Rumours of Royal Enfield discontinuing its 500cc motorcycles have been doing rounds on the internet for quite some time now. The manufacturer has now officially announced that come 31st March, 2020 and the manufacturer will be retiring its 500cc motorcycles including the Bullet 500, Classic 500 and the Thunderbird 500. At the same time, in order to celebrate the long innings of the company’s 500cc motorcycles, Royal Enfield has also announced the limited edition Classic 500 Tribute Black model. Each model will get a unique serial number as a mark of exclusivity. The said limited edition model will be made available through a three-hour online sale that starts on 10th February 2020 at 2 PM.
Watch our Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X video review here:
Registrations for the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Tribute Black edition have begun today on the company’s website for India. Speaking on the announcement, Vinod Dasari, CEO of Royal Enfield said that since 2009, the Royal Enfield 500cc motorcycles have proudly set the stage for the middle-weight motorcycling segment in India. He also said that Classic 500 in particular, has garnered success for Royal Enfield across various global markets with its sublime retro-chic design and engaging ride experience. He concluded his statement by saying that as the company signs off the last of the Royal Enfield 500cc motorcycles, the Classic 500 Tribute Black is an opportunity for the afficianadoes to own a piece of Royal Enfield and motorcycling history.
That said, after the Royal Enfield 500cc bikes will get discontinued, prospective customers will only have the option of buying the 411cc Himalayan and the 650cc twins that include the Interceptor and the Continental GT. The company will also be reportedly coming up with affordable bikes in order to make the brand more accessible for the masses. Royal Enfield has recently trademarked names like Sherpa and Hunter and these might be the names for the company’s upcoming smaller capacity cruisers.