Royal Enfield goes online with new apparel range and limited edition Despatch

Royal Enfield has begun vending its new gear collection apparel and accessories online while its limited editions of Despatch motorcycles will go online from July 15 and will be available internationally. This riding gear collection was launched at its latest flagship store in the premium Khan market shopping area at Delhi today. Three editions of the Despatch motorcycles will be online from mid-July when their prices will also be announced, Siddhartha Lal, MD and CEO of Eicher Motors Ltd, said at a media interaction. 

The Despatch motorcycles are inspired by the classic wartime Royal Enfield motorcycles, which had riders relay vital info between HQ and ground forces, while retaining the performance of a modern-day machine. The new riding gear also draws upon the riding kit worn by those despatch riders.

The limited edition Despatch bikes will be on offer in three colours – while Desert Storm Despatch and Squadron Blue Despatch will be available in India the third, Battle Green Despatch colour will cater only to international markets.

These motorcycles come with a signature camouflage pattern and an embossed hallmark detailing the particulars of its manufacture. Each Royal Enfield Despatch is also fitted with Italian leather seats accessorised with a leather buckle strap to hold the air filter box. The bike also gets a matte black paint on the engine, exhaust and silencer.

“Each Royal Enfield Despatch motorcycle has been handcrafted using a film transfer technique that uses a delicate and precise hands-on process to transfer the camouflage pattern on the motorcycle’s skin. Each body panel of each motorcycle requires specialised and dedicated personnel skills. When these panels are assembled on a single motorcycle, the result is a signature camouflage pattern for each individual machine. Hence, no two motorcycles have the exact same design making your motorcycle the only one of its kind to ever roll out of the factory,” said Lal.

Only 200 motorcycles will be produced in each colour taking the total number produced to 600 units. 

The Delhi flagship store which forms the sixth store for the marque brand’s gear collection across India will display a palette of browns, greens, olive tan and blues paired with regimental detailing – epaulettes, plackets and gorgets. Fabrics such as leather, twill and canvas have been chosen for the purpose.

Explaining the need for the riding gear, Lal added that a major lacunae that customers were experiencing in leisure riding was the lack of good motorcycle apparel and accessories necessary to enjoy their motorcycling experience both long-distance and in the city. “We have also got a wider range of urban protection and moto-inspired clothing that looks great.”

The riding gear ranges from moto-pants with articulation on the knee, leather jackets with reinforced elbow patches, textile jackets equipped with armoured pockets and shoes with ankle guards and toe –shifters. This range will be available in about 50 international markets starting this summer.

The gear collection will also be available at Royal Enfield dealerships, currently 200 out of 400 outlets and by the year-end in 85 percent of them, according to Rudratej Singh, president. Together, it will enable the marque brand to expand its retail footprint with both stores in more cosmopolitan cities and non-auto retail spaces.

Lal elaborated that the company had leveraged an international sourcing strategy for the riding gear. The price range starts from Rs 990 for a T-shirt to Rs 6,500 for a cotton jacket to Rs 19,000 for a leather jacket.

With a 50 percent growth YoY for the last three years Royal Enfield is bullish of a similar growth this fiscal as well.

Singh says that the company is working on two new motorcycle projects for 2015-16 with a focus on the 250-700cc segment midsize segment which is under-represented.

At present, Royal Enfield’s product line includes the Bullet, Classic and Thunderbird in both 350cc and 500cc displacements as well as the recently launched Continental GT535cc café racer. Singh says the company is actively looking at future plans in terms of facelifts and innovations in the Continental GT model as it has received a very favourable response in the market.

Overall, the company’s models currently have a waiting period ranging between 3-5 months though expansion is underway for stepping up capacity further at the two-wheeler manufacturer’s second plant in Chennai to meet rising demand

During 2014-15, Royal Enfield clocked a growth of 59.93 percent with sales of 324,055 units.