Royal Enfield: A tale of success and sustainability
There’s something so charismatic about the Royal Enfield. Despite a lot of competitors entering the middle-weight motorcycling, it still manages to hold it’s own and grow right from its presence in India since 1955, and it has enduring magic across generations.
So what makes this machine the preferred choice amongst riders? Well, besides the fact that it’s one of the most reliable machines for the Indian terrain, there’s a lot more to it then what meets the eye. Global Head of Marketing for Royal Enfield, Shubhranshu Singh states that the brand “is a leader in its segment because we have the best distribution network in the country.
A motorcycling brand is about the right service, the right network, the right institution such as rides and platforms that cater to a holistic experience for the consumer. It’s not only about making a great motorcycle, it goes beyond the product – how you’re being able to create a culture for leisure motorcycling and I think Royal Enfield has done that brilliantly and that is why it is growing from strength to strength.”
Royal Enfield is known for exploration and riding; of not only the terrain but also of oneself. People choose this bike because, "we are able to have a fun time and these machines themselves become catalyst for a lifelong pursuit of exploration," adds motorcycle enthusiast Neeraj Sharma from Himachal Pradesh.
Shubhranshu Singh states that, "Royal Enfield as a brand thinks of its spiritual home as the Himalayas. And, as you know we have an adventure-tourer motorcycle called ‘Royal Enfield Himalayan’, which has been built for exploration of the Himalayan terrain. Also ‘The Himalayan Odyssey’ which has been in existence from 16 years now is an epic ride and an institution in itself.
"We do many rides across the Himalayan canvas, for example, the tour of Bhutan, the tour of Uttarakhand; we also did the Everest base camp ride recently. We did another one from Leh which was called the ‘Astral Rides’ for photographers to shoot the Milky Way and the starry sky which can be seen from nowhere except Leh. So, the idea is not just about the Himalayas and the Himalayan motorcycles, it is also about creating a culture of riding to destinations that are a journey of education in themselves."
Adding further to the charm of the brand is that there is no particular age or demographic that it targets. It has loyalists who range from millennials to old age riders, who just love the thrill even after five decades. The brand understands that India is a young country with 40 crore people in India who are yet not 20 years old and Generation Z is the future.
To that end, the brand will work to do a lot more in terms of digital platforms and is working on analytics-linked personalisation; accessibility– reaching people in Tier II and Tier III towns and expanding their network of unique stores and dealership, while engaging with costumers more on social media. It seems like keeping the focus on pure motorcycling and nudging people to “discover a brilliant way of life for themselves by being customers of Royal Enfield,” as Singh states, is working in their favour.