Royal Enfield is an organization that is been round for over a century. It began as a British firm, and has an extended and storied previous, together with a bit of light-weight machine designed to drop from the literal sky for RAF dispatch riders throughout WWII. After the warfare, the unique Flying Flea discovered new life as a light-weight city commuter because the nation labored to get again on its ft.
And the factor is, as a lot as you or I would speak about discovering a Swiss Military Bike, one that may do the whole lot we wish it to do, the actual fact is that a whole lot of riders find yourself having a really set routine that we observe with our bikes.
For years, I used to be a each day commuter on mine. I rode to work, parked for 8+ hours, then rode residence. Throughout a part of that point, I additionally rode to high school. So on a whole lot of days, I would trip to work, park, trip to high school, park, after which trip residence. Was it extra enjoyable than driving? Positive. However was it enjoyable, flat out? I imply, enjoyable is relative, however it positively wasn’t a pleasure trip. (That’s, until I known as in sick a day or two and simply stored using as an alternative. Which I completely did not. *nods*)
And for loads of riders world wide, that is precisely what they need and want. A motorcycle that may be a unbelievable companion for coping with densely populated areas, weaving effortlessly by way of congested metropolis streets, across the different automobiles, people, and animals that you simply occur to come across as you traverse your metropolis’s streets. Motorized transportation, at its most elemental.
Mates, that is precisely what electrical bikes (and scooters) are good at. That is the place they completely SHINE. I say this from expertise. The character of EV bikes implies that they’re completely made for stop-and-go site visitors conditions. If you can also make them gentle and agile, give them nice dealing with, after which maybe–just maybe–give them a head-turning look (curb enchantment, if you’ll), it’s best to by all rights have a winner in your palms.
You recognize, relying on the way you value them. Enter the Royal Enfield Flying Flea C6. Properly, possibly.
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Whenever you consider Royal Enfield, what do you consider? In case your reply is “small- to mid-displacement ICE bikes with traditional styling,” you are positively not fallacious.
Additionally, metal frames (versus aluminum). Personally, I would additionally add “braided chrome steel brake strains,” as a result of that is one among my favourite issues about what’s seen as a fairly budget-friendly model, the truth that they embrace these brake strains on their bikes when some extra main OEMs like Honda are nonetheless sending out rubber strains on Fireblades from the manufacturing facility. However I digress.
One factor most individuals do not consider is futuristic design. Now, it will most likely be inaccurate to say you do not consider EV bikes, simply because Enfield hasn’t been in any respect shy about making its curiosity in exploring EV growth public. We can also’t neglect that it partnered with Stark Future a few years in the past, a reality it performed up when introducing the Him-E 2.0 electrical take a look at mattress at EICMA 2024, as a result of the Him-E challenge has been developed in collaboration with Stark.
And but, is that characterization even correct anymore, both? Take a look at the Shotgun 650. I rode it on the worldwide launch, the place I acquired the prospect to have a extremely nice chat with Enfield international head of design Mark Wells about his dystopian influences on the Shotgun’s design.
Our personal EJ went into using that bike not too long ago, anticipating a cruiser. His impressions after using the factor had been a lot completely different than his expectation entering into, as a result of it isn’t what you count on from a standard cruiser. Positive, it shares an engine with the Tremendous Meteor 650, which may be very a lot what you image while you image a cruiser. However the ergos and dealing with, I am right here to let you know, are utterly completely different. And if it was me, I would take the Shotgun 650 day-after-day, as a result of I felt much more linked to the street on it (particularly after I discovered the right way to successfully path brake, however that is one other story).
The Shotgun 650’s Design Helped Pave The Manner For The Flying Flea
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
The Flying Flea C6 is one among two new Flying Flea designs that Enfield first launched to the world forward of EICMA 2024. Technically, they’re in Milan proper now, however the occasion would not kick off in earnest (even for press) till November 5, and so they’ve chosen to get out forward of the scrum by launching it at this time.
Flying Flea is not only a revived mannequin badge for Royal Enfield in 2024. As an alternative, it is meant to be the corporate’s new electrical sub-brand, and to have an identification of its personal. It even has its personal social media channels, though the livestreamed press convention for the occasion was proven on the prevailing Royal Enfield YouTube channel.
What you are seeing right here is the Flying Flea C6, which is the primary manufacturing EV that Enfield will probably be releasing. It is meant to be a light-weight, nimble, urban-focused motorbike; a part of what Royal Enfield Managing Director Siddhartha Lal describes as “Metropolis Plus.”
By that, he defined, he means a motorcycle that shines in metropolis using, however that may additionally transcend and provide a little bit of enjoyable on prime of that. That is the meant ethos for all Flying Flea fashions, actually.
On first viewing, all I may see was that girder fork and body. After which the best way the physique swoops. The overhead view can also be fairly beautiful to have a look at, as properly. Right here, have a look.
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
It seems to be each futuristic and playful, however that girder fork simply completely steals the present. (Sure, Mark Wells was on the drawing board once more, when you questioned.)
As for unhealthy information, this bike is not deliberate for launch to the general public till Spring 2026. So, we’ll need to see if that is actually what it seems to be like when it lastly hits showrooms. However whether it is, I believe it is secure to say the design crew may have outdone themselves right here.
Should you’re the type of one that appreciates steampunk-y alternate histories, seeing design forks that take traditional inspirations in a totally completely different course than what we’re used to on the earth we at the moment inhabit, then I wave frantically in your course and invite you to absorb this design.
It is a whole head-turner, proper out of time and house. Design-wise, I am completely on board.
Following on from the Flying Flea C6, there may even be a Flying Flea S6 launched a couple of months after the C6. Should you’ve guessed that it is an electrical scrambler with elevated suspension journey, then get your self a cookie.
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Photograph by: Royal Enfield
Talking of scramblers, one other method it is clear that Enfield did not come to play with the Flying Flea challenge is in who’s heading up the EV arm. After Sid Lal kicked off this 12 months’s EICMA presentation, he introduced out none aside from Mario Alvisi, whose identify you might acknowledge from his years with Scrambler Ducati, to formally unveil the Flying Flea challenge to the world. You recognize, in case you had been struggling to consider extraordinarily profitable sub-brands launched by legacy OEMs to usher in a totally completely different rider base than the model had beforehand loved.
There aren’t any ensures, particularly within the EV motorbike realm. Issues have been particularly powerful in 2024. But it surely’s clear that a whole lot of cautious thought and planning has gone into this, so far as we are able to see.
Specs aren’t obtainable but, so we will not provide opinions on them right now; solely the design. Given Enfield’s observe document of greater than affordable pricing for its fuel fashions, although, it looks like a secure guess to assume that Flying Flea will probably be priced rather more according to what riders wish to pay than another EV motorbike manufacturers.
No, there aren’t any ensures and no guarantees, and we really do not know what the motorbike world (or the world on the whole) will probably be like by the point spring 2026 rolls round. However Flying Flea has given us so much to consider, so coloration us intrigued. I, for one, cannot wait to trip one.
What do you consider both of those designs? To my shock, the C6 speaks to me way over the S6, however that is only one opinion. Inform us yours within the feedback!
