The Royal EnfieldCompany once Enfield Cycle Company makes motorcycles, bicycles, stationery engines, and lawnmowers. Once a weapons manufacturer, the company now produces exquisite distinct motorbikes that were once used by the British army. Vintage rides use the Royal Enfield Bullet on each of its many tours, as it helps provide a unique and pleasurable riding experience whether through the rocky paths through the Himalayas, or the sandy roads through Rajasthan or along the beaches of the south.
1. 19th century: The birth of a Myth. It is in the mid 19th century, in the heart of Victorian England that a great technological and human adventure begins... In Worchestershire town, Georges Townsend establishes a firm called “Givry Works” that specialises in sewing needles and fishhooks. Observing the craze for bicycles which gave individuals mobility, by 1880 he decides to assemble and then build his first two-wheeler.
2. 1986: Their association with the ‘The Royal Arms Factory’ leads to one of the bicycles being branded ‘Enfield’. Thus is born the marque ‘Royal Enfield’, and the famous slogan ‘Made like a Gun’ is henceforth present on all the brochures and advertisements, to extol the precision and reliability of the products made by the brand.
3. 1897: Robert Walker Smith builds the first motorized four-wheeler, a quadricycle with a French ‘Dion’ engine. Like in bicycles, the frame is tubular, and one passenger can be seated in the front of the vehicle. This atypical machine is propelled by an engine fitted at the back of the chassis, under the rider’s seat.
4. 1900: In the 20th century the lure of individual transport is growing fast. The first Royal Enfield Motorbike is built in 1901. It is a small car with a tubular frame.
It is fitted with a secondary drive belt. From 1903, the engine takes its conventional place near the pedal mounting bracket, judiciously lowering the centre of gravity of the vehicle. This modification greatly improves the handling ability and the pleasure of riding the vehicle.
5. 1910: Royal Enfield experiments with several single cylinder projects for two strokes, before making the most crucial choice regarding the engine for the future, i.e. the adoption of the four stroke V type twin engine, which forms the basis of the engine for several ranges of motorcycles that follow.
6. 1914: Royal Enfield lands a big contract to supply motorcycles and militarised carriages. The production of a version of the "ambulance" equipped with a stretcher is also started. At the same time Royal Enfield is also providing the Russians with militarized carriages and the factory is operating in full capacity. Shortly after the war, Smith recruits a talented engineer, Ted Pardoe, who contributes remarkably to the development of subsequent lines.
7. 1923: The reputation and the reliability of the company comes into the limelight thanks to the spirit of innovation that prevails in the company and also the active employee participation in machine designing. Another factor that is equally responsible for the firm’s success is its sound business policy that aims at diversifying its product range. Some of these models are a financially viable option, thereby making them accessible to people from all walks of life.
8. 1929: Optimization of the manufacturing processes established by the Smith brothers and the retention of easy to handle small vehicles in their product range help the company to deal with the crisis better than the other bike manufacturers.
9. 1933: The birth of the first model of the ‘Bullet’
10. 1948: Development of the prototype of the current Bullet with a motocross style exhaust. With several modifications and even a racing model, the bullet remains in production till the late sixties in the United Kingdom.
11. 1956: Enfield LTD is established: The new models combine the authenticity of the original bullet of yesteryears with the modernity of present times. Henceforth, the Bullet that is still in production is known for its refined ‘vintage’ look and its standard mechanics.
12. 1970: The English plant shuts down. The Royal Enfield stops its motorcycle production, and shifts its plant permanently to India, where the Bullet is still manufactured.
13. 1979: Royal Enfield begins exporting to Europe and the United Kingdom.
14. 1994: Royal Enfield merges with Eicher group which is one of the leading automobile groups in India, with diverse interests like manufacturing tractors, commercial vehicles, automobile gears, exports, automotive trims, Management and motorcycle consultancy.
15 . 1996: The Company makes significant investments to upgrade its manufacturing technology and systems. When the government decides to implement anti-pollution norms, Royal Enfield is the first motorcycle firm to comply with them. Royal Enfield is one of the first few Indian companies to get the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) in accordance with the standards of the European Community.
16. Today - "Royal Enfield Motors Ltd." is one of the largest metalworkers in India and it operates in three locations in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu: namely Madras, the company headquarters, Anakaraipatti and Ranipat. The production facility covers several sectors, including generators and motorized farm equipment.