Royal Enfield's heritage dates back to the early 1900s in pre-World War Britain, at a factory in Redditch. This factory, however, shut down in the 1950s and motorcycle production continued in India. But a factory in Redditch was opened for R&D purposes.
For 2017, Royal Enfield has introduced a Redditch theme on its Classic 350 model, based on the famous 'Flying Flea' of the 1950s. The 'Flying Flea' gained its fame as a rugged, lightweight motorcycle that could be air-dropped onto the battle-field, particularly for paratroopers to use. This was a 125cc, two-stroke motorcycle that was initially called the 'Royal Baby', but soon gained the moniker of 'Flying Flea' because of its airborne antics and tiny size.
While the Classic itself seems to be insipired by Royal Enfield's 'J2' model, also from the 50s, the addition of this Redditch-themed paint scheme is a reminder of Enfield's vast hertiage. The Classic 350 will now be available in three Redditch colours – Redditch Red, Redditch Green and Redditch Blue.
The motorcycle will be available at an on-road price of Rs 1.46 lakh in Delhi, Rs 1.57 lakh in Mumbai, Rs 1.47 lakh in Chennai, Rs 1.55 lakh in Bengaluru and Rs 1.49 lakh in Hyderabad.