The Changing Hands Of Royal Enfield Indian Motorcycles

Production of Royal Enfield motorcycle is still prevalent even though it is the most-backdated model of motorcycles ever. The company began in Redditch , Worcestershire and dissolved in’71 however, India is the only place where production is still carrying on. Thus, the’63 model was named The Royal Enfield Indian Motorcycle and was then sold to America.

While Royal Enfield was most popular for its production of motorcycles, it made numerous other things, like rifle parts, lawnmowers, and bicycles. Their logo was a picture of a cannon with the motto “Made like a gun, goes like a bullet.

By’55, the Indian Enfield started producing Bullet motorcycles with license from a UK based Brand, and by’62, they were constructing complete bikes. Even when the Royal Enfield suspended in’71, the Indian company in Chennai continued the productions and bought the rights to the name “Royal Enfield” in’95 and it is 2009 and they are still in business.

The Indian Motorcycle Company in America experienced the most trying times, in the year’50. A company called Brockhouse Corporation had been financing the unsteady Indian company and purchased it in the same year. Some unlucky management choices led to splitting of the Indian unit into two: one for the sales, and one for manufacturing.

The producing sector could not meet the retooling costs for an overhead valve engine, and it closed in’53. Some Indian purists consider that to be the end of the “real” Indian motorcycles. But the sales arm of the company did not fold.

The Brockhouse Corporation had the rights to the name and after the Indian manufacturing failed, they began importing Enfields and marketed them as Indian from’55 to’70. This was an example of “badge engineering” but it was not successful. Even though the dealers still went on with the matchless Indian name after’59, the Indian name was removed from the motorcycles.

Quarrels as to who will earn the brand name became a big issue during that time of Indian Motorcycle history. The Enfield Chief was still produced in’60 – a rebadged Enfield 700 cc twin fitted with the fender guards, saddlebags and other Indian paraphernalia.

In’60, the Indian name was taken by Associated Motorcycles of Britain. But in’63 the US distributorship of Associated Motorcycles was absolutely taken by the Berliner Motor Corporation and all the hints of Indian name were silently removed for good. Until’99, the particulars of the agreement were lively through trademarks and branding disputes.

In the mid 60s, Floyd Clymer took the sales arm of the Indian company. He was a racer, author, motorcycle dealer, and a magazine publisher. Clymer tried to repair the Indian brand for the last five years or so, by fitting Indian nameplates to Italian Velocette-based bikes and also had prototype built based on the original Indian V-twin design. However, unfortunately, the prototype was the only one ever made.

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