India's Royal Enfield to begin making motorcycles in Thailand

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India's Royal Enfield to begin making motorcycles in Thailand

British-bred brand looks to win over ASEAN with cult image and low prices

APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writer

 

Royal Enfield motorcycles are substantially cheaper than other models in Thailand, where its sales doubled in the last fiscal year.   © Reuters

 

BANGKOK -- India-based motorcycle maker Royal Enfield is setting up an assembly plant in Thailand next year as it continues its Southeast Asian expansion drive.

 

The Thai facility will be the second overseas plant for the company after its factory in Argentina. It is scheduled to begin operation by the end of September.

 

On Thursday, U.S.-based Harley-Davidson announced its withdrawal from the Indian market -- a stark contrast to Royal Enfield's efforts to expand globally. One of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world, British-bred Royal Enfield has survived two world wars and has seen 2019 year-on-year sales in Thailand more than double to 3,146 units.

 

Full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/India-s-Royal-Enfield-to-begin-making-motorcycles-in-Thailand

 

-- © Copyright Nikkei Asian Review 2020-09-28

 

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[Geoffggi]

But I thought Thailand was going electric ...............LOL

[findlay13]

Well at least Thai made

 is better than Indian. Enfields re lovely looking bikes and I contemplated getting one, but I can't fault my Thai made 650 Kawasaki except it has too much plastic.A friend in Australia just got rid of his Enfield 500 for a Yamaha.He had nothing but trouble with the Bullet.Oil leaks plus,oil leaks ! Back to be supposedly fixed under warranty twice,Wrong!.No wonder they used to call them Royal Oilfields.

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by findlay13

[simon43]

1 minute ago, findlay13 said:

Well at least Thai QC is better than Indian.Lovely looking bike but I can't fault my Thai made 650 Kawasaki except it has too much plastic.A friend in Australia just got rid of his Enfield 500 for a Yamaha.He had nothing but trouble with the Bullet.Oil leaks plus,oil leaks ! Back to be supposedly fixed under warranty twice,Wrong!.No wonder they used to call them Royal Oilfields.

 

I thought oil leaks were part of the specification for a Royal Enfield.  It certainly applied when I was a teenager ????

[findlay13]

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I thought oil leaks were part of the specification for a Royal Enfield.  It certainly applied when I was a teenager ????

Yes but this is 2020 .My first two meridan Triumphs used to leak like sieves too, but my Hinckleys certainly dont. Surely Enfield could have picked up their game by now.

[Kerryd]

Same as the urban legends about Harleys always leaking oil. I've had my 2003 Softail for over 12 years now and it never leaks but as soon as people hear you own a Harley they immediately start in with the quips about how all Harleys always leak.

It's interesting that 3 days ago, Harley announced it was pulling out of the Indian market as it couldn't compete with the local brands like Royal Enfield. Then, 3 days after that announcement, Royal Enfield announces it will be opening an assembly plant in Thailand, where Harley also opened an assembly plant not long ago (in the far, North-West tip of Rayong province, almost due East of Laem Chabang).

Harley had specifically designed smaller cc bikes (in the 500-750cc range) in an effort to compete in the Indian/SE Asian markets but their best efforts couldn't compete with the much cheaper local brands. (One article notes that in India, Harley's cheapest model went for about twice what a comparable Royal Enfield goes for.)
(Yeah for union labour !)

Harley also announced awhile ago that it was shifting it's production of bikes for the Chinese market to Thailand due to the trade war going on between the US and China. Can't see them doing much better against the local Chinese brands than they did against the Indian manufacturers.

If they were smart, they'd come out with something in the 125-150cc range with a different style and priced to undercut the local markets. That cc range is probably the largest motorcycle market in the world (as India/China and SE Asia make up nearly 60% of the total population on earth by themselves).
Add in the Middle East and Central/South American markets and you're probably looking at nearly 75% of the motorcycle market on the planet, most of which is geared towards the smaller cc models.

I'm not really enamoured with the Royal Enfield's looks personally. Even their "Adventure" model (the Himalayan) falls short, and not just because it's only 650ccs. It basically looks like every other Royal Enfield except for the tires.

Kinda surprised that the Thai market isn't flooded with Chinese brands like Lifan though. You'd think they would have dominated, especially during the Thaksin era.

Probably will happen eventually though.

 

[BritManToo]

Note to m/c manufacturers.

I want a 400cc single cylinder for under 100,000kbht.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I have an Interceptor 650 and it is a great bike. 

 

The new Royal Enfield twins are a completely different proposition to the older bullets and single cylinder thumpers with all their issues.

 

It should be noted that the RE Interceptor 650 is the best selling bike in the UK for 2019.

[bluesofa]

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

[Mr Meeseeks]

17 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

I'm not really enamoured with the Royal Enfield's looks personally.

The new 650s are very nice looking IMO.

 

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

They are modern motorcycles.

 

One thing that attracted me to the Interceptor, apart from the fact it was half the price of the equivalent Triumph Street Twin, was there was no gimmicks on it. No ride modes, no lcd dials etc. It is a motorcycle for the purist, to be enjoyed for the ride.

 

Make no mistake though, it is a better ride than the Street Twin. Again, just my opinion, but most reviewers out there tend to agree including MCN.

 

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

But I thought Thailand was going electric ...............LOL

Yeah well....... uhmmm.

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

13 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

They are modern motorcycles.

 

One thing that attracted me to the Interceptor, apart from the fact it was half the price of the equivalent Triumph Street Twin, was there was no gimmicks on it. No ride modes, no lcd dials etc. It is a motorcycle for the purist, to be enjoyed for the ride.

 

Make no mistake though, it is a better ride than the Street Twin. Again, just my opinion, but most reviewers out there tend to agree including MCN.

Thanks for replying, but I'm none the wiser regarding the gears and brakes? Did you mean because they're modern motorcycles they have now changed the gears/brakes to be the same as everyone else?

 

I thought (although not sure) when they bought the factory and shipped it to India, the Indians originally produced the bikes with the British spec for gears/brakes?

[Moonlover]

48 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

They've been assembling Royal Enfields in India since 1955, so the chances are the bike you hired was locally produced. 

[katatonic]

52 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

It would have been Indian produced unless it was made before 1947 (or 1955?). I owned a 1964 one and swapped it for a new at the time 1996 model half way round a tour of India (covered the cost of my whole trip). They were identical. I quite liked the gears and brake being the wrong way round, but then I am left-handed.. I adored them.

Edited September 28, 2020 by katatonic
amendment

[PremiumLane]

Great bikes and no real issues with reliability. There are some people using them to travel around the world

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I have an Interceptor 650 and it is a great bike. 

 

The new Royal Enfield twins are a completely different proposition to the older bullets and single cylinder thumpers with all their issues.

 

It should be noted that the RE Interceptor 650 is the best selling bike in the UK for 2019.

Nothing but good reviews about them. Would certainly be my choice. And they look.....great

[Pottinger]

16 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

Great bikes and no real issues with reliability. There are some people using them to travel around the world

Check out this lady: 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Pottinger

[Mr Meeseeks]

12 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

Great bikes and no real issues with reliability. There are some people using them to travel around the world

Itchy Boots on YouTube is a good channel. She rides a Himalayan round the World. 

 

57 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Thanks for replying, but I'm none the wiser regarding the gears and brakes? Did you mean because they're modern motorcycles they have now changed the gears/brakes to be the same as everyone else?

They are exactly the same as all other manufacturer's bikes. Clutch on the left hand, front brake on the right. Gear shifts with the left foot, rear brake on the right.

 

Incidentally the gearbox on the 650 twins is superb. A real joy to operate. Better even than most Japanese brands I have ridden. 

The only negs about the bike would be the rear suspension at speed is a bit iffy, and could do with an upgrade, and the bike is a bit heavy for what it is. Other than that, all good.

[cjinchiangrai]

In India the 125 Hondas dominate. Unlike Thailand, they have a full clutch system in the transmission. The Enfields are pretty but don't perform like a 500cc bike.

 

Harley pulled out because it is hard to get the money out intact. The same reason Walmart and Carrefour walked out on the deals to open there. A big heavy bike like a Harley is a terrible choice for the heavy traffic anyway. 

[toofarnorth]

3 hours ago, findlay13 said:

Yes but this is 2020 .My first two meridan Triumphs used to leak like sieves too, but my Hinckleys certainly dont. Surely Enfield could have picked up their game by now.

I had a RE in England , a 500 Bullet , after a hotter cam fitted and a straight through ex Triumph silencer it was a lovely bike , I bought it in Cornwall and on buying it was told it might not get me home.

Visiting my brother in North Devon it would stop running after about 40 miles , the same coming home. Turned out in the end to be the Lucas coil. 

Had to leave the bike on coming out here in 2005 , my bro sold it for 100 quid , someone got a bargain , no leaks started first kick. Oh now I miss my RE ...oh and decent beer.

[David in the north]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Yeah well....... uhmmm.

Should that not be"ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" not "uhm"????????

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

They've been assembling Royal Enfields in India since 1955, so the chances are the bike you hired was locally produced. 

OK, thanks. I stand sit corrected. I had no idea they had been produced in India for anywhere near that long.

I thought it was about twenty years or so, and all the ones before that were British made exports which had been well looked after.

[watso63]

Assembling in Thailand should lower the already highly attractive price. CFMOTO have a decent range of medium sized bikes that have a good design (partnered up with Austria's KTM), well built and cheap. They make high spec ATV's too. Can't ever see Harley Davidson competing in Asia in the near future. There will always be brand loyal enthusiastic buyers but the writing's on the wall.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Note to m/c manufacturers.

I want a 400cc single cylinder for under 100,000kbht.

 

 

Stallions Centaur CT400 - 115,000 baht...  as close as it gets I think.

 

 

I wonder about the vibration of single cylinder machines though... 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

The Himalayan would be great to kit out and do an Asia Pacific tour...  

 

THB 170,000 - not to costly to worry about leaving it over night like a big 1200 GS. 

 

The Continental GT looks like good fun for an ‘about town bike’ not that practical though. 

 

[Grumpy one]

6 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

But I thought Thailand was going electric ...............LOL

Well they do have light bulbs   

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, Grumpy one said:

Well they do have light bulbs   

That's only because heavy ones are too difficult to change.

[maxcorrigan]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I understand the Indian produced bikes have the brake on the right and gears on the left now?

I rented one in India years ago (obviously British produced), it took some getting used to.

All British bikes were likes that one time, until the US insisted they change for bikes exported to the US can't remember exact details but something to do with using the same foot to brake as in a car!

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, findlay13 said:

Well at least Thai made

 is better than Indian. Enfields re lovely looking bikes and I contemplated getting one, but I can't fault my Thai made 650 Kawasaki except it has too much plastic.A friend in Australia just got rid of his Enfield 500 for a Yamaha.He had nothing but trouble with the Bullet.Oil leaks plus,oil leaks ! Back to be supposedly fixed under warranty twice,Wrong!.No wonder they used to call them Royal Oilfields.

 

An American colleague once told me that the reason the British had never made a successful personal computer is that they could not get it to leak oil.

 

 

[CGW]

3 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Turned out in the end to be the Lucas coil.

Best not to mention "The Price of Darkness" 

 

The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."

Lucas is the patent holder for the short circuit.

Lucas - Inventor of the first intermittent wiper.

Lucas - Inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.

The three position Lucas switch - Dim, Flicker and Off.

The Original Anti-Theft Device - Lucas Electrics.

>Lucas is an acronym for Loose Unsoldered Connections and Splices

Lucas systems actually uses AC current; it just has a random frequency.

"I have had a Lucas pacemaker for years and have never had any trou..."

If Lucas made guns, wars would not start.

A friend of mine told everybody he never had any electric problems with his Lucas equipment. Today he lives in the countryside, in a large manor with lots of friendly servants around him an an occasional ice cold shower...

Back in the 70's, Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which did not suck.

Q: Why do the British drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators

Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.