[Flyer]

Royal Enfield has launched a limited edition model inspired by a World War II model used by British paratroopers called the Flying Flea. The new limited edition model is called the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus. The Classic 500 Pegasus is inspired by the legendary RE/WD 125 motorcycle, more commonly known as the Flying Flea, which was manufactured at Royal Enfield's underground facility in Westwood, UK, during World War II. Only 1,000 units will be made available globally, of which 250 will be sold in India.





The limited edition Pegasus model will be available in two colours inspired by the original palettes of the Flying Flea during World War II - Service Brown and the other called Olive Drab Green. Each of the 1000 new Classic 500 Pegasus motorcycles wears a maroon and blue Pegasus emblem – the official Parachute Regiment insignia – on the fuel tank along with an individual stencilled serial number, reminiscent of the 250th Airborne Light Company that served during World War II.



The Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus Limited Edition model is powered by the same 499 cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine of the Classic 500, which makes 27.2 bhp of power at 5,250 rpm and 41.3 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The chassis, brakes and tyres remain the same as the Classic 500, and the bike has a kerb weight of 194 kg.

An array of Gear, inspired by this decorated motorcycling legacy, will also be made available. Ranging from shirts, t-shirts, caps, lapel pins, bags and helmets, the limited-production and accessories of this collection are also adorned by the official military insignia and the Pegasus emblem, the company said. Each of limited-edition motorcycles will come with a bespoke set of military-style canvas panniers bearing the Pegasus logo. Each motorcycle will have authentic markings of military motorcycles, including brown handlebar grips, a leather strap with brass buckles across the air filter, blacked out silencers, rims, kickstart, pedals and headlight bezel to complete the period look.

"These new Classic 500 Pegasus motorcycles encapsulate a lot of the history and legacy of Royal Enfield. This is something only Royal Enfield could have done. Many brands have military motorcycles in their past but only Royal Enfield has the Flying Flea."








An image of the original Royal Enfield Flying Flea
Link

[swami69]

Great looking bikes. I am getting ideas to just exactly convert my RE500 Desert Storm this way - I think it should be easy as they are mostly cosmetic

debadge and rebadge
apply stickers on tanks
Black out all that muffler, bend pipe, engine casing etc., - need to find a
good heat resistant paint
add that leather strap and buckle
black out the headlight bezel
fabricate the canvas panniers
Just retain the DS colour and it will suit the cosmetic mods

hmm, nice. let me see

Swami

[TusharK]

Royal Enfield has revealed a new limited edition called the Classic 500 Pegasus Edition in the UK. It is inspired by the RE/WD 125 ‘The Flying Flea’ from World War II. Only 1,000 units will be produced and 250 of them will be sold in India.



The Classic 500 Pegasus Edition will be offered in two colour options - Olive Drab Green and Service Brown. The India-bound motorcycles will be painted in Service Brown. The bikes have the Pegasus logo on the fuel tank and blacked out engine, exhaust, wheels, handlebar and headlamp bezel. Other modifications include canvas panniers, air box with leather straps and brass buckles and tank badges similar to those seen on the original World War II motorcycle. The bikes will have a unique serial number stencilled on the tank as well.



The motorcycle is powered by a 499 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 27.2 BHP @ 5,250 rpm and 41.3 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It rides on 35 mm telescopic front forks and twin adjustable shock absorbers in the rear. Braking duties are handled by a single 280 mm disc with a 2-piston caliper up front and a 240 mm disc in the rear with a single-piston caliper setup.




Link to Team-BHP News

[vittalnrv]

Wow! That crankcase color looks devilishly sweet, RE definitely moving right direction to lure bikers.

[BLACKBLADE]

Oh, living the Royal Enfield legacy! The 500CC impostors of WD125 do look good, though one could not call them the flying fleas

Produced for the purpose of the WW-II, the War Department (WD) 125s were used as the primary source of communication, between the air borne troops that had been dropped by parachute, and the front line forces. These were the times when radio communication was not existent at the battle field. The motorcycles were of light weight (about 59 Kgs) and the soldiers carried them at times.

Flying Flea aka the Airborne. This lightweight 125cc bike could be dropped by parachute along with airborne troops. The factory also manufactured a variety of special instruments and apparatuses to use against enemy forces during war.Complete with its own parachute and packing cage, the Flying Flea could be dropped from an aircraft along with the troops provided a means of motorized battlefield transport not previously available.The Flea was fitted into a steel tubular cage called the ‘Bird Cage’, which had a parachute attached to it. The cage aided in packing turning handlebars easily

There is plenty of details about the flying fleas, here

Here is a picture of the original WD125 in a tubular cage.



Image source

[ArizonaJim]

I think that rather than comparing it to the Flying Flea, which was a 98cc two stroke, it actually comes close to looking like the Royal Enfield WD/CO.

The WD/CO was a 346cc OHV single cylinder machine first introduced in 1942 when it replaced a flathead WD/C version.

A total of 30,000 WD/CO's were made before the war ended.

Of course the new Pagasus doesn't have the solid frame or spring girder front fork of the WD/CO but it does look good for someone that wants a military looking WW II motorcycle.

[GTO]

As someone who studied marketing for 2 years, I just have this to say - What a BRILLIANT marketing move. Just look at the motorcycles and the way they are presented. This limited edition isn't going to make Royal Enfield any money. In fact, the efforts probably cost them more! But marketing activities & messages like these - delivered consistently - help create a brand as iconic as Royal Enfield.

The brand aura is just incredible. It's the reason I wear Royal Enfield merchandise. Would I ever wear a Hero Motors t-shirt or cargo pants? I don't think so.

Just like Rolls Royce, this is an example where the brand is worth more than the company.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by GTO

As someone who studied marketing for 2 years, I just have this to say - What a BRILLIANT marketing move. Just look at the motorcycles and the way they are presented. This limited edition isn't going to make Royal Enfield any money. In fact, the efforts probably cost them more! But marketing activities & messages like these - delivered consistently - help create a brand as iconic as Royal Enfield.

The brand aura is just incredible. It's the reason I wear Royal Enfield merchandise. Would I ever wear a Hero Motors t-shirt or cargo pants? I don't think so.

Fully agree with your comment. In my mind Royal Enfield have what it takes to create a desirable global Indian brand - which would be a first. I just can't see any other Indian brand across industries having that potential.

[TusharK]

Rumour: Royal Enfield Pegasus Edition launch on May 30, 2018

Earlier this week, Royal Enfield unveiled the Classic 500 Pegasus Edition - a limited edition model inspired by the RE/WD 125 'the Flying Flea' from World War II. Now, according to a media report, the bike will be launched in India on May 30, 2018.



Only 250 units of the Pegasus Edition will be sold in India. It will be offered in Service Brown shade with the engine, exhaust, wheels, handlebar and headlamp bezel painted in black. The bike has the Pegasus logo and a unique serial number stencilled on the fuel tank. It also gets canvas panniers, air box with leather straps and brass buckles as well as tank badges.

The Classic 500 Pegasus Edition is powered by a 499 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine similar the standard Classic 500. This engine produces 27.2 BHP @ 5,250 rpm and 41.3 Nm @ 4,000 rpm and is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It features 35-mm telescopic front forks and twin adjustable shock absorbers in the rear, while braking is handled by 280 mm and 240 mm discs in the front and rear respectively.

Source: Autocar India

Link to Team-BHP News

[payeng]

Originally Posted by GTO

As someone who studied marketing for 2 years, I just have this to say - What a BRILLIANT marketing move. Just look at the motorcycles and the way they are presented. This limited edition isn't going to make Royal Enfield any money. In fact, the efforts probably cost them more! But marketing activities & messages like these - delivered consistently - help create a brand as iconic as Royal Enfield.

The brand aura is just incredible. It's the reason I wear Royal Enfield merchandise. Would I ever wear a Hero Motors t-shirt or cargo pants? I don't think so.

Just like Rolls Royce, this is an example where the brand is worth more than the company.

NOT OT: This is the reason why I laugh at guys who point out (crib) that a particular bike has "VIBRATIONS" or isn't "SMOOTH" and that the "QUALITY" isn't good.

Originally Posted by rrsteer

Fully agree with your comment. In my mind Royal Enfield have what it takes to create a desirable global Indian brand - which would be a first. I just can't see any other Indian brand across industries having that potential.

Desirable.. definitely among Indians, and the last few years sales trends is proof of that.

But exports/foreign markets (sales trends) haven't exactly mirrored the Indian (desi) sentiment... at least till now.

With the Indian success, RE is trying very hard with its Global ambitions though. Sid Lal sits out of UK is what I know.

[MadRasTan4986]

Originally Posted by GTO

As someone who studied marketing for 2 years, I just have this to say - What a BRILLIANT marketing move.

I agree. Talk about building on a legacy. Did you happen to see the promotional videos of the same they put out on their youtube channel. Absolultely brilliant.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by MadRasTan4986

Did you happen to see the promotional videos of the same they put out on their Youtube channel. Absolultely brilliant.

Thanks for pointing it out. Wow! Brilliant marketing from Royal Enfield -

https://youtu.be/veQMTBwMlOc

https://youtu.be/mUmQZY2C-No

https://youtu.be/Vvvvr098yok

[Rob UK]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

Fully agree with your comment. In my mind Royal Enfield have what it takes to create a desirable global Indian brand - which would be a first. I just can't see any other Indian brand across industries having that potential.

I think the true uniqueness of the Enfield brand is that it is a blend of British & Indian - it spans both countries, both in the heritage & history of the marque, and the affection for the bikes that unites many of us across borders.

It's a nice looking bike but the connection to the airborne division and the flea is very tenuous and feels a bit forced - I'm not liking the use of the Pegasus logo so much, I would rather they had "taken inspiration" from the WD 350 engined dispatch bikes which it can much more legitimately claim lineage from.



Incidentally, I visited the infamous "Pegasus Bridge" in Normandy with an Indian friend on our bikes recently. It was a bridge over the Caen canal that was the first thing liberated in Western Europe in 1944 & renamed "Pegasus Bridge" in honour of the British Airborne troops.

The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry crash landed in wooden gliders just 50m from the bridge in the dead of night to capture it. The original bridge is preserved at a museum right next to the spot it originally stood.

[timuseravan]

Launched in India at Rs 2.49 lakh, on-road Mumbai. Why would anyone pay such a huge premium for a new paint scheme? On the other hand RE does have diehard fans

Source: Overdrive

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by timuseravan

Why would anyone pay such a huge premium for a new paint scheme?

Limited edition of just 250 units.

Those who don't want limited edtions can choose from a big list of paint scheme editions other than Pegasus.

RE really has struck gold with the Classic range.