A Flying Start

A new chapter for the world's most storied motorcycle manufacturer, the Flying Flea is Royal Enfield's first electric offering, and one of its only machines not specifically built for touring or B-road bashing. Will the Flying Flea soar?

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WHEN IT COMES to fabled war horses from the Second World War era, Royal Enfield’s name is right up there with the likes of the legendary Spitfire, the P-52 Mustang and the Willys Jeep. While Royal Enfield’s post-war era was largely defined by the formidable Bullet, its stealthiest agent was called the Flying Flea—a lightweight, 125cc motorcycle that was parachuted onto geographical flashpoints, cocooned by a protective cradle and ready for action the second it touched terra firma.

For many purists, particularly in the Indian context, Royal Enfield has been a singular beacon of practical and recreational motorcycling, standing tall in the face of the Japanese ‘commuter bike’ invasion that began in the 1980s. The Flying Flea, having served its purpose, seemed to have been permanently put to pasture. Until now.

In a truly ingenious move, the manufacturer has decided to enter the choppy and relatively untested waters of electric motor-cycling by re-baptising the Flying Flea as its first-ever electric bike, called the Flying Flea C6. It’s a historic moment for the brand and one that’s marked by several distinctions when compared to other legacy motorcycle manufacturers who gave electric bikes a crack. And failed.

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