Royal Enfield cuts U.S. prices for its motorcycles

Royal Enfield's Continental GT was already value priced. Now the rest of the line is too.

Royal Enfield USA is dropping prices and they mean it. The $5,999 MSRP on the new Royal Enfield Continental GT in the United States struck me as fantastic when it was announced — now U.S. prices are going down across the rest of the line, "by almost $1,400" on some.

The sexy Continental GT cafe racer remains at its low introductory price, while the B5, designed to look most like the time-honored Bullet built in India for more than 50 years, goes down to just $4,999.

I paid nearly that much for my Bullet 15 years ago!

The brand's other models will fall between the GT and the B5 in price. How big a change is it? As of Friday, the Royal Enfield USA website was still listing one model as starting at $6,795!

Royal Enfield is positioning itself as "a unique, high value brand," Kevin Mahoney, CEO of U.S. importer Classic Motorworks, is quoted as saying in the press release.

Royal Enfield's corporate leader, Sidhartha Lal, told the world's press at the launch of the Continental GT in London that the company meant to be taken seriously in the global market for 250cc-750cc motorcycles.

At the time, he emphasized the quality and capability of the vintage looking cafe racer. Given that, the introductory price was set far lower than anyone expected. Certainly it struck me as a lot of fun for the money.

"Lowering the MSRP prices on the rest of the product line naturally followed suit from Siddartha Lal’s vision for the GT and the brand positioning overall," Mahoney stated.

"This effort in repositioning Royal Enfield as a brand will not only put more bikes on the road, but simultaneously gain more of the market share here in the U.S.”

Mahoney told me in an email that the prices were "well received" by Royal Enfield dealers.

The press release didn't say how long these prices might last.

It also included no fine print.

"You are correct when you say 'no fine print'; there truly is NONE," Mahoney told me. It's even the case that prices in California will match those in the other 49 states, he said.

The website notes that Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) doesn't include shipping, dealer prep, tax and license and that other charges may apply.