It is only recently that Royal Enfield made it official that its Classic 500 models will be discontinued before BS6 emission norms kick in by April 2020. The higher single-cylinder models were not able to gather enough sales last year and the company does not see a point in continuing a product that has got extremely low demand.
The Royal Enfield Classic 500 had its strong days in its initial phases of introduction, that happened over a decade ago. Hence, to give the model-line a well-deserved farewell, the limited-edition Classic 500 Tribute Black has been introduced as an exclusive online-sale-only made-to-order product. The sales go live today on a dedicated page in Royal Enfield’s official website. The sales window will remain open only between 2pm and 5pm on the 10th of February. The advance booking amount stands at Rs 50,000.
The company has also released a tribute video for the limited-edition Classic 500 showcasing how the fuel tank is hand-painted and a glimpse of how the motorcycle was introduced back in the day. For those who are really into Royal Enfield and its single-cylinder products, the video is a must-watch and the Classic 500 Tribute Black is worth considering (you have to act fast though).
Royal Enfield classifies the Classic 500 Tribute Black as ‘the last to carry the iconic long-stroke single-cylinder UCE 500cc engine’. It is available in just one shade of paint — Classic Tribute Black (Gloss Black with Gold accents); with pinstripes hand-painted by the famous Kumar brothers.
Furthermore, each unit of the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Tribute Black gets a hallmark plaque with a unique ‘End of Build’ serial number printed on it. The Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer expects the limited-edition last-of-its-kind product to be well-received amongst its fans and followers, unlike the regular Classic 500 model which hardly sold in three-digit figures over the past few months.
The UCE (Unit Construction Engine) powertrain remains identical to the regular 500 model range (Classic, Std, Thunderbird, etc.) in its BS4 format. The 499cc air-cooled single-cylinder unit is good for 27.2bhp and 41.3Nm of torque while mated to a 5-speed transmission.
Royal Enfield is busy working on the next-generation 350 model range and we have shared multiple spy shots of the same previously. The company has already launched the BS6-compliant versions of the present generation, but many are eagerly looking forward to the completely revamped 2020 avatar.