So I’ve been dreaming about this one for a long time. Probably ever since Uma & I did a trip to Leh and we rented out some Enfields to go from Leh to Pangong lake. That ride was magical: we saw everything from frozen ice cover (Changla pass), arid desert (Nubra) and finally the brilliant blue of the lake. That’s also the longest I’ve ridden and from then on, I wanted a Royal Enfield of my own.

Choosing amongst the bullets is difficult. It’s not just about performance or specs, but more about how the machine makes you feel. Why did I pick the Thunderbird over the more classic models?

1. I wanted a good, modern bike. No carburetors for me! So that ruled out the Classic 500.
2. I’ve always loved the cruiser seating position. Makes me feel like a king of the road 🙂 So that narrows it down to the Thunderbird.
3. And finally, I wanted a bike that could travel anywhere. That meant the 500.

Besides who can resist this ad?

Two quick shots of the new bike: