Page 78 - Motorcycle Trader (February 2020)
P. 78
Future
Classic
It was a sweetheart and
the styling was spot-on
MODERN HISTORY Royal Enfield branding through the courts.
The original
Righto, let’s roll back for a quick bit of In relatively short order, the company Continental GT
history. Royal Enfield had, since the start underwent a restructure, shut down an produced in Redditch in
of the 20th century, been a moderately outdated manufacturing plant, built two the 1960s was just a 250
successful motorcycle manufacturer. It’s new ones and gave the venerable Bullet but was also claimed to
prime glamour model over the years was series a heart transplant. The latter involved produce 25 horsepower.
There must’ve been
the 650, 700cc and then 740cc Interceptor an alloy engine designed for fuel injection, some serious crankcase
twin, a rival for similar products from which was up and running by 2007. pressure judging
Triumph and BSA. In 500 form that engine was still no by the size of the
However, its bread and butter range powerhouse – we’re talking around 25 breather hose.
included the 350 and 500 Bullet singles, horses (18kW) – but it was quieter, easier to
which had been in the showrooms in start and more robust than its predecessor.
various forms since 1931. In the mid-1950s, Roll on to 2013 and the company
the series was being assembled in India to announces an international launch aimed
supply the local military. very much at export markets, based from
Things went badly for the British firm a motel in London. It’s for the Continental
in the 1960s and it was out of business GT535 café racer, a revival of the look
by 1970. Meanwhile, Enfield India kept and nameplate of one of the firm’s 1960s
plugging away with its Bullets. In fact, you successes, the Continental GT250.
were able to buy them here and in other Just to whet everyone’s appetite, it
western markets, branded as Enfields cheerfully announces the machine has been
without the ‘Royal’ appellation. developed in very close consultation with
Without question, the biggest shift that most British of hot-up firms, Harris
occurred when Enfield came under Performance Products. Oh, and the overall
the control of the giant Eicher concern lines were done with UK-based Xenophya
and became the pet project of a scion Design. Really, any more British and you’d R O YA L E N F I E L D
of the family that now owned the firm, expect it to come with a lifetime supply of
Siddhartha Lal. An economist with post- fish and chips!
graduate qualifications as an engineer, As for the launch, it was an extraordinary C O N T I N E N TA L G T 5 3 5
he made it a mission to first win back the exercise. It included a seminar on British
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