Forgotten Royal Enfield bikes in India: The lesser known REs

“Boys ride toys, Men ride Royal Enfield”. This is the class RE has made with their bikes such as Classic 350, Thunderbird and the famous Bullet. With new entrants such as Himalayan and the Thunderbird 350X, the position of the company just seems to have strengthened. Founded 65 years ago in the heart of Chennai, India, Royal Enfield became immensely popular for the rugged and massive cruiser bikes. The first bike to make it to the roads was the Classic 350. But within the 65 years of reign, some REs faded as if they were never there. Let’s have a look at 7 such forgotten Royal Enfields in India that once were rolled out.

1. Royal Enfield Mofa | The smallest RE till date

   

   RE Mofa was a complete opposite of what Royal Enfield is known for. RE is known for making robust and monstrous motorcycles. But the RE Mofa was a 22cc small bike made for the cost-conscious customers. The 30kg only bike used to have a staggering 90kmpl mileage. What made it more interesting was that there was no requirement of license or any RTO permit to ride in India.

2. Royal Enfield Fury 175 | The NOT so Royal Enfield Looks

   

   It looks as if it was made by LML and not Royal Enfield. Jokes part, Fury became really popular in the Indian market, especially amongst the youth. It was powered by a 163cc, 2-stroke engine which churned out 17hp of power. The engine came mated to a 5-speed transmission. The fury was capable of reaching a top speed of over 125kmph. It must be clear till now, why was the RE Fury loved so much by the boomers at that time. What’s more interesting is that it was given disc brakes at the front, not at all a common sight in bikes of that era.

3. RE Explorer | Delve into the small REs

   

   It was a product that came in during the partnership of RE and Zundapp. Explorer was a Zundapp KS50 based bike. It was powered by a small 50cc engine, single-cylinder, 2-stroke engine capable of producing 6hp of maximum power. The engine was equipped with a 3-speed transmission too. This small RE could reach a maximum speed of 90kmpl, pretty more than many 110cc bikes at present. It is great to know that RE also tried to tap into the small bikes segment, although was never able to make it big in small engines.

4. RE Fantabulous | What a scooter?

   

   Yes, Bajaj and LML were not the only companies with a scooter in their arena. It is just that the Fantabulous was not able to gain popularity at that time. The USP of the scooter was the electric start, the first scooter in India to get the tech. It was powered by a 173cc 2-stroke engine which produced 7.5hp of power. But being good does not ensure good sales. Fantabulous really never took off in the Indian market.

5. RE Lightning | *Ringing bells* Thunderbird?

   

   Thunderbird, we are well familiar with. But before it came a 535cc engine powered Lightning in 1997. It was a tourer/cruiser motorcycle. The engine was capable of producing over 25hp of power and a peak torque of 38Nm. Although the successor has been immensely popular, RE Lightning was not able to gain the same popularity. Maybe the time was not right as people were more focused on small and fuel-efficient bikes.

6. RE Silver Plus | A Moped too?

   

   Like every other enthusiastic company, Royal Enfield also tried to tap into every segment possible. One such try was done with the RE Silver Plus, a moped powered by the same engine as that of the explorer. But the segment remained out of the hands of RE and the Silver Plus was also not able to make a huge mark.

7. Royal Enfield Taurus | A diesel Bullet

   

   What a diesel-powered bike? Yes, Taurus was the first-ever diesel bike in India. Actually it was a diesel version of the famous Bullet. But the massive build and hassle starting were the drawbacks of this bullet. It was never able to make it big in the market. The thumping sound of the massive engine was enough to crackle the bodies of weaker ones. For them, there was one RE too.

8. Royal Enfield Mini Bullet | For The Weaker Ones

   

   Bullet has been a household name in India, especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana. You can find a Bullet 350 at every second corner in the country. But due to its weight, not everyone is able to drive it easily. This is when the company came up with the Mini Bullet which was a miniature version of the heavy bike. It was powered by a 200cc engine and can be seen to have shed a lot of weight.

So this was the list of forgotten Royal Enfields in India that could have made big but were not able to. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also read: 10 Forgotten Hatchbacks In India | Tata Indica to Fiat Uno