While former U.S. President Donald Trump often highlighted how high tariffs affected Harley Davidson’s business in India, I’m reminded of a motorcycle brand that sold more bikes in India alone than Harley managed globally. Few motorcycles have captured riders' imagination quite like Royal Enfield. With its roots steeped in history and a design philosophy that seamlessly blends vintage aesthetics with modern engineering, Royal Enfield has become a symbol of timeless elegance on two wheels. The brand’s sales surged by 36% last year, transforming it from a company on the brink of closure to the crown jewel of Eicher Motors. This revival is largely credited to Siddhartha Lal, whose strategic leadership balanced tradition with innovation to create the Royal Enfield phenomenon.
Lal wasn’t initially entrusted with the reins of the company due to confidence in his capabilities. Instead, the board assumed things couldn’t get worse, regardless of his actions. Determined to understand the reasons behind the declining appeal of Royal Enfield, Lal embarked on a two-month journey along the Himalayan trek route on an RE bike. What he discovered was eye-opening: young riders associated Royal Enfield with the military’s post-independence patrol vehicles and deemed it unsuitable for the urban lifestyle. The lightweight Japanese motorcycles, such as those by Yamaha and Kawasaki, were dominating the streets with their superior speed, fuel efficiency, and ease of use on newly developed roads.
Royal Enfield bikes were originally built with heavy cast iron engines designed for rugged military use, boasting a distinctive “thud-thud” sound and a robust, attention-grabbing presence. However, the company could no longer rely solely on this niche military market. Lal recognized this and initiated a transformation, focusing on cultivating a community of loyal riders through initiatives like the Enfield Bikers Community, Motoverse, Rider Mania, and Himalayan Odyssey. The company also revamped its stores to exude a retro yet international aesthetic, making them inviting spaces for enthusiasts to connect and socialize, much like Starbucks became synonymous with café culture.
A major decision was disinvesting from 13 out of the 15 brands under Eicher Motors, enabling the company to concentrate its resources on reviving Royal Enfield. Another pressing issue was logistics—damaged bikes often reached customers due to inadequate packaging and transport facilities. This damaged the brand’s reputation and drained resources on repairs. Lal tackled this by allocating funds from disinvestments to establish robust transport units and stringent quality checks, ensuring bikes were delivered in pristine condition.
Addressing the design was the next critical step. Royal Enfield’s gearbox was originally on the right side, adhering to British standards. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation later mandated left-side gear shifters and right-side rear brakes for uniformity and safety, a configuration better suited to India’s left-side driving system. This change was implemented by Eicher in 2004 with the launch of the Royal Enfield Thunderbird AVL and models featuring the Unit Construction Engine (UCE).
The defining transformation, however, came with the replacement of the heavy cast iron engine with a lightweight aluminum engine. Aluminum’s lower density (2700 kg/m³ compared to cast iron’s 7200 kg/m³) reduced the bike's engine weight by about 15 kg, making it significantly easier to handle. Additionally, aluminum dissipates heat much faster (205 W/mK compared to cast iron’s 50 W/mK), enhancing engine efficiency and reducing wear and tear. This also allowed for quicker heating and cooling cycles, ideal for short trips. Its lower casting temperature (600°C versus cast iron’s 1200°C) reduced energy consumption during manufacturing, while its superior damping capacity ensured smoother rides even at high speeds.
{The above sentences have some basic science terms which I’m explaining reductively for a better understanding of the article, density of a metal is its mass per volume, heat dissipation capacity is a measure of how fast heat can travel from one end of the metal to the other, casting temperature is the temperature at which metal melts and can be cast into desired moulds and damping capacity is the ability of a metal to absorb vibrations and maintain stability)
These engineering innovations, combined with a customer-centric approach, transformed Royal Enfield into a global icon. The remarkable success of Royal Enfield underscores the importance of timely, thoughtful changes. Siddhartha Lal’s visionary leadership has not only revived a brand steeped in history but also positioned it as a symbol of modern motorcycling excellence. Royal Enfield’s journey is more than a story of survival—it’s a celebration of resilience, innovation, and the enduring allure of an adventurous spirit on two wheels.