The Enfield Cycle Company founded in 1893 had the brand name, Royal Enfield. They used to manufacture motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. The first Royal Enfield Motorcycle was built in 1901. The Enfield Cycle company is responsible for the design and original production of Royal Enfield Bullets. They were the longest-lived motorcycle in history.
The Redditch factory used to produce bicycles for Royal Enfield until 1967. After that company was closed in early 1967. The last bicycle released was ‘Revelation’ in 1965.
The Enfield Cycle Company started its business as a weapon manufacturer. It was famous for ‘Enfield rifle’. As the logo resembles above.
In India Royal Enfield first introduced in 1955 when The Enfield Cycle Company partnered with Madras Motors a Chennai based company. They started assembling 350cc Royal Enfield motorcycle in Madras. Firstly the company used to import all the components from England. All the components which were required to build a Royal Enfield motorcycle were all made in India after 1962.
Now I will display from the start how it used to look like a bicycle and then transformed into a motorcycle. Today almost everyone is crazy about this motorcycle.
1893 – The Enfield Cycle Company registered its company to manufacture bicycle under the brand name ‘Royal Enfield’
1899 – They started producing Quadricycle.
1901 – The first motorcycle was built with lots of experiment done before that with putting a heavy framed body on a bicycle.
1907 – They merged with Alldays & Onions Pneumatic Engineering Co. of Birmingham, and started manufacturing Enfield-Allday automobile.
1912 – The Royal Enfield model 180 sidecar was successfully raced in Isle of Man TT. Brooklands had a 770 cc V-twin JAP engine.
1914 – a large number of the motorcycle were supplied to British war department and won the contract for the Imperial Russian government.
1924 – Launched, the first Enfield four-stroke 350 cc single using a Prestwich Industries engine
1931 – Albert Eddie, the founder of the company died.
1933 – R.W. Smith, the other partner of the company also died.
During the second world war (1939 – 1949) the British authorities called upon The Enfield Cycle Company to develop and manufacture military motorcycle. From here they started creating a military version of the Royal Enfield which is very much famous. Royal Enfield WD/RE also called ‘Flying Flea’ was one of the famous models of that time was. It was a lightweight motorcycle which was used to drop by parachute along with airborne troops.
The company started its production of single cylinder Model G 300cc and Model J 500cc after the war. During 1946-1954, Ex-military C and CO was also offered for sale to all.
From 1949 this motorcycle was sold in India. Therein 1965 Indian government were looking for a suitable motorcycle for police officers and army for patrolling on borders. This motorcycle was suitable as per the place where it was going to be used, so the government ordered 800 350-cc model Bullets.
In 1999 The Enfield of India started its branding in the name of ‘Royal Enfield’. After UK’s company bankruptcy also The company in India were still making bullets.
Matt Holder had purchased the rights and the name ‘Royal Enfield’ at a bankruptcy sale. They have produced the spares for Enfield from 1967. After The business passed on to David holder of the Velocette Motorcycle Company of Birmingham, UK. The David holder objected the Enfield of India for using the name but the UK court ruled in the favor of Enfield India. It’s now the trademark of the India motorcycle.