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| Fate | Ended Production. |
|---|---|
| Successor | Royal Enfield Motors Ltd. (formerly Enfield of India) |
| Founded | 1893, as Enfield Manufacturing Co. Ltd. |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Location | Redditch, Worcestershire, England. |
| Industry | Motorcycles. |
| Products | Royal Enfield Clipper, Royal Enfield Crusader, Royal Enfield Bullet, Royal Enfield Interceptor |
| Key people | Founders Albert Eadie and Robert Walker Smith. |
Royal Enfield was the brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, an English engineering company. Most famous for producing motorcycles, they also produced,bicycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines, and even rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". It also enabled the use of the brand name Royal Enfield from 1890.
In 1955 Enfield of India started assembling Bullet motorcycles under licence from UK components, and by 1962 were manufacturing complete bikes. The original Redditch, Worcestershire - based company dissolved in 1970, but Enfield of India, based in Chennai, continued, and bought the rights to the Royal Enfield name in 1995. Royal Enfield production continues,and now Royal Enfield is considered as the oldest motorcycle company in the world still in production.
Hunt End,England was a village of several small mills manufacturing needles and fish hooks.In 1851,a bussinessman named George Townsend put up a needle making mill here.His firm was named "Givry Works".After George Townsend died,his son George Jr.and his half brother brought into Givry Works,a crude cycle.It had an iron backbone,wooden wheels,iron tyres and pedals o triangular pieces of wood.The bike was a source of some amusement.But George Jr.& his team felt that they could easily improve on it.By 1880,the earliest modern safety bicycle with two wheels of equal size had appeared.All manufacturers including George Jr.were trying their hand at this new venture.By luck,George Jr.invented a saddle that used only one length of wire in the two springs and in the frame work.This was adopted,patentedand marketed as the "Townsend Cyclists Saddle And Springs".He had entered the bicycle parts trade.From bicycle parts,Townsend slowly moved on producing bicycles himself.The Townsend cycles were reputed for their sturdy frame,a character that all Enfield bikes followed.Givry Works was growing rapidlly.
About 1890,Townsend got himself into a bit of financial trouble.He called in some financiers from Birmingham.But they didn\'t quite see eye to eye.So Townsend parted ways with the financiers leaving the company to them.The financiers then appointed R.W.Smith & Albert Eadie to take control of Townsends in November 1891.The following year the company was rechristened as "The Eadie Manufacturin Company Ltd".Soon,Albert Eadie got a profitable contract to supply precision rifile parts to the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield,Middlesex.To celebrate the contract,Eadie and Smith decided to call their new design of bicycle the "Enfield".A new company was created to market these new design bicycles called "The Enfield Manufacturing Co.Ltd",in October 1892.The next year,the word "Royal"(after the Royal Small Arms Factory) was added to the company name and thus the Royal Enfield began.Their trademark,"Made Like A Gun appeare in 1893. The first automotive vehicles with the Royal Enfield name were produced in 1898 - a quadricycle with a De Dion-Bouton 2.75 hp engine. In 1901 came the Motor Bicycle with a 150 cc 1.5 hp (1 kW) engine above the front wheel. In 1902 a similar contraption appeared with an Enfield engine of 239 cc 2.75 hp (2 kW).[1] RoyalEnfield Early History (Retrieved 22 October 2006) In 1910 came the first of the famous Enfield V-twins, first with Motosacoche 344 cc 2.75 hp (2 kW) engines, later with Enfields own engine. Until World War I the big twins with 770 cc six hp J.A.P. engines and after WWI 976 cc eight hp Vickers-Wolseley engines. In 1915 came the first of the small two stroke 225 cc engines, starting with model 200.[2] Enfield\'s own Company History (Retrieved 22 October 2006) The company merged with Alldays & Onions in 1907 and produced cars called Enfield-Allday until 1925.[3]CarType History (Retrieved 22 October 2006)
The First World War began in 1914.Royal Enfield was called on to supply motorcycles to the British war department and even awarded a contract to build bikes for the Imperial Russian Government during the same period.The machine gun combination and the 6hp stretcher-carrying outfit were some of the models produced for the war purpose.Enfield statred using its own engines.a 225cc two-stroke single and a 425cc V-twin about this time.In 1917,the officers of the woman\'s police force were issued with a 2.1\4 RE 2 stroke.The models of this period featured 600cc,inlet-over-exhaust closed valve gear,hand operated oil pump ,two speed countershaft gearbox and chain final drive.The 1915 make in-line 3 cylinder 2 stroke prototype was the world\'s first with this configuration and engine type.
1938 Royal Enfield 500cc sidevalve model
The interwar year was a period when the sidecar reached its Zenith.The year 1924 saw the launch of the first Enfield four-stroke 350cc single using a JAP engine.In 1928,Royal Enfield adopted saddle tanks and centre-spring girder front forks one of the first companies to do so.The bikes now with a modern appearance and comprehensive range,meant continuous sales even during the dark days of depression in Great Britain towards the end of 1930.In 1927 Royal Enfield produced a 488cc with a four speed gear box,a new 225cc side valve bike in 1928,and a four-stroke single in 1931.Several machines were produced in the next decade,from a tiny two stroke 146cc Cycar to an 1140cc V-twin in 1937.Royal Enfield\'s range of bikes for 1930 consisted of 13 models.
During World War II, production changed to motorcycles for the war machine. The models produced for the military were the WD/C 350 cc sidevalve, WD/CO 350 cc OHV, WD/D 250 cc SV, WD/G 350 cc OHV, WD/L 570 cc SV.The most well known offering for the Second World War was no doubt the \'Flying Flea\'.Also known as the \'Airborne\',this light weight 125cc bike was capable of being dropped by parachutewith airborne troops.The Enfield Cycle Company was called upon by the British authorities to also manufacture a variety of special instruments and apparatus to use against enemy forces.So it was not bikes alone during the war years.In 1931,a four-valve,single-cylinder was introduced and christened "Bullet" in 1932.It had an inclined engine and an exposed valve gear.It was then that the first use was made of the now famous Bullet name.
The Redditch factory ceased production in 1967 and the Bradford-on-Avon factory closed in 1970, which meant the end of the British Royal Enfield.
After the factory closed a little over 200 Series II Interceptor engines were stranded at the dock in 1970, originally on their way to Floyd Clymer in the US, but unfortunately he had just died, and his export agents, Mitchell\'s of Birmingham, were left to dispose of them. They approached the Rickman brothers for a frame, and the Rickman brothers\' main problem had always been engine supplies, so a limited run of Rickman Interceptors were promptly built. As far as the motorcycle brand goes though, it would appear that Royal Enfield is the only motorcycle brand to span three centuries, and still going, with continuous production. A few of the original Redditch factory buildings remain (2006) and are part of the Enfield Industrial Estate.
From 1955 to 1960 Royal Enfields were painted red, and marketed in the USA as Indian Motorcycles by the Brockhouse Corporation, who had acquired the rights to the Indian name after it went under in 1953. Floyd Clymer, of manual fame, was involved, but Americans were not impressed by the badge engineering, and the venture was unsuccessful. It was rather ironic that Enfields went \'Indian\' in two different ways. The largest Enfield "Indian" was a 700 cc. The marketing agreement expired in 1960 and from 1961 Royal Enfields were available in the US, still through Clymer, but under their own name, up until Clymer\'s death in 1970.
| Royal Enfield Motors Ltd. | |
|---|---|
| Type | Public Company |
| Founded | 1955 as Enfield India |
| Headquarters | Chennai (Madras) |
| Industry | Motorcycle |
| Products | Motorcycles |
| Slogan | Made Like A Gun |
| Website | http://www.royalenfield.com |
Royal Enfields had been sold in India from 1949. In 1955, the Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for use 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.[4] IanChadwick Enfield India (Retrieved 22 October 2006)
In 1955 the Redditch company partnered Madras Motors in India in forming \'Enfield India\' to assemble, under licence, the 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras (now called Chennai). In 1957 tooling equipment was sold to Enfield India so that they could manufacture components. The first machines were assembled entirely from components shipped from England, but 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.[5] Royal-Enfield History (Retrieved 22 October 2006) 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.
In 1994 Eicher Group bought into Enfield India.[6] Royal Enfield 1991 - 2000 Enfield becomes Royal Enfield (Retrieved 30 October 2006) 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.[7] Royal Enfield UK Specifications pdf] (Retrieved 22 October 2006) 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.[8] Enfield specifications pdf (Retrieved 22 October 2006) 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.
Over 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.
Royal Enfield Bullet specifications
Specifications…(1964)
The original British manufactured bikes are highly sought after for their odometers (miles), and magneto based systems. These are considered a collector\'s item.[citation needed]
An updated list of Royal Enfield vehicles available in India: [11]
| British motorcycle manufacturers |
|---|
Defunct: AJS (1909-1969) · Ambassador · AMC (1937-196?) · Ariel · Armstrong · Beardmore Precision (1921-1924) · Blackburne · Brough (1908-1926) · Brough Superior (1919-1940) · BSA (1919-1972) · Calthorpe · Clarendon · Cotton (1918-1980) · DOT (1908-1978) · Douglas (1907-1957) · EMC · Excelsior (1896-1964) · Greeves (1953-1976) · Francis-Barnett (1919-1966) · Haden · Hesketh · HRD (1922-1928) · Ivy (1911-1934) · James · Martinsyde (1919-1923) · Matchless (1899-1966) · New Hudson · Norman · Norton (1898-1992) · OEC Commander · OK-Supreme (1882-1940) · Palmelli · Panther (1904-1967) · Quasar (1975-1982) · Rickman (1960-1975) · Royal Enfield (1893-1970) · Rudge (1911-1946) · Scott · Sprite (1965-1971) · Spryt · Sunbeam · Velocette (1904-1968) · Villiers · Vincent (1928-1959) · Wooler (1909-1954) |
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