| The pride of British manufacturing companies, | | | | the troops provided a means of motorized |
| Royal Enfield has established a reputation | | | | battlefield transport not previously |
| that dates back to the mid 1800's. Like many | | | | available. |
| early manufacturers of personal | | | | |
| transportation, founder George Townsend focus | | | | The Royal Enfield line even included a |
| on producing parts for existing bicycle | | | | version of the famous red-painted Indian |
| designs, and by 1893 was producing and | | | | motorcycles, after the company acquired the |
| selling complete bicycles under the Enfield | | | | brand name rights. The RE Indians were |
| name. It wasn't long before Townsend turned | | | | discontinued in the 1960's. Intense |
| the name Enfield and its slogan "built like a | | | | competition from Japanese motorcycle |
| gun" into household words across Great | | | | producers during the 1960's and 1970's meant |
| Britain. | | | | the Royal Enfield needed bikes that could |
| | | | match the speed and performance of the Asian |
| The most endearing product introduction by | | | | bikes. The answer was the Interceptor line |
| Royal Enfield has to be the Bullet. With a | | | | of extremely fast motorcycles, with a top |
| single-cylinder, 4 stroke engine, the 1933 | | | | speed of over 105 miles per hour and able to |
| Bullet sported a dramatic front to rear rake | | | | cover the quarter mile in les than 14 |
| making for truly classic line. World War II | | | | seconds. Sadly, production could not keep up |
| brought a one-of-a-kind bike from Enfield, | | | | with demand, and the Interceptor became the |
| the Flying Flea. Complete with its own | | | | last of the Enfield line to be produced in |
| parachute and packing cage, the Flying Flea | | | | England. |
| could be dropped from an aircraft along with | | | | |