It is no secret in recent years, Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield have been growing from strength to strength, not only in their domestic market but also notably in European markets too.
Quirky functional bikes like the Meteor and Himalayan have sold in great numbers all over the world but their ever improving quality and subdued performance seems to have struck a chord with motorcycling buyers…who are looking for a great deal for a ride that delivers on riding experience.
For 2022 in the UK and many European countries, Royal Enfield motorcycles have been either the number one sellers or sitting proud near the top of the tree…this is overall sales numbers and not in a particular niche either.
Now for 2023, many have been asking whether Royal Enfield can surpass recent gains and really start to challenge other notable western brands and grab increasing market share.
Already there has been some suggestion that the new Super Meteor with the 650cc parallel twin engine could be only to fill the hole that Harley Davidson fans have been yearning for. In fact some market analysts go further to say the Super Meteor with its cruiser styling could indeed challenge the cruiser domination of the H-D Softail line up. Not only does it have the looks, and notable performance but it comes in on price too. Starting at £7,299 in the UK…that’s half the price of the lowest cruiser from the American brand.
Of course there are performance differences and subjective aesthetics to challenge your thinking, but if you’re looking for a ‘cruiser’ rather than specifically a Harley Davidson cruiser…then this could be the diamond in the rough you’ve been searching for.
However, the other perspective is that Royal Enfield are much more a challenge to the likes of Triumph and the Bonneville range of bikes and many of the other brands, both great and small who are producing retro cruiser and roadster creatures for budget prices.
2023 will be a challenging year for those brands only selling higher priced bikes. Sure, they will continue to make sales but perhaps not in the numbers once seen. This economic situation lends itself to companies like Royal Enfield to swoop in a gobble up market shares where once it fed on crumbs…and this comes from a manufacturer who isn’t even the largest in India
So if you’re in the market for an affordable quality motorcycle for 2023 the Royal Enfield may indeed be worth your consideration…and your wallet will thank you too.
