Royal Enfield Bullet translates as Life

 Siddhartha Lal drove the new 2023 Royal Enfield Bullet off the factory production line Sept. 1, a wide smile on his face. 

Royal Enfield India's newest motorcycle is its latest take on its first product, the single-cylinder 350cc Bullet. 

It was a proud moment, both for Royal Enfield and for Lal personally, as the man whose vision of practical, mid-size motorcycles for real people has inspired Royal Enfield's surge in popularity. 

Siddhartha Lal rides a 2023 Bullet off the production line.
(Times Drive)

 The slogan Royal Enfield used in video and on stage was in Hindi: "Bullet Meri Jaan." An emotional motto, it translates as "This Bullet Is My Life." 

It's nostalgic as well as emotional, as it harkens back to a Royal Enfield India television ad from 1985 that you can watch here. 

Lal pledged that the slogan Bullet Meri Jaan will go, untranslated, with the Bullet as it's introduced across the world.

"That's what it's all about," he said. The genuine pride and emotion behind this gesture will likely need no translation.

As usual at Royal Enfield new-model introductions, the design definition came when Lal handed the stage over to Mark Wells, manager of Royal Enfield design.

Wells opened by reading an actual definition of an English word: "Totem."

"Regarded as being symbolic or representative of a particular quality or concept."

As Wells put it, so well:

"There were visual elements that were sacrosanct to the design direction. Clearly, number one was the proportion or stance, that riding position, that straight-backed, proud, defiant riding position. It was those visual cues that you immediately know a Bullet soon as you see it, you can see it down the road and you know that bike is a Bullet straight away.

"We're talking about things like the tiger eyes, the headlight cassette, the teardrop tank, the pin stripes, the bench seat, the thump. All those things are what the Bullet stands for. And with this new bike all those things are retained."

"However... this is an all-new bike."

There's the new engine with less vibration and harshness, the confidence inspiring new chassis with better handling, and really plush ride.

"This bike represents a leap forward in terms of refinement, in terms of quality," he said.

The 2023 Bullet may look very much like Bullets of the past. But it's better.

Wells pointed admiringly to the Royal Enfield badge on the tank side panels, which now incorporates a small crown above the words Royal Enfield.

Mark Wells describes his pride in the 2023 Royal Enfield Bullet.
(Times Drive)

"It's almost like the jewel in the Bullet's crown," he said.

You can watch Wells' definition of the 2023 Bullet on Times Drive.

Royal Enfield's Bullet was a spoon full of sugar

Ads for Royal Enfield's Bullet were meant to raise your morale.

We're watching Royal Enfield roll out one new motorcycle model after another in a remarkable effort to bring more joy, more passion, more practicality and (of course) more profits to motorcycling. 

Global epidemic pausing production in India? No problem! Declining interest in motorcycling in other countries? No problem (we hope)! 

At least twice before, during the Great Depression and in the aftermath of World War II, Royal Enfield used  exciting new motorcycles to banish motorcycle market malaise. Both times, the model name used was "Bullet." 

Jorge Pullin recently showed 1932 press accounts of the birth of the Royal Enfield Bullet on his blog My Royal Enfields.

Actually, there were three Bullets announced for the Depression year of 1933 including, rather incredibly, a four-valve 500cc version.

"An EIGHTY m.p.h. FOUR VALVE 500 c.c ROYAL ENFIELD," Motorcycling magazine exclaimed. "Three 'Bullet' 250, 350 and 500 c.c. Models Starred for Next Year."

The Motor Cycle magazine foretold what this would mean:

"Speeds of 60, 70, and 80 m.p.h. are claimed for the three models in the order described, but special pistons giving a compression ratio of approximately 8 to 1 may be obtained , and these, in conjunction with suitable fuels and straight-through exhaust pipes, are said to raise the speeds by about 10 m.p.h. in each case."

Exciting, right? No? Well consider that it was the Depression.

How depressing was that? Well, read the press accounts on Jorge's blog (easier to do if you right-click on the image of each page and choose Open Image in New Tab).

You'll find that in all three publications he includes, the coverage paid most attention to Royal Enfield's other offerings, including sidecar tugs for tradesmen and the Cycar, Royal Enfield's utilitarian pressed-steel motorcycle for people who hated motorcycles.

The near-exotic four-valve Bullet wouldn't stay long in the catalog, but the Bullet name would make a strong comeback in the depressing years that followed World War II (Britain continued to ration sugar until 1953, surely a depressing state of affairs for Mary Poppins.)

Roy Bacon explains how it worked in his book "Royal Enfield, The Postwar Models."

"While the solid singles filled a need just after the war not even Enfield adverts could claim that they were exciting machines and, as far back as 1933, they had overcome this deficiency by introducing the Bullet range. These were more sporting models, often based on the tourers but sometimes going out on more adventurous paths.

"After the war, and as soon as the immediate call for transport had been met, such models were needed to cheer riders up so Enfield obliged with a new 350cc Bullet... a sensation since they were fitted with swinging fork rear suspension."

Note that the official Royal Enfield website for the U.S. doesn't currently list the Bullet. It's different for India, of course, where the Bullet name is so revered as to be indispensable.

"A motorcycling icon since 1932," the Indian website boasts of the Bullet. "Bullet, the quintessential Royal Enfield..."

Just not so essential in the U.S., where the website currently lists only the Meteor, INT650 (OK, that's the Interceptor), Continental GT and Himalayan.

The name "Interceptor" is probably the Royal Enfield motorcycle Americans of my generation remember best. During our youth in the Swinging '60s the handsome and powerful parallel twin, shining with chrome, made a big impression.

In fact, I'd argue that many of us knew all about the Interceptor, but didn't even notice, or care, that it was a "Royal Enfield."

After all, what was a Royal Enfield in America back then? The little two-stroke Royal Enfield Model RE didn't last long after imports began in 1947. From 1955-1960 Royal Enfield disappeared in the United States under the Indian brand, as Chiefs, Fire Arrows and Trail Blazers, model names unknown in Britain.

Royal Enfields were back selling under their own names in the U.S. by the time I was old enough to notice motorcycles. The Interceptor really caught my attention.

But then it all seemed to end, with the closing of production in England in 1970.

Unknown to me then, Royal Enfields were still being built in India, most notably as the "Bullet." Bullet is the name that by sheer weight of numbers in India has became the best known Royal Enfield in the world.

I bought my Bullet, a 1999, in 2001.

Hard as it is to imagine, outside of India Royal Enfield's ambitious plans for fresh models under new or revived names in this new era could begin to submerge the Bullet.

But surely an updated Bullet is in the works for India and, eventually, the world. Perhaps that will eventually be my next Bullet.

1950 Phil Irving review of the new Royal Enfield Bullet

The Royal Enfield Bullet, reviewed in 1950.

The legendary motorcycle engineer and writer Phil Irving reviewed the then brand new Royal Enfield Bullet for The Age newspaper of Melbourne, Australia on Aug. 3, 1950.

By that time, Irving already had worked for Vinicent, Velocette and Associated Motor Cycles, designing motors, suspensions and sketching entire motorcycle designs.

He wrote a technical column in Motor Cycling magazine and would go on to write "Tuning for Speed" and other books. He died in 1992, still president of the Vincent HRD Owners Club.

His 1950 review found the 350cc Bullet tractable and comfortable, with its plonking motor and spring frame.

Brakes were only average, but he found the distinctive neutral finder "a boon at crossings."

Click on this link to read Phil Irving's review of the Bullet.

Irving didn't complain about the motorcycle's looks, although the massive front fender shown in the accompanying photo spoils the appearance for me.

The engine was not broken in, so speed runs were limited, but Irving judged acceleration from 20-50 mph to take about 12 seconds, with top speed probably 72 mph.

1998 Royal Enfield emerges from 14 years in its crate

This Avon Gray Royal Enfield Bullet 350 was lost for 14 years.

Meet "Daphne," the 1998 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet that spent 14 years forgotten in its crate — but started on the second kick!

Alan Galentine, a Salvation Army lieutenant (and ordained minister) in Newark, N.J., put a delightful video on YouTube showing off his find.

In the video he tells how he found the still pretty (but dusty) Royal Enfield in a forgotten container. He shows off the odometer, with only six miles showing. That's after a quick test ride. The motorcycle had only "about four" miles on it when he found it, he told me.

It turns out that finding Daphne is the second half of a story I'd written earlier about Royal Enfields found on the property of a man who had purchased five of them, planning to become a dealer.

That never happened and the now elderly gentleman needed help cleaning up his property. Alan and his family stepped in to help.

"He thought the motorcycles were still there, but wasn't even sure," Alan said. The first Royal Enfields found were in containers that had their doors open, so they had suffered a bit. But the 350 was still in its crate and was toward the back of its container, less exposed to moisture.

Alan helped the man sell the other motorcycles, but decided to buy the 350 for himself.

He would have some trouble getting it registered; New Jersey balked at accepting the old paperwork from India, apparently because the city of Madras, where Royal Enfields are built, is now called Chennai! The city's name changed officially in 1996.

A nice long slow ride brought mileage on the 350 to 156, Alan said. He enjoyed the experience.

"I've always owned modern vehicles; I've never had to break anything in before," he said.

But he's breaking this one in by the book. He felt he could hear the exhaust note improving as the miles passed.

In his video, Alan grabs the exhaust to prove
the motorcycle is stone cold. Yet it starts right up.

Naturally he also had the experience of having people ask about the motorcycle.

"It starts a lot of great conversations," Alan said. At an ice cream shop an Indian man came over to look at the bike he remembered from home. Drivers slow down to keep pace with the motorcycle, looking it over.

Alan has had two Harleys and many Japanese motorcycles, but has known he wanted for a Royal Enfield for 20 years exactly; since 1992.

How could he be so specific about that date? I asked.

"I had just started work at Corning Glass in State College, Pa. and someone had left a copy of Walneck's  on a table, with an article about Royal Enfields. I didn't know they were still available."

But he had heard the name Royal Enfield before. His father had ridden one while serving with the Eighth Air Force in England..

"I just love the motorcycle."

Alan knows that the 350 is preferred by many to the 500 because it is the original size and is considered somehow sweeter. Like most (if not all) 350s imported into the U.S., this one is Avon Gray, an unusual and understated color.

Alan is the sort of guy who gives his vehicles pet names if they have the character to justify it.

So: Why Daphne?

Alan explained the he heard Jeremy Clarkson of the BBC's "Top Gear" show mention Daphne du Maurier,  the British author of the novels "Rebecca" and "Jamaica Inn" and the short story "The Birds" (all of which became films by Alfred Hitchcock).

Clarkson was looking for a way to describe the looks of the new VW Passat CC:

"Pretty, isn’t it?" Clarkson said, according to a transcript. "It might not cause other motorists to swivel round in their seat, nor will it send a frisson through crowds on the pavement. It’s not pretty like Abi Clancy or Meg Ryan . . . was... It’s quietly pretty, subtly pretty. Pretty like Daphne du Maurier. The sort of pretty you don’t really notice until it’s pointed out to you. And then you can’t get its prettiness out of your head."

That certainly applies to this Royal Enfield 350.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 gets a moving, (but sometimes it's not moving) tribute

An outstanding tribute to India's original 350cc Enfield Bullet appears on the blog Visual Gratification. Thanks to reader David Blankenhorn for pointing it out. I won't spoil it all for you, but here is my favorite part:

"This is not the Classic 350 available now, but the original Bullet 350, which used to come in cast iron engine with a right-foot gear change and a left-foot brake...

"This bike came out last from the Chennai factory this February as it did from the Redditch factory 60 years ago. The last real factory produced classic bike, the original British thumper, it finally had to give in to newer technology and norms.

"You can ride the new Royal Enfield Classic 500, you can ride a Harley, you can ride a V-Max, but nothing is comparable to the Bullet 350...

"What is so great about the bike? Absolutely nothing. It is hopelessly out-powered by any moving two-wheeler half its engine size. At anything north of 80 kph it vibrates as if there is no tomorrow. To start off the big engine on a cold morning sends a chill down your spine. It is very, very moody and it will suddenly stop for no reason.

"You will make all efforts of igniting the engine, but it won’t even budge and then after pushing it for 2-3 kilometers to the nearest garage, it will start on half a kick when the mechanic tries. He will then just smirk at you and you know inside his mind he is laughing at you, thinking, ‘God Knows, now a days just about anyone thinks he can ride this legend...’

"Reaching home you see your pants are smeared in oil from the 1,001 leaks available free on the engine.

"Next morning, when you have to rush to office, you see a young man on a puny Yamaha 150cc bike easily passing you. You think, this is the last day I will be riding this old fossil guzzling dinosaur and I will settle for the more practical sub-200cc bikes with better fuel efficiency and with 1/10th the niggles. Really, there is absolutely nothing good going for it...

"And then you think, 'I am not that dumb that I will settle for anything else.'"

Persistence got him the Enfield he wanted

Rod Wagoner of Tucson, Ariz. took the long road to owning the Royal Enfield Bullet of his dreams:

"A few years ago, I purchased a '99 500 Deluxe in blue as my first motorcycle after about 20 years. I just loved it but sold it to purchase a Ural because my wife would not ride pillion and it was a bit slow for Tucson traffic.

"My first ride on a Bullet, though, was an Athena Grey 500 and I've been looking for one ever since. For the most part, as I'm sure you know, Athena Grey was the 350's color of choice. When I saw your post about the 'honest 350' for sale -- near Tucson, even -- it seemed too good to be true. Sadly, it was -- but it got the juices flowing to own a Bullet again. I then found another one in Colorado -- but missed it too. Nuts!

"It seems true for Bullets, as for most other objects of our desire, that the one for you will appear. Such was the case for my 2002 350ES Deluxe.

"I found it hidden in the Adventure Rider forum. It had been owned and well loved by a Master's student at UT Austin who used it as his primary transport. He was moving back east to get his Ph.D. and hadn't planned to take it with him. We had a couple of phone conversations and after a Paypal transaction, it was mine.

"It had the disk brake kit (I like that) and the right-shift conversion (the jury's still out), separate seating and an 18-tooth front sprocket. I'm planning a few cosmetic touches and some general cleaning.

"I must say, it is a gentler thump than the 500 and an all-together more relaxed ride. Maybe it's my knowing that it's a 350 and I don't expect too much from it, just an enjoyable run around; time will tell.

"I'm a true Anglophile. I have almost all of Gordon May's oeuvre on my bookshelves. The Bullet is one of four bikes in my stable, the others being a BMW R1200C, Ural Night Sentry and Harley 1200 Sportster Roadster.

"Yes, I compromised on the color. I can always get the Grey bits to replace the green ones. I have to say, I've never seen a green Deluxe, though. Even the Classic Motorworks folks said they haven't seen one. It has a regular VIN number though, so it's not a Grey market import. No pun intended, sorry."

I, too, have never seen a green Deluxe Bullet. And check out the rear-view mirror on the casquette! I've never seen that done before, either.

UPDATE: In response to comment below about his Enfield's unusual appearance, Rod explains:

"I have the original chrome fenders that make my 350 a 'real' Deluxe. The previous owner swapped them for green ones and I think the look is much more pleasing."