More racy Royal Enfield artwork from 1930

This was the best I could do to enhance a 95-year-old magazine clipping.

 Found: a rare illustration of a roaring 1930 Royal Enfield motorcycle and its speed-obsessed rider and his pretty girlfriend. 

Last week I wrote how I had noticed the artwork in the official scrapbooks of the historic Royal Enfield factory in Redditch, UK. A black-and-white magazine photo of it and its caption were pasted into one scrapbook. 

I'd never seen this image before, anywhere. 

According to the caption, the image was available to Royal Enfield dealers as a poster, to be displayed in their windows. It would have advertised the 1930 Royal Enfield motorcycles inside the dealership. 

The caption also said that the posters were in color (the magazine clipping, of course was printed only in black and white). 

I took the liberty of using an artificial intelligence program to colorize the image in the clipping. After all, the original had been in color, so this wasn't cheating.

Color made it look even better, although the dot-pattern "screen" used by the magazine reduced detail.

To find out more about the artwork I emailed Bob Murdoch, archivist at the Royal Enfield Owners Club UK, which possesses the scrapbooks. Bob had laboriously photographed the many pages of the scrapbooks, and had shared these with me.

Had he ever noticed this image?

After all, this was one clipping on one page among hundreds of pages. To my surprise, he replied the next day:

"I do recognize this picture from the historic artwork folder of the Archives and have attached our copy, which you'll note is not a color painting, but a newsprint-prepared black and white print."

Despite the dot pattern you can see the detail. (REOC Archive)

So the club had the image, a much better copy than the magazine clipping in the scrapbook! Unfortunately, it still had the dot pattern, and was still black and white.

But Bob was able to tell me a lot (and there was another surprise coming).

"Most of Royal Enfield's publicity images were created by line-tracing photographs with ink on a semi-transparent film laid on top of the photo. These were then enhanced with color, shade and movement lines, which is a very effective method for capturing correct detail and perspective.

"So, the painting mentioned would have been a color 'wash' of such a tracing. I was a technical illustrator in the aerospace industry for several years, so I recognize the method used. 

"Among the factory photographs there are quite a few posed riders on bikes, clearly for this purpose. My favorite one which comes to mind is the 1958 Crusader and rider balanced on a brick at a sporty angle, which was pen-and-washed for the 1958 advert/brochure."

Did the Archive have an original photo of a couple posing for the illustration that interested me?

"Unfortunately, no such photo survives of our adventurous couple in question, but one other aspect (from a different angle) was traced and enhanced from the same photoshoot. You'll see from the front number (license) plate that this is a Model JL of 1930."

Wait, there is another version of the speeding Royal Enfield, rider and pretty girl?

A different pose for the rider and best of all, no dot pattern.

Yes, and Bob attached a scan of that, too. It's still black and white, but it has NO screen pattern, meaning it's as fresh as the copy-artist made it.

I like it even better. Note how much more lifelike and realistic the rider looks in this version. I would bet that his friends could identify the fellow who posed for it.

Interestingly, this version of the image IS signed by an artist; you can see "H. Wilson" clearly in the lower right corner.

This time the artwork is signed: H. Wilson.

Unlike the first version, with the rider crouching low, I did find this second version on the Internet.

It appears, without explanation, in the humor section of Motorcycle Timeline, labelled "Joy of the Road." It is screened there, so it's likely it was published someplace in its day.

Readers, had you seen it before?

Found by Motorcycle Timeline, this version is labelled "The Joy of the Road."

Racy Royal Enfield poster sold speed

 Packed with potential emotion, motorcycles are often depicted at the intersection of Art and Marketing. And there is nothing more moving than artistic depictions of speed. 

Except for one thing: just add the girl. 

"...but wait, the solitary knight of the prewar days has been joined by a hot girlfriend, as our hero hurtles down the road to prove he is no Model T owner," writes Paul d'Orleans in his essay "Selling Speed" on The Vintagent blog. 

His example is R.C. Reyrolles' 1946 painting of a prototype HRD-Vincent Series B Rapide. 

The painting shows the Vincent nearly airborne with speed, its manly rider tightly embraced by a terrified girl. Her skirt is blown back on her shapely and oh-so-endangered thigh. 

It's my favorite motorcycling image, although not one I'd personally seek to emulate.

1946 R.C. Reyrolles painting of HRD-Vincent and riders.

But wait!

I've found a rare Royal Enfield version of the same scene.

I noticed this artistic treasure in the Royal Enfield factory scrapbook of 1930 press clippings, made digitally available by Bob Murdoch, archivist of the Royal Enfield Owners Club (UK).

The clipping is a magazine report on advertising window display posters made available to Royal Enfield dealers in 1930.

With flying motorcycle, crouching rider, and pretty passenger, it could have served as the draft version for Reyrolle's Vincent painting of 1946.

Britain's Cycle Trader magazine showed two of the new Royal Enfield posters, including this one, in its edition of, Nov. 4, 1930.

Magazine clipping in Royal Enfield factory scrapbook shows the poster.

The caption: "MORE 1930 POSTERS -- Two of the striking window bills that are available for Royal Enfield dealers. Both are produced in attractive colors. Equally powerful posters relating to pedal cycles are also issued, along with other well designed display matter."

Of course the Cycle Trader clipping is in black and white, so we don't know what "attractive colors" graced the original window bills.

For purposes of this blog item I let the Palette.fm program make its best guess. The result is not unpleasing.

A version of the black and white clipping with color added by AI.

But who was the artist? I see no sign of an artist's name on the poster. What a shame.

And who was that girl?

The Royal Enfield rider and his girlfriend are less daring than the Vincent couple. Our girl doesn't wrap her arms around her man, or hide her face in terror.

But you have to give the Royal Enfield girl points for the scarf, or ribbon, flowing care free from her hat. And she is showing plenty of leg, enhanced exactly as in the Reyrolles painting by holding her foot just so.

I guessed, probably incorrectly, that the Royal Enfield in the painting is the Model JF31. That's the  488cc overhead-valve, four-valve single that made such a splash at the Olympia Motorcycle Show the same year the window poster came out.

The forward-sloping motor, long pushrod tunnels, and fat fishtail silencer look right; but all these features would have been shared with some two-valve Royal Enfields of that year.

What made me think of the 488cc four-valver is that it would have been the fastest of the Royal Enfield line, and thus most worthy of a painting.

But, then, maybe not. 

A woman in white in a 1930 Royal Enfield photograph.

In the Hitchcocks Motorcycles archive of Royal Enfield factory images is a young woman in white, sitting on "a 346cc Royal Enfield Model CO. This RE model was for the 1931 season and features OHV and a total loss oil pump mounted externally on the timing cover."

Could this be the woman and motorcycle in the painting?

Take a look at another photo, this one from Royal Enfield's Instagram account. It's the same motorcycle, RX6637, and she is wearing the same outfit. And doesn't she look prettier in profile?

Another view of the same girl on the same Royal Enfield.

I found one more set of 1930 photos showing a similar looking girl, but in a different outfit with a different Royal Enfield.

These two photos appeared in Peter Miller's book "Royal Enfield, The Early History." One shows her pushing the motorcycle through a gate, and the other has her perched fetchingly on another gate. (Check "gate, symbol, female, Freudian.")

A Royal Enfield, but not the motorcycle in the painting.

The caption in Peter Miller's book tells us this:

"Works promotional photographs of the 488cc OHV Standard Two-port Model EL. The implication is that it is the lady who is the rider and it is she who has taken her boyfriend for a ride, although hardly dressed for riding."

Different dress, but is she the girl in the painting?

I will go out on a limb and say that whoever parked that motorcycle did a poor job of it. Is she supposed to pick it up?

No, the motorcycle is posed that way for art's sake. It would be a less eye-catching photograph if the motorcycle were solidly on its stand.

For one thing, an upright motorcycle would have blocked the view of her legs, wouldn't it?

Is the press too hard on the Classic 650?

Is Royal Enfield's newest 650 too much of a good thing?

 Royal Enfield's newest version in its line of 650cc twin-cylinder motorcycles was released in India last week. The Classic 650 is the most retro of the bunch and, not incidentally, the one that most interests me personally. 

That's because it is a Royal Enfield that looks like it would have when I was a kid in 1960, but goes (and stops) like it must to keep up with today's traffic here in the U.S. 

Royal Enfield's Classic 350 single was already motorcycle royalty in India. Don't think the riders there were going to fall in love immediately with a 650 twin version, just because it is bigger and badder. 

These guys are tough customers. 

Here's what the press in India thought about the Classic 650 twin, after riding it: 

"The Classic 650 is beautifully designed with elegant lines and a nice choice of colors to choose from. The teardrop shaped fuel tank, the way the engine occupies pride of place, those long chrome exhaust pipes and the overall stance make this bike quite the looker." Rishabh Bhaskar, BikeWale

"The biggest issue with the Royal Enfield Classic is that purists love the way the bike looks. So Royal Enfield can’t do much even if it wanted to do something drastic with the design. Hence we get the iconic Classic fascia complete with the signature Tiger lights. Upgrades come in the form of an LED headlamp which is not exactly the best in business. The light disperses wide and lacks a strong beam and we think that RE should work on it and make it better." Rahul Ghosh, IndiaToday

"One of the key reasons for the success of the Classic 350 was its old-school design language packaged well with vibrant color options. The Classic 650 also carries forward many of the design elements like the headlight nacelle, the mudguard shape, the fork covers, fuel tank shape, tail light and even the pea-shooter muffler, you get two of them here.

"Despite carrying the same design elements, the Classic 650 doesn’t look as cohesive or easy on the eye as the Classic 350 does. Maybe it’s the gap between the rear tire and fender, or just its enormous wheelbase; it just looks a bit too stretched out. To my eyes, it doesn’t have the same visual impact a Classic 350 manages so easily." Arun Mohan Nadar, ACKODrive

"The details add up to make an otherwise gorgeous motorcycle even more impressive. The aluminum switchgear covers, also finished in chrome, the handlebar clamp proudly bearing the Royal Enfield motif and the fuel tank lid, all underscore good fit and finish and quality levels." Preetam Bora, Car&Bike

"In a segment where emotional connect plays a pivotal role, the Classic 650’s legacy-driven positioning gives it a substantial advantage over its rivals." Syed Shazil Hussain, ET Auto

"At 243kg (536 lbs), the Classic 650 is a big, heavy thing, and you feel that at a standstill and also while pushing it around or during U-turns, but Royal Enfield has done a commendable job of masking its weight once you get going." Dinshaw Magol, AutoCar

"The Classic 650 too gets an analogue speedometer that’s easy to read in all conditions. However what’s different here is the speed at the other end of the speedometer – 125 mph instead of 100 mph on the Classic 350. (Ed.: Royal Enfield gives the top speed of the Classic 650 as 98 mph.)

"And just like on (the Classic 350), there’s a digital display under the speedometer which tells you the fuel level, mileage, odometer reading, trip distance, and time. Simple yet effective. There’s also a USB type-C charging port, a Tripper navigation display for turn-by-turn navigation (standard on all variants!), and adjustable clutch and brake levers.

"Although the Classic 650 has impressed us in many ways, its suspension setup leaves a lot to be desired. Simply put, it’s quite stiff for a Classic, with just 90mm of wheel travel. That robs it of the plush ride that one would expect, and the limited scope of travel also makes it difficult to tune it into having a comfier setup." Sohm Mayekar, ZigWheels

"If I look over minor niggles like the lack of feedback on the front brake lever, the instant ABS intervention on the rear brake and vibrations on the seat at high revs, I think the RE Classic 650 makes a compelling case for itself in terms of a cruiser." Sumesh Soman, OverDrive

Royal Enfield posted its response to some of the concerns in a Q-and-A format. In fairness, here are a few points made:

"The Classic 650 is designed for superior comfort with a wide seat, refined suspension, ergonomic riding posture, and minimal vibrations at high speeds, making it ideal for long-distance touring...

"We would encourage any beginner riders who feel intimidated by the Classic 650 but who aspire to Classic ownership to start their riding journey with us on a Classic 350 and upgrade as their skills and confidence increases...

"While the bike is the heaviest in our portfolio, the Classic carries a very low center of gravity, so the weight is not as obvious and the motorcycle gives confidence in its handling and maneuverability. The seat height is very accessible at 32 inches...

"The Classic 650 is not an off road bike. The suspension is tuned to capably take on rough/broken roads while providing the best riding comfort to the rider and the pillion."