Reviews of Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350

Style good.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox engine is good. Good milege and gear is bit hard, but ok.

Ride quality & handling comfortable ride and handling won't be an issue once you get used to.

Final words totally satisfied with a bike. Before getting it, i prepared myself because that was my first experience with the bike before that i was using pulser 150cc. I already aware that it is not a normal japanese kind bike so whatever issues i had faced after getting it, it was not surprised me. I have learn few safety and riding tricks by experience. So when i realizes someone is complaining about these machines i always count these people in that japanese kind bike rider class. They are not matured enough for these machines. I am not saying that i am perfect here, but i always try to be. Few tricks may be it helps new comers,

i) always first start in a day with kick not using button start.

Ii) keep a bike start in an ideal rpm (700-100 rpm) for atleast 2 mins.

Iii) before taking it in first gear gives some acceleration (about 1.5K-2k rpm).

Iv) ride smoothly, try to up-shift gear when engine rpm reaches upto 2.5K-3k rpm.

V) try to ride bike in proper gear. (Many times i do not able to shift it in fifth gear due to road conditions).

Vi) use proper engine oil (i use motul 3000 4t plus 15w50) and replace it after certain intervals (5k-6k).

Vii) try to keep your bike clean. Do it by yourself, because it gives you better understanding of your bike.

Viii) learn little maintenance by reading user manual.

Ix) feel your bike. It will respond you.

I have completed almost 35k in 2 years, including some long trips.

Yes! totally satisfied.

Areas of improvement need some basic training to new riders.

Pros

good engine, good mileage

cons

few negligible manufacturing defects

As the header says, i'm not writing the review as a "fanboy". I read countless reviews of the re bikes before i went for a tbts last year and have been reading them steadily. I always believe that re bikes are shortchanged by reviewers -- the main problem is that the expectations of the reviewers from the bike are often entirely different and sometimes not at all what the bike is supposed to meet in the first place !!

for example, people say that re bikes are "unreliable" -- well, i have a tbts for 18 months now -- and i have taken it on various solo trips . Not once has it failed on me. The key is to give the bike a look-over every now and then and if anything doesn't look right, get it tightened, adjusted or fixed straightaway -- a stitch in time folks , it's not an old saying for no reason. You cannot simply accuse your bike of being unreliable if you allow things to go bad. If you say that a bike is no good if it requires such frequent maintenance checks -- then unfortunately, the re is not the bike for you, but don't accuse it of being unreliable.

Another thing that i'd like to mention is that a re bike requires a very good mechanic to make it work perfectly. Not many mechanics -- not many in the authorised service centers either -- have that touch. In fact, i believe so many people complain about re bikes simply becaue the its a fault on the part of re themselves that their service center staff is often not good enough. So, for an re you need to find a good mechanic in your area -- one with reputation and experience and this little thing can make a lot of difference in how your bike behaves. Secondly : fuel -efficiency -- one of the most common complaints of reviewers. My bike gives a steady mileage of around 46kmpl on the highway and around 40-42 kmpl in city conditions -- i think it is a very good fuel efficiency for an engine that size. Yes, it could be improved, but it isn't bad either. Those who accuse an re of bad fuel efficiency -- again, your expectations are not in sync with reality -- you need to go for the lighter bikes that claim to give 60+ kmpl. To conclude the preamble -- before buying a re bike, and definitely before calling it worthless or unreliable, you need to ask yourself what do you need a bike for -- if you need a bike that can be neglected for months and will still perform perfectly, giving a fuel efficiency of 60kmpl or more at the same time -- then a re is not what you need to buy.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox engine runs smoothly without many hiccups. Self-start is a boon, but is a bit tricky to catch on to than most other bikes. Power output, given the size of the engine, is a little less -- but not that much. The torque, too, is a bit low for an engine this size but provides enough acceleration to leave traffic behind. Fuel economy is fair. Gear shifting is a bit crude with false neutrals occassionally -- one area that has scope of improvement.

Ride quality & handling balance is very good, the bike (tbts) doesn't feel heavy at all while riding. Best feel of the ride is between 60 and 80 kmph. Beyond 90kmph the ride becomes shaky, esp if there are strong crosswinds. (Not that i recommend riding a bike at more than 90kmph on any indian road).

Final words despite of all the negative reviews, i consider a re tbts to be a very well balanced bike that will take care of you if you give it a little attention. The bike's price-tag is a bit on the higher side considering all it's pros and cons. I'd be happier if the bike was priced at 1.1Lakh or whereabouts. Also, the re company need to have better servicing staff at their outlets and workshops.

Pros

styling, comfort, fuel economy.

Cons

cost, non-homogeneous service

Style awesome.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox super good but problem in getting neutral.

Ride quality & handling superb

final words the bike is not at all meant for racing. It is meant for comfort, easyness, power. It is a beast and not a rabbit . You never expect beast to run. But beast has raw power.

Areas of improvement show room staff needs to be more learned. The sales girl started arguing once i asked for the bill of the accesories. They openly claim extra money for bill . The accessories are of the lowest and cheapest quality.

Pros

power, comfort, looks, stability , easy

cons

ill mannered, un professional staff at show rooms.