New Sporty exhaust option for the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

Cafe Racers are mean stripped down machines which you can lean and hug the tarmac with. They might not be bedazzled with rhinestones but they are classy none the less. The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is the perfect example. The Continental GT 650 comes with 5 different color tones, but now you can even tweak the pipes of the beast. The custom made exhaust from AEW Performance is tailor-made for the GT 650, and will give you the mature raunchy sound your cafe racer deserves.

5 Shades of GT

Why purr, when you can roar

Royal Enfields have always been a style statement, and even as a child, we could make out the thumping of a Bullet even before we could see it. Now that we are reliving the era of the cafe racers, let's look at the exhaust options you have for your Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.

In this video, the first GT, has a stock exhaust on, while the latter one is the custom exhaust made by AEW performance. So what difference can we expect from the custom exhaust?

Custom exhaust Continental GT 650

Stock exhaust Continental GT 650

• The custom exhaust is shorter and less bulky than the stock. This improves the mass distribution of the cafe racer and makes it even lighter.
  
• The AEW custom exhaust has a meatier sound and the tonality improves at higher rev range. You can notice the difference even when the 650 is idling.
  
• The loud pops and crackle of the exhaust are achievable with this custom exhaust.

Yes, I know there are many exotic sports and after-market exhausts (the likes of Akrapovic, Yoshimura, to name a few) which sound even better, but from a cafe racer standpoint, this bad boy from AEW would do just right. The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 adorned with this new exhaust would make a lot of heads turn and might even redefine the THUMP.

HURRY! Royal Enfield End of Season sale promises heavy discounts

A proper motorcycle should always be complemented with the right gear. Yeah! for style, and definitely for safety. But when it comes to motorcycle riding gears and apparels, the truth might burn a hole in your pocket. Another problem is, if you start to look for a cheap alternative, the safety compliance goes for a toss. But once in a while, you get some drool-worthy discounts, which you should never miss. This is one such offer. The Royal Enfield End of Season sale is promising flat 40 percent discount on selected riding gears, apparels, and other motorcycling accessories.

Let's jot down the main attractions of the Royal Enfield End of Season sale

• This sale will start on 15th January. You can get the products at the discounted rate till 1st March 2019.
  
• You can get a discount on selected items up to 40%.
  
• This discount is applicable only on selected riding gears, motorcycling accessories, and apparels.
  
• It also encompasses Protective and Urban gear.
  
• You can avail the discount online, or at any of Royal Enfield's 800 dealerships in India.

I personally feel that the Royal Enfield End of Season sale is more than just a stock-clearing drill. Recently Royal Enfield started revamping their existing models to add more safety features to their flagship models and to stay at par with the new safety laws for motorcycles in India.

I think Royal Enfield's End of Season sale should be marketed with a tagline, "WHEN SAFETY WEDS STYLE".

Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS to be launched in February 2019

In our previous post were talking about the different Royal Enfields and the possible variants that can be expected to release this year. Today, it was announced that an ABS version of Royal Enfield Bullet would be launched later in February 2019. Let's find out the features and specifications of the new Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS and what to expect from this classic motorcycle.

Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS

Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS price, features, and specifications

• The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS would be launched in February 2019 and will be available across the country in leading Royal Enfield dealerships.
  
• It has also been reported that some dealers have already started accepting booking for the upcoming ABS variant. Customers can expect their delivery from March 2019.
  
• The Bullet 350 ABS is expected to be priced at Rs 1.42 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
  
• The overall specification of the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS will remain exactly the same as the non-ABS variant. It will be equipped with a 346cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, Twinspark engine,  producing 19.8bhp of power at 5,250rpm and a peak torque of 28NM at 4,000rpm.

This is the second upgrade to the Bullet 350 since the rear disc brake was introduced in December 2018. Earlier in January 2019, the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ABS was launched while the non-ABS version was discontinued for the Indian market. Royal Enfield is currently upgrading all their motorcycles in order to adhere to the newly set safety norms for the Indian market.

Rudratej Singh steps down as president of Royal Enfield. Lalit Malik, the new COO

No matter how big or agile a company is, shuffling of the higher management order does resonate within the company and can impact the sales, for the better or worse.

Rudratej Singh who was the President of Royal Enfield family since January 2015, recently decided to seek opportunities outside the company owing to personal commitments.

Prior to Royal Enfield Rudratej Singh worked for Unilever in Singapore. Since he started working in 2015, Singh reported directly to Eicher Motors’ MD and CEO, Siddhartha Lal and was based in Gurgaon.

Rudratej Singh steps down as president of Royal Enfield

Apart from leading the commercial business for the iconic motorcycle brand in India and globally, he looked after global sales, branding and marketing, after-sales, new product strategy and aided in driving new business opportunities for the company. He was also closely coupled with the apparel and merchandise vertical of Royal Enfield.

During his tenure, some of the noteworthy product strategies brought forward by Singh were

• The Classic 350 Redditch
  
• The Thunderbird 500 X and 350 X
  
• The Classic 350 and 500 series (including limited editions) 

For the time being, Eicher Motors CFO Lalit Malik will take on the additional interim responsibility of the Chief Commercial Officer with immediate effect.

Rod Copes (Head – Business Markets, North Amercia), Shaji Koshy (Head – Business Markets, India), Arun Gopal (Head – Business Markets, Europe and LATAM), Rich Rawlins (Head – motorcycle accessories), Vimal Sumbly (Head – Business Markets, APAC), Pankaj Sharma (Head – customer experience) and Puneet Sood (Head – apparel) will all now report to Lalit Malik in his new role effective immediately.

Lalit Malik COO Royal Enfield

Lalit Malik, an IIM-Bangalore alumni, has been part of Royal Enfield for the past eight years. During this period, not only did the company reinvent itself, but also expanded their consumer base in different geographical locations. In the past decade, Royal Enfield’s cumulative sales increased from about 52,000 units to over 800,000 units in the financial year 2018.

According to sources, Mr. Malik keeps a close eye over operational efficiencies and strives to improve cost structures within the company. All this while ensuring profitability for the company. After the shuffling of the higher management, Mr. Siddhartha Lal would oversee Product Strategy & Industrial Design, and Brand and Marketing. While, Mark Wells, the head of Product Strategy and Shubhranshu Singh head of global branding would report directly to Lal.

For the Royal Enfield family, 2018 ended in a good note and 2019 looks even brighter. As we are expecting aleast 2 new Royal Enfield launches this year, only time would tell, whether the hierarchy and leadership change would have any major impact over the brand's popularity and reach. 

Check out this custom Royal Enfield Himalayan from Smoked Garage

Who doesn't like a custom motorcycle, that too a Royal Enfield? To shake things up and to steer away from their original look, Royal Enfield UK, came up with an assignment for Smoked Garage. To build a custom Royal Enfield Himalayan. Mission statement, make it as edgy, futuristic and as dirty as possible. And guess what they came up with.

Custom Royal Enfield Himalayan

The brilliant minds from Smoked Garage at Bali came up with their design first. They took apart the Himalayan piece by piece and stripped it down to its bare minimum. Now it was time to build the custom Royal Enfield Himalayan. They made the following change to the Himalayan

• They replaced the stock 41mm forks with a 43mm Showa upside down unit. The rear mono-shock suspension was upgraded to an up-spec Ohlins unit, which in turn was linked to a custom swingarm.
  
• The stock tires were replaced with humongous Dunlop K180s with dirt track treads.
  
• And the spoke wheels were carbon-coated
  
• The front brakes also received some major overhaul with Nissin 4-piston calipers on twin 310mm floating discs.

Look at those massive tyres

The futuristic SG-411

And guess what the result turned out to be? This new one of a kind custom Royal Enfield Himalayan went from 194 kg to 175 kg. Talk about getting ripped. They named this bad boy, the SG-411. Here's a sneak peek video of their build.

What do you think of this bad boy? If you want to check out more custom builds done by Smoked Garage make sure to visit their Instagram account or get in touch with them on their website.

By the way, I personally feel this SG-411 would be the perfect motorcycle for Judge Dredd. What say you?

Royal Enfield 2019: New Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 is expected to launch in 2019

What an amazing year it has been for Royal Enfield. 2018 has catapulted Royal Enfield to different heights altogether. Not only did they expand their flagship models but also reinvented their GT flagship. 2019 is going to be another such year, if not better. It is expected that the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 would roll on the tarmac and let you be on its saddle this year. And that's not all you can even test ride the Royal Enfield Scrambler as early as March 2019.

So, what does Royal Enfield 2019 hold for us? Let's figure out the facts and speculate the possibilities.

FACTS

• Himalayan 650 - 2019 would definitely promise a bigger Himalayan. Unlike its predecessor, this 650cc all-terrain stud would be properly scrutinized and tested to its limits before any customer starts twisting its throttle.
  
  



Himalayan 650

• The Himalayan 650 would flaunt a twin-cylinder motor complemented with a 6-speed gearbox.
  
• Royal Enfield Scrambler - The scrambler flagship would consist of a 2 variants, Royal Enfield Scrambler 350 and Scrambler 500. Both would be based on or be identical to their Classic predecessors. 

Royal Enfield Scrambler 

SPECULATIONS

It is speculated that the Royal Enfield Scramblers would be a chopped down and a bit dirtier (or course in a good way) version of the classic. And they would be launched with dual-channel ABS as a standard for both the 350cc and 500cc versions.

The Royal Enfield Scrambler

• The Royal Enfield Scrambler price (showroom) would bounce around Rs. 1,89,000.







• The Scrambler has been seen by many people doing the rounds in Pune and is expected to hit the market by March 2019.

Apart from the above major releases, Royal Enfield 2019, might even introduce a few newer and more alluring color variants for their interceptor and GT series. Fingers crossed. Till then let's keep changing the dates and wait for the unveiling by Mr. Siddharta Lal.

What do you feel 2019 has in store for Royal Enfield? And how excited are you for the new Himalayan and Scrambler? Let us know in the comment below.

Electric Royal Enfield: World's first Eco-friendly Bullet

An Enfield owner has been called many names, but never eco-friendly. With respect to other motorcycles having similar engine capacity, they might be fuel efficient, but in India, where the majority of the population is driven by highly economic motorcycles, a Royal Enfield Bullet is considered a fuel guzzling demon. But this electric Royal Enfield Bullet will completely change your perception.

This neat and one of a kind creation is the epitome of Eco-friendliness and runs quieter than a cat's purr.
This electric motorcycle was built using a 2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500. The original 500cc engine and transmission was completely discarded and replaced with 11 Nissan Leaf batteries and an electric motor in order to power the bike.

The builder after coming up with the concept, worked tediously to understand the mechanism and architecture required to successfully shape such a creation. He worked for several months on a test bench and finally implemented the same on his RE. In this video you can see the different components present in the world's first electric Royal Enfield.

During assembly, all the 11 Nissan Leaf batteries were stacked in six over five fashion, and rested on a customized aluminum frame. The replacement of the 500cc internal combustion engine, i.e. the electric motor is mounted with four bolts, and placed at the position of the removed transmission, with a 13 tooth front sprocket and 52-tooth rear sprocket.

To record all the vital data regarding battery performance, a data logger with SD card is kept in the left toolbox of the electric Bullet 500, while the cycle analyst that sits on the handlebar provides real time feedback, like speed, amount of power used, etc. The left pannier also houses an onboard charger integrated with a DC-DC converter.

The bike fabricator is still working to refine the design of the bike and add additional components, the likes of chain guard and better weather protection for the battery terminals. After providing a brief overview of the motorcycle, he even showed us what it felt like to ride an eco-friendly Royal Enfield.

From the test ride video, it was evident from the very start that the charismatic and signature Royal Enfield thump was missing. You couldn't even realize whether the electric RE was being pushed or running. Yes, it is that silent. All you can hear is the gentle rumbling of the chain sprockets. Also another surprising aspect of this electric Royal Enfield Bullet was it's enhanced performance. It had faster acceleration than its original counterpart and easily clocked speeds in excess of 100-110kmph (60mph), without any signs of danger. I personally feel, this increase in performance is mainly due to all the weight it has shed. 

Even though this eco-friendly version of the Enfield is the best contender for the upcoming future, but the question is, would the masses embrace this silent and timid creature? What say you?

New Royal Enfield Continental GT. The all black cafe racer

Of all the motorcycle variants produced by Royal Enfield, the Continental GT is definitely the meanest and fastest of them all due to obvious reasons. But with the new all black paint job, the cafe racer now looks even more meaner and deadlier than ever.

The all black cafe racer

Earlier, the GT was available in only 2 basic colors, i.e. red & yellow. But this new addition is definitely the best of the lot. Such is the influence of the new color combination, it will definitely lead among the other color variants( also check the poll on the right ). Being said that, I personally being a blue fanatic, I guess if in the near future a pale blue version of the Continental hits the market, it would even challenge the sales figure of the black GT.

When the RE cafe racer was first introduced in 2013, it was confidently imparted by CEO Siddhartha Lal that, red & yellow would be the only options available. But with noticeable  craze and demand of the revamped cafe racer of the 1960s, he was bound to introduce yet another radical coloring option of the GT. Hence we can definitely expect further color addition in the near future, for the cafe racer.

Also, in January 2015, it was mentioned that two new variants of the Cafe Racer can be expected later this year. These new 400cc & 600cc Royal Enfield Continental GT might also flaunt the black coloring option as well. Also, to surprise their faithful customers, they might even add the Chrome variant as well, which has already been launched in Canada. We can definitely expect some amazing improvements in these new GTs, but till then let us relish the black beauty. The new black edition of the Continental GT costs around Rs. 2,20,000 on-road in Pune.

3 new models of Royal Enfield & a twin cylinder engine variant to be launched in 2016

2016 will mark the starting of another era for Royal Enfield. The 114 year old motorcycle manufacturer will bring forth not one, but 3 different brand new models for domestic as well as international markets. One of them being powered by a scintillating 750 cc parallel twin-cylinder engine at it's core. The remaining two will showcase a robust 410 cubic centimeter single cylinder overhead cam engine. One of these would probably be a scrambler-style model.

This epic news came from the recently set technology centre at the English county of Leicestershire, U.K. According to the sources, the two 410 cc models are nearing completion. But for the model having the parallel twin engine, the cubic capacity is still tentative and might be subjected to change.

In the upcoming year, the Chennai based motorcycle producer might also launch a few variants of these 3 models. We are already aware that RE has filed for trademarking "Himalayan" as a model name, and probably it would be powered by a 410cc engine. But for the revolutionary twin cylinder engine, the design and development would be carried out in the upcoming facility in U.K.

Modified RE scrambler ( Not the actual 2016 motorcycle )

To provide further impetus to the upcoming models and to strengthen the international market capture of the brand, RE has also recruited the former Project Manager of Triumph motorcycles, Mr. Simon Warburton. Not only that, to establish a perfect blend of retro look and the essence of pure motorcycling, renowned former Ducati designer Pierre Terblanche would also lend his wisdom and vision.

RE had planned a lot for the upcoming year. Enfield CEO Mr. Siddhartha Lal has taken a gallant step to make the company's presence felt in the global market as well as meet the increasing demand. The company has carefully monitored the customers' need and financial capabilities in the home market, before commencing this face lift. Harley Davidson's defeat in sales figures in 2014 has already indicated that unit sales are on RE's side and the 3 new models of Royal Enfield along with a twin cylinder engine variant will further strengthen their foothold and dominance worldwide.

Royal Enfield will expand & set up technology centre in the United Kingdom

If sources are to be believed, Royal Enfield is about to expand and has invested over 52 million Pounds to set up a couple of technology centers. One of these centers would be set up in the hometown of RE, i.e. Chennai and the other one at the United Kingdom. The aim of these technology center is to help them revolutionize the technology associated with the motorcycle and as well as help them increase annual production.

Royal Enfield expands in Chennai & UK

2014 was an immensely fruitful year for the 114 year old motorcycle producer. It was able to sell over 3 lakh units globally, and shadowed the sales of Harley Davidson. Now they want to up the ante and rev up the production to 4.5 lakh units per year. The current production facility and resources allow them to generate only 4 lakh units. But the opening of these 2 technology centers would help them churn out many more beasts per year and meet the global demand.

Apart from the above mentioned reasons, RE also wants to attain better grip on the global mid-sized motorcycle market. Construction and setting up of these centers is undergoing under a steady pace, and the UK center would be operational by the end of 2015, while the Chennai plat will be up and running by 2016.

Opening of such technology and R&D hubs would definitely help RE remain at par with the tech quotient of their motorcycles while strictly adhering to the cool retro vibe of the 60's. Also, the increase in production would help to reduce the long waiting period associated with Royal Enfield while promoting pure motorcycling globally.

Royal Enfield CEO, Mr. Lal narrates why owners are in love with their Enfields

The distinct flavour i.e. Pure Motorcycling, that sets Royal Enfield apart

Royal Enfield, the oldest production motorcycle brand has definitely stood the test of time. But every now and then, it receives criticism from the masses while being compared to the heavy and powerful machines that the current market has to offer. To clear the fog, Eicher Motors CEO & Managing Director Siddhartha Lal stepped forward and explained why Enfield motorcycle has such a devoted fan following, and why it still produces retro motorcycles and not bulky expensive ones.

Lal's answer was simple, short & straight-forward. "Pure motorcycling", thats what RE has and will always stand for. He said that over the years, motorcycles has become bulky, expensive and horrendously powerful, thus becoming objects to own & not enjoy. Motorcycle industry can be roughly segregated into two categories.

• For daily commuting needs ( Small bikes )
• Leisure motorcycling ( RE )

But the current market trend and desire for more powerful motorcycle has generated giants featuring over a litre capacity engines and havings specs of over 180 hp. Thus it is almost impossible for men/ women riding it to get the complete potential out of these motorcycles without risking their lives. To add up, owning, insuring and maintaining such a motorcycle over a period of time, will burn a hole in your pocket.

He said that, back in the 60's the motorcycling kingdom was dominated by the mid-sized motorcycles, the likes of Royal Enfield, Triumph & Norton. But with time these mid-sized bikes evolved into large bike and people gradually started reverting from the mid-segment motorcycles. But Lal's vision is to bring back the glory days and instill faith and attachment of the people with mid-sized motorcycles with the pure motorcycling experience.

According to Lal, every motorcycle produced by RE is easily accessible and is built for joy and not for ego. They have great handling and have ample and most importantly creates a strong bond with the rider. Finally Lal revealed the significant quality of Royal Enfield that makes millions drool over it. He said, “Motorcycling must be accessible. The bikes must be easy to ride, easy to modify and to maintain. If you drop the bike, you should be able to pick it up, and keep riding.” Siddhartha has put in a lot of hard work over the past decade to bring RE to the position it currently relishes. He recently launched RE in Colombia and has strong presence in over 20 countries.

Royal Enfield Himalayan: The new 400cc adventure tourer

It was earlier rumoured that a adventure-tourer was going to be launched by the Chennai based motorcycle manufacturer. In our earlier post, we did find out the specification of the same and what it might have in store for us. But recently it was revealed that the company has named it "Royal Enfield Himalayan", and has applied for trademark.

The design of the motorcycle is still under tight wraps, and is being designed by the renowned Pierre Terblanche, who is best known for designing the Ducati 999/749, The Hypermotard, Multistrada, Sport Classic. e.t.c. He had joined RE last year and given his vision and past experience, his new design on the Himalayan would be a sight to behold.

The Himalayan would flaunt a 400cc engine, which would be a bored-out version of the Classic 350. It would give the new RE, 40Nm of torque, which is 30% more than the Classic. The chassis would be borrowed from the Continental GT, thus giving it a retro, lean and classy look.

The motorcycle is still in it's fabrication and design phase and according to speculations, RE will start testing this elegant tourer by the end of 2015. The name provided to this adventure-tourer is apt but it's a pity that Royal Enfield enthusiasts would have to wait another year to get their hands on one.

Royal Enfield exclusive store launch in Bogota, Colombia

In 18th July 2014, Corbeta group became the exclusive distributor of Royal Enfield in Colombia, with total control over supply, service, marketing and distribution of RE products. In early 2015, RE finally launched their motorcycles in Colombia, which included the Bullet, Classic, Continental GT as well as the Rumbler range. The Corbeta group subsequently opened new showrooms to set the dealer sub-frame.

The Store

Finally in 10th February 2015, RE Columbia invited specialized media in Bogota to showcase their complete portfolio and also to give them the opportunity to experience "Pure Motorcycling". This term that was coined by CEO Siddhartha Lal, about which he explained in an interview in 2014. In the event organized, invited riders were given the opportunity to tour Bogota on the Royal Enfield of their choice. The tour started from the winding scenic roads of Bogota up to the Tomine dam, and back. The riders finished their journey by sun down and arrived at the Avenue 19, Street 134, thus marking the formal opening of the official store.

The crowd carefully analyzed & scrutinized each and every automotive marvel from the stables of RE. At the end they found the Continental GT & the Classic to be the most alluring and elegant. For them, the GT was quintessentially a cafe racer inspired from the 1965 model, and the Classic was a splendid concoction of a street motorcycle with beautiful retro-styling resembling that of the post-war era. The Classic for the Colombian crowd was really intriguing, which radiated the heritage of RE as a company and also strengthened the bond between man & motorcycle. Pure motorcycling indeed!

The tour started with 23 riders saddling over a number of Classics, Rumbler, Bullet & the Continental GT. They started off from the Tramonti restaurant, and stopped at a beautiful landscape for an official photo session. Then all the riders thumped their way to the town of Guatavita, and finally to Tomine. All the riders had their lunch there, but were confined to the restaurant there due to heavy rain. This was an excellent opportunity for the riders to chat and share their individual experience about their motorcycle to others. After another session of photography over the beautiful landscape in the afternoon, they headed back to the capital.

The concept of the store is quite typical and resembles those in other nations as well. The store would have ample space and a feel good ambiance. There were only a single motorcycle of each brand in the display, which acted as a framework for their new collection, i.e. the "Dispatch Riders".

Royal Enfield Colombia will also launch various accessories and riding gear in their store as well. The aim of the Chennai based motorcycle manufacturer has always been to be at the pinnacle of mid-segment capacity motorcycles, in the 350 to 500 cc range. So to mark a step forward towards achieving this goal, RE launched their bikes in the fast growing Colombian market.

Now, Royal Enfield comes with extended warranty

Royal Enfield has given the world another reason to show why it shares such a close coupling and religious following with it's fans and owners worldwide. The company recently stated that from 1st January 2015 onwards, Enfield owners in India can avail an extended warranty of 2 years or 20,000 km whichever occurs earlier from the date of sale.

Royal Enfield now comes with extended warranty

Since it's humble beginning in 1955, Royal Enfield as a brand has instilled faith among its users and since then the Chennai based two-wheeler manufacturer has set a benchmark for quality and reliability. The introduction of the Cafe racer in 2013, marked a brand new chapter for the company which will determine the course and progress of the company in the years to come.

Until 2014, the company provided a warranty of 1 year and 10,000 km, which was considered to be quite less. But with this gallant move of doubling the warranty period has brought solace to the hearts of millions of Enfield fans.

This move would definitely impact the sales of Royal Enfield positively and propagate goodwill and trust among potential buyers. Currently the company sells a number of brands the most popular being the Bullet Classic, Thunderbird, Electra & the newly launched Continental GT. As all these bikes are used largely for touring long distances over rough terrain, this move would surely slingshot their sales in the years to come.

The new Royal Enfield Continental GT with 400cc & 600cc engines

The new year has brought great news for all your Enfieldheads. Sources from Royal Enfield has confirmed that the company will bring forth 2 new bikes having a displacement of 400cc & 600cc. And these bikes would be based on the flagship of Royal Enfield Continental GT.

The Continental GT 535cc

Currently the company is working intensely to test these 2 monstrous engines. Also the company is focusing on being a bit lenient and listening to the customers' feedback and sculpting the bikes which would cater to the people's needs & requirements. According to the sources, these two new breed engines are expected to generate enormous torque. The 400cc variant is most likely to produce about 41 NM of torque, which is 13 NM more than current 350cc engine. While the massive 600cc engine would be producing 60 NM of torque, which is 19 NM more than the existing 500cc engine.

Royal Enfield also took into consideration the future pollution norms and hence they would probably introduce fuel injection into these upcoming bikes. The company is performing rigorous testing to eliminate any chances of error with these two variants of the new Continental GT.

The bikes are most likely to hit the market this year and the introduction of the new plant in Oragadam would probably speed up the production process which would cater to domestic as well as international needs.

So till then all we can do is, gather some patience and wait, which I am sure is asking a lot.

Another transport mishap to increase waiting period of Royal Enfield

A few weeks ago it was reported that a container truck caught fire near Ahmedabad, which was carrying 65 Royal Enfields. You can read about the incident and view the pics here.
But recently another container truck containing a number of RE caught fire on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. The incident occurred on 16th December inside the Madap tunnel.

The container truck being investigated by the Police

If eye witness and reports are to be believed, the container truck containing an unknown number of Royal Enfield variants was travelling over the Pune-Mumbai expressway. When it was inside the Madap tunnel, a speeding Mercedes Benz rammed into the container. Such was the extent of the collision that, both the car and the container went ablaze almost instantly. Drivers & passengers from both the automobiles fled their vehicles. No one was injured in the incident.

From the pictures we can make out that the inferno was a huge one, just like it's predecessor. After the flames were brought under control, a number of burned and charred Thunderbirds were revealed.

You can see the charred Thunderbirds & the intensity of the flame

On the earlier incident, the container truck was carrying Bullets to Haryana, and now this truck was carrying Thunderbirds, (possibly) to Pune. This mishap is most likely to increase the waiting period of Royal Enfield.
But on a personal note, I can almost smell a controversy lingering with this dual mishap. Earlier a standstill truck carrying 65 Bullets catches fire and now a number of Thunderbirds is set on a pyre after being hit by a vehicle which is best known for its handling? Food for thoughts

Waiting period for Royal Enfield Bullet might increase

You don't need to be a Royal Enfield owner to know about the patience that is required until you can finally lay your hands over your personal Royal Enfield. Such is the craze and demand of the Bullet, or any other bike from the stables of the same that, to meet with everyone's demand, a customer has to wait an average of 6 months before he is handed over the key to his Royal Enfield.

Burnt Royal Enfield Bullets

But a recent accident with a container truck containing over 65 Royal Enfield Bullets might further stretch the waiting period for Royal Enfield Bullet. A Haryana registered container truck was carrying a consignment of 65 RE Bullets which unfortunately caught fire with all the cargo still inside it. The mishap took place at Aslali, near Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The truck was taking the bikes to Haryana and was parked in the transport bay. According to reports and eye witnesses, the container caught fire in the wee hours of the morning. To check the ablazed truck, and check the inferno, 2 firefighting trucks rushed to the scene and were able to put off the fire eventually. But inspite of their best efforts, they couldn't save the brand new Royal Enfield Bullets.

Thankfully, no-one was injured in the incident. Police have started investigating into this matter, but up till now haven't been able to come up with any concrete proof or source of the fire. The fire was intense and it burned through all 65 bikes. Such was the intensity that it completely melted the bikes' tyres and peeled off all traces of paints leaving behind only carbon residue, ash and the mere exoskeleton of the Bullets.

65 charred Royal Enfield Bullets

In India, in comparison to other bikes, the waiting period for Royal Enfield Bullet is considered to be the maximum. But after this mishap revolving around 65 Bullets, the waiting period would be stretched even further for some unlucky customers. After this incident, Royal Enfield incurred a loss of over 70 lakhs.

The investigation hopefully would be able to throw some light over the mishap.

Pierre Terblanche, part of Royal Enfield family

Take a moment to welcome Pierre Terblanche, the renowned designer, who has joined the iconic Indian two-wheeler manufacturer, Royal Enfield. The design pioneer hails from South Africa and started his career with the renowned car manufacturer Volkswagen before switching over to two-wheels. His stint with two-wheeler journey  commenced with Italian bike maker Cagiva. There, he worked at its research centre at San Marino. Under the guidance of design genius Massimo Tamburini, his interest with motorcycle design propelled to a whole new level. 

Pierre Terblanche

After Cagiva was acquired by US-based group, he shifted to Ducati. It was at Ducati that he sculpted some of his renowned creations. And the most acclaimed of them all was the controversial Ducati 999/749. The Hypermotard, Multistrada, Sport Classic etc, are few other notable bikes designed by the maestro. Apart from Ducati, Pierre Treblanche also worked with Norton Motorcycle Company &  Moto Guzzi. Among his recent masterpieces is the one of a kind Confederate X132 Hellcat Speedster that was showcased in August 2014. If you thought that merely cars & bikes were his forte, then you are making a big mistake. Apart from motorcycles he has also designed boats for South African shipyard Bobkat.  Since a long time, Royal Enfield has been focusing its attention on the international market and is taking a lot of efforts to expand its reach and popularity. Hence the hiring of Pierre Treblanche can be indicated as a step to make Royal Enfield's visual appeal to the international consumers, especially from Europe. Whether the South African designer will be responsible in designing the upcoming 400cc adventure offering from Royal Enfield still persists to be a question, which only time will answer. But tracing his prolific past we can surely expect some gorgeous & mean motorcycles from the stables of Royal Enfield.

Pierre Terblanche, designer  in Ducati

Speaking about Pierre Treblanche, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director & CEO, Eicher Motors Limited said, “I am very excited that Pierre Terblanche has recently joined our team; he is one of the most prolific industrial designers for motorcycles, and is best known for having created some extra-ordinary motorcycles as the head of design for Ducati for over a decade.” I personally feel, introduction of Pierre would propel the design and sheer essence of Royal Enfield. But I am still caught in a dilemma. I hope bringing forth the new radical element into RE shouldn't rob it off its iconic status. Food for thoughts. But whatever may be the outcome, I wish Treblanche comes up with a uber cool and chromed cafe racer, the likes of Confederate X132 Hellcat Speedster. Fingers crossed ;)

So if you personally were to request for a brand new Royal Enfield envisioned by Pierre Treblanche, what should be the prominent elements in it? Feel free to share your views and thoughts in the comments below. Thanks

Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2014

Rider Mania, is considered to be the biggest gathering of Royal Enfield riders. And just like every year, they are all set to make Goa buzz with the familiar sound of a few thousand Royal Enfield motorcycles. The 3 day motorcycling extravagance at Vagator is scheduled to commence from 21st November and conclude on 23rd November. With over 5000 riders expected to join three days of music, euphoria and odd riding skills, Rider Mania will host thousands of fans and enthusiasts making this edition, its biggest ever.

Organized by Royal Enfield, Rider Mania is supposed to be the only motorcycling festival in India where a motorcycle enthusiast can see the various ways in which people celebrate motorcycling through music, art, photography and lifestyle apart from the various competitive and fun events organized for the riders and their family. Royal Enfield owners from around the country ride in to Goa to participate in this motorcycle fest that features activities and entertainment that promote biker camaraderie and provide the perfect platform to showcase one's passion for motorcycling and the Royal Enfield brand.

The festival has an exhaustive line up of motorcycling events that include Trials, Dirt Track Racing, Slow Race and Assembly Wars that will be held under floodlights. Royal Enfield has also organized special sessions on photography and motorcycling trails. A special enclosure displaying Royal Enfield's range of apparel will showcase the latest in motorcycle fashion along with accessories to customize your Enfield.

This year too, custom made motorcycles, designed exclusively for Rider Mania will be on display at a special enclosure inside the venue. These motorcycles are an expression of the designers' motorcycling spirit and craftsmanship. There will also be a competition to judge the best custom bike of Rider Mania 2014. Like every year, the Celebration Ride will take place with all the participants riding through the streets of Goa to celebrate the motorcycling spirit of the riders and Royal Enfield. Music being the intrinsic part of every festival and also of Rider Mania, the 2014 edition will see performances from Papon and the East India Company, Nucleya and Vir Das' Alien Chutney and Skrat.

2015: The advent of an adventure touring bike from the stables of Royal Enfield

It is rumored that Royal Enfield is in the process of developing a brand new 385cc four stroke engine that will be mounted on its motorbikes from next year. The engine might replace the 350cc unit construction engine which were earlier saddled on bikes, the likes of the Standard 350, Electra, Classic 350 and Thunderbird 350. 

It is claimed that the company will expand its reach and also ustilize this engine on a new adventure tourer bike that is being developed. The much anticipated and one of the early participants in the similar category, Hero Impulse is dead. This has robbed the Indian bikers of adventure touring and venturing off roads. And to top it off, there aren't other adventure tourer bike that is priced less than Rs. 10 lakhs. So Royal Enfield might exploit this market situation to their benefit and trying to capitalize this oportunity to sculpt an adventure bike at a price that is less than Rs. 2.5 lakhs.

The adventure touring bike from Royal Enfield is most likely to be launched in India during 2015. The company has not made any announcement regarding the same and has treated this news as a folklore or rumor. But this being said, the company has been taking bold steps lately. It introduced numerous touring friendly features, like projector headlamp, double trip meters, bungee cord holders and large fuel tank on the Thunderbird series. It also launched the Continental GT 535 cafe racer in India and abroad. The adventure tourer will be another nice addition and probably an icing on the cake for Royal Enfield.

Many Royal Enfield buyers in India use their bike for long distance touring. In India, Royal Enfield bikes are the most popular cruising and touring bikes which are used in all kinds of terrain. So having a adventure version with high ground clearance, big torque, nice luggage carrying features and a rugged body will make motorcycle buyers looking for touring opt for Royal Enfields in a big way. A bike like the Triumph Tiger or the BMW GS series from the stables of Royal Enfield may soon become a reality. Bikers in India will be very happy if this rumor shapes into reality.

The Royal Enfield family is overjoyed of the idea, and would definitely help the brand to prosper and blossom further.