The Royal Enfield Bullet is an overhead-valve, single-cylinder, four-stroke motorcycle introduced by Royal Enfield in Redditch, Worcestershire, in 1932. It is now built by Royal Enfield in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and has remained continuously in production since 1932 — the longest unchanged production run of any motorcycle.
Royal Enfield Bullet at a glance
| Maker | Royal Enfield, Redditch; later Chennai, India |
|---|---|
| Production | continuous since 1932 |
| Engine | single-cylinder, four-stroke, overhead valve |
| Early engine | inclined, exposed valve gear, four valves per cylinder |
| Displacements | 250, 350 and 500 cc |
| Gearbox | four-speed Albion with a neutral-finder lever (1949–56) |
| Chassis | swing-arm rear and telescopic fork from 1949 |
| Wartime service | British Army dispatch riders; 3,000 supplied to the RAF |
| Indian production | Madras (Chennai) from 1955 |
| End in Britain | Bullet discontinued in 1962; Redditch closed in 1967 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Royal Enfield Bullet.
History of the Royal Enfield Bullet
1932–1939: the first Bullet
The Bullet name appeared in 1932 on a four-stroke single that was unlike its successors: the engine was inclined and had exposed valve gear with four valves per cylinder, in 350 cc and 500 cc versions, and a 250 cc option joined the range in 1933. The frame was different too, with centre-spring girder forks, a saddle-type fuel tank and, as on most motorcycles of the period, a rigid rear end that made a sprung seat necessary. After competition success the 350 cc Bullet was bought by the British Army for dispatch riders, and 3,000 were supplied to the RAF during the Second World War.
1939–1956: post-war development
The 1939 model refreshed the range with two rocker boxes for better volumetric efficiency. Post-war machines gained a hydraulic front fork, and Royal Enfield was among the first British makers to develop a fully incorporated swing-arm frame with rear suspension; the engine also moved to an aluminium cylinder head. From 1949 the engine stood vertical, with an alloy head and higher compression, and the frame became fully sprung, with a telescopic fork of Royal Enfield’s own design. Power went through the same four-speed Albion gearbox with its neutral-finder lever. The headlight, speedometer and ammeter were enclosed in a nacelle that also carried the front suspension and handlebars. A 499 cc version appeared in 1953. In competition the prototype won the trophy at the 1948 International Six Days Trial with two Bullet riders taking gold, Johnny Brittain won the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1952 and the ISDT in 1953 without losing a single point.
India, and the end in Britain
In 1949 the Indian Army ordered Bullets for border patrol and Royal Enfield decided to open a factory in Madras. From 1955 350 cc Bullets were sent from Redditch in kit form for assembly in India, but Enfield India soon built complete motorcycles independently under licence, and the Madras plant produced over 20,000 Bullets a year. Redditch retooled in 1955 and changed gear ratios in 1959, while the Indian arm, committed to supplying the army, stayed with the 1955 design, so the two lines diverged for good. British models of 1956–1960 included a 350 cc trials works replica, the Clipper and the 1958 Airflow with a large fibreglass fairing and panniers; alternator charging arrived in 1956 and coil ignition in 1960. The 500 cc was dropped in 1961, the company was sold in 1962 and the Bullet discontinued; Redditch closed in 1967 and Royal Enfield closed in 1970. About 250 unit-construction “New Bullets”, essentially a 350 Crusader with Bullet bore and stroke, were built in five batches of fifty between 1963 and 1965.
Design and features
- Longest production run: the Bullet has been built without a break since 1932, longer than any other motorcycle.
- Overhead-valve single: from exposed valve gear to the modern all-alloy unit-construction engine with fuel injection.
- Early chassis development: girder forks and a rigid rear gave way to a telescopic fork and swing-arm rear suspension.
- Military service: dispatch work for the British Army and 3,000 machines for the RAF in the Second World War.
- Indian licence production: the 1955 design continued almost unchanged in Madras, with over 20,000 a year.
Royal Enfield Bullet versions
- 1932 original: inclined engine with exposed valve gear, 350, 500 and later 250 cc.
- Post-war 350 and 500: vertical engine, telescopic fork, swing-arm frame and nacelle.
- Clipper and Airflow: 350 cc models of the late 1950s, the Airflow with a full fibreglass fairing.
- New Bullet: about 250 unit-construction 350s built at Redditch between 1963 and 1965.
- Indian Bullet: 350 cc machines built from 1955 on the unchanged design.
The Bullet is the ancestor of the Classic series, and the twin-cylinder flagship of the same years was the Interceptor. More models are in the Royal Enfield collection.
Sources
- Royal Enfield Bullet, English Wikipedia: history, specifications, production
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