Interesting: This whole question was "thrashed" in a previous string I started when the T 500 first came out and it met with oddly very little enthusiasm. As far as the idea that RE would keep the T 500 in India only because it is marketing "tradition" to the rest of the world, I would point out that
1) Their stated intention is to capture the international mid-size market
2) The T 500 is a vastly more practical bike in all respects than the GT
3) Other than the tank colour, there is nothing "traditional" about the GT to really link it back to the "continental GT 250 " of yore: it has completely different frame, displacement , brakes, fuel mgt and so on. But it is a sweet bike and they will do well with it. As they could with the T 500
I said before and say again, that as a single machine to step into the international mid size real world commuting market, the T 500 ticks all the boxes right now. And if they can do for pricing on it what they have done in US across the rest of the range, think they would be quite competitive with other brands.
I will add one quote from a previous string :
"
I don't have any idea what RE intends with the Electra G 5 model line, but I do think the Thunderbird is the way forward. And I don't really see any good reason that it would not do well here. It is modern with heritage, very practical, has astounding fuel economy and range, front and rear disc brakes on a light and nimble frame and a host of other practical features for the modern rider /commuter. I happen to think it looks pretty good too, without in any way being eiher a Harley Clone or a plastic Darth Vader transformer toy lookalike. I would buy one over a G 5 (and I would buy a G 5 over C 5 ).
I think a new era of practical motorcyling is dawning driven by fuel costs, not unlike the golden era of workingman practical motorcyling that spawned all the 500 singles in the first place. And the bikes that thrived back then were the best, most modern and fully featured (practical featuresn not gimmicks) of their time. No reason to expect it to be different now. Factor in insurance costs per displacement, the market wide downsizing in dispaclement and the appearance of a lot of mid and small bikes with escellent features but devoid of character, and I believe the stage is set for a new era for RE . Just my opinion " Nigel
Sorry that my spelling sucked --gets worse the more passionate I get