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Royal Enfield Motors is a motorcyle manufacturing company based in Chennai, India.
Enfield India (1949-present)Royal Enfields made in England were being sold in India from 1949. In 1955, the Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for patrolling the country's border. The Bullet was chosen as the most suitable bike for the job. The Indian government ordered 800 350 cc model Bullets, an enormous order for the time.[1] In 1955, the Redditch company partnered with Madras Motors in India to form 'Enfield India' to assemble, under licence, the 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras (now called Chennai). The first machines were assembled entirely from components shipped from England. In 1957, the tooling was sold to Enfield India so that they could manufacture components. By 1962, all components were made in India. The Indian Enfield uses the 1960 engine (with metric bearing sizes), in the pre-56 design frame. An independent manufacturer since the demise of Royal Enfield in England, Enfield India still makes an essentially similar bike in 350 cc and 500 cc forms today, along with several different models for different market segments.[2] In 1986 UK civil servant Raja Narayan, returned to India and organised an export arm for the company to market the Bullet in England. Starting with a 350 in 1986, he was soon giving feedback that led to improvements. By 1989 the Enfield Bullet appeared in UK motorcycle shows (I am sure they were imported to the UK from the mid/late 70s by Bavanar. No ideas re sales volume but definitely available before the 80s). In 1994 Eicher Group bought into Enfield India.[3] In late 1995, the Enfield India firm acquired the rights to the name Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield of India now sells motorcycles in over twenty countries. They are being imported into the United States, United Kingdom, and other western countries in increasing numbers, though the newer versions (2001) with electric start are becoming more popular than the 'classic' version which is little changed from 1955. There are a few changes: indicators, a 28 mm Mikuni carb, 12 volt electrics, an improved seat and, since 1990, twin leading-shoe brakes. The 2006 the latest top level export version of the Bullet is the Electra-X a 500 cc machine with a 'lean burn' engine incorporating a new cylinder head and piston, alloy barrel, gear oil pump and roller big end bearing. There are also some styling and frame changes as well as a front disk brake. The recently designed left foot change 5-speed gearbox and electric start are also part of the package. Other improvements are a more modern Micarb VM 28 (CV) carburettor, 280 mm front disk brake, 150 mm rear single leading shoe drum brake, electronic ignition, and new, gas filled rear damper units.[4] This is an export-only model, and in India the top Electra is a 350 cc, though a basic right change four speed 500 cc version is available.[5] The lean burn 350 cc engine produces 18 bhp (13 kW) @ 5000 rpm, and 32 nm @ 3000 rpm. The 500 cc version produces 22 bhp (16 kW) @ 5500 rpm, and 35.9 nm @ 3000 rpm. The main thrust for its development has been meeting increasingly stringent emissions regulations. This lean burn engine should ensure the future of the Bullet for some years to come and will replace the older, original design engine. First designed around 1947, but still including elements from earlier machines such as the Model G, the Bullet claims to have the longest continuous production run of any motorcycle. It is also significant that the Indian factory has itself now celebrated its own 50th birthday. Lately, the Royal Enfield bikes have enjoyed a resurgence in India after the release of some new models of these bikes with a constant vacuum (CV) carburettor and an aluminium engine. These models are the Royal Enfield Thunderbird and Machismo. A model called Electra, which is a slicker version of the classic 350 cc bike with electric-start kit is also popular. This model is not normally exported outside of India, but is replaced by the 500 cc Electra-X. Recent modelsOver the last few years there have been a number of basic models on sale in the UK:
All of these basic models have trials, cafe racer, and other derivative models. For noise and emission reasons, the old engine will cease to be imported into the UK/EU starting in 2008, and the 'lean burn' engine will then become the standard. Unfortunately, even this lean-burn engine may be short-lived in the EU as further emissions restrictions are to be introduced in the form of Euro 3. A new engine will be introduced in the Fall of 2007 called the "Unit Construction Engine" or UCE. It will be fuel injected and the engine casing and transmission will share a single casting. The Royal Enfield has been imported into the USA since 1995. The models which are available in the USA are:
The 350 cc bikes were sold for a few years in the USA, but the US market heavily favors the larger 500 cc model. The 350 cc models are no longer imported into the US. No kick start only models are sold in the US as there was no market demand for them once the Electric Start models were developed. EGLI Royal Enfield Super BulletFamed Swiss motorcycle tuner Fritz W. Egli, a distributor of Royal Enfield motorcycles, was approached by a customer to create the ultimate Egli Super Bullet. Of course, the basis for this bike would be Egli’s famous central tube frame constructed from nickel-plated chromium-molybdenum steel, the hallmark of Egli’s motorcycle tuning efforts. The engine could of course, no longer be stock as it usually is. An aluminium cylinder, US-sourced piston, larger valves in a redesigned cylinder head, longer stroke crankshaft (105mm), special main bearings, dry clutch, timing belt primary drive, 36mm Keihin flat-slide carburettors were added among other tricks (Egli’s option list for Bullet specials span 29 pages!). The output is 40PS from a 624cc engine fed via an electric pump from a classic-looking aluminium tank. [6] Royal Enfield modelsBullet 500 ccRoyal Enfield Bullet specifications
List of Vehicles Manufactured by Royal Enfield, India
An updated list of Royal Enfield vehicles available in India: [7] Sources
External linksOfficial Distributor Sites
Technical Information
Owners Clubs
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