Royal Enfield is the oldest motorcycle model in the world that is still in production. The company started in Redditch, Worcestershire and was dissolved in 1971, but production in India goes-on to this day. The 1963 Royal Enfield Indian Motorcycle was the last to apply the “Indian” name attached to Royal Enfield and sold in America…
The Royal Enfield Group was most famous for the production of motorcycles; nonetheless they also made numerous other things like rifles, lawnmowers, and bicycles. Their logo was a picture of this cannon with a motto that said ‘made like a gun, goes like a bullet.”
By 1955, Enfield of India began producing Bullet motorcycles under a licensing treaty with the UK brand, and by 1962 they were making complete bikes. Even when Royal Enfield dissolved in 1971, the Indian company, in Chennai continued production and bought the rights to the name “Royal Enfield” in 1995. They’re still in business as of 2009.
The year 1950 was a turning point for the Indian Motorcycle Company of America. A company called Brockhouse Corporation was helping with the finance of wavering Indian organization, and bought it in 1950. Some unlucky transactions led to the India branch being split into two: one for the sales, and one for manufacturing.
This manufacturing half could not meet the retooling expenses that were required for the overhead valve engine and so it closed in 1953. Some Indian purists thought that it was the death of “real” Indian motorcycles. But the sales half was still functioning normally.
Since Brockhouse Corporation had the rights to the name after Indian manufacturing went under, they began importing Enfields and selling them as Indians from 1955 to 1970. This was an early example of “badge engineering,” and it was not rewarded. Though dealerships still carried the Matchless/Indian name after 1959, the Indian name was dropped from motorcycles.
Disputes 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 1960 – a rebadged Enfield 700 cc twin fitted with the fender guards, saddlebags and other Indian accessories.
In 1960, the Indian name was taken by Associated Motorcycles of Britain. But in 1963 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 1999, the details of the deal 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 icon was the only one ever made.
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