May all your Royal Enfield dreams come true

A Royal Enfield Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

Dredging up a Royal Enfield advertisement from a 1949 cover of Motorcycling magazine is my way of wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I've doctored the ad a bit to make it more appropriate for RoyalEnfields.com

When it first appeared in its original form, on Dec. 22, 1949, the ad very kindly asked readers if they would like a copy of the 1950 Royal Enfield catalog. What a nice Christmas gift that would have made.

The rest of the message was just as kind spirited:

"The Enfield Cycle Company extends to Motorcyclists and Motor Cycle Dealers everywhere the Best of Good Wishes for Christmas and the coming Season; and continued 'good riding' throughout the years."

The original Royal Enfield ad of 1949.

In small print, the ad identified the motorcycle pictured as "The Royal Enfield '350 Bullet' Speedster model."

The print is so small that I may be incorrect about "Speedster model," terms I've never heard before applied to any Bullet on earth. But that's what it looks like.

Regardless, the upswept pipe and clean design do give it a speedy look. And, although the ad is 68 years old, the photo looks surprisingly like a Royal Enfield of today.