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.

Royal Enfield facts and stories Part 1

Some cool facts about Royal Enfield and it's legacy

Let me tell you a story to chill your bones....
The line seems appropriate, but enough of Iron Maiden. Let's get back to some gritty and loud bikes with muscles shall we. Before we dive in and find out some cool Royal Enfield facts, lets start with a brief history.

In the year 1890 the name Royal Enfield was first licensed by the crown. The company started building their first motorcycle in 1901, and until 1967, they produced their motorcycles at their factory in Redditch, Worcestershire. Unfortunately, it was closed in 1967. In 1970, the company produced their last motorcycles before completely dissolving in 1971. That was the end of one story and the inception of another.

Enfield of India was set up in 1956, and had begun assembling the motorcycles. To fuel their production line in India, they used parts which were shipped from Royal Enfield in the UK. This game plan proved to be immensely successful took off in a huge way. By 1962 Enfield India had blossomed and were producing motorcycles from parts made in India rather than the UK. Enfield's situation in India and UK were contrasting. While the company in UK was beginning to struggle, Enfield India was achieving greater heights and amassing huge fan following. The iconic ‘Bullet’ model was an instant hit and was taking the sub-continent by storm. 

Enfield India continued striking the right chords with the audience and was trading even after Royal Enfield had been dissolved in the UK. Finally in 1995, Enfield India bought the rights to the name Royal Enfield to make sure that the bikes returned to it's spiritual & historic identity. 

Now, that you are well aware of Royal Enfield's history & legacy, let's dive in and find some cool facts about Royal Enfield shall we. 

1. Royal Enfield, Made like a gun, goes like a bullet - The logo & motto of the original Royal Enfield company reflects their background of weapons manufacturing. The logo of the original Royal Enfield featured a cannon, with the slogan “Made like a gun, goes like a bullet”. This slogan stands to its words when it comes to Royal Enfield motorcycles, but seems uncanny for the lawnmovers which also had the same slogan on their sides.
2. Royal Enfield, the choice of the brother in arms - In 1912, Royal Enfield first launched a model with a sidecar. The addition of a sidecar to Model 180 of Royal Enfield, helped them gain a lot of popularity in the early days. With the onset of World War I in 1914, they were able to amalgamate their new motorcycle manufacturing strand with their well known traditional military roots. The company even won a contract to supply the Imperial Russian government & the British government’s war department with motorcycles. They even modified the sidecar so that they could accommodate a fitted Vickers machine gun. It surely made RE, one bad ass bike in the World War era.
   
3. Royal Enfield Bullet, the longest continuous production motorcycle - Since 1948,  the iconic Bullet model has been in continuous production since in the UK or India. This led to make the Bullet, the longest continuous production motorcycle in the world. The Bullet was produced in 1931 with a four-stroke single cylinder engine. It's frame had a significantly different appearance compared to the look the model is known for today. Since it's inception, it was available as either a 350cc or 500cc version, and the 350cc version was bought by the British government for use, both by army dispatch riders and the RAF during World War II.
   
4. Bullet top speed - The current version of Bullet 500 has a top speed of 140 kilometers per hour which equates to around 85 mph.
5. Royal Enfield's legacy continues in India - The Royal Enfield company was dissolved in the UK in 1971. The original company came to an end in 1971, but the spirit lived on in India which has now been completely brought back to life.

 That's not all, more cool facts and stories about Royal Enfield awaiting you. Also as an added bonus, you can take a 360° virtual tour of the Royal Enfield concept store in New Delhi. Enjoy!

Get a GRIP !!!

Most of us are enthralled by a motorcycle's look,performance,handling and sound because these are the only qualities that can be examined by our senses. But we seldom think that it is the contact and friction between the tyres and the tarmac that defines the bike's performance ( and also adds to its aesthetics) and without a good set of tyres even an expensive motorcycle would be crippled.
In this post I would emphasize on the quality and the variety of tyres used in high performance motorcycles especially MotoGP.

Shoes for MotoGP motorcycles

Describing MotoGP motorcycle tyres as mere shoes would be an understatement because these amazing tyres having a contact area of that of a credit card provides peak power of around 240 bhp and top speed of roughly 350kmph to a motorcycle weighing at least 160kgs.
Wait...more exciting info coming soon!

Royal Enfield Continental GT Test Ride

On December 25th I approached the closest Royal Enfield showroom aka Brahma Motors to get my test ride. To ensure hassle free situation i had already registered myself online for the Continental GT's test ride. Before that day i hadn't seen the Cafe Racer with my own eyes and the only proof of the Continental GT was all the videos and pictures that i had seen on the internet. The bike stole my heart at the very first sight. Let me warn you people, Continental GT's unavoidable good looks and charisma might compel you to lose focus from your day to day jobs for a long stretch of time.
Here are a few pictures that i was able to click while i was at the showroom, but still viewing this beautiful beast is a feast for your eyes and something which you need to experience in person rather than sitting at home and looking at their photos online or from any other source.

The clip on handle bar along with the rear view mirrors are simply stunning.

Every minute detail gets amplified when you look at the bike. From the red stitches on the single seat to the retro mirror.

Driving experience

 The driving experience is phenomenal and when you sit on the bike stretching your lat muscles coupled with the loud thumping sound, it makes a lot of head turn and gives you the aggressive look.

The bike has amazing handling while you would slide and glide over banked curves . Even though its quite heavy and has a masculine 535cc engine you can cut traffic with ease.

The acceleration and braking is breathtaking thanks to the Pirelli tyres and Brembo brakes.

But still I found few flaws such as

1. The rear suspension works perfectly at high speed but at moderate speed,if you come face to face with any ditch or pothole it doesn't absorb much of the jerk. Am not blaming the Paoli suspension but I think it can be made better with a few minor tweaks.
2. The second problem, rather noticeable issue was the positioning of the rear brake pedal. Its a bit too high compared to the heel, so you always have to keep you feet adjusted, to avoid unnecessary braking. I hope Royal Enfield service center would come up with a fruitful solution.
3. The third and the greatest flaw was that of the space between the silence and your feet. When the Continental GT comes to a standstill and you try to find the side-stand, you occasionally lean your bike sideways and while doing so if you have sheer bad luck your right feet might suffer from serious burn from the extremely hot silencer. An extension like that of Bajaj Pulsar might seem to be helpful.

Other facts..

I am thankful to Brahma Motors for giving a prompt response while i booked online for the test ride of this amazing vehicle. The procedure for test ride was also hassle free and even gave me in-depth info and suggestions regarding the dos and don't , once you own the bike.

The bike has certain must have accessories for which you need to pay extra. Some of them are as follows:

• Rear view mirror
• Custom silencer( pretty loud one = awesomeness \m/ )
• Pillion rider Seat.

I personally feel among all of these, the Rear view mirror and the custom silencer are the two things that you should definitely opt for. The rear view mirror gives the bike a retro and vintage look and the silencer amplifies the signature Enfield thumping .

And regarding the pillion  rider seat. Well, you definitely would like a lady to be your pillion rider but you rather go (HAN) SOLO to get the optimum fun out of the Cafe Racer. 

If you opt for all the above accessories the Royale Enfield Continental would cost you around 2,20,000 on Road, Pune. As of now you can book yourself a Cafe Racer for Rs.5000 and you can pay the rest of the amount after 6 moths, when you get the bike delivered.

Royal Enfield Continental GT Version 2: How the Continental GT be made better

Cafe Bikes' Qualities

To start with lets just emphasize on the basic qualities of a Cafe Racer.

The Cafe Racer motorcycles have some distinct features that makes them stand out from the other motorcycles.An ideal Cafe Racer looks something like this.

The feel that you get while you mount the saddle of such  a beast is ecstatic. When you rev your bike, the engine gets in sync with your heartbeat and the feeling is unmatchable.
Here's a video which portrays what it feels like while you ride a Cafe Racer and the history behind it. It also mentions the distinguishing feature of a Cafe motorcycle.

Similarity with Ducati Sport 1000

I am not saying that Royal Enfield has copied any bike ,but its a complete different bike altogether.

Still it shares a close and striking resemblance with the Ducati Sports 1000.

Ducati Sports 1000

Royal Enfield Continental GT

Let us refresh our memories how the experience would seem like when we mount on a Ducati Sport 1000.

And according to me the police chase sequence is the best video to commemorate it.

So my question is how can the Royal Enfield be revamped? Or what to expect from Royal Enfield Continental GT Version 2?

The answer is quite simple ,the Continental GT in itself is a masterpiece and given that its a product from the stable of Royal Enfield makes the bike even more special.

But still if there are some discontent people out there,we can suggest you with a few alternatives here and there to make the existing Cafe Racer even more aggressive.

1. Inverted telescopic suspension.
2. LED tail lamps ( similar to the new Thunderbird )
3. Further lowering of the Clip-on handle bars
4. Wider tyres .
5. A Short yet loud exhaust.
6. Exposing more mechanical parts and bringing the intricate details of the bike to light.