PROJECT ORIGIN – 1901 ROYAL ENFIELD

Royal Enfield showcased a major centre-piece of their 120 anniversary celebration projects today with the unveiling of ‘Project Origin’, a faithful working replica of the brand’s very first ‘motor-bicycle’. This was the very machine that built the foundations upon which Royal Enfield has based their enduring legacy of ‘Pure Motorcycling’.

The conception of ‘Project Origin’ came about after a challenge was laid down to the Royal Enfield design and engineering teams by Gordon May, Royal Enfield’s in-house historian, during a historical presentation to celebrate the brand’s 120th anniversary. Part of the presentation focused on the very first prototype Royal Enfield motor-bicycle that was developed all theway back in 1901 by Frenchman Jules Gobiet, working hand-in-hand with Royal Enfield’s co-founder and chief designer, Bob Walker Smith. As the infant motorcycle industry was not sufficiently well established to have its own dedicated exhibition, the prototype was consequently displayed at the Stanley Cycle Show in London, in November 1901. This was the very first time any two-wheeled engine-powered Royal Enfield had ever been displayed to the public.

Classic Transfers was tasked with re-designing the artwork for the original transfer that we believe went on the tank and then screen printing the waterslide transfers. All that remained were a few period photographs, some promotional advertisements and a couple of illustrated news articles from 1901 that gave some basic graphic clues and information as to how the motor-bicycle would have looked and might have functioned.