The tubular frame on all three Bullets bolts in its heavy engine as a stressed member, and all use telescopic front forks; sadly, the gas-charged rear shocks used on the Machismo and Electra are absent on the T'bird. Plug those in, and the ride and feel would be as good as on the others.
The Machismo and Electra have superb, comfortable seats, but the Thunderbird suffers from a narrow and uncomfortable saddle, which trades practicality for a more attractive-looking shape.
Straight-line stability is a major draw on Bullets, and shows up strongly on all three bikes. The 19-inch rims, long 1370mm wheelbase and 175kg kerb weight no doubt assist this cause.
Upswept handlebars on the T'bird make for easier turn-in than on the Machismo and Electra. Cornering on either is not comparable to modern bikes: a lot of weight-transfer and muscle is needed, and brisk changes in direction are a rather laborious task. The bikes are pleasingly stable through corners, but any over-exuberance exposes limitations at the front end. Drum brakes for the rear and optional front disc brakes are the norm on all three bikes — we strongly recommend the disc option. While feel and feedback levels are not good on all three bikes, they did post reasonable braking distances on our emergency brake tests.