Royal Enfield recreates first-ever motorcycle

With nothing more than a couple of photographs to work off, Royal Enfield has recreated a period-correct working replica of its first-ever motorised two-wheeler as part of its 120th anniversary celebrations.

Dubbed Project Origin, the machine is the work of a collaboration between both Royal Enfield’s UK and Indian technical centres, along with Harris Performance and various other expert craftsmen.

The project was instigated by Gordon May, the Indian-owned brand’s in-house historian and Royal Enfield aficionado. May highlighted that there were no known examples of Royal Enfield’s first powered two-wheeler, describing the model as “the missing piece” of the firm’s rich and important history.

Using a couple of photographs, an original advert, and an illustrated newspaper article to create CAD drawings, the engineers were also forced to use century-old tools and production methods if they were to stay true to the task of building a true replica of Royal Enfield’s 1901 Motor-bicycle.

“Usually the process we’d take is to go and look at other similar motorcycles, or if you’re making a reproduction, ideally go and measure the original, but in this case there wasn’t one,” one of the engineers working on the project explained.

With Harris Performance unsurprisingly looking after the hand fabrication of the frame and other brass componentry such as levers and switches, the Royal Enfield engineers were tasked with replicating the engine which is mounted above the steering head in front of the rider.

Powered by a 1.75hp single-cylinder engine that requires pedal power to fire into life, and without a conventional throttle to speak of, the engine speed remains constant. To modulate the speed of the engine and therefore the speed of the machine once moving, the rider needs to operate the mechanical exhaust valve using the hand-operated valve lifter.

Actuating a lever below the saddle will also cause the rawhide drive belt to slip, therefore reducing the power getting to the rear wheel, while a third slowing procedure is by way of a band brake on the front wheel, applied by the rider back-pedaling.

Some parts, such as the paraffin lamp, handlebars, the leather saddle, and the wheels, were sourced as complete period-correct pieces and reconditioned to suit the build.

The project took almost nine months to complete and is currently touring Royal Enfield’s global markets. The machine went on tour between selected Royal Enfield dealerships along Australia’s eastern seaboard between February 10 to 17, with May himself performing riding demonstrations.