Made like a gun (poem)
Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 5:33 pm
I am hoping that this will become the 'reference' limerick on Royal Enfield's!
(sort of!)
Made Like A Gun!
Today, there is a trademark,
which states, “Made like a gunâ€
From Enfield, who made rifles,
for world wars two and one.
It’s through a quirk in History,
that this one still survives,
Although they did make other things,
I’m talking motorbikes!,
Now once in this fair land of ours,
were really famous brands,
Ariel, Douglas, Francis-Barnett,
Vincent come to hand,
AJS and Matchless, James, and Greeves,
BSA too,
Brough, and Triumph, Sunbeam, Norton,
just to name a few.
We led the world, exported bikes,
hand built with innovation,
but suddenly it all went wrong,
a Japanese invasion.
Can’t blame the Japanese for that,
their bikes were new and cheap,
and it was us that bought them,
sales increased, week by week.
The once great marques, familiar names,
they all started to fall,
A factory in Redditch closed,
One more ‘gone to the wall’.
They nearly wiped us out, but Triumph, Norton,
they hung on.
and lesser known, but just as good,
a place across the pond.
Up there still in Redditch,
There’s some tiles on a roof,
Looking rather weathered now,
But proudly show the proof.
A small remainder of the place,
great bikes were built and born,
Where they invented swinging arms,
and telescopic forks.
One bike is now a legend,
with unusual history.
Fifties, sixties, British built,
it’s now made overseas.
It won nearly every race,
the competition smitten,
A perfect bike and rider mix,
“Bullet†and “Johnny Brittainâ€
A company with honour although
meagre was the pay,
Much too small to modernise,
We lost something that day.
That factory in Redditch
closed it’s doors in sixty-seven.
Not quite the end, as overseas,
was one last piece of heaven,
It was that countries army which
caused all of this to start.
Eight hundred Bullets ordered,
built from sent out british parts.
It was way back in fifty five,
their factory did open,
we did not realise at the time,
something to pin our hopes on!
Late fifties saw complete bikes built,
was “Bullet†that they made.
And they have done that ever since,
and still do to this day.
The Bullet stands for all the bikes,
that ever went before,
that showed off Britain’s greatness,
when we owned the market floor.
Now it’s design was fifty-five
(or maybe fifty-three?),
That’s sixty years that it‘s been made,
Can’t beat that pedigree!
To those of you who like to moan,
“That bike’s built overseasâ€.
Remember, once we HAD the choice,
but then bought Japanese.
A corner of a foreign field,
two tyres mark the ground.
This Bullet’s made in India,
but can’t mistake that sound.
It doesn't matter where it’s made,
it’s THAT it’s made at all,
A proud part of our heritage,
Of that, we can stand tall.
So “Thank you†Enfield India,
Through good times and through strife.
You’ve worked so hard, and done so well
to keep Bullet alive.
The oldest mark, the longest run,
trademark ‘Made like a gun’!
An achievement, to be proud!
Thank you for all you’ve done!
These Bullet bikes are sold here now,
they come in wooden crates,
our proof from Royal Enfield,
of those great and glorious days!
“Whatever could be nicer,
In sunshine or in rain,
Than a Royal Enfield Bullet,
in an english country lane!â€
Simon
(sort of!)
Made Like A Gun!
Today, there is a trademark,
which states, “Made like a gunâ€
From Enfield, who made rifles,
for world wars two and one.
It’s through a quirk in History,
that this one still survives,
Although they did make other things,
I’m talking motorbikes!,
Now once in this fair land of ours,
were really famous brands,
Ariel, Douglas, Francis-Barnett,
Vincent come to hand,
AJS and Matchless, James, and Greeves,
BSA too,
Brough, and Triumph, Sunbeam, Norton,
just to name a few.
We led the world, exported bikes,
hand built with innovation,
but suddenly it all went wrong,
a Japanese invasion.
Can’t blame the Japanese for that,
their bikes were new and cheap,
and it was us that bought them,
sales increased, week by week.
The once great marques, familiar names,
they all started to fall,
A factory in Redditch closed,
One more ‘gone to the wall’.
They nearly wiped us out, but Triumph, Norton,
they hung on.
and lesser known, but just as good,
a place across the pond.
Up there still in Redditch,
There’s some tiles on a roof,
Looking rather weathered now,
But proudly show the proof.
A small remainder of the place,
great bikes were built and born,
Where they invented swinging arms,
and telescopic forks.
One bike is now a legend,
with unusual history.
Fifties, sixties, British built,
it’s now made overseas.
It won nearly every race,
the competition smitten,
A perfect bike and rider mix,
“Bullet†and “Johnny Brittainâ€
A company with honour although
meagre was the pay,
Much too small to modernise,
We lost something that day.
That factory in Redditch
closed it’s doors in sixty-seven.
Not quite the end, as overseas,
was one last piece of heaven,
It was that countries army which
caused all of this to start.
Eight hundred Bullets ordered,
built from sent out british parts.
It was way back in fifty five,
their factory did open,
we did not realise at the time,
something to pin our hopes on!
Late fifties saw complete bikes built,
was “Bullet†that they made.
And they have done that ever since,
and still do to this day.
The Bullet stands for all the bikes,
that ever went before,
that showed off Britain’s greatness,
when we owned the market floor.
Now it’s design was fifty-five
(or maybe fifty-three?),
That’s sixty years that it‘s been made,
Can’t beat that pedigree!
To those of you who like to moan,
“That bike’s built overseasâ€.
Remember, once we HAD the choice,
but then bought Japanese.
A corner of a foreign field,
two tyres mark the ground.
This Bullet’s made in India,
but can’t mistake that sound.
It doesn't matter where it’s made,
it’s THAT it’s made at all,
A proud part of our heritage,
Of that, we can stand tall.
So “Thank you†Enfield India,
Through good times and through strife.
You’ve worked so hard, and done so well
to keep Bullet alive.
The oldest mark, the longest run,
trademark ‘Made like a gun’!
An achievement, to be proud!
Thank you for all you’ve done!
These Bullet bikes are sold here now,
they come in wooden crates,
our proof from Royal Enfield,
of those great and glorious days!
“Whatever could be nicer,
In sunshine or in rain,
Than a Royal Enfield Bullet,
in an english country lane!â€
Simon
