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WHAT IS A RESEARCH?
Research is the systematic and objective search for the analysis of information relevant to the identification and solution of the specific problem. Research is science and a systematic search for pertinent information on a particular topic. In fact research is an act of scientific investigation.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Broadly research can be divided into two heads experimental and non-experimental. Three essential components of experimental research are control, manipulation and measurement.
Experimental method of data collection is ideal though not always possible because of many research problems in the social science and education do not lend themselves to experimental enquiry. A little reflection on some of the important variable in educational research intelligence, aptitude, personality etc will show that they are not manipulability.
Even, if we avoid non-experimental method we cannot. Non-experimental research posses only one component which is measurement. The researcher does not exercise any control over the extraneous variable. He simply measures the effect on dependent variable as they occur naturally- without manipulation. This means that this type of research cannot establish casual relationship.
One of the common method of survey is non-experimental research is field survey under which comes the sample survey. A sample survey is also a form of ex-post facto research in which the researchers simply collect the data about certain psychological or sociological characteristic of the sample that represents the known population.
The researcher is interested in knowing something about the whole population but cannot study the whole population and he only studies the sample drawn from the populations. The data are sought directly from the respondents by a systematic technique like a questionnaire, which is the most popular are widely used technique of data collection.
RESEARCH DESIGN
A researcher design is the overall plan or programme of research. It is the general blue print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. It includes an outline what an investigator can do from writing the hypothesis and their operational implication to the final analysis of data. Various uses of having a research design are as follows
1. It provides answers to various questions such as: What is the object of research? What data are needed and how will these be gathered? What will be the time, place and sample of study? How will the data be analyzed and interpreted? 2. It acts as a standard and guidepost, which helps the researcher in measuring his/her shortcoming and deviation in actual research later on.
3. It forestalls the possibility of a fruitless enquiry and act as an insurance against future failure.
WHAT IS DATA?
Data constitutes the foundation of any analysis. Data is the collection of any number of related observations.
Surveys are the most popular device of obtaining the desired data. A survey is a process of collecting data from existing population units with no particular control over factors that may affect the population characteristic of interest in study.
Data is the quantitative or numerical information, which is collected for future analysis and interpretation in order to base decision on them.
SOURCES OF DATA
PRIMARY DATA SOURCE: Primary data source comprises responses to questionnaire and interviews conducted with manager, supervisor of all department of the company.
SECONDARY DATA SOURCE: Secondary data source is the one that makes available data that are collected by some other agency earlier. It comprises different books on the human resource.
PREPARATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE Much labor and care was taken in designing the questionnaire to maintain the brevity and accuracy. The rule is to gather the data you need but not more than is needed, therefore the number of questions was not more. The questions were such that which evoked accurate and desired responses which contained the information sought.
The questionnaire was in a structured format in which the questions were asked from the respondents were very precise and concisely stated in advance, thus maximizing standardization.
Question provided the subject with the multiple-choice response with four rating. In order to design a good questionnaire all relevant books on the subject were consulted. All the available articles and research work were taken into account. Exploratory discussion with my guide, who had intimate knowledge of the subject, helped me never lose sight of the hypothesis to be tested. Care was taken to relate all questions intimately to the final objective of the investigation.
DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE
POPULATON
It is defined in terms of elements, unit, extent and time. The demographic profile of the respondents was a below: Men or women employed in NTPC PMI starting from grade E1 to E7 must have a knowledge about PMS (performance management system) and their performance is evaluated according to that PMS only. Nature of population was homogeneous therefore a small sample was effective to represent it.
SIZE: - 50 employees
SAMPLING METHOD
Non random (or probability) samples In which the probability of unit selection is unknown at any stage of the selection process and the selection of unit is based on the judgment of the researcher was selected. The method used was purposive sampling. These term means selection by design by choice and not by chance. The sample was chosen which was thought to be typical of the universe with regard to the characteristic under investigation. Such type of sampling was possible because of my guide who already had the necessary required knowledge about the employees that made it easier to recognize typical items in the universe.
COLLECTION OF DATA
When planning was completed, the survey moved into the field and undertook the fieldwork that is distribution and collection of facts. The total number of questionnaire distributed were 60 out of which only 50 were taken into analysis, few were not considered due to incomplete data entry and few questionnaires were not filled.
ANALYSIS OF DATA
Researcher must breathe life into the cold data by skillful analysis and hence need to follow three steps editing, classifying and analyzing the data.
The content of the data obtained in a survey were carefully checked for any possible inconsistencies and incompleteness. Then came the careful analysis the data are then coded and tabulated according to the rating in the dummy table. And then finally tabulated data is interpreted with the help of spreadsheet in excel to reach a final conclusion.
REASON FOR SELECTING SAMPLE SURVEY
Sample survey was preferred as the means of data collection to explore the existence of the perception phenomenon, as a sample survey is extensive in scope. Use of a representative sample in a survey reduce problems of sample bias and allow generalizing the result to the present population. Data collection can take place in any setting. It is assumed that the respondents replies generally remain uninfluenced by the setting in which they are given. Data are obtained directly from the respondent.
LIMITATION
There are possibilities of the information being biased. Bias can be both deliberate and non-deliberate. Non-deliberate bias crept in the form of approximation when respondent were asked to supply information on some past event which they do not exactly remember. Use of standardized response formats in many questions forced respondents to subscribe to statements to which they do not fully endorse.
REASON FOR SELECTING PURPOSIVE SAMPLING AS THE SAMPLING METHOD It is very simple to draw and involve less fieldwork since those units can be selected which possess the required knowledge on the topic of the investigation.
LIMITATION
It is not always reliable. The human mind was difficult in recognizing typical items. This difficulty tends to distort purposive sampling. The Problem was faced as one does not have the considerable knowledge about the population and this problem gets solved with the help of my guide.
REASON FOR SELECTING QUESTIONNAIRE AS THE DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE
It is relatively inexpensive mode of data collection. It covers wider geographical area at a relatively low cost per respondent. It presents a uniform stimulus to all respondent i.e. each respondent receives an identical questionnaire. It enables the respondent to answer question perhaps those of personal or embarrassing nature more willingly and accurately. It can be answered at the convenience of the respondent
Indian automobile industry
The automobile industry in India is the ninth largest in the world with an annual production of over 2.3 million units in 2008. In 2009, India emerged as Asia's fourth largest exporter of automobiles, behind Japan, South Korea and Thailand. India¶s automobile sector consists of the passenger cars and utility vehicles, commercial vehicle, two wheelers and tractors segment. The total market size of the auto sector in India is approximately Rs 540 billion and has been growing at around 8 percent per annum for the last few years. Since the last four to five years, the two wheelers segment has driven the overall volume growth on account of the spurt in the sales of motorcycles. However, lately the passenger cars and commercial vehicles segment has also seen a good growth due to high discounts, lower financing rates and a pickup in industrial activity respectively. Major automobile manufacturers in India include Maruti Udyog Ltd., General Motors India, Ford India Ltd., Eicher Motors, Bajaj Auto, Daewoo Motors India, Hero Honda Motors, Hindustan Motors, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., Royal Enfield Motors, TVS Motors and Swaraj Mazda Ltd. With the economy growing at 9% per annum and increasing purchasing power there has been a continuous increase in demand for automobiles. This, along with being the second largest populated country, makes the automobile industry in India a very promising one.
Indian two wheeler market
Ever since the old Lambretta scooter was replaced with the flurry of vibrant two wheeler models, Indian two wheeler industry has seen a phenomenal change in the way they perceive the Indian
market. Two wheeler manufacturers are now competing in an ever growing consumer market by bringing out new products and features. The country has now grown into the second largest producer of two wheelers in the world. Currently there are around 10 two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, and they are Bajaj, Hero, Hero Honda, Honda, Mahindra/Kinetic, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, TVS, and Yamaha.
There have been various reasons behind this growth. Because of poor public transport system, the citizens found convenience in two wheelers. Added to this is the fact that the average Indian still does not have the purchasing capacity for a more expensive, four wheeler. The story of Mr. Ratan Tata inspired by a family of four members travelling in Indian roads, not concerned about safety and the evolution of the idea of TATA Nano has been quite famous globally.
The Indian two wheeler industry can be divided into motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The consumer has changed his preference from mopeds to scooters and then to motorcycles. The trends seen in the past few years include females increasingly using two-wheelers for their personal commutation and various two wheeler manufacturers designing vehicles specially to cater to needs of this segment. One of the earliest revolutions in this industry was Kinetic¶s introduction of the concept of electronic/self-start and automatic gears which made two wheelers comfortable and useable by women, when compared to old Bajaj Chetak advertisements which showed middle aged females riding a Bajaj Chetak scooter. A recent trend in the industry has been electric vehicles, which mostly leverage on their eco-friendliness and low operating costs, but is still not accepted well due to the lack of reputation of the manufacturers and lack of trust on technology, which is still being perceived in the nascent stages, especially battery and inverters which prove to be very expensive components. TVS recently leveraged this opportunity by launching a hybrid model of their non geared scooter ± TVS Scooty. The end of the last decade saw Bajaj taking a radical decision to do away with the Scooter range and completely concentrate on motorcycles, especially stating change in customers preference as the main reason. The customers are left without a choice in most cases than to migrate from the traditional scooters of the Indian family to the all youthful bikes that one¶s son rides to college.
With rising incomes and purchasing capacity of the average Indian, the demand for two wheelers
in the power segment has increased considerably. There also have been constant signs of maturing of the market when the manufacturers reacted by coming up with innovations, catching attention of potential buyers and sometimes creating a new class of customers or altering the preferences and attitudes of existing consumers
Profile of the Organization
Royal Enfield are the makers of the famous Bullet brand in India. Established in 1955, Royal Enfield (India) is among the oldest bike companies. It stems from the British manufacturer, Royal Enfield at Redditch. Royal Enfield has its headquarters at Chennai in India. Bullet bikes are famous for their power, stability and rugged looks.
It started in India for the Indian Army 350cc bikes were imported in kits from the UK and assembled in Chennai. After a few years, on the insistence of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the company started producing the bikes in India and added the 500cc Bullet to its line. Within no time, Bullet became popular in India.
Bullet became known for sheer power, matchless stability, and rugged looks. It looked tailor-made for Indian roads. Motorcyclists in the country dreamt to drive it. It was particularly a favorite of the Army and Police personnel.
In 1990, Royal Enfield ventured into collaboration with the Eicher Group, a leading automotive group in India, in 1990, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of Tractors, Commercial Vehicles, and Automotive Gears.
Royal Enfield made continuously incorporating new technology and systems in its bikes. In 1996, when the Government of India imposed stringent norms for emission, Royal Enfield was the first motorcycle manufacturer to comply. It was among the few companies in India to obtain the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) for meeting the European Community norms. Today, Royal Enfield is considered the oldest motorcycle model in the world still in production and Bullet is the longest production run model.
Profile of the Products
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
One can be a part of classical prominence by having a ride on Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a macho bike which is stylish as well. The brawny is laden with plenty of attention grabbing features like traditional designing, astonishing power of 18 bhp from air cooled, 4 stroke engine, large wheels, and better sitting for superior riding. This has been the classical offering from Royal Enfield and the engineering and the design has remained unchanged over the years. It has remained the flagship product with the other products being perceived more as derivatives of this motorcycle rather than standalone products.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 (Cast Iron)
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is a classic bike having vintage styling. The bike has hand-painted pin stripes, a 4-speed transmission,
double leading shoe front brake and was touted as the powerhouse model with a whopping 27 bhp output. While the bike looked mostly similar to the Standard 350cc offering, its bigger engine made it a more potent vehicle to have on long rides.
Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 4S
Royal Enfield motorcycles were renowned for having problems starting because of their CB Point Ignition systems. In an attempt to break this negative image, the company came up with Electra. Electra was in effect a Standard 350cc but had a CDI Ignition system. This paved the way for the newer bikes from Royal Enfield which now have Digital TCI as a a part of the standard package.
Royal Enfield Lightning 535 Looking for an image makeover back in 2001, Enfield came up with Lightning. It was a Limited Edition 535cc motorcycle. The single-cylinder, aircooled 535cc engine was the largest SCAC engine for any motorcycle in the world. The bike received limited acceptance amongst users and was discontinued after 2006 but it succeeded in rebuilding the power-bike image of Royal Enfield amongst the enthusiasts.
Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 5S With Electra 4S receiving quite a lot of acceptance, Royal Enfield decided to add a few more features to align themselves with the more contemporary manufacturers. From a right-hand side 4-speed gear shift, they moved to a left-hand side 5-speed gear shift. Disc brakes also made an entry, with the 280mm disc being the largest in the country. This has been one of the most successful models from Royal Enfield and was to a large extent responsible
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Royal Enfield Bullet Machismo Machismo is Royal Enfield¶s ³chrome monster´. Resplendent with chrome, they are available in both 350cc and 500cc variants. They were the first bikes to have the now legendary Lean Burn AVL Engines. These were the result of Royal Enfield¶s collaboration with an Austrian Engine manufacturer, AVL.
Royal Enfield Thunderbird Bike Royal Enfield Thunderbird is a powerful bike which for the first time broke off from the µBullet¶ look. They were modeled similar to the cruisers available worldwide and were positioned as a tourer¶s choice. It has developed into a strong marquee itself and continues to remain a brand name despite engineering changes that went into it. It started as a 350cc AVL Single-Spark Engine. Today the Thunderbird Twinspark is a 350cc Unit Construction Twin-spark Engine with about 20 bhp output.
Royal Enfield Classic In 2008, Royal Enfield unveiled its latest offerings ± the Classic 350 and the Classic 500.Styled in the vintage 50¶s look, they came with 18 inch tyres, Unit Construction engines and the look and feel of a vintage. Priced at 1.3 lakhs and 1.7 lakhs respectively, the 350cc and the 500cc variants are slowly gaining popularity amongst users for the
lower ride height, the greater power and above all, the vintage feel of the bike.
The Indian Debut 1949 In 1949, the 350cc Bullet was launched in India. Madras Motors won an order from the Indian Army for the supply of motorcycles. It was the beginning of the reign of the Bullet in the subcontinent. Royal Enfield was incorporated as Enfield India Limited on the 21st of November 1955 with the first bikes being assembled from CKD kits. It was the first 4-stroke motorcycle manufacturer in India. In 1956, the plant in Thiruvottiyur was set up and by the end of the year, 163 Bullets had been assembled and rolled off the new assembly line. Enfield India launched the 173 cc Villiers-powered Crusader in India in 1973 to follow the successful Sherpa, a small motorcycle developed indigenously using many Bullet parts for those diffident about handling a Bullet which was followed by the Mini Bullet a 200 cc two stroke sporting `contemporary¶ design to provide a zippy, reliable and economical two-stroke bike. Enfield India tied up with Zundapp of Germany, and put up a plant in Ranipet, near Chennai in the 80¶s to manufacture small, light weight two stroke two wheelers. The competition was hotting up and like the adage that goes, ³when the going get tough, that¶s when the tough gets going´. Enfield India launched a slew of light weight machines. The 50 cc Silver Plus step-through and Explorer motorcycle and the Fury 175 and these bikes redefined the entry-level segment. The Fury with a five-speed gearbox came fitted with a hydraulic disc brake a first in the country. The 80¶s also saw the Bullet in many different avatars the Deluxe models, in resplendent chrome and metallic colours. The 1990¶s saw many revolutionary models from the Company. The
Taurus Diesel was the first production diesel motorcycle in the world. The Bullet 500 was launched in June 1993 and went on to become the most coveted model of the brand. In 1994 the Eicher Group acquired the Company and changed the name to Royal Enfield Motors Limited.
Royal Enfield are the makers of famous Bullet brand in India. Established in 1955, Royal Enfield is among the oldest bike companies. Although the company is known for manufacturing motorcycles, it also produces bicycle, stationary engines, lawnmowers and rifles. Royal Enfield has its headquarters at Chennai in India. Bullet bikes are famous for their power, stability and rugged looks. Royal Enfield Models
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Thunderbird Bullet 350 Bullet Machismo 500 Bullet Electra 5S
About the Company Royal Enfield was a brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, a British manufacturing firm. It started in India for the Indian Army 350cc bikes were imported in kits from the UK and assembled in Chennai. After a few years, the company started producing the 500cc Bullet. Thanks to its qualities, Bullet became popular in India. Bullet became known for sheer power, matchless stability, and rugged looks. It looked tailor-made for Indian roads. Motorcyclists in the country dreamt to drive it. It was particularly a favorite of the Army and Police personnel. In 1990, Royal Enfield ventured into collaboration with the Eicher Group, a leading automotive group in India, in 1990, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of Tractors, Commercial Vehicles, and Automotive Gears.
Royal Enfield made continuously incorporating new technology and systems in its bikes. In 1996, when the Government of India imposed stringent norms for emission, Royal Enfield was the first motorcycle manufacturer to comply. It was among the few companies in India to obtain the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) for meeting the European Community norms. Today, Royal Enfield is considered the oldest motorcycle model in the world still in production and Bullet is the longest production run model. ------------------Mid 19th century England. The firm of George Townsend & Co. opened its doors in the tiny village of Hunt End, near the Worcestershire town of Redditch. A firm specializing in sewing needles and machine parts. In the first flush of enterprise, flitting from one opportunity to another, they chanced upon the pedal-cycle trade. Little did they know then that it was the beginning of the making of a legend. Soon, George Townsend & Co. was manufacturing its own brand of bicycles. And in 1893 its products began to sport the name Enfield under the entity Enfield Manufacturing Company Limited with the trademark Royal Enfield India was set up in 1955 when it started receiving 350cc bikes in kits from the UK and assembling them in Chennai, India. But, eventually the entire bike was manufactured in India and a couple of years later the Company started manufacturing the 500cc Bullet. By its sheer power, unmatched stability, superior riding comfort and rugged good looks, the Bullet dominated and continues to dominate the Indian roads. It is the dream choice of every motorcyclist in India with even the Indian Army and Police endorsing the Bike. Manufacturing Royal Enfield's manufacturing operations, go through a series of modernization and improvement efforts, with a number of automated processes. The Company has put in place modern manufacturing practices like Cellular layouts, Statistical process controls and Flexible manufacturing systems. The Chennai manufacturing facility has received the ISO 9001 certification and for managing
its operations in a clean and safe environment, it has obtained the ISO 14001quality certification. Royal Enfield ensures that all the components used in the bikes are sourced from the best vendors in the Indian automotive industry, who are geared to supply according to the Companys stringent quality standards. The company works closely with all of its suppliers, giving them technical and managerial support while maintaining practices like Direct-On-Line and Vendor SelfCertification
Marketing Network You can feel the pulse of your customers, only if you get close to them. This thought process has driven Royal Enfield to set up has a wide network of 13 marketing offices, 223 dealers in all major cities and towns, 25 spare parts distributors and stockists and 150 Authorised Service Centres. The Company also exports motorcycles to over 30 countries like the USA, Japan, Bahrain, UK, Germany and many European countries through 5 international offices, 25 importers and over 200 dealers across the globe --------------------Royal Enfield
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Founded: 1893 Country: UK Owner: Royal Enfield Motors Headquarters: Redditch, Worcestershire, England Royal Enfield was the brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, a British engineering company. Notable for producing motorcycles, it also produced bicycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines, and even rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield Lock.
It also enabled the use of the brand name Royal Enfield from 1890. In 1955 Enfield of India started assembling Bullet motorcycles under licence from UK components, and by 1962 were manufacturing complete bikes. -------------------------------
Royal Enfield did not just manufacture motorcycles; indeed the English engineering company portrayed a strong lineage of necessity beyond boundaries of ordinary realms. Yes! Driven by sheer necessity and manufactured with the state-of-the-art engineering capabilities, Enfield was initially associated with military requirements. In its earlier days, the company built lawnmowers, bicycles and even rifle parts for some Arms Factory. The company s motto of Made like a Gun and goes like a Bullet reflects Enfield s strong involvement with the military needs.
Spanning over three centuries the company is in the path of making its impact felt in even now in this new millennium. Lets sift through the Enfield s landmark achievements since it raced against cars and fought the wars.
1898: Produced first motorized vehicle equipped with a 2.75hp De Dion-Bouton engine. Today, this motorized vehicle is known by the name Quad. 1901: launched a bicycle that s fitted with a 150cc engine on the front wheel. 1902: improved vehicle with a 239cc Enfield engine mounted over the front wheel of the bicycle. 1907: produced an all-day automobile with company name as All days & onions. However, the vehicle manufactured was there in production until 1925, popularly referred as All day Automobiles with the word onion dropped. 1910: launched V-twins type, a Motosacoche 344 cc engine. 1915: during the World War I, Enfield needed to manufacture motorcycles that would be equipped to carry machine guns with stretcher-bearing capacity, on request of the British Armed Forces. It was during this time that the first small 2-stroke engine seen the light of the day. 1917: Royal Enfield supplied machines to Russians as well. The phase saw a team of women police force riding the 600cc Royal Enfield bikes. 1924-1930: the phase of WWI and the aftermath did not affect the growth of sales of Royal Enfield. The company upgraded its engine and added features such as girder front forks, saddle tanks and center spring to give the bulls of Royal Enfield a more contemporary look. Further upgrading led to the launch of 488cc machine with a four-speed gearbox in the year 1927 and soon by 30s, Royal Enfield had thirteen featured models and the birth of famous Bullet cylinder took place during this phase. 1939-1945: As the world again fought the bloodied wars, Royal Enfield rose to the occasion and supplied the countries with machines and motorcycles for military purposes. The model 125cc Flying Flea became quite popular, and was referred as Airborne, because of its capacity of being dropped by a parachute. War
instruments were also manufactured by Royal Enfield during this period. 1950s: Enfield India began manufacturing machines with parts being brought from Britain. 1962: Enfield India began producing complete motorcycles indigenously while it retained all essential traditions from Enfield. 1965-Until Now: Shifting of production from Redditch England to Chennai plant in India. The name Royal Enfield lived on with its full life, as Indian bought the denomination rights. However, in the year 1986, Raja Narayan, a civil servant from Britain created an Export arm for Royal Enfield India, and as of now, it s the most famous model Bullet that is being marketed in Britain. Thus, Royal Enfield claims to be the world s oldest motorcycle still striving to stride well in the global as well as Indian market nevertheless been enticing Enfield enthusiasts but more importantly has become a benchmark standard for other bike manufacturers and still dedicating to the biking in the truest sense!
-------------------After a long search finally Mr. George Townsend choose England for his new venture. That time England was a hub of manufacturing of small needles & hooks. Mr. George Townsend commissioned his needle factory in England in the name of GIVRY WORKS. Over period of time, son of Mr. George Townsend named George Jr.& his half brother brought a bicycle in the name of ³ BONESHAKER´ the same unit. This bicycle had a iron frame, wooden wheels, iron tyres and wooden pedal. This bicycle was crude in design and good for entertainment only. Mr. George Junior and his half brother were confident to improve the over all bicycle.
In 1880, a modern bicycle was launched in the market. Other manufacturers as well as Mr. George Townsend Junior were in the race of manufacturing & supplying parts of bicycle. Finally Mr. George Jr. started manufacturing saddle spring under marketed/ patented as ³Townsend cyclist saddle & spring´. With this part George Junior entered in the trading of bicycle parts. After some time George slowly moved from trading to bicycle manufacturing. Along with producing bicycle, George was also supplying bicycle parts to other manufacturer. That was the period when GIVRY WORKS was growing rapidly. Within next three years tenure George launched about two dozen models of bicycles in the market. These models were known as ³Townsend bicycle¶. These bicycles were well known for their sturdy frame. All Royal Enfield motorcycles followed this character. In 1890 George Townsend came across financial crises. To over came this crises he did financial tie up with a financier of Birmingham. But their finance tie up could go long way. Due to some differences, Townsend parted with him and handover his factory to him. In November 1891 financier brought Albert Eadie and R W Smith to run the factory. They took complete control of the factory in same month. The company again re named as Eadie Manufacturing co Ltd. Just after taking over the factory Eadie got a contract to supply precision rifle parts to Royal Small Arm factory in Enfield Middlesex. In the celebration of this contract they named their first new design bicycle as ENFIELD. In October 1892 a new company was formed by Eadie & Smith in the name of The Enfield Manufacturing co Ltd. This company was formed to market their new design bicycle. Latter on word Royal was added ( After the Royal small Arm co.).This was the beginning of Royal Enfield. In 1893 word Royal Enfield trade mark ³Made like a gun´ appeared. The slogan become very popular in Great Britain. The company was performing well. In 1899 Enfield Cycle co to planned to manufacture first mechanical vehicle. These vehicle were manufactured with 1.5 HP engine in Tricycle & quardricycle. The vehicle features were unique- Heavy cross frame with High wheel, solid tyres. This model was popular in the name of Eadie coaster. There after a refined model of mechanical vehicle manufactured by Enfield cycle co
was launched in the market in the name of ³Riche Model´. By 1907 Enfield cycle co was having their headquarter at Redid itch and was manufacturing conventional, sports and racing cycles. R W Smith himself made a quardricycle in 1897. Bike was simple in design and had four wheels & French engine, which was placed between the rear wheels. In next two years lot of developments took places and Enfield quardricycle was awarded silver medal by Automobile club of Great Britain and Ireland on the occasion of completing 1000 miles road trial. After the success Edie & smith decided to manufacture three and four wheelers. The first Royal Enfield car was built in 1901 and launched in the market in 1902.This car was known as yellow car because body of this car was made in Leicester and painted yellow. But this car could not gain the market and lost after some time. In 1901, royal Enfield took the biking world. At the motorcycle show that year royal Enfield displayed a small Swiss tradition engine and got good response. In 1911 slightly large model was developed. This model had two-speed gearbox and chain drive for which royal Enfield was well known. This model stood up in the market until 1914. In 1941 First World War begin and Royal Enfield got a contract to supply royal Enfield motorcycle to British war department. Same time royal Enfield manufactured royal Enfield motorcycle and supplied to Imperial Russian government. Royal Enfield built customized motorcycle for war purpose. Royal Enfield was using own manufactured 225 cc single cylinder and 425 cc twin cylinder in these motorcycles. After the first war Royal Enfield started producing 976 cc twin cylinder motorcycle Royal Enfield continued to manufactured 225 cc motorcycle till 1929. In 1917 Royal Enfield supplied 225 cc motorcycles to police for the use of women police force. Also during this period royal Enfield came with 600 cc motorcycle with new features like inlet over exhaust. Closed valve gear, two-speed countershaft gearbox, hand operated oil pump and chain final drive. Between 1913 to 1914 royal Enfield came up with Enfield V twin having unique feature like glass oil tank, giving oil level visibility all the time. World first prototype 675 cc, 3 cylinders, two-stroke motorcycle was built by Royal Enfield in 1915 In 1924 first four stroke, single cylinder, 350cc motorcycle with Jap engine motorcycle was launched by Royal Enfield..
In 1925 Royal Enfield sidecar with V twin engine took a part in 6 days ACU commercial trail and awarded special certificate for completing course without loosing any mark. The first company who introduce saddle tank and center spring front fork in motorcycle was Royal Enfield.. This was happened in 1928. Royal Enfield motorcycle were making their sale records continuously because of their new look motorcycles and comprehensive range of models even in dark days of depression in Great Britain till 1930. In between ,1927 Royal Enfield introduce a motorcycle with 488 cc engine & four speed gear box. Another model of motorcycle with 225 cc engine with side valve was launched in the market 1928. In 1931 Royal Enfield launched a new model of motorcycle with single cylinder & four stroke engine. Thereafter in next ten years time Royal Enfield produced several models of motorcycle starting from 146cc vehicle to 1140cc V twin motorcycle in 1937. In 1930,Royal Enfield was having 13 different models of Royal Enfield motorcycle in the market. This largest range was available with only Royal Enfield. In 1931 Royal Enfield introduced 4 stroke, single cylinder, four valve motorcycle and another christened Bullet in 1932.This was the first time when Royal Enfield named their model as ³Bullet´. This motorcycle was having inclined engine and exposed valve gears. This model ran till 1934. During second world was Royal Enfield introduced 125 cc motorcycle known as Airborne. During war this motorcycle were dropped along with Airborne troupes with the help of Parachute. After the war, in 1939 Enfield manufactured Bullet 350 cc kick start model. First time two rocker boxes were used in this motorcycle for higher volumetric efficiency and better fuel flow. Royal Enfield had designed & manufactured own front fork in this motorcycle. The biggest achievement of Royal Enfield was own design & own manufactured swinging arm rear suspension & hydraulic suspension.
In 1947 Royal Enfield introduce telescopic front shocker system in their J-2 motorcycle. This motorcycle was the first motorcycle with telescopic front shockers. Same front suspension was used by Royal Enfield in 500 cc, 25 BHP engine in 1948. This motorcycle was continued in production till 1958. In 1949 M/s Madras Motors got an order from Indian army to supply Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. This was the time when Bullet motorcycle launched in India.Madras Motors were importing kits from UK and assembled in India.Slowly Madras Motors started to manufacture motorcycle frame in India and assembled the engine and their after they have started manufacturing complete motorcycle in India. In 1950 several models of motorcycle were introduced in the market like 650cc Meteor twin engine,250 cc clipper, a short stroke motorcycle Crusader, 250cc trails, super 5,continental,500 cc sports twin, super Meteor, constellation and the interceptor. In UK this was the first time in the history of British automobile industries when wide choice was available in motorcycle, different color schemes, verity of engine configuration, different capacity of engines and all this happened only in one decade. Prior to this motorcyclist were never had such wide choice in motorcycles. T his was not happened only with Royal Enfield also with other manufacturer. In 1950, downward trend started in lower capacity of motorcycle and higher capacity motorcycles started gaining market because of their reliability. Royal Enfield was having a wide range of motorcycles from 125cc to 700 cc in their UK showroom. In Madras, Indian Army insisted Madras Motors to manufacture Royal Enfield motorcycle in India. Indian Army also inform Madras Motors that they will continue to buy if motorcycles produced indigenous. In late fifties, Enfield India Bullet motorcycle was completely different from today¶s Bullet motorcycles. In next ten years time there were lots of changes took place in
Bullet motorcycle and over period of time it took the shape of more or less today¶s Bullet motorcycle. From 1955 to 1959, Royal Enfield sold bikes in the U.S. under the Indian name. In 1960 this agreement ended. In 1961 Eddie Moulder won the a Big Bear Enduro which gave a secured position to Royal Enfield in US under its own name and started marketing of the product once again. Models include this year were from 250 cc to 700 cc. During this year RoyalEnfield won 31 races out of 39 and had several other victories which gave new strength to the product. By 1970 Enfield India had already established them selves in the market and also changes were made in the product as per Indian road and climate conditions. Changes were made in design of front mudguard, ignition system and in the braking system of the mudguard. In 1962 the UK Royal Enfield company was sold and by 1967 Reddich factory was also closed for further production. Royal Enfield closed their total manufacturing operations by 1970. In India,in seventeen¶s Enfield India Ltd launched their new products like Sherpa, motorcycle and in 1973 Crusder a 173 cc motorcycle. These both product were different from existing Bullet motorcycle and small in weight & size. A 200cc ,2 stroke motorcycle in the name of Mini Bullet was also introduced in the market by Enfield India Ltd for customers wanted economical & small size of motorcycle. In 1983,Enfield India ltd commissioned their new plant in Ranipet near Madras to manufacture small, light weight,two stroke motorcycles in collaboration with Zundapp of Germany. In 1983, Enfield India Ltd introduced their 50cc two stroke ,6.5 BHP ,two gear product in the name of Silver Plus in the market. This was the first vehicle introduced in Indian market with die cast wheels. Later on Silver plus was upgraded to 3 gears.
Enfield India ltd also introduced a 50 cc motorcycle with die cast wheels in the name of Explorer in the market. During eighties Fury, a 175 cc ,two stroke motorcycle with die cast wheels and front hydraulic brake ( Disc Brake) was launched by the Royal Enfield in the market. During eighteens new models of Bullet like Bullet Deluxe was also entered in the Indian market. Enfield India ltd entered in manufacturing of small , ligh weight,two stroke motorcycles with the collaboration with Zundapp Germany.They set up a new plant at Ranipet, near to Chennai to manufacture these motorcycles. Enfield India ltd 50 cc 6.5 BHP two stroke motorcyle and 50cc 6.6 BHP 2 stroke step through powered by Zundapp engineering at entry level segment.Initially silver plus was with two gears operation and latter on came with three gear operation. Both the bikes were fitted with die cast wheels. After some time Fury 175 cc two stroke motorcycle a Zundapp model was launched by Enfield India ltd in the narket. Fury was fitted with die cast wheels, front disc brake and 5 speed gear box. Enfield India ltd launched their other products like Bullet 500cc ,Machismo and Enfield Diesel in the market in between 1990 to 1994. Later on Enfield Diesel was renamed at Taurus. In 1990 Enfield India Ltd had a strategic alliance with Eicher group and latter on in 1994 Eicher Group acquired Enfield India Ltd and name of the Enfield India Ltd changed to Royal Enfield Motors Ltd. After acquiring by Eicher Group Royal Enfield launched their new models in the market like Lightning 500cc & Lightning 535cc motorcycle. These bikes were for young Enthusiast bikers those needs more power and style. In 1999 Royal Enfield launched their new product Machismo with AVL engine. This motorcycle was fitted with 350cc 18 BHP lean burn AVL Engine. Some where in 2000 Royal Enfield also introduce their new variant Campas & Electra In the Market. Electra was having CDI ignition system instead of CB point system. In 2001 Royal Enfield launched a new model called ³Thunderbird´, motorcycle fitted with 350cc 18BHP engine and five speed gear box with heel and toe gear shift and
fitted with CDI ignition system. This was the first model of Royal Enfield which was having left hand side gear change lever and rear brake on right hand side. Later on Royal Enfield launched new version of Machismo with five speed gear box with left hand side gear change lever. In October 2003 a new variant of Electra was launched in the market. This model was fitted with TCI ignition system and was having better start ability , better pick up and better mileage. In 2004 Bullet 500 cc with electric start was launched in the market. In 2005 New version of Thunderbird with TCI ignition system and dual tone color was introduce in the market. Same time Royal Enfield also introduced Electra 5S in duel tone color and fitted with 5 speed gear box. These model were launched with option of electric start and front disc brake. In May, 2007 Royal Enfield introduced their new model Machismo 500CC with Lean burn engine in India. Machismo 500 cc was fitted with 5 speed gear box. Motorcycle was having a classic look
Royal Enfield History Royal Enfield was incorporated as Enfield India Limited on the 21st of November in 1955 with the first bikes being assembled from CKD kits. It was the first 4-stroke motorcycle manufacturer in the India. In 1956, the plant in Thiruvottiyur was set up and by the end of the year, 163 Enfield Bullets had been assembled and rolled off the new assembly line. Enfield India launched the 173cc Villiers-powered Crusader in India in 1973 to follow the successful Sherpa, a small motorcycle developed indigenously using many Bullet parts for those diffident about handling a Bullet which was followed by the Mini Bullet a 200 cc two stroke sporting `contemporary' design to provide a zippy, reliable and economical two-stroke bike. Enfield India tied up with Zundapp of Germany, and put up a plant in Ranipet, near Chennai in the 1980's to manufacture small, light weight two stroke two wheelers. The competition was hotting up and like the adage that goes, "when the going get tough, that's when the tough gets going". Enfield India launched a slew of light weight machines.
The 50cc Silver Plus step-through and Explorer motorcycle and the Fury 175 and these bikes redefined the entry-level segment. The Fury with a fivespeed gearbox came fitted with a hydraulic disc brake a first in the country. The 1980's also saw the Bullet in many different avatars the Deluxe models, in resplendent chrome and metallic colours. The 1990's saw many revolutionary models from the Company. The Taurus Diesel was the first production diesel motorcycle in the world. The Enfield Bullet 500 was launched in June 1993 and went on to become the most coveted model of the brand. In 1994 the Eicher Group acquired the Company and changed the name to Royal Enfield Motors Limited. With the community of motorcycle enthusiasts increasing, the year 1995 saw the launch of the formal first Bullet club in Bangalore. Since then several clubs have come up in different parts of India with more than thousands of bikers as Members. In 1998, Royal Enfield developed and introduced a new platform of products with a lean burn engine. This engine not only meets the stringent emission norms, but also offers more power and fuel economy. Bullet Machismo, a true classic motorcycle, was launched with this engine. To address the needs of all the urban customers, Royal Enfield launched the first Cruiser bike "Thunderbird". It was an instant success. It bagged the BBC Wheels Award for the best Cruiser in India in 2002. More awards followed and the Bullet entered the Indian Automotive "Hall of Pride" award for defining the motorcycles in the Indian perspective. In the last 5 years, Royal Enfield has made significant strides in the global market. From North America to Europe in the West and Japan to Australia in the East today Royal Enfield has a pride of place across the globe. In fact Royal Enfield was ranked among the top 10 selling brands in UK in the 125 500 cc category. As a reflection of commitment to its customers TNS Auto has rated Royal Enfield as the best in Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) in the last two consecutive years, in Cruiser segment. In its 50th year Royal Enfield re-dedicates itself to the cause of true motorcycling in India with relevant products and services.
Research is the systematic and objective search for the analysis of information relevant to the identification and solution of the specific problem. Research is science and a systematic search for pertinent information on a particular topic. In fact research is an act of scientific investigation.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Broadly research can be divided into two heads experimental and non-experimental. Three essential components of experimental research are control, manipulation and measurement.
Experimental method of data collection is ideal though not always possible because of many research problems in the social science and education do not lend themselves to experimental enquiry. A little reflection on some of the important variable in educational research intelligence, aptitude, personality etc will show that they are not manipulability.
Even, if we avoid non-experimental method we cannot. Non-experimental research posses only one component which is measurement. The researcher does not exercise any control over the extraneous variable. He simply measures the effect on dependent variable as they occur naturally- without manipulation. This means that this type of research cannot establish casual relationship.
One of the common method of survey is non-experimental research is field survey under which comes the sample survey. A sample survey is also a form of ex-post facto research in which the researchers simply collect the data about certain psychological or sociological characteristic of the sample that represents the known population.
The researcher is interested in knowing something about the whole population but cannot study the whole population and he only studies the sample drawn from the populations. The data are sought directly from the respondents by a systematic technique like a questionnaire, which is the most popular are widely used technique of data collection.
RESEARCH DESIGN
A researcher design is the overall plan or programme of research. It is the general blue print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. It includes an outline what an investigator can do from writing the hypothesis and their operational implication to the final analysis of data. Various uses of having a research design are as follows
1. It provides answers to various questions such as: What is the object of research? What data are needed and how will these be gathered? What will be the time, place and sample of study? How will the data be analyzed and interpreted? 2. It acts as a standard and guidepost, which helps the researcher in measuring his/her shortcoming and deviation in actual research later on.
3. It forestalls the possibility of a fruitless enquiry and act as an insurance against future failure.
WHAT IS DATA?
Data constitutes the foundation of any analysis. Data is the collection of any number of related observations.
Surveys are the most popular device of obtaining the desired data. A survey is a process of collecting data from existing population units with no particular control over factors that may affect the population characteristic of interest in study.
Data is the quantitative or numerical information, which is collected for future analysis and interpretation in order to base decision on them.
SOURCES OF DATA
PRIMARY DATA SOURCE: Primary data source comprises responses to questionnaire and interviews conducted with manager, supervisor of all department of the company.
SECONDARY DATA SOURCE: Secondary data source is the one that makes available data that are collected by some other agency earlier. It comprises different books on the human resource.
PREPARATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE Much labor and care was taken in designing the questionnaire to maintain the brevity and accuracy. The rule is to gather the data you need but not more than is needed, therefore the number of questions was not more. The questions were such that which evoked accurate and desired responses which contained the information sought.
The questionnaire was in a structured format in which the questions were asked from the respondents were very precise and concisely stated in advance, thus maximizing standardization.
Question provided the subject with the multiple-choice response with four rating. In order to design a good questionnaire all relevant books on the subject were consulted. All the available articles and research work were taken into account. Exploratory discussion with my guide, who had intimate knowledge of the subject, helped me never lose sight of the hypothesis to be tested. Care was taken to relate all questions intimately to the final objective of the investigation.
DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE
POPULATON
It is defined in terms of elements, unit, extent and time. The demographic profile of the respondents was a below: Men or women employed in NTPC PMI starting from grade E1 to E7 must have a knowledge about PMS (performance management system) and their performance is evaluated according to that PMS only. Nature of population was homogeneous therefore a small sample was effective to represent it.
SIZE: - 50 employees
SAMPLING METHOD
Non random (or probability) samples In which the probability of unit selection is unknown at any stage of the selection process and the selection of unit is based on the judgment of the researcher was selected. The method used was purposive sampling. These term means selection by design by choice and not by chance. The sample was chosen which was thought to be typical of the universe with regard to the characteristic under investigation. Such type of sampling was possible because of my guide who already had the necessary required knowledge about the employees that made it easier to recognize typical items in the universe.
COLLECTION OF DATA
When planning was completed, the survey moved into the field and undertook the fieldwork that is distribution and collection of facts. The total number of questionnaire distributed were 60 out of which only 50 were taken into analysis, few were not considered due to incomplete data entry and few questionnaires were not filled.
ANALYSIS OF DATA
Researcher must breathe life into the cold data by skillful analysis and hence need to follow three steps editing, classifying and analyzing the data.
The content of the data obtained in a survey were carefully checked for any possible inconsistencies and incompleteness. Then came the careful analysis the data are then coded and tabulated according to the rating in the dummy table. And then finally tabulated data is interpreted with the help of spreadsheet in excel to reach a final conclusion.
REASON FOR SELECTING SAMPLE SURVEY
Sample survey was preferred as the means of data collection to explore the existence of the perception phenomenon, as a sample survey is extensive in scope. Use of a representative sample in a survey reduce problems of sample bias and allow generalizing the result to the present population. Data collection can take place in any setting. It is assumed that the respondents replies generally remain uninfluenced by the setting in which they are given. Data are obtained directly from the respondent.
LIMITATION
There are possibilities of the information being biased. Bias can be both deliberate and non-deliberate. Non-deliberate bias crept in the form of approximation when respondent were asked to supply information on some past event which they do not exactly remember. Use of standardized response formats in many questions forced respondents to subscribe to statements to which they do not fully endorse.
REASON FOR SELECTING PURPOSIVE SAMPLING AS THE SAMPLING METHOD It is very simple to draw and involve less fieldwork since those units can be selected which possess the required knowledge on the topic of the investigation.
LIMITATION
It is not always reliable. The human mind was difficult in recognizing typical items. This difficulty tends to distort purposive sampling. The Problem was faced as one does not have the considerable knowledge about the population and this problem gets solved with the help of my guide.
REASON FOR SELECTING QUESTIONNAIRE AS THE DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE
It is relatively inexpensive mode of data collection. It covers wider geographical area at a relatively low cost per respondent. It presents a uniform stimulus to all respondent i.e. each respondent receives an identical questionnaire. It enables the respondent to answer question perhaps those of personal or embarrassing nature more willingly and accurately. It can be answered at the convenience of the respondent
Indian automobile industry
The automobile industry in India is the ninth largest in the world with an annual production of over 2.3 million units in 2008. In 2009, India emerged as Asia's fourth largest exporter of automobiles, behind Japan, South Korea and Thailand. India¶s automobile sector consists of the passenger cars and utility vehicles, commercial vehicle, two wheelers and tractors segment. The total market size of the auto sector in India is approximately Rs 540 billion and has been growing at around 8 percent per annum for the last few years. Since the last four to five years, the two wheelers segment has driven the overall volume growth on account of the spurt in the sales of motorcycles. However, lately the passenger cars and commercial vehicles segment has also seen a good growth due to high discounts, lower financing rates and a pickup in industrial activity respectively. Major automobile manufacturers in India include Maruti Udyog Ltd., General Motors India, Ford India Ltd., Eicher Motors, Bajaj Auto, Daewoo Motors India, Hero Honda Motors, Hindustan Motors, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., Royal Enfield Motors, TVS Motors and Swaraj Mazda Ltd. With the economy growing at 9% per annum and increasing purchasing power there has been a continuous increase in demand for automobiles. This, along with being the second largest populated country, makes the automobile industry in India a very promising one.
Indian two wheeler market
Ever since the old Lambretta scooter was replaced with the flurry of vibrant two wheeler models, Indian two wheeler industry has seen a phenomenal change in the way they perceive the Indian
market. Two wheeler manufacturers are now competing in an ever growing consumer market by bringing out new products and features. The country has now grown into the second largest producer of two wheelers in the world. Currently there are around 10 two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, and they are Bajaj, Hero, Hero Honda, Honda, Mahindra/Kinetic, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, TVS, and Yamaha.
There have been various reasons behind this growth. Because of poor public transport system, the citizens found convenience in two wheelers. Added to this is the fact that the average Indian still does not have the purchasing capacity for a more expensive, four wheeler. The story of Mr. Ratan Tata inspired by a family of four members travelling in Indian roads, not concerned about safety and the evolution of the idea of TATA Nano has been quite famous globally.
The Indian two wheeler industry can be divided into motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The consumer has changed his preference from mopeds to scooters and then to motorcycles. The trends seen in the past few years include females increasingly using two-wheelers for their personal commutation and various two wheeler manufacturers designing vehicles specially to cater to needs of this segment. One of the earliest revolutions in this industry was Kinetic¶s introduction of the concept of electronic/self-start and automatic gears which made two wheelers comfortable and useable by women, when compared to old Bajaj Chetak advertisements which showed middle aged females riding a Bajaj Chetak scooter. A recent trend in the industry has been electric vehicles, which mostly leverage on their eco-friendliness and low operating costs, but is still not accepted well due to the lack of reputation of the manufacturers and lack of trust on technology, which is still being perceived in the nascent stages, especially battery and inverters which prove to be very expensive components. TVS recently leveraged this opportunity by launching a hybrid model of their non geared scooter ± TVS Scooty. The end of the last decade saw Bajaj taking a radical decision to do away with the Scooter range and completely concentrate on motorcycles, especially stating change in customers preference as the main reason. The customers are left without a choice in most cases than to migrate from the traditional scooters of the Indian family to the all youthful bikes that one¶s son rides to college.
With rising incomes and purchasing capacity of the average Indian, the demand for two wheelers
in the power segment has increased considerably. There also have been constant signs of maturing of the market when the manufacturers reacted by coming up with innovations, catching attention of potential buyers and sometimes creating a new class of customers or altering the preferences and attitudes of existing consumers
Profile of the Organization
Royal Enfield are the makers of the famous Bullet brand in India. Established in 1955, Royal Enfield (India) is among the oldest bike companies. It stems from the British manufacturer, Royal Enfield at Redditch. Royal Enfield has its headquarters at Chennai in India. Bullet bikes are famous for their power, stability and rugged looks.
It started in India for the Indian Army 350cc bikes were imported in kits from the UK and assembled in Chennai. After a few years, on the insistence of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the company started producing the bikes in India and added the 500cc Bullet to its line. Within no time, Bullet became popular in India.
Bullet became known for sheer power, matchless stability, and rugged looks. It looked tailor-made for Indian roads. Motorcyclists in the country dreamt to drive it. It was particularly a favorite of the Army and Police personnel.
In 1990, Royal Enfield ventured into collaboration with the Eicher Group, a leading automotive group in India, in 1990, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of Tractors, Commercial Vehicles, and Automotive Gears.
Royal Enfield made continuously incorporating new technology and systems in its bikes. In 1996, when the Government of India imposed stringent norms for emission, Royal Enfield was the first motorcycle manufacturer to comply. It was among the few companies in India to obtain the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) for meeting the European Community norms. Today, Royal Enfield is considered the oldest motorcycle model in the world still in production and Bullet is the longest production run model.
Profile of the Products
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
One can be a part of classical prominence by having a ride on Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a macho bike which is stylish as well. The brawny is laden with plenty of attention grabbing features like traditional designing, astonishing power of 18 bhp from air cooled, 4 stroke engine, large wheels, and better sitting for superior riding. This has been the classical offering from Royal Enfield and the engineering and the design has remained unchanged over the years. It has remained the flagship product with the other products being perceived more as derivatives of this motorcycle rather than standalone products.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 (Cast Iron)
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is a classic bike having vintage styling. The bike has hand-painted pin stripes, a 4-speed transmission,
double leading shoe front brake and was touted as the powerhouse model with a whopping 27 bhp output. While the bike looked mostly similar to the Standard 350cc offering, its bigger engine made it a more potent vehicle to have on long rides.
Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 4S
Royal Enfield motorcycles were renowned for having problems starting because of their CB Point Ignition systems. In an attempt to break this negative image, the company came up with Electra. Electra was in effect a Standard 350cc but had a CDI Ignition system. This paved the way for the newer bikes from Royal Enfield which now have Digital TCI as a a part of the standard package.
Royal Enfield Lightning 535 Looking for an image makeover back in 2001, Enfield came up with Lightning. It was a Limited Edition 535cc motorcycle. The single-cylinder, aircooled 535cc engine was the largest SCAC engine for any motorcycle in the world. The bike received limited acceptance amongst users and was discontinued after 2006 but it succeeded in rebuilding the power-bike image of Royal Enfield amongst the enthusiasts.
Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 5S With Electra 4S receiving quite a lot of acceptance, Royal Enfield decided to add a few more features to align themselves with the more contemporary manufacturers. From a right-hand side 4-speed gear shift, they moved to a left-hand side 5-speed gear shift. Disc brakes also made an entry, with the 280mm disc being the largest in the country. This has been one of the most successful models from Royal Enfield and was to a large extent responsible
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Royal Enfield Bullet Machismo Machismo is Royal Enfield¶s ³chrome monster´. Resplendent with chrome, they are available in both 350cc and 500cc variants. They were the first bikes to have the now legendary Lean Burn AVL Engines. These were the result of Royal Enfield¶s collaboration with an Austrian Engine manufacturer, AVL.
Royal Enfield Thunderbird Bike Royal Enfield Thunderbird is a powerful bike which for the first time broke off from the µBullet¶ look. They were modeled similar to the cruisers available worldwide and were positioned as a tourer¶s choice. It has developed into a strong marquee itself and continues to remain a brand name despite engineering changes that went into it. It started as a 350cc AVL Single-Spark Engine. Today the Thunderbird Twinspark is a 350cc Unit Construction Twin-spark Engine with about 20 bhp output.
Royal Enfield Classic In 2008, Royal Enfield unveiled its latest offerings ± the Classic 350 and the Classic 500.Styled in the vintage 50¶s look, they came with 18 inch tyres, Unit Construction engines and the look and feel of a vintage. Priced at 1.3 lakhs and 1.7 lakhs respectively, the 350cc and the 500cc variants are slowly gaining popularity amongst users for the
lower ride height, the greater power and above all, the vintage feel of the bike.
The Indian Debut 1949 In 1949, the 350cc Bullet was launched in India. Madras Motors won an order from the Indian Army for the supply of motorcycles. It was the beginning of the reign of the Bullet in the subcontinent. Royal Enfield was incorporated as Enfield India Limited on the 21st of November 1955 with the first bikes being assembled from CKD kits. It was the first 4-stroke motorcycle manufacturer in India. In 1956, the plant in Thiruvottiyur was set up and by the end of the year, 163 Bullets had been assembled and rolled off the new assembly line. Enfield India launched the 173 cc Villiers-powered Crusader in India in 1973 to follow the successful Sherpa, a small motorcycle developed indigenously using many Bullet parts for those diffident about handling a Bullet which was followed by the Mini Bullet a 200 cc two stroke sporting `contemporary¶ design to provide a zippy, reliable and economical two-stroke bike. Enfield India tied up with Zundapp of Germany, and put up a plant in Ranipet, near Chennai in the 80¶s to manufacture small, light weight two stroke two wheelers. The competition was hotting up and like the adage that goes, ³when the going get tough, that¶s when the tough gets going´. Enfield India launched a slew of light weight machines. The 50 cc Silver Plus step-through and Explorer motorcycle and the Fury 175 and these bikes redefined the entry-level segment. The Fury with a five-speed gearbox came fitted with a hydraulic disc brake a first in the country. The 80¶s also saw the Bullet in many different avatars the Deluxe models, in resplendent chrome and metallic colours. The 1990¶s saw many revolutionary models from the Company. The
Taurus Diesel was the first production diesel motorcycle in the world. The Bullet 500 was launched in June 1993 and went on to become the most coveted model of the brand. In 1994 the Eicher Group acquired the Company and changed the name to Royal Enfield Motors Limited.
Royal Enfield are the makers of famous Bullet brand in India. Established in 1955, Royal Enfield is among the oldest bike companies. Although the company is known for manufacturing motorcycles, it also produces bicycle, stationary engines, lawnmowers and rifles. Royal Enfield has its headquarters at Chennai in India. Bullet bikes are famous for their power, stability and rugged looks. Royal Enfield Models
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Thunderbird Bullet 350 Bullet Machismo 500 Bullet Electra 5S
About the Company Royal Enfield was a brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, a British manufacturing firm. It started in India for the Indian Army 350cc bikes were imported in kits from the UK and assembled in Chennai. After a few years, the company started producing the 500cc Bullet. Thanks to its qualities, Bullet became popular in India. Bullet became known for sheer power, matchless stability, and rugged looks. It looked tailor-made for Indian roads. Motorcyclists in the country dreamt to drive it. It was particularly a favorite of the Army and Police personnel. In 1990, Royal Enfield ventured into collaboration with the Eicher Group, a leading automotive group in India, in 1990, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of Tractors, Commercial Vehicles, and Automotive Gears.
Royal Enfield made continuously incorporating new technology and systems in its bikes. In 1996, when the Government of India imposed stringent norms for emission, Royal Enfield was the first motorcycle manufacturer to comply. It was among the few companies in India to obtain the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) for meeting the European Community norms. Today, Royal Enfield is considered the oldest motorcycle model in the world still in production and Bullet is the longest production run model. ------------------Mid 19th century England. The firm of George Townsend & Co. opened its doors in the tiny village of Hunt End, near the Worcestershire town of Redditch. A firm specializing in sewing needles and machine parts. In the first flush of enterprise, flitting from one opportunity to another, they chanced upon the pedal-cycle trade. Little did they know then that it was the beginning of the making of a legend. Soon, George Townsend & Co. was manufacturing its own brand of bicycles. And in 1893 its products began to sport the name Enfield under the entity Enfield Manufacturing Company Limited with the trademark Royal Enfield India was set up in 1955 when it started receiving 350cc bikes in kits from the UK and assembling them in Chennai, India. But, eventually the entire bike was manufactured in India and a couple of years later the Company started manufacturing the 500cc Bullet. By its sheer power, unmatched stability, superior riding comfort and rugged good looks, the Bullet dominated and continues to dominate the Indian roads. It is the dream choice of every motorcyclist in India with even the Indian Army and Police endorsing the Bike. Manufacturing Royal Enfield's manufacturing operations, go through a series of modernization and improvement efforts, with a number of automated processes. The Company has put in place modern manufacturing practices like Cellular layouts, Statistical process controls and Flexible manufacturing systems. The Chennai manufacturing facility has received the ISO 9001 certification and for managing
its operations in a clean and safe environment, it has obtained the ISO 14001quality certification. Royal Enfield ensures that all the components used in the bikes are sourced from the best vendors in the Indian automotive industry, who are geared to supply according to the Companys stringent quality standards. The company works closely with all of its suppliers, giving them technical and managerial support while maintaining practices like Direct-On-Line and Vendor SelfCertification
Marketing Network You can feel the pulse of your customers, only if you get close to them. This thought process has driven Royal Enfield to set up has a wide network of 13 marketing offices, 223 dealers in all major cities and towns, 25 spare parts distributors and stockists and 150 Authorised Service Centres. The Company also exports motorcycles to over 30 countries like the USA, Japan, Bahrain, UK, Germany and many European countries through 5 international offices, 25 importers and over 200 dealers across the globe --------------------Royal Enfield
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Founded: 1893 Country: UK Owner: Royal Enfield Motors Headquarters: Redditch, Worcestershire, England Royal Enfield was the brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, a British engineering company. Notable for producing motorcycles, it also produced bicycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines, and even rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield Lock.
It also enabled the use of the brand name Royal Enfield from 1890. In 1955 Enfield of India started assembling Bullet motorcycles under licence from UK components, and by 1962 were manufacturing complete bikes. -------------------------------
Royal Enfield did not just manufacture motorcycles; indeed the English engineering company portrayed a strong lineage of necessity beyond boundaries of ordinary realms. Yes! Driven by sheer necessity and manufactured with the state-of-the-art engineering capabilities, Enfield was initially associated with military requirements. In its earlier days, the company built lawnmowers, bicycles and even rifle parts for some Arms Factory. The company s motto of Made like a Gun and goes like a Bullet reflects Enfield s strong involvement with the military needs.
Spanning over three centuries the company is in the path of making its impact felt in even now in this new millennium. Lets sift through the Enfield s landmark achievements since it raced against cars and fought the wars.
1898: Produced first motorized vehicle equipped with a 2.75hp De Dion-Bouton engine. Today, this motorized vehicle is known by the name Quad. 1901: launched a bicycle that s fitted with a 150cc engine on the front wheel. 1902: improved vehicle with a 239cc Enfield engine mounted over the front wheel of the bicycle. 1907: produced an all-day automobile with company name as All days & onions. However, the vehicle manufactured was there in production until 1925, popularly referred as All day Automobiles with the word onion dropped. 1910: launched V-twins type, a Motosacoche 344 cc engine. 1915: during the World War I, Enfield needed to manufacture motorcycles that would be equipped to carry machine guns with stretcher-bearing capacity, on request of the British Armed Forces. It was during this time that the first small 2-stroke engine seen the light of the day. 1917: Royal Enfield supplied machines to Russians as well. The phase saw a team of women police force riding the 600cc Royal Enfield bikes. 1924-1930: the phase of WWI and the aftermath did not affect the growth of sales of Royal Enfield. The company upgraded its engine and added features such as girder front forks, saddle tanks and center spring to give the bulls of Royal Enfield a more contemporary look. Further upgrading led to the launch of 488cc machine with a four-speed gearbox in the year 1927 and soon by 30s, Royal Enfield had thirteen featured models and the birth of famous Bullet cylinder took place during this phase. 1939-1945: As the world again fought the bloodied wars, Royal Enfield rose to the occasion and supplied the countries with machines and motorcycles for military purposes. The model 125cc Flying Flea became quite popular, and was referred as Airborne, because of its capacity of being dropped by a parachute. War
instruments were also manufactured by Royal Enfield during this period. 1950s: Enfield India began manufacturing machines with parts being brought from Britain. 1962: Enfield India began producing complete motorcycles indigenously while it retained all essential traditions from Enfield. 1965-Until Now: Shifting of production from Redditch England to Chennai plant in India. The name Royal Enfield lived on with its full life, as Indian bought the denomination rights. However, in the year 1986, Raja Narayan, a civil servant from Britain created an Export arm for Royal Enfield India, and as of now, it s the most famous model Bullet that is being marketed in Britain. Thus, Royal Enfield claims to be the world s oldest motorcycle still striving to stride well in the global as well as Indian market nevertheless been enticing Enfield enthusiasts but more importantly has become a benchmark standard for other bike manufacturers and still dedicating to the biking in the truest sense!
-------------------After a long search finally Mr. George Townsend choose England for his new venture. That time England was a hub of manufacturing of small needles & hooks. Mr. George Townsend commissioned his needle factory in England in the name of GIVRY WORKS. Over period of time, son of Mr. George Townsend named George Jr.& his half brother brought a bicycle in the name of ³ BONESHAKER´ the same unit. This bicycle had a iron frame, wooden wheels, iron tyres and wooden pedal. This bicycle was crude in design and good for entertainment only. Mr. George Junior and his half brother were confident to improve the over all bicycle.
In 1880, a modern bicycle was launched in the market. Other manufacturers as well as Mr. George Townsend Junior were in the race of manufacturing & supplying parts of bicycle. Finally Mr. George Jr. started manufacturing saddle spring under marketed/ patented as ³Townsend cyclist saddle & spring´. With this part George Junior entered in the trading of bicycle parts. After some time George slowly moved from trading to bicycle manufacturing. Along with producing bicycle, George was also supplying bicycle parts to other manufacturer. That was the period when GIVRY WORKS was growing rapidly. Within next three years tenure George launched about two dozen models of bicycles in the market. These models were known as ³Townsend bicycle¶. These bicycles were well known for their sturdy frame. All Royal Enfield motorcycles followed this character. In 1890 George Townsend came across financial crises. To over came this crises he did financial tie up with a financier of Birmingham. But their finance tie up could go long way. Due to some differences, Townsend parted with him and handover his factory to him. In November 1891 financier brought Albert Eadie and R W Smith to run the factory. They took complete control of the factory in same month. The company again re named as Eadie Manufacturing co Ltd. Just after taking over the factory Eadie got a contract to supply precision rifle parts to Royal Small Arm factory in Enfield Middlesex. In the celebration of this contract they named their first new design bicycle as ENFIELD. In October 1892 a new company was formed by Eadie & Smith in the name of The Enfield Manufacturing co Ltd. This company was formed to market their new design bicycle. Latter on word Royal was added ( After the Royal small Arm co.).This was the beginning of Royal Enfield. In 1893 word Royal Enfield trade mark ³Made like a gun´ appeared. The slogan become very popular in Great Britain. The company was performing well. In 1899 Enfield Cycle co to planned to manufacture first mechanical vehicle. These vehicle were manufactured with 1.5 HP engine in Tricycle & quardricycle. The vehicle features were unique- Heavy cross frame with High wheel, solid tyres. This model was popular in the name of Eadie coaster. There after a refined model of mechanical vehicle manufactured by Enfield cycle co
was launched in the market in the name of ³Riche Model´. By 1907 Enfield cycle co was having their headquarter at Redid itch and was manufacturing conventional, sports and racing cycles. R W Smith himself made a quardricycle in 1897. Bike was simple in design and had four wheels & French engine, which was placed between the rear wheels. In next two years lot of developments took places and Enfield quardricycle was awarded silver medal by Automobile club of Great Britain and Ireland on the occasion of completing 1000 miles road trial. After the success Edie & smith decided to manufacture three and four wheelers. The first Royal Enfield car was built in 1901 and launched in the market in 1902.This car was known as yellow car because body of this car was made in Leicester and painted yellow. But this car could not gain the market and lost after some time. In 1901, royal Enfield took the biking world. At the motorcycle show that year royal Enfield displayed a small Swiss tradition engine and got good response. In 1911 slightly large model was developed. This model had two-speed gearbox and chain drive for which royal Enfield was well known. This model stood up in the market until 1914. In 1941 First World War begin and Royal Enfield got a contract to supply royal Enfield motorcycle to British war department. Same time royal Enfield manufactured royal Enfield motorcycle and supplied to Imperial Russian government. Royal Enfield built customized motorcycle for war purpose. Royal Enfield was using own manufactured 225 cc single cylinder and 425 cc twin cylinder in these motorcycles. After the first war Royal Enfield started producing 976 cc twin cylinder motorcycle Royal Enfield continued to manufactured 225 cc motorcycle till 1929. In 1917 Royal Enfield supplied 225 cc motorcycles to police for the use of women police force. Also during this period royal Enfield came with 600 cc motorcycle with new features like inlet over exhaust. Closed valve gear, two-speed countershaft gearbox, hand operated oil pump and chain final drive. Between 1913 to 1914 royal Enfield came up with Enfield V twin having unique feature like glass oil tank, giving oil level visibility all the time. World first prototype 675 cc, 3 cylinders, two-stroke motorcycle was built by Royal Enfield in 1915 In 1924 first four stroke, single cylinder, 350cc motorcycle with Jap engine motorcycle was launched by Royal Enfield..
In 1925 Royal Enfield sidecar with V twin engine took a part in 6 days ACU commercial trail and awarded special certificate for completing course without loosing any mark. The first company who introduce saddle tank and center spring front fork in motorcycle was Royal Enfield.. This was happened in 1928. Royal Enfield motorcycle were making their sale records continuously because of their new look motorcycles and comprehensive range of models even in dark days of depression in Great Britain till 1930. In between ,1927 Royal Enfield introduce a motorcycle with 488 cc engine & four speed gear box. Another model of motorcycle with 225 cc engine with side valve was launched in the market 1928. In 1931 Royal Enfield launched a new model of motorcycle with single cylinder & four stroke engine. Thereafter in next ten years time Royal Enfield produced several models of motorcycle starting from 146cc vehicle to 1140cc V twin motorcycle in 1937. In 1930,Royal Enfield was having 13 different models of Royal Enfield motorcycle in the market. This largest range was available with only Royal Enfield. In 1931 Royal Enfield introduced 4 stroke, single cylinder, four valve motorcycle and another christened Bullet in 1932.This was the first time when Royal Enfield named their model as ³Bullet´. This motorcycle was having inclined engine and exposed valve gears. This model ran till 1934. During second world was Royal Enfield introduced 125 cc motorcycle known as Airborne. During war this motorcycle were dropped along with Airborne troupes with the help of Parachute. After the war, in 1939 Enfield manufactured Bullet 350 cc kick start model. First time two rocker boxes were used in this motorcycle for higher volumetric efficiency and better fuel flow. Royal Enfield had designed & manufactured own front fork in this motorcycle. The biggest achievement of Royal Enfield was own design & own manufactured swinging arm rear suspension & hydraulic suspension.
In 1947 Royal Enfield introduce telescopic front shocker system in their J-2 motorcycle. This motorcycle was the first motorcycle with telescopic front shockers. Same front suspension was used by Royal Enfield in 500 cc, 25 BHP engine in 1948. This motorcycle was continued in production till 1958. In 1949 M/s Madras Motors got an order from Indian army to supply Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. This was the time when Bullet motorcycle launched in India.Madras Motors were importing kits from UK and assembled in India.Slowly Madras Motors started to manufacture motorcycle frame in India and assembled the engine and their after they have started manufacturing complete motorcycle in India. In 1950 several models of motorcycle were introduced in the market like 650cc Meteor twin engine,250 cc clipper, a short stroke motorcycle Crusader, 250cc trails, super 5,continental,500 cc sports twin, super Meteor, constellation and the interceptor. In UK this was the first time in the history of British automobile industries when wide choice was available in motorcycle, different color schemes, verity of engine configuration, different capacity of engines and all this happened only in one decade. Prior to this motorcyclist were never had such wide choice in motorcycles. T his was not happened only with Royal Enfield also with other manufacturer. In 1950, downward trend started in lower capacity of motorcycle and higher capacity motorcycles started gaining market because of their reliability. Royal Enfield was having a wide range of motorcycles from 125cc to 700 cc in their UK showroom. In Madras, Indian Army insisted Madras Motors to manufacture Royal Enfield motorcycle in India. Indian Army also inform Madras Motors that they will continue to buy if motorcycles produced indigenous. In late fifties, Enfield India Bullet motorcycle was completely different from today¶s Bullet motorcycles. In next ten years time there were lots of changes took place in
Bullet motorcycle and over period of time it took the shape of more or less today¶s Bullet motorcycle. From 1955 to 1959, Royal Enfield sold bikes in the U.S. under the Indian name. In 1960 this agreement ended. In 1961 Eddie Moulder won the a Big Bear Enduro which gave a secured position to Royal Enfield in US under its own name and started marketing of the product once again. Models include this year were from 250 cc to 700 cc. During this year RoyalEnfield won 31 races out of 39 and had several other victories which gave new strength to the product. By 1970 Enfield India had already established them selves in the market and also changes were made in the product as per Indian road and climate conditions. Changes were made in design of front mudguard, ignition system and in the braking system of the mudguard. In 1962 the UK Royal Enfield company was sold and by 1967 Reddich factory was also closed for further production. Royal Enfield closed their total manufacturing operations by 1970. In India,in seventeen¶s Enfield India Ltd launched their new products like Sherpa, motorcycle and in 1973 Crusder a 173 cc motorcycle. These both product were different from existing Bullet motorcycle and small in weight & size. A 200cc ,2 stroke motorcycle in the name of Mini Bullet was also introduced in the market by Enfield India Ltd for customers wanted economical & small size of motorcycle. In 1983,Enfield India ltd commissioned their new plant in Ranipet near Madras to manufacture small, light weight,two stroke motorcycles in collaboration with Zundapp of Germany. In 1983, Enfield India Ltd introduced their 50cc two stroke ,6.5 BHP ,two gear product in the name of Silver Plus in the market. This was the first vehicle introduced in Indian market with die cast wheels. Later on Silver plus was upgraded to 3 gears.
Enfield India ltd also introduced a 50 cc motorcycle with die cast wheels in the name of Explorer in the market. During eighties Fury, a 175 cc ,two stroke motorcycle with die cast wheels and front hydraulic brake ( Disc Brake) was launched by the Royal Enfield in the market. During eighteens new models of Bullet like Bullet Deluxe was also entered in the Indian market. Enfield India ltd entered in manufacturing of small , ligh weight,two stroke motorcycles with the collaboration with Zundapp Germany.They set up a new plant at Ranipet, near to Chennai to manufacture these motorcycles. Enfield India ltd 50 cc 6.5 BHP two stroke motorcyle and 50cc 6.6 BHP 2 stroke step through powered by Zundapp engineering at entry level segment.Initially silver plus was with two gears operation and latter on came with three gear operation. Both the bikes were fitted with die cast wheels. After some time Fury 175 cc two stroke motorcycle a Zundapp model was launched by Enfield India ltd in the narket. Fury was fitted with die cast wheels, front disc brake and 5 speed gear box. Enfield India ltd launched their other products like Bullet 500cc ,Machismo and Enfield Diesel in the market in between 1990 to 1994. Later on Enfield Diesel was renamed at Taurus. In 1990 Enfield India Ltd had a strategic alliance with Eicher group and latter on in 1994 Eicher Group acquired Enfield India Ltd and name of the Enfield India Ltd changed to Royal Enfield Motors Ltd. After acquiring by Eicher Group Royal Enfield launched their new models in the market like Lightning 500cc & Lightning 535cc motorcycle. These bikes were for young Enthusiast bikers those needs more power and style. In 1999 Royal Enfield launched their new product Machismo with AVL engine. This motorcycle was fitted with 350cc 18 BHP lean burn AVL Engine. Some where in 2000 Royal Enfield also introduce their new variant Campas & Electra In the Market. Electra was having CDI ignition system instead of CB point system. In 2001 Royal Enfield launched a new model called ³Thunderbird´, motorcycle fitted with 350cc 18BHP engine and five speed gear box with heel and toe gear shift and
fitted with CDI ignition system. This was the first model of Royal Enfield which was having left hand side gear change lever and rear brake on right hand side. Later on Royal Enfield launched new version of Machismo with five speed gear box with left hand side gear change lever. In October 2003 a new variant of Electra was launched in the market. This model was fitted with TCI ignition system and was having better start ability , better pick up and better mileage. In 2004 Bullet 500 cc with electric start was launched in the market. In 2005 New version of Thunderbird with TCI ignition system and dual tone color was introduce in the market. Same time Royal Enfield also introduced Electra 5S in duel tone color and fitted with 5 speed gear box. These model were launched with option of electric start and front disc brake. In May, 2007 Royal Enfield introduced their new model Machismo 500CC with Lean burn engine in India. Machismo 500 cc was fitted with 5 speed gear box. Motorcycle was having a classic look
Royal Enfield History Royal Enfield was incorporated as Enfield India Limited on the 21st of November in 1955 with the first bikes being assembled from CKD kits. It was the first 4-stroke motorcycle manufacturer in the India. In 1956, the plant in Thiruvottiyur was set up and by the end of the year, 163 Enfield Bullets had been assembled and rolled off the new assembly line. Enfield India launched the 173cc Villiers-powered Crusader in India in 1973 to follow the successful Sherpa, a small motorcycle developed indigenously using many Bullet parts for those diffident about handling a Bullet which was followed by the Mini Bullet a 200 cc two stroke sporting `contemporary' design to provide a zippy, reliable and economical two-stroke bike. Enfield India tied up with Zundapp of Germany, and put up a plant in Ranipet, near Chennai in the 1980's to manufacture small, light weight two stroke two wheelers. The competition was hotting up and like the adage that goes, "when the going get tough, that's when the tough gets going". Enfield India launched a slew of light weight machines.
The 50cc Silver Plus step-through and Explorer motorcycle and the Fury 175 and these bikes redefined the entry-level segment. The Fury with a fivespeed gearbox came fitted with a hydraulic disc brake a first in the country. The 1980's also saw the Bullet in many different avatars the Deluxe models, in resplendent chrome and metallic colours. The 1990's saw many revolutionary models from the Company. The Taurus Diesel was the first production diesel motorcycle in the world. The Enfield Bullet 500 was launched in June 1993 and went on to become the most coveted model of the brand. In 1994 the Eicher Group acquired the Company and changed the name to Royal Enfield Motors Limited. With the community of motorcycle enthusiasts increasing, the year 1995 saw the launch of the formal first Bullet club in Bangalore. Since then several clubs have come up in different parts of India with more than thousands of bikers as Members. In 1998, Royal Enfield developed and introduced a new platform of products with a lean burn engine. This engine not only meets the stringent emission norms, but also offers more power and fuel economy. Bullet Machismo, a true classic motorcycle, was launched with this engine. To address the needs of all the urban customers, Royal Enfield launched the first Cruiser bike "Thunderbird". It was an instant success. It bagged the BBC Wheels Award for the best Cruiser in India in 2002. More awards followed and the Bullet entered the Indian Automotive "Hall of Pride" award for defining the motorcycles in the Indian perspective. In the last 5 years, Royal Enfield has made significant strides in the global market. From North America to Europe in the West and Japan to Australia in the East today Royal Enfield has a pride of place across the globe. In fact Royal Enfield was ranked among the top 10 selling brands in UK in the 125 500 cc category. As a reflection of commitment to its customers TNS Auto has rated Royal Enfield as the best in Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) in the last two consecutive years, in Cruiser segment. In its 50th year Royal Enfield re-dedicates itself to the cause of true motorcycling in India with relevant products and services.
