Royal Enfield is having colorful new entries into their 2018 lineup, and ironically, they look even the more retro and chic. Called the Thunderbird “X” series, the Chennai based firm has added vibrant new colors to their Thunderbird models which made its debut back in 2000.

Although it never crossed the pond to North America, the Thunderbirds (both 350cc and 500cc) are very popular with the millennials back home in India. Now, Royal Enfield wants to entice the same breed of customers with splashes of colors and never before seen features on the thumper.

Giving the Thunderbirds a definitive new ‘twist’, the X comes equipped with alloy wheels and tubeless tires, a first for Royal Enfield. The five-spoke alloys also get matching pinstriping. The new ‘gunslinger’ styled seat gets faux Alcantara, and the rear pillion grab rails have been swapped with sporty split elements. Coupled with the shortened rear mudguard, the “X” gets the custom style statement and gives a cleaner, less cluttered look.

Calling the new X models “an urban-geared rendition” of its Thunderbird machines, the 500cc machine gets “Getaway Orange” or “Drifter Blue” colors while the 350cc gets “Whimsical White” and “Roving Red”. Being color specific only on the tank and the pinstriping on the alloy wheels, the rest of the bike gets a blacked out theme giving a niche contrast with the candy colors.

Mechanically, everything stays in the same place running on the same rugged soul. The Thunderbird 500 X will still be powered by a bored out version of the engine of the original 500, which is a four stroke, single cylinder, air cooled, twin-spark, 499cc engine. Like all Thunderbird 500’s engine, it is fuel injected, which makes it a lot more responsive, eager and refined than the previous generation Bullets. This fuel injected 499cc engine puts out 27.2 hp of power and 31 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to a five-speed gearbox.

Thunderbird 350 X will also come fitted with the contemporary Unit Construction Engine (UCE) which replaced the traditional and outdated cast iron engine in 2007. This four stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled, 346cc engine comes with a heavier crankshaft and twin spark plugs which have made it more efficient and reliable than before. The engine is capable of belting out 19.8 hp of power and 21 Nm of torque.

Both the 350 and the 500 X can be customized with Royal Enfield’s accessory catalog that includes flyscreen, windshield, pillion backrest, panniers, crash guards, machined oil filler cap and more.

This development will please the new wave of millennial customers and help Royal Enfield’s domestic sale shoot to the stratosphere. Wondering if you could ride one in the States? Don’t. Royal Enfield has no such plans in its current strategy to introduce the Thunderbird models here.

Whatever it is, we will now see a lot of roads get dapper with à la mode.