Royal Enfield is not what it used to be today. It lost most of its heritage and recognition through the years, by almost completely disappearing. But it is quite alive in Asia (especially India). And it seems like they are planning a comeback. I wish them well… But this build is not about them returning on the streets and roads of Europe. They sold almost 1 million motorcycles in 2018… And probably less than 3% of this amount in EU.
This build is about an original Royal Endfield Bullet from 1986.
Alain Glauser decided to build this custom bike for a friend
Yes, it was brought back from India to Switzerland, but this is the original machine… that carries the heritage and old fashioned tech. It took a year to build this custom, but I bet that the owner is happy about the result. Especially that he participated actively during the build process.
I really like the look of the engine. You can see the British design there. It is a very unique 500 ccs. It almost feels like it was designed as a decorative piece. Looks stock almost like taken from Steampunk inspired show.
The main changes include the visible mods of the bodywork: aluminium footrests, fenders etc. Beautiful 80 spoke rims grab the eye. What You don’t see is that the entire wiring harness was modified and equipped with Motogadget central unit. Shock absorbers, exhaust and lights are new. The colour is “matte aubergine”. The build earned the 2nd place in the Custom BIke Contest in Lyon this year.
The Watchmaker Motorcycle motto is:
Passionate about the world of the two wheels and filled with the local watchmaking tradition, I had a huge pleasure to realize this project. The next projects will follow with always the same state of mind “Be satisfied only of perfection”
Seems like a very interesting combination: watchmaking and motorcycle building. Combines the fabricating skills needed and attention to details. I would love to see this thing live. But for now… We only have photos to enjoy.
