Royal Enfield unveils Thunderbird 500

Motorcycle maker Royal Enfield today unveiled its 500cc bike Thunderbird 500, which will hit the Indian roads later in the year.

The company, however, did not disclose the price of the new model.

"After 10 years of launching the Thunderbird, we have completely redesigned the model, especially for the urban and the long distance travellers," Eicher Motors MD and CEO Siddhartha Lal told reporters here.

The company plans to launch it by the end of first half of the year, he added.

Royal Enfield is the two wheeler division of the BSE-listed Eicher Motors.

The new bike will be manufactured at the company's Chennai facility.

Of the 7,000 units of motorcycles sold by Eicher in a month, about 1,000 units is that of Thunderbird 350cc.

"We don't plan to discontinue the 350cc model. The new variant is  just an extension of the Thunderbird range," Lal said.

The company has also announced the launch of accessories like helmets, jackets and boots through its dealerships across the country.

"The accessories will be available from the middle of the year, coinciding with the launch of the new model," Royal Enfield CEO Venki Padmanabhan said.

On the launch of its Cafe Racer, Lal said the bike would be available from the first half of 2013.