kms on it.Love at first ride:When you take a test ride on this beauty, you will definitely fall in love with the torquey engine, the power range and the comfort. The mild sound of the thump is so masculine. I don't like the louder sound of the modified res so i like the factory fitted silencer, it allows you to have a conversation with the pillion. The bike feels well balanced even with its weight and its quite easy to hit the corners or even lean into the corner while turning. The real meat is between 2nd gear at 30kmph to the 4th gear at 90kmph. The gears are long so don't change the gears too quickly while accelerating, the bike keeps accelerating and gaining momentum without the need to change gears too often.Torque and acceleration:After a few years of riding, all other bikes seem so light and there is absolutely no appeal in using any other bike.The power drive is fantastic between 2500rpm to 5000 rpm. The torque is fabulous. Once i even used it to tow a scorpio out of a ditch.The torque is a big bonus to have when riding in the ghats. You can easily ride on steep slopes without the engine feeling stressed.Unlike other bikes you do not need gear down and get quick acceleration to overtake a vehicle. The acceleration of re works differently and has a lot to do with momentum and rpm range between 2.5k and 5k. For overtaking on the highways you will need a flick of a wrist on any gear and will have to wait back a little and then you will see the magic of the bull pulling you with ease. So steady long unending pull but not quick.Comfort:The riding position is for an average height of 5 feet 8. For me, i had to get the handlebar further extended and get the seat 2 inches higher for it to be really comfortable. That's the good thing about re bikes, a lot of modifications are possible.The back rest is a boon to the pillion and long rides of 300km non-stop in 4 hours are possible.The engine doesn't sound stressed or even in any problem even after touring full day at speeds between 80kmph and 100kmph. No other bike will allow you to scale the roads of of leh laddakh with ease.The bike can comfortably carry the rider, pillion and luggage, totalling more than 250kgs on the ghats, nonstop on the highway for hours at more than 80kmph. Beyond 110kmph the bike seems stressed and the braking seems to take a really long time, i would not recommend frequently riding above the 110kmph mark. Looks and modifications:Having a metal body and big fuel tank, the looks are stunning and there are many 3rd party mechanics offering modifications such as fancy flatter or crossbar handlebars, sharper looking leg guards, wind shields, extra head lights, fog lights, alloy wheels etc. There are mechanics to replace the efi with a carburettor. (if the efi gets spoilt, since carburettor is cheaper and performance can be tweaked).The approximate costs inclusive of fitting are below-Handlebar- 800 to 2000 Headlamp grill and indicator grill- 400 Dry battery -3200 (easy maintenance, better life and lower rate of failure)Alloy wheels - 8000 per pair Tubeless tyres -5000 per pair Pair of led fog lights - 1500 Wind shield - 1500 Leather seats - 2000 to 5000 Carrier at the back - 700 to 1000 Carburettor - 4000 Silencer - 1000 to 2000 Leg guard front - 1000 to 2000Leg guard rear - 500 to 1000 Fuel and performance:I got a mileage between 28 and 30 in the city and 32 on the highway. My zero to hundred timing is 11.6 seconds. Top speed 140 on the speedometer, which seems to be inaccurate, felt more like 125 or max 130.The extra premium or power petrol, i.e. higher octane fuel gives a better feel to the running but make sure you don't mix the fuels up, else you will be paying extra for no boost in performance. The engine life is better with higher octane fuel and trust me, the engine will feel younger even at 70000kms if you use higher octane fuel.Tyre air pressure on tube tyres:Considering my weight, i feel comfortable at 25/35, even though the recommended is 22/32. At the recommended pressure, i tend to get punctures more often. Keep in mind at higher pressure the bike gets lesser grip on wet road or steep turns and also while braking. Do carry a spare tube if possible since the rear tube size isn't readily available. 120/80-18. The puncture mechanics have a difficult time getting the tyre out and the rear disc brake needs to be removed and can gives issues once its refitted, since the road-side puncture mechanics are not used to fixing the re bikes. So it's recommended you learn how to get out from the re workshop.For tubeless tyres, use 22/32. It will be harder to manoeuvre at 25/35.Alloy wheels? (cost 8000 for pair) Alloy wheels and tubeless tyred will save you from the punctures. But if you plan to get the alloy wheels do take into consideration that since the bike is really heavy and if you hit a big pothole, the alloy wheel can likely get a crack, meaning, you would have to get the alloy wheel replaced. Average tubeless tyres cost around 5000. If you stick to spokes and tube tyre, you will end up spending a bomb every alternate servicing on getting the rim out and spokes adjusted. (approx 300 per tyre).Bike common issues/cons:1. The bike seems to get out of alignment needing the spokes and rim to the adjusted 2. Spare parts are too expensive. The life of parts is too little.Example 1 - fuel pump would cost you 15000, fuel filter kit 3000.. That's a total of 18 thousand and will likely get spoilt if you always run on low fuel or the quality of fuel is bad. Even if you take care, the fuel pump might just go bad at 30000kms. Example 2 - efi will set you back by 10 thousand. Can go bad anytime after the warranty period.Example 3 - liquid battery will need replacement every 2 years. Warranty is just 1.5 years. That will cost you 3000.3. Its a very high maintenance bike Servicing labour cost -750 Oil -900 every 3 months.Chain spray - 200 every 3 months (3m spray. Use every 15 days.)Regular parts change in the first 2 years - 2000 to 4000 Regular parts change after 2 years - 4000 to 6000 every year.Regular parts need replacement every 12000 kms to 18000 kms. Like spark plugs, fork oil, would also need over hauling, which is expensive, around 600 to 800 for just the labour. Accelerator cable, fuel pipe, other pipes, bush, bearings etc. The brake pads and bearings need changing often since the bike is heavy and the need a lot of braking for it to stop when in momentum.After 70000km or almost 4 years, i spend on an average, 4000 every 3 months on servicing. A car would likely cost lower in maintenance.4. Very difficult to start if battery is weak, the efi doesn't get initiated. Even if the battery is fine, the kick start needs some getting used to.5. Shock absorbers need an upgrade and don't feel perfect.Overall verdict- If you aren't stingy about maintenance and don't mind shelling out money to buy an expensive bike, you will not regret buying this bike. Else, your life will feel like a torture with this 500cc monster. Feel free to make your bike unique with hundreds of possible modifications and enhancements.

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