A historic motorcycle brand with a rich past rides onto the shores of the United States.

And knowing how much riders love their colorful stories, the Royal Endfield motorcycles could cause quite a stir. A new chapter in the old story comes from Classic Motorworks, the official importer and distributor of Royal Enfield motorcycles in the United States with the exciting news that the 2010 Royal Enfield Bullet model line would ride into American showrooms.

“Today begins a very notable new model year for Royal Enfield in the United States,” says Kevin Mahoney, president of Classic Motorworks and Royal Enfield USA.

The year marks the complete transition of Royal Enfield’s production for the United States market to the Unit Construction Engine, Royal Enfield’s unique new power plant designed to offer the traditional appeal of a classic long-stroke “big single” engine along with modern technology for clean, reliable and maintenance-free operation. Disguised by the authentic vintage appearance of its ancestors, the newly-enhanced Bullet line now boasts hydraulic lifters, a closed-loop electronic fuel injection system and a three-stage catalytic converter.

According to those in the know, new 2010 Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles will begin rolling out to dealer showrooms in most markets this month, with model availability expected to follow later this spring for the brand’s pending dealers in California.

The long and interesting history of Royal Enfield started in the late 1800's when Enfield Cycle Company, a division of the British arms-making company Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield Lock, made motorcycles alongside bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet".

The road of British motorcycle manufacturers becomes littered with casualties in the 1970's with Japanese companies dominating the two-wheeled industry in that era and while Royal Enfield would cease production, a foriegn license would keep the brand alive.

In 1955 Enfield of India started assembling Bullet motorcycles under licence from UK components, and by 1962 were manufacturing complete bikes. Enfield of India bought the rights to use the Royal Enfield name in 1995. Royal Enfield production, based in Chennai, continues and Royal Enfield is now the oldest motorcycle brand in the world still in production with the Bullet model enjoying the longest motorcycle production run of all time and brings us to today.

The new 2010 model line will include a new version of the popular Bullet Military, continuing Royal Enfield’s long-standing tradition of building mainstream versions of its military contract motorcycles for western consumers. The 2010 Royal Enfield Bullet Military has been redesigned to match the acclaimed postwar-inspired form factor of the brand’s popular new Bullet C5 model with more information related to models, specs, and availability can be found online.