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The Dominar’s lighter weight makes it more fun to ride around corners

Riding Dynamics – The Thunderbird 500X is 15 kgs heavier than the Dominar 400 and that clearly shows in how these two motorcycles ride and handle. Both the bikes here get front telescopic forks but the rear suspension is a different story altogether. The Dominar 400 gets a monoshock while the Thunderbird 500X gets twin shock absorbers. The perimeter frame in the Dominar also makes it more agile and fun when tackling corners while the single down tube frame and the softer suspension setup in the Thunderbird 500X gives it better ride quality. Overall, the Thunderbird is a more comfortable bike while the Dominar is a better handler. Both the motorcycles offer disc brakes at either end but the Dominar 400 also gets dual-channel ABS as optional which gives it an advantage in the braking aspect.

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The Dominar offers great bang for the buck

Verdict – The Thunderbird 500X is still the same old-school motorcycle in new clothes which, of course, make it look good and youthful. If seat comfort, fuel-efficiency and low-end performance is what you’re looking for, then get yourselves the Thunderbird 500X. However, if you need an all-rounder, a bike that’s loaded with features and is superior in terms of hardware, refinement, braking, performance and fit and finish then, you know where to look at.

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The Thunderbird gets a 20-litre fuel tank; a boon for long distance touring

Testers’ Note:

“The price and lack of features of the Thunderbird 500X is baffling but once you ride it with a mindset of a buyer, you realise it’s less about all these things and more about feeling manly which this retro-styled motorcycle does to a certain set of riders. However, if you want a better motorcycle, it’s quite easy to choose here because not only is the Dominar better in every regard, it’s cheaper too.” – Faisal Khan, Editor, MotorBeam.

“Being a Honda fanboy, I would say the Dominar 400 comes close to the CBR250R by offering more performance and features. When you compare the flagship Bajaj motorcycle with the Thunderbird 500X, it’s a no contest, it’s like comparing Apple to Android because while the Royal Enfield is more for the masses like Android, it does have glitches and isn’t as smooth sailing as iOS.” – Dhanil Vira, Road Tester, MotorBeam.