Royal Enfield is the oldest motorcycle model in the world that is still in production. The company originated in Redditch, Worcestershire and was dissolved in 1971, but production in India goes-on to this day. The 1963 Royal Enfield Indian Motorcycle was the last to use the “Indian” name attached to Royal Enfield and sold in America…

While Royal Enfield was most popular for its production of motorcycles, it made numerous other things, like rifle parts, lawnmowers, and bicycles. Their logo was a picture of a cannon with the motto “Made like a gun, goes like a bullet.

By 1955, Enfield of India began manufacturing Bullet motorcycles under a licensing agreement with the UK brand, and by 1962 they were making complete bikes. Even when Royal Enfield dissolved in 1971, the Indian company, in Chennai carried on production and bought the rights to the name “Royal Enfield” in 1995. They’re still in business as of 2009.

The Indian Motorcycle Company in America went through the most trying times, in the year 1950. A company called Brockhouse Corporation had been financing the unsteady Indian company and bought it in the same year. Some unlucky management decisions led to division of the Indian unit into two: one for the sales, and one for manufacturing.

This manufacturing half could not meet the retooling expenses that were required for the overhead valve engine and so it closed in 1953. Some Indian purists thought that it was the death of “real” Indian motorcycles. But the sales half was still functioning normally.

The Brockhouse Corporation had the rights to the name and after the Indian manufacturing failed, they began importing Enfields and marketed them as Indian from 1955 to 1970. This was an example of “badge engineering” but it was not successful. Even though the dealers still went on with the matchless Indian name after 1959, the Indian name was removed from the motorcycles.

Quarrels as to who will earn the brand name became a big issue during that time of Indian Motorcycle history. The Enfield Chief was still produced in 1960 – a rebadged Enfield 700 cc twin fitted with the fender guards, saddlebags and other Indian paraphernalia.

However, Associated Motorcycles of Britain bought the Indian name in 1960. In 1963, the Berliner Motor Corporation overpowered the U.S distributorship of Associated Motorcycles and the Indian name was completely erased for good. These details of the deal became life-like in form of trademark and branding disputes till 1999.

In the mid 60s, Floyd Clymer took the sales arm of the Indian company. He was a racer, author, motorcycle dealer, and a magazine publisher. Clymer tried to repair the Indian brand for the past five years or so, by fitting Indian nameplates to Italian Velocette-based bikes and also had prototype built based on the original Indian V-twin design. However, unfortunately, the icon was the only one ever made.

The genuine Indian scout motorcycle is a common favorite with bike enthusiasts all over the world. To read more about accessories including Indian motorbike buckles click on the links.