Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield was the make of the Enfield Cycle Company, an English engineering company. Most famous for producing motorcycles, they also produced, amongst other things, bicycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines and even rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. more...

This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their moto "built like a gun, goes like a bullet". The original Redditch-based company dissolved in 1970, but the name was acquired by a former licencee based in India and continues to be used today.

History

The first automotive vehicles with the Royal Enfield name were produced in 1898 - a quadricycle with a De Dion-Bouton 2.75 hp engine. In 1901 came the Motor Bicycle with a 150 cc 1.5 hp engine above the front wheel. In 1902 a similar contraption appeared with an Enfield engine of 239 cc 2.75 hp. In 1910 came the first of the famous Enfield V-twins, first with Motosacoche 344 cc 2.75 hp engines, later with Enfields own engine. Until World War I the big twins with 770 cc 6 hp J.A.P. engines and after WWI 976 cc 8 hp Vickers-Wolseley engines. In 1915 came the first of the small two stroke 225 cc engines, starting with model 200.

The company merged with Alldays & Onions in 1907 and produced cars called Enfield-Allday until 1925.

Interwar Years

During the 1920's a mid range of Enfields left the factory: model 350 (350 cc SV), 351 (350 cc OHV) and 352 (350 cc twinport sports).

In the 1930's there was a large variety of models from small two strokes to large side valves, from A-Z. A 225 cc two stroke, B 225 cc sv, BO 250 cc ohv Bullet, C 350 cc sv, CO 350 cc ohv, G 350 cc ohv Bullet, H 488 cc sv, J 488 cc ohv, J2 488 cc two port ohv, K 976 cc sv v-twin, L 570 cc sv, T 148 cc ohv, Z (Cycar) 148 cc two stroke and many more variants.

WW2

During WWII the production changed to motorcycles for the war machine. Models for the military were: WD/C 350 cc sv, WD/CO 350 cc ohv, WD/D 250 cc sv, WD/G 350 cc ohv, WD/L 570 cc sv and the famous Flying Flea, the 125 cc lightweight motorcycle that was dropped in a tube cage with parachutes from planes.

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