EVERYONE has an early memory of Royal Enfield. Some went on a ride sitting on the motorcycle’s petrol tanks with their uncles, and some stole their father’s motorcycle with the help of their friends and took it out for a spin. For Siddhartha Lal, the man behind Royal Enfield’s magical turnaround, it was a hand-me-down version of his father’s Bullet.
For those who grew up with these stories, Bullet added another dimension to their personalities. It made them free; it taught them patience; it brought a different meaning to their lives; it brought them brotherhood and companionship. The ride may or may not be perfect, practical, and the bike may well have been a fuel guzzler, hard to maintain, heavy, a homewrecker, with the vibe of a gangster.
Yet, people still ride it. I must admit as a kid it was the motorcycle’s distinct thump that would make me run out of my house filled with curiosity every time a Bullet went around my colony streets. But I was never a part of this community.
However, I tracked the brand’s journey close to 12 years as a journalist and witnessed its evolution into a motorcycling behemoth from very close quarters. Yet, I could never really understand how it became a worship subject for many till one day when a group of friends from college coerced me into a motorcycle trip in Leh.
This story is from the January 01, 2021 edition of The MAN.
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This story is from the January 01, 2021 edition of The MAN.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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