Royal Enfield Bullet planning to take on Harley?

[bradhey]

Came across this article Royal Enfield Bullet planning to take on Harley? - NDTV Profit

Thought it was worth sharing with all Petrol Heads.....

[bivin]

Hey guys!!
just stumbled upon this great article.. apparently RE is coming up with a new twin cylinder bike. Its likely to be a parallel twin like its ancestor, the awesome Meteor.. it also contains info of their upcoming Diesel bike!!
Hope it makes its way to the local market soon enough!!
Cheers!!

Royal Enfield Motorcycles: Royal Enfield is working on parallel twin that will remind you of the Meteor, CEO says

"Royal Enfield is working on a parallel twin motorcycle and a multi-fuel adventure touring bike. The new Bullet 500 model will have a new, low price. And a kick start lever is coming for Royal Enfield C5 motorcycles imported to the United States.

Royal Enfield's new CEO, Dr. Venki Padmanabhan made these revelations public at the New York International Motorcycle Show this weekend.

Dr. Padmanabhan unveiled two new models there, the Classic Chrome and the Bullet 500. Both are based on the C5 with its unit-constructed engine, but the Chrome looks like the popular Deluxe model of old and the Bullet 500 looks like a throwback to the beloved 350cc Bullet in production in India for 50 years.

Dr. Padmanabhan was very enthusiastic about Royal Enfield's future and its new, thoroughly modern but retro-looking motorcycle.

"The only piece missing is that it is 500cc and I don't want to be getting on the expressway at 500cc. We are addressing that with a well thought out program. At the India Auto Show we announced the cafe racer, with 600cc, just enough larger. Now you're in the mainstream. We are working on a parallel twin that will bring back the idea of the Meteor and the Interceptor."

A parallel twin rather than a V-twin, I asked?

"If you come to the factory you will see unbelievably heated debate. Right now it's leaning to a parallel twin."

A parallel twin would indeed bring back fond memories of Royal Enfield's powerful and legendary Meteor, Constellation and Interceptor motorcycles.

"People will say this is exactly the Meteor, except it doesn't leak, it doesn't seize — all the old problems of British motorcycles — and you have modern fuel injection and so on," he said.

The cell phone connection was poor, but Royal Enfield USA President Kevin Mahoney managed to tell me Dr. Padmanabhan said Royal Enfield is developing "a multi-fuel (diesel, gasoline, kerosene, etc.) adventure touring bike. The Himalaya touring bike."

Meanwhile, C5s in the U.S., currently available only with electric start, will get the old-fashioned kick start as well. C5s sold in India have had it all along.

"Already (this change has been made). From this year forward," Dr. Padmanabhan said. "Kevin and the other guys said to us, 'Hey, what about us?"' and we said sure, it makes it easier on us: the same bike for everyone.

"The kick start has a simple mechanical charm. It's just like the bike: a simple, simple, simple basic mechanical device. I think it may be the last motorcycle in production that you can kick start," he said.

Mahoney said that the Classic Chrome and Bullet 500 bikes unveiled in New York will be here in late Spring. The cafe racer is due in 2012. The kick start C5s will come when the model year changes.

As for the multi-fuel adventure bike, Mahoney said "Everybody sells a touring bike, but that would be pretty nice to have, one that could run on any kind of fuel."

The new Bullet 500 unveiled in New York will start at $5,495, he said. It will be an entry level bike, available in black only, and there will be limited numbers of them, he added."

[camchennai]

Post Eicher taking over RE, they are coming out with new model every 6 months and twin engine should be another feather to its cap.

I am sure all RE fans would love to see this in India.

[PatienceWins]

Thats great!! I hope it will come to India soon.

[rangan]

it surely is WONDERFUL news but, RE has this habit of launching the same product after a year in INDIA and then there is a another years waiting period to get your hands on the same.

[ac 427]

i hope they anticipate the demand in advance and plan production accordingly. Making customers wait 9 months or 12 months for a bike is criminal. Common RE speed up.

cheers,
ac

[bradhey]

There is news now that Harley Davidson is working on a sub 800 cc engine (may be a 750 v twin) specifically to cater new harley riders in India. The components will be made in Milwaukee, USA, but it would be assembled here in their Bawal plant in Haryana. All this counter the RE development reported earlier..........finally Indian bikers will tastes the best of both these brands.

[GTO]

After reading the title, I couldn't help chuckling and saying to myself Royal Enfield already OWNS Harley. Atleast, in terms of profitability. Comparing what the two companies make only from selling motorcycles, Royal Enfield is out on top. Without its financial services arm (a BIG contributor to Harley's bottomline), the brand would have declared bankruptcy today (something Harley isn't new to).

[Monster_BHP]

Any news on the twin cylinder version, wondering when they would launch it? Anyone know what the price would be, i am sure it would be above 2 lakhs?

[Rhoads]

I dont know when they're going to launch this. But when they do, be the second to book this for an early delivery as I'll have booked it already.

I've got this arranged marriage kind of a feeling here. When all your friends are married to their college loves (some babe called HD based on affordability), you believe that daddy (read RE) is going to find a girl that suits your family to handle all the ups and downs like our indian roads, easy maintenance, etc.

P.S. There's a buzz that all those that have waited for this arranged marriage will be blessed in 2013. Or wait for another year while you visit the temples of Rahu, Ketu and others!!!