October 22, 2024 | Alex Summers

There's A 26-Year-Old CEO Steering Royal Enfield to New Heights. Here's How He Did It.


The Royal Enfield Renaissance

Sometimes, the best person to save a legacy brand is the one crazy enough to try. Here’s the inspiring story of a 26-year-old Royal Enfield enthusiast who brought an almost-dying motorcycle company back to life.

Royal Enfield and CEO

The Historical Beginning

Royal Enfield assembled its first motorcycle in 1901, which was a 239cc engine mounted in front of the steering head. By 1955, the company partnered with Madras Motors in India to produce motorcycles. Here is where it all began.

 Royal Enfield Crusader Coventrysome guy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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A Born Enthusiast

Siddhartha Lal, son of Vikram Lal, who grew up in the Eicher business family, was more into playing with motorcycles than doing typical kid stuff. His love for machines from an early age literally ended up shaping the future of Royal Enfield.

Royal Enfield CEO World Economic Forum, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

The First Love Affair

When Siddhartha Lal was 17, he came back from boarding school one day and found a shiny red Royal Enfield motorcycle in his garage. What he mentioned was, “I saw it and totally fell in love with it. That bike became my best buddy.”

Siddhartha LalWorld Economic Forum, Flickr

Workshop Weekends

During his time at St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, Siddhartha liked to spend his weekends working in workshops and getting his hands dirty. This experience is said to have given him really cool insights into motorcycle mechanics.

WorkshopNattapat.J, Shutterstock

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Learning The Craft

Even though Lal’s family was quite well-to-do, he still worked as a mechanic’s apprentice in the summers. He was very interested in motorcycles, which enabled him to learn everything from the nitty-gritty technical stuff to what riders really wanted.

Royal Enfield kasarp studio, Shutterstock

Academic Excellence

When Siddhartha was 24, he finished his Master’s in Automotive Engineering at the University of Leeds, England, making him a mechanical engineer. His studies gave him both book smarts and hands-on experience with how motorcycles work. 

Siddhartha LalWorld Economic Forum, Flickr

A Critical Choice

On returning back to India, Siddhartha talked his father into letting him take on the struggling Royal Enfield instead of the more secure trucking business. This was indeed a critical choice that would put his reputation on the line for a fading brand at that time.

Siddhartha LalCrossroads Foundation Photos, Flickr

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Taking Control

It was then in 1994 that Siddhartha Lal took over Royal Enfield when the company was almost broke. They were only selling about 2,000 motorcycles a year, with a production capacity of 6,000. Even though he was pretty young, he became the CEO and turned things around.

Siddhartha LalWorld Economic Forum, Flickr

Strategic Downsizing

As the CEO, Siddhartha decided to shut down the unproductive assembly lines and put all the resources into the flagship Bullet motorcycle. This gutsy move really helped to streamline operations and cut down manufacturing costs by a lot.

Royal Enfield CEOWorld Economic Forum, Flickr

Manufacturing Revolution

He brought in modern assembly methods and quality control procedures that radically altered Royal Enfield’s outmoded Chennai factory. He also redesigned the old production process that the company had been using.

Royal Enfield factory Wisnu Gareng, Shutterstock

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Manufacturing Revolution (Cont.) 

A 1000-point Japanese quality checklist was implemented to fix chronic issues like oil leakages, snapping accelerators, clutch cable failures, and electrical system problems. The production evolved from basic assembly to precision manufacturing.

Royal Enfield Wisnu Gareng, Shutterstock

Hands-On Leadership

You might not believe it, but the young CEO made sure to test-ride every new motorcycle model himself. By getting hands-on, he was able to spot and fix the ongoing issues with Royal Enfield bikes, improving their quality.

Royal Enfield sylv1rob1, Shutterstock

Engine Evolution

Lal made an important decision to switch from cast iron to aluminum engines. This change improved reliability while maintaining 70% of the iconic Royal Enfield thump (thud-thud sound), which won over both traditional fans and newcomers.

Royal Enfield CylinderSoumitra Giri, Shutterstock

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Technical Innovation

Our young CEO put a lot of money into the research and development to come up with the Unit Construction Engine. The new UCE powerplant maintained the distinctive 350-cc capacity while incorporating modern features like improved combustion and fuel efficiency.

Royal Enfield D_y_n_a_m_o, Shutterstock

Brand Repositioning

Royal Enfield’s marketing strategy shifted under Siddhartha’s watch. Instead of competing with Japanese brands, he positioned the company as a premium vintage motorcycle maker. Hence, the company chose to focus on building a “point-of-view” brand identity.

Royal Enfield sylv1rob1, Shutterstock

Modern Classic Launch

The company introduced the Classic 350 model in 2009. This motorcycle perfectly balanced retro charm with modern features, becoming an instant hit. Its success helped multiply annual sales from 50,000 bikes in 2010 to an astounding 300,000 units by 2014.

Royal Enfield Kev Gregory, Shutterstock

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Global Vision

Lal moved to London in 2015 to lead Royal Enfield’s worldwide expansion. This decision played a key role in establishing the brand in global markets and influencing its overall design approach on a global scale.

Royal Enfield in showroomAtharax, Shutterstock

Sales Transformation 

As we know, in the year 2000, Royal Enfield sold 2,000 units. But by 2018, they were selling over 800,000 motorcycles, which made them the world’s biggest midsize motorcycle manufacturer. This growth outpaced even Harley Davidson’s global sales!

Royal Enfield AlivePhoto, Shutterstock

Adventure Territory

Siddhartha introduced the Himalayan adventure motorcycle in 2016, powered by a 411cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine. This completely new design proved Royal Enfield could go beyond its classic models while maintaining its brand identity.

Royal Enfield yogendrasingh.in, Shutterstock

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Twin Power

The brand launched its first twin-cylinder motorcycles in decades: the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. Following Lal’s philosophy of “tech for better rideability,” these models had fuel injection, ABS, and improved cooling systems.

Royal Enfield

Dealer Network

The young entrepreneur made sure to focus on creating a solid network of dealers. He went to dealerships himself, getting to know the local markets and making sure that customers had a consistent experience no matter where they were.

Royal Enfield CEOWorld Economic Forum, Flickr

Supply Chain Reform

Also, Royal Enfield’s parts supply chain underwent complete reformation. The company established better inventory management systems, reducing the traditional waiting period from 5-8 months to 2 months, and the new product development cycle was extended to three and a half years.

Two people hand shakeRabbi Creative, Shutterstock

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Community Building

Under Lal’s vision, Royal Enfield went from a motorcycle manufacturer into a lifestyle movement with over 10 million riding enthusiasts globally. The centerpiece was the creation of Rider Mania, India’s largest motorcycle festival, which became an annual celebration of the Royal Enfield culture. 

Royal Enfield sylv1rob1, Shutterstock

Community Building (Cont.)

The company established premium, experience-focused showrooms that served as community hubs rather than mere retail spaces. These stores became gathering points where riders could share stories, plan trips, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. 

Royal Enfield sylv1rob1, Shutterstock

Legacy Of Vision

Ultimately, the 26-year-old Lal’s quote captures his philosophy: “Do we want to be a mediocre player in 15 small businesses or just be good in one or two businesses?” This clarity led to the divesting of 13 businesses to save one dying brand. What an incredible story, indeed!

Siddhartha LalWorld Economic Forum, Flickr


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