The Evolution of Royal Enfield: From British Legacy to Indian Pride

Introduction:

Today we know Royal – Enfield as an Indian motorcycle brand and as an Indian we are proud of this brand. But was it like this from the beginning?

Well, the answer is NO. Royal Enfield was initially a British brand eventually it became a well-known Indian brand. Why? How? All these things will be discussed in this blog.

The British Royal – Enfield:

In this part, we will discuss the journey how the Royal Enfield got the name from its very starting.

Starting of Royal – Enfield:

The journey of Royal Enfield started in 1851. Yes in 1851! In 1851, George Townsend set up a business in Redditch making sewing needles. His son continued the same business until 1928. In 1982, son of George Townsend also named George started making components for cycles along with saddles & forks.

By 1886, they started making complete cycles under the brand name of Townsend and Ecossais. But this company collapsed in the year 1891 due to financial problems. Two people named Albert Eadie a sales manager of Birmingham’s Perry & Co. Ltd. and Bob Walker Smith an Engineer from D. Rudge & Co.

The born of ‘Royal – Enfield’ name:

In 1892, they (Albert Eadie & Bob Walker Smith) re-incorporated the company and changed the name to Eadie Manufacturing Company limited. This duo won a contract to supply precision parts to the Royal Small Arms factory of Enfield. To honour this order, they incorporated a new undertaking company named ‘Enfield Manufacturing Company’.

Soon, Bob Walker Smith designed their bicycle and named that as ‘Enfield’. After sometime the name changed into ‘Royal Enfield’. And this is how a cult classic brand name had born. Their trade mark, was ‘Made Like a Gun’. In 1898, company changed the name to ‘The Enfield Cycle Co. Ltd’.

Introduction to Motorcycles:

The first motorcycle was introduced by the Enfield Cycle Co. Ltd. in 1901 at the Stanley Cycle Show in London. This motorcycle was designed by Bob Walker Smith & a Frenchman Jules Gobiet. Enfield diversified into motorcycle in 1901. The motor department was put into a different subsidiary brand named ‘Enfield Autocar Company’ in 1906 established in new works at HuntEnd Redditch.

In 1914, Britain deeply involved in World War – I. The 2 stroke motorcycles by Royal Enfield went to full production. During World War – I company supplied motorcycles to British, French, Belgium, US and Imperial Russian armies. In 1924, the Enfield Cycle Co. Ltd. introduced a unique 2 – Stroke ‘Ladies Model’. The most famous motorcycle ‘Bullet’ was first displayed in November 1932 at Olympia Motorcycle Show in London. This had 3 variants 250cc, 350cc & 500cc.

In 1970, the production was ceased at the Redditch factory. And at the end in 1971 the company was completely dissolved.

Royal – Enfield India:

Starting of Royal – Enfield India:

After India got the independence in 1947, K.R. Sundaram Iyer launched ‘Madras Motors’ in 1949 to import British motor cycles into India, including the Royal – Enfield. In 1952, the new Indian government had chosen Royal Enfield’s ‘Bullet’ for patrolling the Indian borders. By the year 1954 government ordered 500 units of Bullet – 350cc variant.

To full-fil this order the British Royal Enfield partnered with Madras Motors in 1955. The new collaborated brand named as ‘Enfield – India’, it had only licence to assemble. The manufacturing started from 1956. Total 163 Bullets were assembled in that year.

Eventually the tooling rights were transferred to Madras Motors. By the year 1962 all components started to manufacture in India. From 1977 Enfield India started to export 350cc Bullet to the UK & Europe.

Enter of Eicher Motors:

In 1990, Enfield India Limited first collaborated with Eicher Group. Eventually in 1994, Eicher Group acquired ‘Enfield India Limited’. Eicher Group rebranded ‘Enfield India Limited’ as ‘Royal Enfield India Limited’.

‘Royal’ was trade mark was owned by some David Holder. He fields a law suit against Eicher Group over the use of ‘Royal’ but Judge ruled the verdict in favour of Eicher Group.

Although Eicher Group had experience in the automobile industry but they faced many difficulties managing this entity. The sale was decreasing by the time. In this difficult situation Siddhartha Lal son of Vikram Lal (Founder of Eicher Group) took the charge as CEO of Royal – Enfield.

At first this change hardly showed any impact, in-fact in the year 2002 the Jaipur plant ceased its production. After Siddhartha Lal settled as CEO then he started working on ground feedbacks and started working on it. For Example,

He started a community of Royal – Enfield bikers and formed a biking brotherhood culture. Royal – Enfield also started to organise group rides for Royal – Enfield owners only.
In 2014, Royal – Enfield introduced its 1^st exclusive motorcycle gear store in Khan Market, New Delhi. Not only the gear store, also the showrooms were completely revamped with new interior and exclusive new buying experience.

After getting several complaints about design & lack of engine power, in 2015 Siddhartha Lal acquired a British Motorcycle design & fabrication firm named ‘Harris Performance’. To increase the capabilities of the motorcycles.

These are some of the work that Siddhartha Lal did to revive the brand.

Conclusion:

After reading all these, you might have a question that, “When the Royal – Enfield became an Indian brand?”

Well, the answer is 1955. Yes, since that year we can consider ‘Royal – Enfield’ as an Indian brand though that time it named as ‘Enfield’.

After Vikram Lal took charge, he changed the growth trajectory of Royal – Enfield. From a struggling motorcycle brand to winning the award of ‘Prestigious Indian Motorcycle of the year’ in 2019 for the Interceptor 650.

The rise & fall of Royal – Enfield will be discussed in future in another blog. Till then enjoy revving your beast.

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— by Shubhradwip Paul