Many know it as an ancient, leaky, noisy motorcycle, but for hardcore bike enthusiasts, the Royal Enfield is India’s version of the Harley Davidson. Let’s face it, the Bullet is the only true cruiser available in the country. The big daddy of two-wheelers finally gave in to the competition—the demands of die-hard bikers, that is—and recently launched the new Machismo LB 500. The Enfield beasts might not be as technologically advanced as Honda, Bajaj or Yamaha, but it’s still the only bike manufacturer that enjoys a cult following among different generations.
The Machismo LB 500 has an all-new aluminium Lean Burn (LB) engine unlike its previous cast-iron motor. This is the second LB, the first being the 350 cc engine which powers the flashy Thunderbird and the little brother Machismo.

Style/ Design
The roar of the machine can easily be mistaken for a regular Bullet, which is very disappointing. For a bike that costs over Rs 1 lakh should make people turn and stare. Instead, it’s the Thunderbird that has the expensive and majestic look, something the 500 LB lacks big time.
The bike’s styling is identical to the 350 cc Machismo. The seat, the chrome petrol tank, instrument panel are all borrowed from its sibling. The seats are extremely comfortable and the riding position remains the same, which is ideal for long hauls, but the side view mirrors are too small to be functional.
The one difference in this 500cc bike is that it gets bigger cooling fins on the engine, and the boxes on the side have the Machismo 500 sticker. It also gets a new, round tail lamp, which brings back memories of the good old speed king, Yamaha RD 350.

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