Royal Enfield. The “Bullet Bike”, “Made like a Gun”. “Goes like a Bullet”,” The Classic Thumper”. It sells arguably some of the most iconic bikes in India. The dream bike of the common Indians. Its bikes are in the Autocar top 10 list of best-selling bikes in India. Known for its comfortable ride, classic old styling and reliability and easy maintenance. Also known, for the signature plopping sound that comes from its engine and how cool their riders look when they ride it. Listen, I am not saying that it is perfect. It has its drawbacks, but despite that, it receives so much of love and attraction from Indians that it has made its legacy in India and it has become an iconic brand in India. Also, for all the Royal Enfield haters, it is the oldest bike brand in history, which adds another achievement to their legacy. If that does not put salt on your wounds, then I don’t know what will. Their bikes are used by the Indian Army, which is why people sometimes call them “military bikes”. Its bikes are the quintessential “badass” bikes of India. For someone who doesn’t know, people who own Royal Enfield bikes meet up and go together as a group for long bike rides. This proves that Royal Enfield bikes have a fan following just like Harley-Davidson. But how is it so iconic? I will try to answer that question while describing how that brand came to be.
So, all of it started in 1851, in Redditch , a town in England. George Townsend started a sewing business. In 1882, his son upgraded the business by starting to make components for cycle manufacturers. Soon, they were selling complete bicycles. In 1891, the business suffered a financial loss. They somehow got the contracts to supply precision parts for firearms to the government’s long-established Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield in England. That is where the name “Royal Enfield” came from. This is also the reason why people call these bikes “Bullet” bikes. The inspiration is taken from the “Enfield” rifles that are manufactured there. It was in 1901 that Royal Enfield started manufacturing motorcycles. Now, how did they come in India? In 1955, Enfield Cycle Company partnered with Madras Motors in India in forming Enfield of India, based in Chennai, and started assembling the 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras. The first machines were assembled from components imported from England. In 1957, Enfield of India acquired the machines necessary to build the components in India, and by 1962 all components were made in India. So, this is how, we get Royal Enfield bikes in India.
From this we can say that the bikes are of British origin, but the DNA is very much Indian, the terrain it suits is Indian, and the people that like and use these bikes are, undeniably Indians. There are many reasons why people like these bikes, some of which I have listed above. Well, we can conclude that the feel of this bike is what attracts people towards it, it is something that we can’t describe in words.
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