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Royal Enfield motorbikes rev up for Bangladesh market

By the way, for bhakts that are amazed by RE "tek-na-laji acheef-ment" .

RE started making Bullet 500s for Enfield around 1949.

The design stayed the same for 45 years. Yes...... 45. you heard right. Production continued in India when RE UK folded up in 1967.

Then Eicher bought the company in 1994 and brought in Phoren designers and experts who designed a UNIT P-Twin engine with various bores (a la Norton, BSA and Triumph Brit-bikes). No surprise, since more than half of the design staff is ex-Triumph next door.

Eicher also bought a frame kit manufacturer called Harris Performance in Hertfordshire UK to design RE frames.


And they also opened a UK design center to design their new models like the Himalayan, the Continental GT, Classic, Meteor, Interceptor etc.



So the RE bikes are like the Indian LCA jet.

They claim it as Indian, when all is "phoren designed" and the critical items are "phoren-made", like Brembo brake calipers etc.

Still - quality of the rest of it however, remains truly Indian.

OK, RE - ka Langoti gir gaya.
 
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I am sure any motorcycle company, like the Bangladeshi ones (maybe Walton) can do the same thing (open a design center and frame designer in the UK) for export sales. It's all possible, just like RE did, hire people from Triumph, BSA, Norton, whomever.
 
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By the way, for bhakts that are amazed by RE "tek-na-laji acheef-ment" .

RE started making Bullet 500s for Enfield around 1949.

The design stayed the same for 45 years. Yes...... 45. you heard right. Production continued in India when RE UK folded up in 1967.

Then Eicher bought the company in 1994 and brought in Phoren designers and experts who designed a UNIT P-Twin engine with various bores (a la Norton, BSA and Triumph Brit-bikes). No surprise, since more than half of the design staff is ex-Triumph next door.

Eicher also bought a frame kit manufacturer called Harris Performance in Hertfordshire UK to design RE frames.


And they also opened a UK design center to design their new models like the Himalayan, the Continental GT, Classic, Meteor, Interceptor etc.



So the RE bikes are like the Indian LCA jet.

They claim it as Indian, when all is "phoren designed" and the critical items are "phoren-made", like Brembo brake calipers etc.

Still - quality of the rest of it however, remains truly Indian.

OK, RE - ka Langoti gir gaya.
As far as the older design, 350 RE classic hasn't changed much till it got the 55-94, but then again neither has the evolution moter for 1200 and 883 sportster from 88 till date.


Opening a design center for a Manufacturer in UK is not cool? Afterall it builds retro british style motorcycles and is reviving it's older models (interceptor, Meteor, Sherpa, Constellation). Harris performance is one of the pioneers in tubular chassis and collaborated with RE for 535 GT, when RE wanted to venture out of India they acquired it, it is a very common practice for companies to make acquisitions to absorb technologies.

As far as acquisitions and opening design centers abroad, look up Calty Design Research and the role they played in establishing Toyota's global leader.

Would you be this bitter, if tomorrow a company decides to open a design center in dhaka to cater specifically to the sensibilities of Asian countries?

While I remember your posts a few years ago being rational, your conduct in this thread is quite appalling. It's quite unfortunate to see a good poster take a turn this way.
 
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I am sure any motorcycle company, like the Bangladeshi ones (maybe Walton) can do the same thing (open a design center and frame designer in the UK) for export sales. It's all possible, just like RE did, hire people from Triumph, BSA, Norton, whomever.
Also, BSA brand is now owned by Mahindra, and Norton by TVS Motors, Bajaj owns 46% stake in KTM, and triumph announced non -equity long-term partnership with Bajaj Auto to build mid displacement motorcycles.
 
Also, BSA brand is now owned by Mahindra, and Norton by TVS Motors, Bajaj owns 46% stake in KTM, and triumph announced non -equity long-term partnership with Bajaj Auto to build mid displacement motorcycles.
And Harley will partner Hero for a new range of bikes, as they have exited India as a single entity.
 
RE is now an international brand and hires and buys international talent as they should. That's how every brand and every western country has grown. If someone else can do it, do it, but they'll soon realise that it won't get you far without a thorough native talent base.


That is horrible development for Hero.
Why? Honda made Hero what it is today, but they're stuck in a time loop and can't cross the displacement barrier, just churning out highly reliable engines from the same mill. If Harley helps them do that, and with the services only Hero can offer in India, why not.

Xtreme 160R (and Xpulse too I guess) is the only impressive thing they've come up with, after Karizma.
 
As far as the older design, 350 RE classic hasn't changed much till it got the 55-94, but then again neither has the evolution moter for 1200 and 883 sportster from 88 till date.


Opening a design center for a Manufacturer in UK is not cool? Afterall it builds retro british style motorcycles and is reviving it's older models (interceptor, Meteor, Sherpa, Constellation). Harris performance is one of the pioneers in tubular chassis and collaborated with RE for 535 GT, when RE wanted to venture out of India they acquired it, it is a very common practice for companies to make acquisitions to absorb technologies.

As far as acquisitions and opening design centers abroad, look up Calty Design Research and the role they played in establishing Toyota's global leader.

Would you be this bitter, if tomorrow a company decides to open a design center in dhaka to cater specifically to the sensibilities of Asian countries?

While I remember your posts a few years ago being rational, your conduct in this thread is quite appalling. It's quite unfortunate to see a good poster take a turn this way.

Dada - I don't mind Indian brands taking steps to globalize their products, making them more competitive.

It is simply the political hoopla about "Mera Bharat ka Product Sab se Mahaan" BS by bhakts that I have a beef with. Claiming that third-rate Indian products are better than that made by anyone globally.

Don't mis-represent. Be rational. Call a spade a spade.

I don't expect the same quality from a RE product which should be sold at half the price of a Honda. Trying to tell us lies (like that Dark guy) that RE quality is better than a Honda is laughable. That rubs us the wrong way.

Like that Punjabi gentleman who called RE a poor man's Harley, and rightly so. RE has a long way to go in the quality arena. Especially when it stops dead in the middle of a highway without notice.

Half the Motorcycles sold in Bangladesh are Bajaj. The price/quality equation is right for middle and lower middle class. They respect the Bangladesh market by assembling it locally in Bangladesh using Bangladeshi workers. Soon the govt. will tighten tariff further and ask them to source components locally.

Bajaj knows if they have to survive in our market they can't jump on the Sanghi bandwagon, they have to make themselves a local brand liked by locals.
RE is now an international brand and hires and buys international talent as they should. That's how every brand and every western country has grown. If someone else can do it, do it, but they'll soon realise that it won't get you far without a thorough native talent base.



Why? Honda made Hero what it is today, but they're stuck in a time loop and can't cross the displacement barrier, just churning out highly reliable engines from the same mill. If Harley helps them do that, and with the services only Hero can offer in India, why not.

Xtreme 160R (and Xpulse too I guess) is the only impressive thing they've come up with, after Karizma.

The best change is disruptive change, something that shakes up the status quo.

Producing a product like Bullet that sold for 45 years straight - at the rate of a few hundreds a month, is no longer possible.
 
Dada - I don't mind Indian brands taking steps to globalize their products, making them more competitive.

It is simply the political hoopla about "Mera Bharat ka Product Sab se Mahaan" BS by bhakts that I have a beef with. Claiming that third-rate Indian products are better than that made by anyone globally.

Don't mis-represent. Be rational. Call a spade a spade.

I don't expect the same quality from a RE product which should be sold at half the price of a Honda. Trying to tell us lies (like that Dark guy) that RE quality is better than a Honda is laughable. That rubs us the wrong way.

Like that Punjabi gentleman who called RE a poor man's Harley, and rightly so. RE has a long way to go in the quality arena. Especially when it stops dead in the middle of a highway without notice.

Half the Motorcycles sold in Bangladesh are Bajaj. The price/quality equation is right for middle and lower middle class. They respect the Bangladesh market by assembling it locally in Bangladesh using Bangladeshi workers. Soon the govt. will tighten tariff further and ask them to source components locally.

Bajaj knows if they have to survive in our market they can't jump on the Sanghi bandwagon, they have to make themselves a local brand liked by locals.


The best change is disruptive change, something that shakes up the status quo.

Producing a product like Bullet that sold for 45 years straight - at the rate of a few hundreds a month, is no longer possible.

Here is my take, given that other than one particular terror apologist on this forum, i don't think anyone has ever referred to me as a bhakt.

Royal Enfield, with Siddhartha Lal, at it's helm has completely transformed the brand. So much so I will not hesitate in saying Eicher motors as it stands today is absolutely the top brand that Indian industry has produced in the last 2-3 decades. (disclosure I am quite significantly invested in the stock) Royal enfield doesn't compete with Small displacement bikes in India and it doesn't compete with large displacement bikes in India or abroad either. But in it's own segment it completely destroys everyone else in Indian market, while its global presence caters to niche middle weight displacement retro affordable package.

650Twins:
Its presence in the Indian market is referred to as premium mid displacement where it clobbers the import competition with its 650 twins. Take Kawasaki's W800 twin retro model, for example. It creams it at its price point as well as performance/cost, while when it comes to triumph Street twin, it costs almost half but it's performance on is significant enough to for a buyer to think twice. For EU and US markets 650 twins serve as low cost british twin, for people who always wanted a BSA A65 or a norton ss but without the wrench work that comes along with it.

Himalayan:
At the global scene, Himalayan competes with entry level adv bikes, especially as female friendly option, check out itchy boots channels who travelled across Aisa and europe on the himalayan, or Revzilla comparison of Himalayan vs the CSC adv bike, where the himalayan still came out on top despite being underpowered. And the Himalayan has had enough of sale for an upgraded himalayan 650 in the offering.

500 Classic:
500 Classic was discontinued in the year 2020; it's only selling point was it's old school for the people who like WWII singles. Same reason people still buy the Urals. And there is a small section who are very much tied to the idea of the single cylinder classic bike, especially in britain (and Spain for some reason). It has always drawn flak for being underpowered, but for some people the same underpowered nature makes it a very approachable bike, and there is the curiosity factor for the bike. Guys from Knox made a video, watch it and you would realise the why this biked survived for the years it has in the global market.


350 Classic:
The reason why 500 classic survived in the EU and US is kind of the same reason why 350 classic survived in India. 350 classic has it's own cult following, Bullet people are Bullet people. (I am not one of them).

Meteor:
This basically is the updated version of the what RE sold as the Thunderbird, a low cost crusier for the Indian market, it's well engineered and the market has enough potential that other player are gunning for the same segment ( jawa perak - Mahindra, Honda CB350, Benneli 400 etc) It has the potential to be an entry level cruiser in EU markets as an entry level, but I doubt it will have remarkable sales there, it is a predominantly Indian market offering.

Un named - 650 Cruiser is in the works for both International and Indian domestic market. It will directly compete with what remains for Street 500 and Street 750 HD, Rebel 300 and 500 and other entry level cruisers on price point.

And then there are 5 additional motorcycles that are rumored to join the stable, A 250 CC small ADV bike for Indian markets, a 650 classic variant to replace the 500 classic gap, a 650 ADV Himalayan for the global markets. The way I see it, RE is trying to become a Low-cost triumph type of brand with a dedicated domestic and global portfolio.

They will not compete with Japanese bikes, or British bikes across the board, but will create niches in the existing markets where they will expand in global markets. Domestic markets are different where they currently dominate their particular segment and will continue to do so for atleast the next 10 years for sure.

I bought a GT650 because it's probably the first global auto product from India that interested me.
 
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Well, RE opens showroom in, guess where, Japan!

To retail Classic/Bullet500, Himalayan, and the 650 Twins.
 
Well, RE opens showroom in, guess where, Japan!

To retail Classic/Bullet500, Himalayan, and the 650 Twins.

Let me know how many they are able to sell. 8-)

As if high powered bikes are hard to get in Japan. :lol:

I will ask my relatives in the UK to start a showroom in Newcastle, to sell high quality coal.
 
Let me know how many they are able to sell. 8-)

As if high powered bikes are hard to get in Japan. :lol:

I will ask my relatives in the UK to start a showroom in Newcastle, to sell high quality coal.
RE never markets themselves as high powered and high tech. That's exactly why they have legit chances in Japan. Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki have left sort of a vacuum ripe for picking.

The only issue was reliability, but that is fast becoming history. Saying this as more of a Honda person.
 
RE never markets themselves as high powered and high tech. That's exactly why they have legit chances in Japan. Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki have left sort of a vacuum ripe for picking.

The only issue was reliability, but that is fast becoming history. Saying this as more of a Honda person.

OK counting one iconic American brand that sells well in Japan, it is Harley Davidson.

In most years Harley sells 10,000 plus bikes in that market.

I won't insult Harley lovers anywhere by comparing Harleys to RE products.

Japanese customers see Harley-Davidson as a premium American brand with a rich history and a unique brand heritage. Customers are fascinated by the “look, sound, feel” of a Harley-Davidson and the timeless classical design cues which not only is constant but evolving with innovation year after year.

There are also some Japanese who connect Harley-Davidson to wild images like riding on the vast open expanses of America as was depicted in the movie “Easy Rider" or to the tough images revealed in the movie “Terminator,” but Harley-Davidson is a brand loved by a wide range of well-heeled customers in Japan.

It sells Brand Cachet and Panache, not a mechanical iron-horse.

Harley branded stores in Japan sell the lifestyle, with unique branded apparel, luggage and even personal accessories. I have been to many of them, especially the large one in Vegas.

Harley-Davidson is more than just a motorcycle. It represents freedom, self-expression and an opportunity to be part of a unique lifestyle.

Even the exhaust note is patented. Yamaha tried to imitate it in one of their US market cruiser bikes, they got sued by Harley.

What does RE represent?? Drawing a blank here.

Unreliable motorbikes that stop dead in the middle of the freeway?

Again wake me up when you sell more than a few dozen in Japan.

In the US in 2018 - Enfield sold between 700 and 800 motorcycles. Harley sold around 145,000 in the same period.

I reckon people who bought these RE bikes are primarily price buyers. Used RE bikes are going for next to nothing on Motorcycle trader because of reliability issues. Their owners can't get rid of them fast enough.

Harley got run out of India by Sanghis, headed by Eicher CEO Sid Lal.

RE will have payback in the US market.

Good Luck.
 
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Here is the Suzuki SV650X for 2020. A neo Retro design just like older Triumphs, but with Japanese quality and attention to detail, which will last for years.

Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90-degree V-twin, $8399 MSRP base (probably heavily discounted too). Disks both front and rear, refined handling provided free-of-charge.

Why would I buy a RE 650 whatever?

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