Royal Enfieldis an Indian motor cycle manufacturing company based inChennai, India. Originally, a British motorcycle company, Royal Enfieldand indigenousMadras Motors, it is now a subsidiary ofEicher Motors Limited, an Indianautomaker.[3]The company makes theRoyal Enfield Bullet, and othersingle-cylinder motorcycles.[4]Established in 1893, Royal Enfield is among the oldest motorcycle companies.HistoryThe Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for patrolling the country’s border.
TheRoyal Enfield Bulletwas chosen as the most suitable bike for the job. The Indian government ordered 800 350 cc model Bullets.[5]In 1955, theRedditchcompanypartnered withMadras Motorsin India to form ’Enfield India’ to assemble, underlicence, the 350 ccRoyal EnfieldBulletmotorcycle inMadras(now called Chennai). 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), Royal Enfield still makes an essentially similar bike in 350 cc and 500 ccforms today, along with several different models for different market segments.[6]Royal Enfield was a brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, a British manufacturing firm.
It started in India for the Indian Army 350 cc bikes were imported in kits from theUK and assembled in Chennai. After a few years, the company started producing the 500 cc Bullet.In 1990, Royal Enfield collaborated with theEicher Group, an automotive company in India, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of tractors, commercial vehicles, and automotive gears.Royal Enfield currently sells motorcycles in more than 50 countries. Recently Royal Enfield surpassed Harley-Davidson in global sales in 2015.[7]In August 2015, Royal Enfield Motors announced it is establishing its North American headquarters and a dealership in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the intentionto offer three bikes, theBullet 500, Classic 500 and Continental GT 535 Cafe Racer as they feel this engine size represents an underserved market. The dealership will be Royal Enfield’s first company-owned store in the U.S., according to Rod Copes, president of Royal Enfield North America.[8]The company wants to establish about 100 dealerships in American cities starting with Milwaukee.