Royal Enfield: Ruling the Mid-Size Motorcycle Market, Upending Harley and BMW
Harley, BMW, and KTM overshadowed by the expansion of the Royal Enfield brand?
Think Japan or China for the top motorcycle manufacturers? Think again. India's got a strong claim to the throne.
If we gauge a motorcycle manufacturer's clout by revenue, heavyweights like Harley-Davidson and BMW take the lead. Quantify by the number of two-wheelers produced annually? Big Japanese names like Honda and Yamaha move to the forefront, thanks to their extensive model range, from scooters to mid-size motorcycles.
But here's the kicker: when we focus strictly on motorcycles (excluding scooters and smaller vehicles), the crown goes to the Indian brand, Royal Enfield. According to Kai Petermann, responsible for its distribution in Germany, "We don't produce 125cc or smaller engines, which are primarily used by large manufacturers to achieve their massive production numbers. We don't produce mopeds, light motorcycles, or similar vehicles."
India's focus is on mid-range motorcycles (250-750cc) and they do it well - extremely well. In fact, they produced over one million units for the first time in their last fiscal year. That's right, 1,009,000 units!
These numbers are split across four engine series: a 350cc single-cylinder, air-cooled 440cc and 650cc single-cylinder engines, and a new 450cc single-cylinder engine with liquid cooling. The liquid-cooled 450cc engine debuted in 2023 and is currently available in the Himalayan adventure bike and the Naked Bike Guerilla.
Premium Status in India, Expanding Globally
Royal Enfield is on a roll in its home market, continuously growing and being considered a premium brand. The manufacturer is also expanding its sales in Asia and the western world. Even in performance-oriented Germany, the brand's influence is growing: Last year, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) listed Royal Enfield among the twelve strongest motorcycle brands by volume.
For 2025, Royal Enfield is putting a strong emphasis on strengthening its presence in the twin-cylinder segment with the introductory of the "Bear 650" and "Classic 650". The former is a scrambler, while the latter carries on the brand's tradition that started in 1901. This brings the total number of Indian models to twelve, available in different variants and colors.
Affordable models start at €4,490 for the HNTR 350 in the Dapper version, while the most expensive is the Super Meteor 650 "Celestial" for €8,390. The new "Bear" ranges between €7,640 and €7,890, and the new Classic 650 between €7,090 and €7,390.
Increasing Footprints in Germany
To maintain and grow its registration and ownership numbers in Germany, Royal Enfield is expanding its presence significantly. "We want to offer our customers more service and to do this, we are establishing our own German subsidiary," explains Petermann. This is set to begin operations in the Freiburg region in autumn and coordinate the brand's distribution in Germany.
Sources: ntv.de, Ulf Böringer, sp-x
Note: Royal Enfield's dominance in the mid-size motorcycle market is particularly noteworthy, especially when contrasted with competitors like Harley-Davidson and BMW, which focus primarily on heavyweight and premium motorcycles. In terms of overall production across all segments, Honda and Yamaha remain global giants, due to their broad model range.
- Royal Enfield, primarily designed for the transport of persons, holds the crown in the mid-size motorcycle market, outperforming Harley-Davidson and BMW in this specific segment.
- The Indian brand, Royal Enfield, produces motorcycles (excluding scooters and smaller vehicles) and has a strong manufacturing focus on mid-range motorcycles (250-750cc).
- In terms of revenue, larger manufacturers like Harley-Davidson and BMW may lead, but when production is quantified by the number of two-wheelers produced annually, Royal Enfield, as a subsidiary in the automotive industry, surpasses these competitors in motorcycle production.
- The growth of Royal Enfield's influence is evident in markets like Germany, where the brand is expanding its footprint and being recognized as a premium brand, as evidenced by its inclusion in the list of the twelve strongest motorcycle brands by volume by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
- To foster growth and improve customer service, Royal Enfield plans to establish a German subsidiary, aiming to make a significant expansion in the region and coordinate the brand's distribution in Germany.
