Motorcycle Pure and Simple.

There is definitely something wrong with this picture. I'm bombing along a back road in Santa Paula, Calif. (aka the Citrus Capital of the World) aboard a mercilessly underpowered, somewhat skittish motorcycle that, despite being the latest offering from the company, hasn't witnessed any major design changes since Eisenhower was president. Yet, I'm having an absolute ball. This dubious euphoria is courtesy 500cc of old school, single-cylinder rattle and charm—little changed since its introduction in 1954—known now as the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Electra.

At the risk of contributing to the maelstrom of mid-life crisis escapism so prevalent in the motorcycle industry today—with its retro machines preying on an aging demographics' sentimentality—I have to admit, the Electra X has managed to rouse a shameless whim of nostalgia in me.

Strangely enough, the Enfield's persona as a throwback to simpler times is not the end result of a marketing department's zealous pursuit of the graying sect desperate to revisit the long dormant fancies of their youth. Quite the contrary. For 50-plus years, Enfield India has been pumping out an average of 30,000 Bullets annually to fill the need for inexpensive, functional and reliable transportation at home, as well as many third world countries.

 

The Bullet, Royal Enfield's signature machine, was introduced in Britain in 1949 as an about-town errand runner and daily commuter. The company went racing and racked up a number of victories in motocross, roadracing and trials, proving its worth and cementing status as a legitimate, competitive brand. By 1954, the Bullet's versatility and dependability attracted the interest of the government of India. With the duty of patrolling its border with Pakistan in mind, 800 units were ordered. Evidently, the Indians were pleased enough with the motorcycle's performance to place sizable orders the next two years. This led to the British manufacturer opening a factory in the east to better accommodate this new, vital customer. Within two years, the plant was producing the Bullet entirely from scratch in Madras, India.

Ironically, in 1967, as Royal Enfield was thriving in India, the original company collapsed in Britain, falling victim to the onslaught of the burgeoning Japanese marques. But, by then, Enfield India was operating as its own entity, with a steady homegrown demand for its product that ensured fiscal stability and continued growth. This was certainly helped along by the country's population surging toward one billion. The result of this unusual reversal of fortune is that Royal Enfield remains the oldest motorcycle manufacturer still in business with an uninerrupted history of trading.

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RIDING STYLE. Helmet: Bell R/T Eyewear: Nautica Aukland Jacket: Shift 967 Gloves: Tourmaster Deerskin Pants: Shift Denim Kevlar Boots: Red Wing 969 (Click image to enlarge)

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Avoiding costly design changes by leaving the original, proven design somewhat intact, the company has been able to provide a motorcycle at an affordable price to a vast, needful market. Today, the Royal Enfield Bullet line is produced pretty much the way it was in 1955, with advances in metallurgy and modern machining methods having served to make the present bike more reliable and, relatively, oil-leak free. It is, however, in essence, the same machine that came off the assembly line 50 years ago; a legitimate, authentic retro.

In a serendipitous turn of events—with the current craze of retro chic that has major motorcycle manufacturers proffering knock-offs of their former glories—Royal Enfield found itself in vogue simply by virtue of never having fixed what wasn't broken. With the inevitable swing of the fashion pendulum catapulting dated items back into the realm of cool, the humble little Indian manufacturer unexpectedly finds itself at the vanguard of style—a hip and fashionable icon of pop culture.