2020 Royal Enfield Thunderbird BS6 SPIED: Looks like a proper cruiser

Royal Enfield is readying their next-generation range of motorcycles for the Indian market. With the implementation of the stricter BS6 emission norms, there will be a lot of changes in the vehicles on sale in the Indian market. Royal Enfield, the largest motorcycle seller above 300cc in the Indian market is working on the next-generation models. Recently, their upcoming Thunderbird was spotted testing under heavy camouflage in the market.

The new motorcycle was spotted testing on the Bangalore-Chennai Highway. The new bike looks like the Thunderbird X version, which comes with alloy wheels and a few other minor changes when compared to the regular model of the Thunderbird. The motorcycle was caught testing on the video and there are four major differences that can be spotted on the bike.

The test mule indicates that Royal Enfield has done a few major changes. The frame of the motorcycle seems to be different from the current generation of the Royal Enfield Thunderbird. Instead of the single tube frame, Royal Enfield has incorporated the dual pipe chassis. Royal Enfield has not made any major changes in the Thunderbird for many years now. This would be a perfect time to introduce changes to the bike. The seating posture of the rider also seems to be more relaxed and different from the current-generation Thunderbird X. In all, it has become more like a cruiser bike than the current version.

The bike has also been changed visually. The test mule of the bike shows changes like newly designed panels, a new headlamp unit, a new disc brake unit and a newly designed exhaust as well. The thump from the exhaust was not clear in the video but it seems that the next-generation Royal Enfield bikes will retain the iconic thump.

The major and the most obvious change done in the upcoming Royal Enfield Thunderbird will be its engine. The engine will be thoroughly updated to meet the upcoming emission norms set-up by the Indian government. Also, the displacement of the bikes is expected to change. In the future, Royal Enfield may only offer a single engine option for their Classic, Bullet and Thunderbird models. The engine will remain air-cooled but due to the emission norms, the fuel injection system will likely to become a standard feature.

The exact launch date of the upcoming Royal Enfield Thunderbird bikes is not known yet. However, they may get introduced to the market in early 2020. The BS6 norms will be enforced in the market on 1st April 2020. The changes seen on the next-generation Thunderbird are also expected to be incorporated by the regular Royal Enfield Thunderbird. With these changes, the overall price of the bike will increase by around Rs 20,000.