The Secrets Behind Royal Enfield’ s 125-Year Run
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 handpump 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.
INNOVATIONS IN PEACE AND WAR
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
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