Confusion Approved

Hi Ashish

Looking at your budget and if that's the max you are looking at then Classic is out the question as it would cost 1L+ on road (still worth a check with the dealer)

Regarding TBTS & Electra, both engines are totally different and have few things in common

Common?

Engine: 346cc (say 350)
Transmission: 5 Speed (left foot gear shift)

Difference?

TBTS: UCE Engine Twin Spark (Same as the Classic 350)
Electra: Old fashion Cast Iron engine

More you can compare on website and check for yourself: RE Website

Further, if you are looking for a touring bike, TBTS would be best option in terms on comfort, ride quality and mileage. Electra is just an upgraded version of the STD 350.

The choice is yours and all the best

@ashish

the cl 350 and thunderbird are pretty much the same bike engine wise. they have the same uce engine with the same power and torque. other than the cosmetic differences, there are some changes b/w them. the cl 350 has a more powerful stock headlight and a fatter but shorter rear tyre. the seating and handlebar of the thunderbird ismore cruiser type.

the electra has a CI engine and therefore will have the sound/thump as well as the "traditional" feel to it. I this they have done way with the CB point on the electra thought. not sure. with the electra, RE has taken the standard and put a 5 speed, better suspension and some more stuff.

if you really need the traditional feel of the RE then electra is the only option as the standard is now defunct. RE is not taking any more orders for the standard.

If you need more reliability, lesser oil spill then any of the uce engine bikes are a better bet. between the thunderbird and cl350, i think both cost around the same in bng. you will need to testdrive both the bikes to decide which suits you the most. i have ridden the thunderbird and own the cl500. I prefer the classic's handle and seating over the thunderbird. just for info, i"m 5.11 and weight ~110

hope this helps.

For touring, go for the TBTS. Hands down. And take a test ride too. the electra engine will give you the old world feel, but will feel strained under long distance high speed cruising. Go for the UCE engine, it can rev easy, and is more refined. The thump is compromised, but nothing a good free flow after market silencer cannot compensate for, though it wont be in the range of the old engine.

It makes more sense getting an Classic 350 (if u can extent ur budget by 10k) rather than getting confused between Electra and Thunderbird .

Most people have second thoughts on getting an TBTS because it lacks the thump . With the CL350 , you miss nothing . Its does have the thump and it does have the essence of being a BULLET .

^ cl350 doesnt have the thump.

I'd recommend the CL350 with the upswept exhaust. Comparatively more reliable , more power and torque , no oil leak issues or tappet issues , fatter tyres , classic feel , better headlamps and good FE(again comparatively).

@ Ashish - With all due respect to others' opinions - here is mine...

Whichever BULL you get - there will always be some niggle or the other - be it tappet noise, oil leak - and a lot more....Hence, once you have prepared your mind for a BULL, be prepared to live with it or do something about it... requires some focus on maintanance... There is nothing called a NO-NONSENSE BULL...

As to the feel of the electra or TBTs or CL - in fact any other bull - it is all about falling in love with the BULL... Just walk into a showroom... (do not decide basis riding friend's bike - as the "feel" can be different of a used bull), test ride all the models within your budget and then one of them will just scream to you - I AM YOURS!!!

Your heart will fall for one of the models - pay it, pick it and live it!!! That's how I would pick a bull - idiot proof way to live your dream...

P.S. No offence meant to anyone else, that's how I bought my bull - after walking into the showroom to pick up a Machismo basis all advices and came back riding the STD with all glee and smile pasted on my face!!!

Thankssss for ur replies...

After ur all's feedback and more reviews i av come a bit closer in choosing my bull...it can now be TBTS or CL 350....

Have heard that TBTS engine has tappet loosing problems...less presence than other bullets...????

Also silencer fitted from market dosen't lasts long and thumping is also not genuine???

CL 350 with 2 split seats will be better than single seater na???

Now next Sat i'll be visiting RE dealership for test ride.....

^^ The CL 350 would be the right choice for you. Yes, CL with 2 seats would be better than a single seat, since you can carry a pillion along with you. Test ride both the TBTS and the CL and decide.

hiiii alll....

HUH...back from auto expo.....

had a query...

in CL 350 engine bore and stroke is 70x90 and in CL 500 engine it is 84x60.....and the engine is air cooled too

RE has has kept the engine same just increased bore and stroke in getting 350 to 500.....I wanna know can bike have engine over heating problems or other related problems due to this reason.....

If we see technology wise r15/ninja/p220 they all have liquid cooled engine....and CL 500 has a air cooled one...

Waiting for your replies.....

All REs have a relatively low compression ratio when compared to the other bikes you mentioned. Also, they rev much lower than the other bikes. All this translates into less heat being generated by the bike which doesn't require liquid cooling.

If you think about it, the CL500 'develops' 27.2 bhp @5250 rpm (actually closer to 21 bhp), while, say the KTM 690 Duke which is a 650cc single cylinder develops 65 bhp @ 7500 rpm. Also, the compression ratio of the CL500 is 8.5 while that of the duke is 11.8.

A lot more power needs to be pulled out of the classic 500 before liquid cooling is to be considered. It would probably ruin the retro appeal of the bike anyway.

A 350cc air cooled single needs a large amount of air to cool down. This, doesn't happen effectively in slow moving Indian traffic conditions. Thus the engine will heat up very quickly. Prolonged use in such conditions will automatically reduce engine life as the conventional mineral based engine oils have lower flashpoints and therefore won't provide effective heat transfer after a particular temperature is crossed. Imho, the best way to protect your engine from heat is using a good synthetic oil like the Motul 300V. This will make sure that your engine is well protected, even in protracted slow moing traffic conditions. Another option would be retrofitting the oil cooler of the Bajaj Avenger/P200/P220 onto the Royal Enfields. This will also proide effectie cooling without a marring the aesthetics.

Cheers,

Jay

will RE single cyl, CL500 cc producing 27.2 bhp, with air cooled will it be reliable as compared to RE CL350 cc producing 19 bhp- whereas 250 cc ninja[diff segment] twin cyl has liquid cooling......

dosent the engine will be over worked???....

You are comparing two ery different segments of motorcycles. The Royal Enfields are relaxed thumpers while a Ninja is a sportsbike. In most if not all cases,the Kawasaki Ninja 250R will be much more reliable. Coming to the engine, the UCE500s specific output(bhp/1000cc) is 55 while the Ninja's is almost 110. So, the Ninja needs all the gadgetry to keep it cool.

Cheers,

Jay

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