Royal Enfield Classic signs off with Tribute Black

Royal Enfield has pulled the covers off its 2021 Royal Enfield Classic Tribute Black, a limited-edition model that also marks the end of the line for the Indian brand’s popular 500cc single-cylinder range.

Previewed to local motorcycle media via an online launch, the Royal Enfield Classic Tribute Black adopts a classy all-black livery with gloss-black mud guards and hand-painted gold pin striping, along with unique badging denoting its ‘end of build’ serial number and a premium quilted touring seat.

Approximately 200 examples of the hand-crafted bike will be making their way to Australia, with the final shipment reaching our shores in late June. A further 40 models are earmarked for New Zealand.

The 2021 Royal Enfield Classic Tribute Black is priced in Australia at $9590 ride away – $400 more than the standard Classic, Classic Redditch and Classic Dark, and $200 more than the Classic Chrome.

The bike is backed by a two-year factory warranty plus two years of complimentary roadside assistance.

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First launched in 2008, the Classic family has capitalised well on Royal Enfield’s storied 120-year heritage, and its commitment to what it calls ‘Pure Motorcycling’ – a focus on growing the mid-size motorcycle segment with bikes that embody simplicity, accessibility, and grass-roots riding pleasure.

The platform has helped underpin the brand’s global expansion in the years since, amid growth that saw the establishment of a major new production facility in Chennai in 2013 and a second plant to Chennai’s west in 2017, along with a new design and engineering hub in Britain.

However, with the advent of new models like the Himalayan adventure bike in 2016 and the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 – both parallel-twins – in 2018, the Classic family was showing its age.

According to Vimal Sumbly, Royal Enfield's Head of International Business Australia/Pacific, the rollout of increasingly tighter emissions standards was a significant factor behind the Classic range’s discontinuation.

“Technologies are changing, the emissions norms are changing, there are new motorcycles coming into the picture,” said Mr Sumbly.

“We wanted to move our traditional motorcycles to the newer generation of motorcycles within the newer norms.”

The 2021 Royal Enfield Classic Tribute Black is available for pre-order online from 5:00pm (AEST) on Wednesday, June 16, until 11:59pm on Wednesday, June 23, before the models reach dealer showrooms.

A customer event under the banner of ‘Tribute to a true Classic’ will be held at Royal Enfield dealerships across Australia and New Zealand on the night of Wednesday, July 7.

Joseph Elasmar, the CEO of the Australia/New Zealand Royal Enfield importer and distributor, Urban Moto Imports, said final examples of the Classic, including the Classic Tribute Black, wouldn’t remain on dealer floors for long.

“The last shipment ever of Classic 500s has landed,” he said.

“What that means is that anyone who has wanted to get their hands on a Classic 500, it’s your last chance.

“In the coming weeks and months we expect to sell out of all of those, and that includes the post-war colours such as Battle Green, Desert Storm, Squadron Blue etc. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”