There is nothing quite as tantalising as a ride on a cruiser and there's no bike that can hold a candle to the touring abilities of the Enfield fleet though opinion is divided on this count. There are those who absolutely detest the Bullet and its kin, spewing vile filth on the eccentricities that are second nature to this family. Then there is the other side who place it on a tall pedestal, stay awake all night polishing it and set off riding in the wee hours to escape traffic and noonday sun to get to their destination absurd kilometers away.

The Thunderbird with myriad hues and shades tries hard to chart a course all her own but loses track in quite a few respects. There's plenty of modern technology stacked within to make it more proficient in its ways with the engine and transmission being refined to appeal to wider audience. There is the 'for men only' feel inborn, nothing can shake that but at the same time its gone a little soft in the head. There's a remarkable improvement in build quality of the T'Bird, a facet both manufacturer and consumer took for granted in the past. By general consensus if it's a Bullet, it will leak oil, the bolts will come off, the brakes need to be activated a few miles away, cables will snap, the tank will leak fuel and the sky shall surely fall on my head (to borrow a phrase in Asterix-speak - By Toutasis!) yet I will ride and live to tell the tale. The T'Bird has lost the sonorous timbre an integral part of Enfield's immortality, so where does that leave it. There are design cues that will be the cynosure of many a feminine eye, not to mention the myth that only real men ride Enfields. She performs ably as a cruiser, offers comfortable ride with sufficient power on tap and is able to call it quits at a slight tap on the brake lever. But the Thunderbird lacks the savage, almost psychotic dazzle of the Lightning.

At Rs 71,590 ex-showroom Bangalore, this soft-tail presents decent value for money. But no matter how high this bird flies, it's not going to be in exalted orbit, where eagles dare.