Friday, July 3, 2015

On seeing another Royal Enfield motorcycle in the U.S.

Sightings of Royal Enfields are so rare in the United States that I invariably snap
a photo when I see one. This one was parked in Miami Beach.
It was a bitter cold day in Washington, D.C. as my daughter and I waited to walk across an intersection. My chin was down to protect my neck from the wind and my hands were thrust deep into my pockets.

It was the sound that made me look up.

"That's a Royal Enfield!" I exclaimed, amazed that anyone would ride a motorcycle on such a harsh day and on a rarely seen Royal Enfield, too.

That was last winter and today is summertime in hot and humid Fort Lauderdale and I happened to look up at an intersection.

"That's a Royal Enfield!" I exclaimed.

That makes two this year!

This tells you a little something about how often I see Royal Enfields rolling along the roads in the United States. (I've seen a couple, in different places, parked along the street as well, but only these two moving examples.)

This is actually a tremendous improvement. I never used to see Royal Enfields at all unless I happened to look at my own, or was at a vintage motorcycle show (even then there might not be any at the show except mine, in the parking lot).

But, clearly, with all its success, the day is coming when there will be Royal Enfields all over the United States.

How will I feel about that?

Will people quit stopping me to ask what is that I'm riding? (I doubt it.)

Will I have to stop listing Royal Enfields for sale because there are so many? (Maybe.)

Will I get over feeling so special when I ride my Royal Enfield? (Never.)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Follow royalenfields on Twitter