By Allison Parker | Photos courtesy Royal Enfield
Of all the motorcycle manufacturers that have existed since the turn of the 20th century, only one can say it has seen 125 years of continuous production. Royal Enfield’s story is unique, not just because the brand has seen its fair share of ups and downs but because it has, for 125 years, managed to overcome the lows and pivot to new highs. Royal Enfield is in the midst of one of those highs right now, and its story has a lot to teach us about the enduring spirit of motorcycling.
A big part of the company’s success can be attributed to its commitment to innovation, which began with its first motorcycle in 1901. While the company that would become Royal Enfield had existed for decades at that point, developing manufacturing know‑-how and acquiring creative engineers along the way, this first step into motorcycling is where the story starts. While no blueprints of the original 1901 bike exist, Royal Enfield Brand Historian Gordon May and Royal Enfield engineers have accomplished an ambitious task by recreating the 1901 bike based on photos and news articles from the time. I’ve been lucky enough to see May starting and riding this recreation at several events over the past few years, and it is always a delight.
Project Origin, as the re‑-creation is titled, is a fascinating bit of machinery because it provides a window into the creativity required to be at the forefront of early motorcycle design. When stepping into something this new, you can’t simply copy what already works; you have to figure that out on your own. In 1901, that meant mounting a 1.75‑-hp engine to the steering head of a bicycle frame and running a rawhide belt all the way to the rear wheel to drive the machine forward. A total loss oil system required the rider to hand‑-pump oil into the engine with a pump on the cylinder every 10 miles or so. The machine is started by peddling the bike, and speed is controlled by using an exhaust valve lifter. Lifting the lifter closes off the inlet valve, basically preventing the engine from firing, and lowering the lifter opens the inlet valve, allowing air and fuel into the engine to resume operation. I encourage anyone interested in the full details of how Project Origin operates to refer to Royal Enfield’s press release from 2021, which is available online.
Royal Enfield made a name for itself by continuing to push motorcycle design. Many of those technologies are still being used today by Royal Enfield and other brands. As early as 1912, Royal Enfield patented the cush drive rear hub, which uses rubber blocks to cushion the shocks between the rear wheel and sprocket, reducing wear on the chain and transmission. Cush drive also popularized chain drive in place of belt drive, and it is still in use on Royal Enfield motorcycles today. Swinging arm rear suspension is another example of a Royal Enfield innovation with continued relevance. The brand was the first to put this technology into production, and while it might seem odd to us today, it was not well‑-received on its introduction. It was Royal Enfield’s success in trials competitions, using the swinging arm rear suspension, that allowed the technology to grow in popularity.
The company’s focus on trials riding in the 1930s through the 1950s also set the stage for what would become the longest‑-running production motorcycle model in the world, and the most important piece to our puzzle of answering the question of how Royal Enfield was able to keep going for 125 years. The Bullet was launched in 1932 during the Great Depression, a time when people were desperate for economical transportation. The Bullet’s versatility made it a popular choice, as it could handle not only competitive riding but also the needs of the ordinary owner.
The 1948 Bullet is what changed the game for Royal Enfield. It was well‑-loved for its go‑-anywhere capabilities, and the Indian Army took note, ordering 500 Bullet 350s during the Kashmiri War in 1951. The Indian Army needed a motorcycle that was reliable and could handle the rough off‑-road conditions near its northern borders, and the Bullet fit those requirements perfectly. But once the war ended and a new republic took shape, the new government imposed import restrictions, preventing Royal Enfield from selling its bikes in India. The solution was a partnership with Madras Motors to produce Royal Enfield motorcycles in Chennai, India, starting in 1956. Royal Enfield’s enduring success can be directly linked to this first partnership in India, which allowed the brand to continue on in a new market that many others were blocked from.
The Bullet was not the first or only Royal Enfield motorcycle to find military use. During both World War I and II, British motorcycle manufacturers, along with many other businesses, were tasked with supplying machines for the war efforts, Royal Enfield included among them. Out of these, the most enduring story comes from a little 126cc motorcycle that came to be known as the Flying Flea.
World War II required deployment into enemy territory, where troops often encountered gunfire. Getting transportation to soldiers in these areas was an issue that needed solving. Some attempts involved bicycles strapped to the chests of parachuters, as well as parachuting in crated motorcycles to be put together on the ground, but these strategies were far from perfect. The final solution to getting transportation to soldiers in enemy territory actually came from the enemy itself.
In the 1930s, German motorcycle manufacturer DKW sold small 2‑-strokes all over the world, and its Dutch importer was Stokvis & Zonen. However, Stokvis & Zonen was Jewish‑-owned, so in the late 1930s, it lost the license to sell German motorcycles. Stokvis & Zonen, which also sold Royal Enfields, sent a DKW RT100 to Royal Enfield and asked the company to make something like it. Using the DKW as a reference, Royal Enfield reverse‑-engineered it and increased engine capacity to create the Royal Baby. Once war broke out, this little motorcycle was renamed the War Department Model RE (WD/RE) and put to use by the British military. This machine was parachuted down in a crate and was already fully assembled – soldiers needed only to lift the lightweight bike out of the crate and twist the handlebar into place to have a fully functioning, ready‑-to‑-ride motorcycle. The Flying Flea was used extensively during D‑-Day, as well as Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne assault in history. Even after the war, the Flying Flea lived on in the hands of civilians who were looking for a fuel‑-efficient and affordable mode of transportation.
After the brand’s move to India in the 1950s, the Bullet continued on as the go‑-to motorcycle, remaining in the lineup essentially unchanged for decades. But in the 1980s, as Japanese motorcycles gained popularity for their affordability and technological advancements, Royal Enfield faced significant competition and financial challenges. The brand made several attempts to widen its product line, including televisions, generators, scooters, and more, but none were as stable as the Bullet, which allowed Royal Enfield to hang on a little longer until a new partnership could be formed to save the iconic brand from falling into complete financial ruin.
That partnership came in 1990 from Eicher, which became the primary shareholder in 1994. Recognizing that the Royal Enfield midsized motorcycles were the company’s path toward success, Eicher shut down production of other products and diverted its efforts and resources toward these motorcycles. It was this decision under Eicher CEO Vikram Lal that saved Royal Enfield, and the focus on simple and accessible motorcycles continues throughout Royal Enfield’s lineup today.
While the Indian market continued its devotion to the Bullet without needing it to be updated from its mid‑-century design, reaching the international market required a different tactic. In 2008, the unit construction engine was developed, improving performance and reliability. The UCE was put to use in the Classic, a model designed with a desirable British style to attract export markets, which it did.
Looking to strengthen its global foothold, Royal Enfield then developed a platform designed specifically for the international market, a twin cylinder that could handle highway speeds while offering a style that international markets would enjoy. The 648cc parallel‑-Twin‑-powered Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 were launched in California in 2018 (the Interceptor is called the INT650 in the U.S. due to trademarking issues). In Rider’s review of the bikes from the 2018 launch, we concluded that “the new 650 Twins have a real magnetism, especially when admired up close and even more so when ridden. They’re the genuine article and they’re a real value.” We were especially impressed with the bikes’ satisfying riding experience, intuitive handling, and simplicity that reminded us why we love motorcycles in the first place.
Today, Royal Enfield offers 14 models in the North American market, ranging from the Classic, Bullet, INT, and Continental GT already discussed, in addition to models such as the Himalayan 450 adventure bike, the Super Meteor 650 touring cruiser, the Bear 650 scrambler, the Hunter 350 standard, and more. Royal Enfield has made a name for itself in the U.S. by offering a product that doesn’t directly compete with many other manufacturers. Royal Enfield’s motorcycles are valued for their unique style, pure‑-motorcycling character, customization potential, and their affordability.
Leaning on its history of evolution that brought Royal Enfield to its 125th anniversary, the brand is now doing more than offering motorcycles that people want to ride. It’s also working to build a culture that people want to be a part of. In our 2018 review of the Twins platform mentioned earlier, we noted that “CEO Siddhartha Lal [son of Eichor CEO Vikram Lal] is a die‑-hard enthusiast; at the launch, he held his own when he joined our group for part of the GT test ride, entertaining us with the sound of the S&S pipes on his accessorized bike.” We also noted that Lal was hands‑-on during the development of the platform, personally performing quality control inspections. It’s that motorcycles‑-built‑-by‑-motorcyclists philosophy that carries the culture forward today.
One recent cultural initiative is the Build.Train.Race. program, a women’s‑-only motorcycle racing series held in conjunction with MotoAmerica events in the U.S. The B.T.R. program invites women riders to apply each year, and a handful are selected to compete in either the road‑-racing series or the flat‑-track series. The road‑-racers are given Continental GTs, which they build for competition before the season, and the flat‑-trackers do the same with INTs. The competitors then receive expert coaching to prepare for racing, followed by a year of races. B.T.R. is the first all‑-women’s motorcycle racing program, and it’s becoming more competitive and popular each year. I was invited by Royal Enfield to attend the B.T.R. road‑-racing double‑-header at Road America in 2024 and got the opportunity to chat with the competitors in the paddock as they performed checks and maintenance on their bikes ahead of the first race. Each and every one was overjoyed to be there, hyped for the first event, anxious to race in the rain, and extremely supportive of the other competitors. It’s that kind of atmosphere that keeps the sport of motorcycling alive.
Another cornerstone of Royal Enfield culture is a focus on customization. Individuals and shops around the world have found Royal Enfield motorcycles an ideal platform for creative expression, evoking a heritage of customization in the classic styling of many Royal Enfield models and taking advantage of their simplicity. Royal Enfield’s YouTube channel highlights some of these creations, providing inspiration to other Royal Enfield owners or just good watching for any motorcycle enthusiast. Search #royalenfieldcustom on YouTube to find them.
Just this year, Royal Enfield also launched the inaugural Himalayan Base Camp, a three‑-day gathering of riders in Ladkha, India. Held Sept. 4‑-6, the event included expeditions, workshops, riding challenges, and more, all set within the Himalayan Mountains, one of the most epic riding destinations and breathtaking places on earth.
We as riders should be excited about Royal Enfield’s commitment to building a community of riders who love motorcycles for both the places they can take you and the experiences they offer. That sort of culture doesn’t just benefit a single company but the entire motorcycling world as well.
Just a couple decades ago, many riders in the U.S. thought of Royal Enfield as a historic British manufacturer without much current relevance, and I am happy to see that perspective changing. I don’t enjoy digging into the history of motorcycling for the sake of stating historical facts alone but because it reminds me of a legacy of riders just like us. Some of whom wanted to challenge the boundaries of motorcycling and themselves by pushing to new extremes. Some wanted to explore far‑-away lands or just wanted a fun way to get to work. Some wanted to spend hours in the garage tinkering, while others wanted to be part of a community of likeminded enthusiasts. Whatever their motivation, they were called to two wheels as we are today.
Whether you ride a Royal Enfield or another brand, you as a rider are also part of a long‑-standing history of motorcycling that has faced successes, challenges, and evolution but nevertheless rides on.