Royal Enfield has one of the longest and most fascinating stories in motorcycling. From an engineering business in Victorian England to a motorcycle manufacturer producing machines for riders around the world, the Royal Enfield story stretches back more than 120 years.
The company produced its first motorcycle in 1901, making the Royal Enfield name one of the oldest surviving names in motorcycle manufacturing. Along the way, Royal Enfield motorcycles have served in two world wars, crossed mountain passes, competed in motorcycle trials and become an important part of everyday transport in India.
Perhaps most remarkably, while many famous British motorcycle manufacturers disappeared during the twentieth century, Royal Enfield survived. Production moved from Britain to India, where the company eventually transformed itself into one of the world’s most recognisable motorcycle manufacturers.
Today, motorcycles including the Bullet, Classic, Himalayan, Interceptor and Continental GT continue a story that began in the English Midlands more than a century ago.
When Was Royal Enfield Founded?
The origins of Royal Enfield can be traced back to the late nineteenth century and the town of Redditch in Worcestershire, England.
In 1891, businessmen Bob Walker Smith and Albert Eadie purchased George Townsend & Co, an established manufacturer which had started producing bicycles alongside its traditional needle-making business.
A major turning point arrived in 1893 when the business secured a contract to supply precision components to the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield in Middlesex.
The company subsequently became the Enfield Manufacturing Company Limited and began using the Enfield name on its bicycles.
Royal Enfield’s connection with the arms industry would ultimately inspire one of the most famous advertising slogans in motorcycle history:
“Made Like A Gun.”
The slogan reflected the company’s emphasis on strength, engineering and durability and became closely associated with the Royal Enfield brand.
Royal Enfield’s First Motorcycle – 1901
The year 1901 represents one of the most important moments in Royal Enfield history.
Bob Walker Smith and French engineer Jules Gobiet designed the company’s first Royal Enfield motorcycle, which was displayed at the Stanley Cycle Show in London.
It looked considerably different from what we would recognise as a conventional motorcycle today. Its small engine was positioned ahead of the steering head and drove the rear wheel using a long belt.
Motorcycles themselves were still an emerging technology. Manufacturers across Britain and Europe were experimenting with engine positions, drive systems and frame designs as engineers attempted to establish what the motorcycle of the future should look like.
Royal Enfield had entered the motorcycle industry at precisely the right time.
Royal Enfield Motorcycles Before the First World War
Motorcycle technology developed rapidly during the first decade of the twentieth century, and Royal Enfield experimented with a variety of engine configurations.
In 1909, Royal Enfield introduced its first V-twin motorcycle using a Swiss-built Motosacoche engine.
V-twin engines offered greater performance and were particularly useful for larger motorcycles and sidecar combinations. This was important during a period when motorcycles were increasingly being viewed as practical transport rather than simply engineering curiosities.
Royal Enfield motorcycles also began demonstrating their reliability through endurance events and competition.
Motorcycle trials and long-distance competitions were extremely important marketing tools during the early years of the industry. A motorcycle capable of surviving hundreds of miles over Britain’s rough roads could establish an enviable reputation for engineering quality.
Royal Enfield During the First World War
When the First World War began in 1914, motorcycles suddenly had an important military role.
Motorcycles provided armies with fast and relatively lightweight transport for dispatch riders, communications and reconnaissance.
Royal Enfield supplied motorcycles to several armed forces during the conflict, including machines used by British and allied forces.
The company’s larger V-twin motorcycles were particularly useful when fitted with sidecars, allowing additional equipment or personnel to be transported.
The experience further strengthened Royal Enfield’s reputation for building robust motorcycles capable of operating under difficult conditions.
Royal Enfield Between the Wars
The years between the First and Second World Wars were an important period of motorcycle development.
Motorcycles became faster, more reliable and increasingly practical. Royal Enfield developed machines ranging from lightweight commuter motorcycles to much larger V-twins.
By the 1920s the company’s range had expanded considerably.
Royal Enfield introduced overhead-valve four-stroke engines, while improvements to frames, brakes, gearboxes and suspension gradually made motorcycles easier and more comfortable to ride.
But one motorcycle launched during the following decade would become more important to Royal Enfield than almost anything else the company produced.
The Birth of the Royal Enfield Bullet
The Royal Enfield Bullet appeared in 1932.
Few people at the time could have imagined just how important the Bullet name would become.
The original range was available with 250cc, 350cc and 500cc engines and featured technology that was advanced for a production motorcycle of its era.
The Bullet would evolve significantly over the following decades, but the name became synonymous with Royal Enfield.
More than 90 years after its introduction, the Bullet name remains part of the Royal Enfield story.
That longevity has helped make the Bullet one of the most famous model names in motorcycle history.
Royal Enfield During the Second World War
The Second World War once again demonstrated how useful motorcycles could be to military forces.
Royal Enfield produced tens of thousands of military motorcycles during the conflict.
One of the most fascinating was a tiny 125cc two-stroke machine commonly known as the Flying Flea.
The Royal Enfield Flying Flea
The lightweight motorcycle was designed so that it could accompany airborne troops.
Special cradles enabled motorcycles to be transported by aircraft and delivered to areas where paratroopers needed fast personal transport.
Its small size, low weight and simple construction made it very different from Royal Enfield’s larger motorcycles.
Today, surviving Flying Flea motorcycles are an interesting reminder of how dramatically motorcycle design was influenced by the requirements of wartime Britain.
The Post-War Royal Enfield Bullet
After the Second World War, British motorcycle manufacturers entered another period of rapid development.
Royal Enfield created a new generation of Bullet which would become particularly significant.
A prototype 350cc Bullet appeared in competition in 1948 and featured swinging-arm rear suspension with hydraulic damping.
At a time when many motorcycles still relied on rigid or comparatively basic rear suspension systems, the design represented an important step forward.
The production 350 Bullet arrived shortly afterwards.
Royal Enfield’s success in motorcycle trials helped reinforce the model’s reputation for ruggedness and reliability.
Johnny Brittain and Royal Enfield Trials Success
Royal Enfield became particularly well known in motorcycle trials during the 1950s.
One of its most successful riders was Johnny Brittain, who competed on specially prepared Royal Enfield machines.
Brittain achieved major competition victories including success in the demanding Scottish Six Days Trial.
Competition success mattered enormously to motorcycle manufacturers because the same characteristics required in trials – traction, durability, manageable power and reliability – were highly desirable on road motorcycles.
How Royal Enfield Came to India
No history of Royal Enfield can be told without India.
The relationship began shortly after the Second World War.
Madras Motors was established in 1949 and began importing British motorcycles into India, including Royal Enfields.
Then came an order that would fundamentally change the future of the company.
The Indian Army and the Bullet 350
In the early 1950s, the Indian Army ordered hundreds of Royal Enfield Bullet 350 motorcycles.
The motorcycles were required for patrol duties in demanding areas including border regions where poor roads and difficult terrain placed considerable strain on vehicles.
The rugged Bullet proved particularly well suited to these conditions.
More orders followed.
The success of the motorcycle helped establish Royal Enfield in India and created the foundations for what would eventually become the modern company.
Enfield India Is Created
In 1955, the Enfield Cycle Company and Madras Motors formed Enfield India.
A purpose-built factory was established at Tiruvottiyur, near Madras – the city now known as Chennai.
Initially, motorcycles were supplied from Britain in component form and assembled in India.
Manufacturing gradually became increasingly localised, allowing more components to be produced within India itself.
This would prove to be one of the most important decisions in Royal Enfield history.
While the British motorcycle industry would struggle dramatically over the following decades, production of the Bullet in India continued.
Royal Enfield’s British Motorcycle Boom
Back in Britain, Royal Enfield continued developing increasingly sophisticated motorcycles.
The company produced a wide variety of singles and twins, including machines such as the Meteor, Super Meteor, Constellation and Interceptor.
These larger parallel-twin motorcycles were built during an era when British manufacturers dominated much of the international motorcycle industry.
Royal Enfield competed against famous names including Triumph, BSA, Norton, Matchless and AJS.
The Original Royal Enfield Continental GT
Another important motorcycle appeared during the 1960s.
In 1964, Royal Enfield launched the Continental GT.
The lightweight café racer featured the styling increasingly associated with Britain’s growing café-racer culture: clip-on handlebars, rear-set controls, a racing-style fuel tank and sporting bodywork.
To promote the motorcycle, a team rode a Continental GT from John O’Groats to Land’s End in less than 24 hours, with laps of the Silverstone racing circuit included along the way.
The Continental GT name would disappear for decades before eventually returning as part of Royal Enfield’s modern range.
The Decline of the British Motorcycle Industry
By the late 1960s, Britain’s once-dominant motorcycle industry was under enormous pressure.
Japanese manufacturers including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki were expanding rapidly.
Their motorcycles offered modern engines, electric starting, impressive reliability and increasingly sophisticated production techniques.
Many British motorcycle companies found it difficult to compete.
Royal Enfield Redditch Closes
Royal Enfield’s Redditch factory closed in 1970.
The closure effectively brought large-scale British Royal Enfield motorcycle production to an end.
For many motorcycle brands, this might have been the end of the story.
Royal Enfield was different.
Thousands of miles away, the Bullet was still being manufactured in India.
Royal Enfield Survives in India
While Royal Enfield had disappeared as a motorcycle manufacturer in Britain, Enfield India continued producing the Bullet.
Its traditional design, strong construction and simple single-cylinder engine suited Indian conditions.
The motorcycle developed an identity far beyond that of an old British design.
For generations of Indian riders, the Bullet became associated with durability, authority, long-distance riding and distinctive character.
By the late 1970s, Indian-built Royal Enfield motorcycles were even being exported back to Britain and other European markets.
The direction of travel had effectively reversed.
Royal Enfield motorcycles had originally travelled from Britain to India. Now Indian-built Royal Enfields were returning to Britain.
Eicher Acquires Royal Enfield
Another critical point in the Royal Enfield timeline arrived in 1994.
The Eicher Group acquired Enfield India and the business became Royal Enfield Motors Limited.
Under Eicher ownership, Royal Enfield began the long process of transforming itself from a relatively traditional domestic motorcycle manufacturer into an international brand.
This transformation did not happen overnight.
The company had an extraordinarily recognisable motorcycle and considerable heritage, but it also needed more modern engines, improved manufacturing and higher levels of reliability and quality.
Modernising the Royal Enfield Bullet
During the late 1990s and 2000s, Royal Enfield gradually modernised its motorcycles while attempting to retain the distinctive styling and character that customers valued.
One development involved working with Austrian engineering specialist AVL on revised lean-burn engines.
Models including the Thunderbird also demonstrated that Royal Enfield could use its traditional image while exploring different types of motorcycle.
But an even bigger engineering change was coming.
The Royal Enfield Unit Construction Engine
The introduction of Royal Enfield’s Unit Construction Engine, commonly known as the UCE, represented a major step forward.
Traditionally, motorcycles such as the Bullet had used separate engine and gearbox assemblies.
The newer design integrated major drivetrain components into a more modern package.
Royal Enfield introduced the new generation of engines during the late 2000s, helping the company meet increasingly strict emissions requirements while also improving everyday usability.
The Classic 350 and Classic 500 subsequently became enormously important models.
The Royal Enfield Classic Becomes a Global Success
The Royal Enfield Classic combined traditional post-war motorcycle styling with more modern mechanical engineering.
The formula proved extremely successful.
Rather than competing directly with increasingly powerful sports bikes and high-tech touring motorcycles, Royal Enfield concentrated heavily on accessible middleweight motorcycles with distinctive styling and relatively simple engineering.
That strategy would eventually form the basis of Royal Enfield’s modern global success.
A New Factory and Global Expansion
Demand for Royal Enfield motorcycles increased rapidly during the early 2010s.
To support this growth, the company opened a major new production facility at Oragadam in Tamil Nadu in 2013.
The additional manufacturing capacity was a clear indication of Royal Enfield’s ambitions.
The company was no longer simply preserving an old motorcycle design. It was developing entirely new motorcycles for an international audience.
The Continental GT Returns
In 2013, Royal Enfield revived one of the most famous names from its British past.
The Continental GT returned as a modern café racer.
The new motorcycle used a 535cc single-cylinder engine and a frame developed with British motorcycle engineering company Harris Performance.
Its styling deliberately referenced the café-racer culture associated with the original Continental GT of the 1960s.
It also represented an important shift towards more focused, internationally developed Royal Enfield motorcycles.
Royal Enfield Acquires Harris Performance
In 2015, Royal Enfield acquired Harris Performance, the respected British motorcycle chassis and engineering specialist.
The acquisition strengthened the company’s engineering capabilities and reinforced its connection with Britain.
Harris Performance would subsequently play an important role in the development of Royal Enfield’s future motorcycles.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan Changes the Brand
In 2016, Royal Enfield introduced something significantly different from its traditional road motorcycles: the Himalayan.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan was designed specifically as an adventure motorcycle.
Rather than chasing enormous power figures, the Himalayan concentrated on manageable performance, suspension travel, riding comfort and the ability to tackle poor roads and rough terrain.
Its 411cc single-cylinder engine reflected Royal Enfield’s emphasis on usable rather than extreme performance.
The Himalayan helped introduce Royal Enfield to riders who might never previously have considered one of the company’s motorcycles.
Royal Enfield Returns to Britain for Motorcycle Development
Although motorcycle manufacturing remained centred in India, Britain became important to Royal Enfield again.
In 2017, Royal Enfield opened its UK Technology Centre at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire.
Engineers, designers and test riders based in Britain became involved in developing future Royal Enfield motorcycles alongside teams in India.
For a company whose story began in the English Midlands, establishing a major research and development operation in Britain represented an interesting return to its roots.
The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650
One of the most important modern chapters in Royal Enfield history began when the company unveiled its new 650cc parallel-twin platform in 2017.
Two motorcycles were created around the engine: the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.
The Interceptor revived another historic Royal Enfield model name, while the Continental GT 650 continued the café-racer theme.
The motorcycles combined traditional styling with a completely modern parallel-twin engine, fuel injection, disc brakes and ABS.
Why the Interceptor 650 Was So Important
The Interceptor 650 helped change international perceptions of Royal Enfield.
It offered enough performance for everyday motorway and touring use while remaining relatively affordable and accessible.
The engine was smooth, the chassis approachable and the styling deliberately simple.
For many riders, the Interceptor demonstrated that Royal Enfield was capable of producing an entirely modern motorcycle without abandoning the qualities that made the brand distinctive.
The 650 platform subsequently became the foundation for several other Royal Enfield motorcycles.
The Meteor 350 and Royal Enfield J-Series Engine
Royal Enfield introduced another major new platform in 2020 with the Meteor 350.
The Meteor’s new J-series single-cylinder engine represented a considerable improvement in refinement over earlier Royal Enfield 350 engines.
It was smoother, more modern and designed for the expectations of contemporary riders while retaining the relaxed character traditionally associated with Royal Enfield singles.
The platform would become extremely important to the company’s future range.
The New Royal Enfield Classic 350
The next-generation Classic 350 combined the enormously successful styling of the earlier Classic with the newer J-series engine and chassis technology.
Visually, it was unmistakably a Royal Enfield.
Mechanically, however, it was significantly more modern than the motorcycles which had established the Classic name.
This approach neatly demonstrated Royal Enfield’s modern philosophy: preserve the appearance, character and accessibility riders enjoy while continuously improving the engineering beneath it.
The Royal Enfield Hunter 350
The Hunter 350 arrived in 2022 and showed another side of Royal Enfield’s modern strategy.
It was smaller, lighter and more urban-focused than many traditional Royal Enfield motorcycles.
The Hunter was intended to appeal to riders looking for straightforward everyday transport while maintaining the styling and personality associated with the Royal Enfield brand.
The Super Meteor 650
Royal Enfield continued expanding the 650 platform with the Super Meteor 650.
Rather than using the engine in another traditional roadster, Royal Enfield developed a dedicated cruiser around the parallel-twin power unit.
The result demonstrated how versatile the company’s modern engine platforms had become.
The same basic 650 twin family could now support café racers, roadsters and cruisers while retaining a distinctive Royal Enfield identity.
The Next Generation Himalayan
Royal Enfield’s adventure motorcycle range also underwent a major transformation.
The next generation of the Himalayan introduced a significantly more advanced liquid-cooled engine platform and a more performance-focused chassis.
This was a particularly significant development because Royal Enfield had historically been strongly associated with relatively simple air-cooled engines.
It demonstrated that the company was willing to introduce substantially more sophisticated technology where necessary without attempting to turn its motorcycles into highly complex superbikes.
The Guerrilla 450 and Royal Enfield’s Modern Roadsters
The launch of the Guerrilla 450 in 2024 extended Royal Enfield’s newer liquid-cooled platform into the roadster market.
Its arrival illustrated just how different the modern company had become compared with the business producing traditional Bullets several decades earlier.
Royal Enfield could now produce retro roadsters, cruisers, café racers and genuine adventure motorcycles across several different engine platforms.
Why Has Royal Enfield Survived for So Long?
The motorcycle industry is filled with famous manufacturers that disappeared.
Royal Enfield survived because its history did not follow the same path as most British motorcycle companies.
Production Continued in India
The establishment of Indian production proved crucial.
When motorcycle production in Redditch ended, the Bullet did not disappear because manufacturing had already become firmly established in India.
Royal Enfield Retained a Distinct Identity
Royal Enfield motorcycles have rarely attempted to imitate the fastest or most technically complicated motorcycles on the market.
The company has generally concentrated on approachable motorcycles with distinctive engines, traditional styling and straightforward riding characteristics.
Heritage Became an Advantage
Motorcycling trends eventually moved back towards classic styling and mechanical simplicity.
Royal Enfield did not need to invent a heritage story. It already had one stretching back to 1901.
Names such as Bullet, Interceptor and Continental GT could be taken directly from the company’s own history.
Modern Engineering Improved the Motorcycles
At the same time, modern Royal Enfield motorcycles gradually became considerably more sophisticated.
Fuel injection, ABS, modern frames, improved manufacturing, new engines and extensive development facilities enabled the company to maintain a classic appearance without relying entirely on outdated technology.
Is Royal Enfield a British or Indian Motorcycle Company?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions about Royal Enfield.
The answer requires some historical context.
Royal Enfield originated in Britain and produced motorcycles in Redditch for much of the twentieth century.
However, motorcycle production became established in India during the 1950s, and the Indian operation survived after British production ended.
The modern Royal Enfield company is headquartered in India and is part of Eicher Motors.
However, Britain remains an important part of the company’s identity and engineering operation, including Royal Enfield’s UK research and development activities.
It is therefore reasonable to describe Royal Enfield as a motorcycle manufacturer with British origins that evolved into a modern Indian-owned global motorcycle brand.
Where Are Royal Enfield Motorcycles Made?
Modern Royal Enfield motorcycles are primarily manufactured in India.
The Chennai region has been central to Royal Enfield production for generations, beginning with the original Tiruvottiyur facility and later expanding through major modern manufacturing plants.
Royal Enfield also operates engineering and development facilities in both India and Britain.
Is Royal Enfield the Oldest Motorcycle Manufacturer?
Royal Enfield frequently describes itself in connection with its continuous history dating back to 1901.
Claims about the absolute “oldest motorcycle manufacturer” can become complicated because different manufacturers have experienced changes of ownership, interruptions in production and changes of company structure.
What is clear is that Royal Enfield is one of the world’s oldest surviving motorcycle names and can trace its motorcycle history directly back to the beginning of the twentieth century.
Famous Royal Enfield Motorcycles Through History
Royal Enfield Bullet
Introduced in 1932, the Bullet became the model most closely associated with Royal Enfield and played a crucial role in establishing the company in India.
Royal Enfield Flying Flea
The tiny military motorcycle built during the Second World War remains one of the most unusual machines in the company’s history.
Royal Enfield Interceptor
The Interceptor name first became associated with Royal Enfield’s powerful parallel twins during the British motorcycle era and was revived successfully for the modern Interceptor 650.
Royal Enfield Continental GT
First appearing during Britain’s café-racer boom in the 1960s, the Continental GT name has subsequently been used on both single-cylinder and parallel-twin modern café racers.
Royal Enfield Classic
The Classic helped drive Royal Enfield’s enormous growth during the twenty-first century by combining traditional styling with increasingly modern engineering.
Royal Enfield Himalayan
The Himalayan introduced Royal Enfield to the modern adventure motorcycle market and has since developed into an increasingly sophisticated motorcycle platform.
Royal Enfield History Timeline
1891: Bob Walker Smith and Albert Eadie acquire George Townsend & Co in Redditch.
1893: The business receives a precision engineering contract associated with the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield and adopts the Enfield name.
1901: The first Royal Enfield motorcycle is displayed in London.
1909: Royal Enfield introduces its first V-twin motorcycle.
1914-1918: Royal Enfield supplies motorcycles for military use during the First World War.
1932: The Royal Enfield Bullet is introduced.
1939-1945: Royal Enfield produces military motorcycles during the Second World War, including the lightweight Flying Flea.
1948: The post-war Bullet appears with advanced swinging-arm rear suspension.
1949: Madras Motors begins importing Royal Enfield motorcycles into India.
1952: The Indian Army orders hundreds of Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles.
1955: Enfield India is formed in partnership with Madras Motors.
1956: Bullet production and assembly begins at the new factory near Madras.
1964: The original Royal Enfield Continental GT café racer is launched.
1970: Royal Enfield’s Redditch motorcycle manufacturing operation closes.
1977: Indian-built Bullet motorcycles begin being exported back to Britain and Europe.
1994: The Eicher Group acquires Enfield India.
2008: Royal Enfield begins introducing its new Unit Construction Engine generation.
2009: The modern Royal Enfield Classic becomes an important part of the range.
2013: Manufacturing begins at Royal Enfield’s Oragadam factory and the Continental GT 535 is launched.
2015: Royal Enfield acquires British chassis specialist Harris Performance.
2016: The Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycle is introduced.
2017: Royal Enfield opens its UK Technology Centre and unveils the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.
2020: The Meteor 350 introduces Royal Enfield’s new J-series platform.
2021: Royal Enfield celebrates 120 years since its first motorcycle.
2022: The Hunter 350 joins the Royal Enfield range.
2023: The Super Meteor 650 expands the company’s parallel-twin family.
2024: The Guerrilla 450 expands Royal Enfield’s new generation of liquid-cooled motorcycles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Royal Enfield History
When did Royal Enfield start making motorcycles?
Royal Enfield produced its first motorcycle in 1901. The machine was designed by Bob Walker Smith and Jules Gobiet and was presented at the Stanley Cycle Show in London.
Where did Royal Enfield originate?
Royal Enfield originated in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. The company’s history developed from a nineteenth-century manufacturing and bicycle business.
When was the Royal Enfield Bullet introduced?
The Royal Enfield Bullet name first appeared in 1932, initially covering motorcycles with several different engine capacities.
Why is Royal Enfield associated with India?
Royal Enfield motorcycles were imported into India after the Second World War and the Indian Army subsequently became an important customer. Enfield India was formed in 1955 and local motorcycle manufacturing became firmly established.
When did Royal Enfield stop making motorcycles in Britain?
The Royal Enfield factory at Redditch closed in 1970. Motorcycle production continued in India, which allowed the Royal Enfield name and the Bullet to survive.
Who owns Royal Enfield today?
Royal Enfield is part of Eicher Motors, whose involvement with the company began when the Eicher Group acquired Enfield India in 1994.
How old is Royal Enfield?
Royal Enfield’s motorcycle history dates to 1901, giving the name more than 120 years of motorcycle heritage.
What is the most famous Royal Enfield motorcycle?
The Royal Enfield Bullet is arguably the company’s most historically significant model. First introduced in 1932, the Bullet played a major role in both Royal Enfield’s British history and the development of the company in India.
Was Royal Enfield originally British?
Yes. Royal Enfield originated in Redditch in Worcestershire, England. The modern business developed from the Indian manufacturing operation established during the 1950s.
Are modern Royal Enfields the same as the old British motorcycles?
No. Modern Royal Enfield motorcycles use contemporary engines, chassis, braking systems, electronics and manufacturing methods. However, many deliberately retain visual and philosophical connections with historic Royal Enfield motorcycles.
Royal Enfield: More Than 120 Years of Motorcycling
Few motorcycle manufacturers have experienced a journey quite like Royal Enfield.
The story began with bicycles and precision engineering in Victorian England before progressing to a pioneering motorcycle in 1901.
Royal Enfield survived two world wars, developed the legendary Bullet, became an important manufacturer of British singles and twins and produced one of the earliest dedicated café racers.
When the traditional British motorcycle industry collapsed, Royal Enfield’s Indian operation provided an unexpected route to survival.
India ultimately transformed Royal Enfield from a historic British motorcycle name into a major international manufacturer.
The modern company is very different from the one that produced motorcycles in Redditch more than a century ago. Its factories, engineering facilities and motorcycles have changed enormously.
Yet much of the original philosophy remains surprisingly recognisable.
Royal Enfield continues to concentrate heavily on motorcycles that are accessible, distinctive and enjoyable without requiring enormous amounts of performance or electronic complexity.
From the pioneering motor bicycle of 1901 to the Bullet, Continental GT, Interceptor, Himalayan and the latest generation of Royal Enfield motorcycles, the company’s history represents an extraordinary link between the beginnings of motorcycling and the motorcycles being ridden today.
