Retro Revival Series: Through the Ages with Royal Enfield

Starting life as a British company known for making sewing needles and eventually gaining a precision parts contract for the Royal Small Arms Factory of Enfield, the company adopted the name Royal Enfield for its two-wheeled products. Toting the trademarked “Built like a gun” slogan, Royal Enfields have endeared themselves to generations of adventurous riders and non-riders alike making the brand part of the history of the modern world.

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The motorcycles were mass produced for the allied forces in both WWI and WWII, including the Flying Flea, a lightweight 125cc two-stroke for WWII paratroopers. In 1955 the Indian Army ordered 500 Bullet 350s for service around the country, including the Himalayan region. Perhaps one of the greatest events in Royal Enfield’s rich past was in 1997 when 40 Royal Enfield riders climbed to Khardung La, the world’s highest motorcycle pass, inspiring the annual Odyssey Rides of recent years.

Today the company is Indian-owned and the Bullet, their most well-known model, is still being made, giving it bragging rights as the longest-lived motorcycle model to date. It is the “quintessential Royal Enfield,” as the marketing claims. The Bullet is simple, easy to work on, not overpowered and the comfortable ergonomics make it ideal for daily riders, beginners and veterans alike.

RE History Flying Flea Parachute Cradle

Through the years riders have taken Royal Enfields to the ends of the earth, roads or not. In countless locations this meant many arduous off-road miles in challenging or downright inhospitable terrain. While the bikes mostly handled it, there was never a dedicated off-road model until 2015 when the Himalayan was released. Siddhartha Lal, Royal Enfield’s CEO, comments how the landscape was really the inspiration for the new model, and how it occurred to them that while this vast and rugged region had served as Royal Enfield’s proving grounds, they’d never made a motorcycle specifically designed to tackle it.

It is the history and spirit of previous models ferrying adventurers far and wide that is present in the purpose-built Himalayan. While it made sense that the goal was to build a bike that is rugged, reliable and robust, the design team also wanted to include a sense of “harmonious flow.” The combination seems to have worked. Available in India three years prior, Royal Enfield has successfully been brought to the U.S.

RE History Himalayan

During development, Harris Performance was tapped for work on design aspects of the chassis and suspension, with Indian enduro racer and Dakar Rally competitor, C.S. Santosh, providing feedback throughout the process. Additionally, Lal’s philosophy is that leadership should get its hands dirty, and so they did. Their test group rode the broken roads, snow, slush, sand, ascents and descents, and everything in between, to make absolutely certain they were getting it right. Then, they took it to the Himalayas and in the spirit of the ’97 Odyssey Ride they summited the snowcapped Khardung La.

One should keep in mind that this motorcycle is a true international import from a country and region where motorcycling is not just a cool hobby, as it often is here in the U.S. Motorcycles are an integral part of daily transportation for many around the world, and small displacement (125cc and under) motorbikes are still very much the norm. The Himalayan is made primarily to compete in the middleweight market segment for riders whose income is often far less than here in U.S., something to keep in mind and give it a fair shake when evaluating the bike.

RE History 1933 500 Bullet

At the heart of the Himalayan is a 411cc air-cooled engine. In a blend of past and present and keeping with Royal Enfield’s DNA, it comes with a long-stroke engine, which allows for longer service intervals. The frame’s shape and wire wheels are familiar, but it’s the first Enfield to feature mono shock suspension with linkage. The new rear suspension set-up offers 7 inches (180mm) of travel while the telescopic 41mm front forks offer 7.8 inches (200mm). As RE says, the Himalayan is “built for all roads, built for no roads,” so it comes with off-road oriented 21-inch front, 17-inch rear wheels and external racks for mounting hard or soft panniers and jerry cans.

With just a 31-inch seat height and still-solid 8.6 inches of ground clearance, it’s a quite manageable and affordable (MSRP $4,999) dual-sport, a departure from some of the bigger and significantly more expensive adventure motorcycles that dominate the market. That price tag does come with considerably less power, just 24 hp at 6,500 rpm and 32 NM at 4,000 rpm mated to a five-speed transmission. At 427 lb. (wet) you would assume this would make the bike feel underpowered; however, not only does it have a reputation as a tractor off road, but the bike is also being used in Royal Enfield’s Slide School, a flat-track training program that saw about 200 students at different locations around the country last year.

RE History INT 650

So what’s next? For 2021, the Himalayan is getting some updates. Switchable ABS, a revised rear brake and, in response to consumer feedback, a revised side stand and hazard light switch. Some have asked if a 650cc version is on its way. On an ADVMoto Live interview, RE’s Bree Poland did say that Royal Enfield’s CEO, managing director and industrial design team have all “seen” the desire from consumers, but she can’t say more than that. Look’s like we’ll have to wait and see if this becomes a reality.

Royal Enfield has stood the test of time, a testament to its appeal and an achievement that commands respect. However, a critique they faced was that of stagnation. The newer models and the effort that went into designing the Himalayan show they’ve made a serious effort to modernize while staying true to their heritage and growing the sport.

While we live in a world divided into market segments, niches, and demographics, maybe there’s some ancient wisdom to aiming for the big fat middle. While some brands aim for exclusivity, Royal Enfield’s view is that of inclusivity. Perhaps that simplicity, ease of use, lower cost, and accessibility is what has allowed the brand to endure over 120 years while scores of others have come and gone. I’m excited to see what comes next.