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[vin]

A relative of mine has recently purchased a 1961 350 bullet it has half width hubs and matching frame and engine numbers however the frame design is the same as the indian bullets and it has a kilometre speedo,I just wondered when the Indians started to make bullets and if so is this an early indian one or a British made bike built for European export .any ideas.

[Exile]

From Wikipedia...:


"Royal Enfield motorcycles had been sold in India since 1949. In 1955, the Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for use patrolling the country's border. The Bullet was chosen as the most suitable bike for the job. The Indian government ordered 800 350-cc model Bullets, an enormous order for the time.[24] In 1955, the Redditch company joined Madras Motors in India in forming "Enfield India" to assemble, under licence, the 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras (now called Chennai). Under Indian law, Madras Motors owned the majority (over 50%) of shares in the company. In 1957 tooling equipment was sold to Enfield India so that they could manufacture components.

Royal Enfield India manufactures and sells in India, and also exports to Europe as well as America, South Africa and Australia. Recently Royal Enfield has undergone a major retooling particularly in the engine department going from carburated cast-iron engines to twin spark unit construction engines on all its models, with EFI available on their flagship 500 cc model. This retooling has sparked such an interest in these bikes that they have started double shifts at the plants."


Isn't Google wonderful?

[vin]

That's interesting I thought indian produced enfield s started in the sixties I am surprised they started producing as early as 57 thanks for the info .safe riding.

[Norm]

Vin easy one this one, English ones from 56 had the later frame same as the Super Meteor I believe, not sure what they were shipping to India in kit form, but I doubt they shipped the later frames there.

[Adrian]

A few of the later-style frames were apparently shipped over, there's a prototype Indian-built 350 using one shown on page 29 of Gordon May's book Made in India, but the factory never put it into production, sticking with the old-style frame instead. A.

[Norm]

One thing I must give the Indians credit for is lifting the tube above the top of the gearbox so that you can lift the gearbox up off its support, original idea was dumb

[Mark M]

Join the Royal Enfield Owners Club. They have records that cover this period when engines and sometimes frames were still being made in Redditch and shipped out. They are interested to find out more details of these late bikes. REgards, Mark

[Scalyback]

"In 1957 tooling equipment was sold to Enfield India so that they could manufacture components."



correct, but let's go bit by bit here.



Indian army have big order for bullets. Major Smith spits his tea over the floor at the news and decides it would be better to send them out in bits.



Partnership with Madras Motors formed, producing Enfield India Ltd. Parts all shipped over and 350 bullets assembled.[/b]


Enfield own 49% shares, Apprentices sent from India to redditch to make tea, sweep the toilet floors, and when not busy, learn how bullets go together.[/b]


moulds, tools and jigs sent out as Enfield India phases in manufacture of own parts. [/b]


few years later 1961-2 at a guess, they complete phasing in home production, and parts from Redditch are ceased.[/b]



Other possibilities



trial use of Gallium discontinued as bikes melted in the sun. Switch to Indian steel instead.



1962, 5000 frames made and hidden until 2010, when '1962' bullets with very new looking parts started turning up all over the place.

and as for wikipedia's accuracy (I am a wiki editor!) COWS - four legged animals that like to jump over moons, especially when they are blue.

[Norm]

Love it Scaly, priceless now why didn't we all think of this, makes perfect sense.

[Adrian]

According (again) to Gordon May, the last UK component was the alloy 350 con-rod, sourced here until 1975, several years after UK Royal Enfield production actually ceased. A.