BEER BIKE UP FOR GRABS

Wychwood Brewery's Hobgoblin has teamed up with the classic British motorcycle brand Royal Enfield to create an exclusive ‘Hobgoblin Bullet' model.

The craftily crafted Hobgoblin beer brand features on the unique machine, which will be given away free in a prize draw.

Ian Ward, brand manager at Wychwood, said: "The Hobgoblin Bullet is a great ‘one off' with a unique blue paint job and legendary graphics of the Hobgoblin, there was no way we could put a price on it. So we've chosen to give it away to one lucky beer and bikes fan."

The Royal Enfield Hobgoblin Bullet is a 500cc single cylinder motorcycle, designed in a classic 1950's style but suitable for today's modern roads thanks to fuel injection, indicators and electric start. Look out for the bike at this year's Great British Beer Festival and the NEC Bike Show.

The prize draw will be open until November 30th 2010 and entrants can put themselves forward to win by texting HOBGOBLIN ENFIELD to 60300 or through the Wychwood website www.wychwood.co.uk. For information on Royal Enfield motorcycles go to www.royal-enfield.com.  Winners will be notified by post following the prize draw.

hundreds of Bullets fly at 2010 Open Weekend

Royal Enfield’s fleet of demonstrator bikes was kept busy at the company’s open weekend, when a record 319 test rides were taken – the largest number in the event’s 5-year history.  Cheltenham and Cotswold Advanced Motorcyclists guided riders through the country lanes surrounding the Watsonian Squire factory, home to Royal Enfield in the UK since 1999.

Visitors arrived on the widest variety of machines, including an Ariel 3 trike and Honda Silverwing sidecar outfit.  On Saturday a Norton Commando High Rider won the prize for Best Machine ridden to the event (judged and awarded by Real Classic magazine) and on Sunday the honours went to a pristine 1953 Royal Enfield Bullet.

Special thanks go to regular guests, including motorcycle adventurer and Royal Enfield expert Gordon May, who has just returned from riding a BSA Bantam overland to Egypt, and world sidecar champion passenger Stan Dibben. Jim Reynolds returned as master of ceremonies, while Frank and Rowena from Real Classic were kept busy talking to readers of their popular publication.  Freshly cooked food was provided once again by the Shipston-on-Stour Sea Scouts, who expanded their popular curry menu with a new chilli, while local Cotswold ice creams were available to cool down afterwards.  Wychwood Brewery, famous for Hobgoblin Ale, travelled from the other side of the Cotswolds in their 1951 Bedford dray, bringing taster packs of their cask ales.

No visit to the Watsonian Squire factory would be complete without a ride in a sidecar and the two demo outfits, a classic Royal Enfield/GP Manx combination and sporty Yamaha XXR1300 paired with a Squire ST3, were both in constant demand, with many passengers enjoying their first experience of a trip in a chair. See more pictures at  www.royal-enfield.com/opendaygallery.

Dates for the 2011 Open Weekend will be announced soon.  Call 01386 700907 or visit www.royal-enfield.com for details.

Let us take you for a ride at Birmingham City FC

Royal Enfield is delighted to be supporting a new urban bike show in Birmingham.  We'll be offerng demo rides on selected models from our range and it's a great opportunity to come and talk to us if you can't make it to our open weekend on 19/20th June.  Find out more about this exciting event at Birmigham FC on Sunday 18th July by clicking here.

Royal Enfield Open Weekend 19th and 20th June 2010

Now in its fifth year, the Royal Enfield Open Weekend offers the public an unrivalled opportunity to see their complete 2010 range of motorcycles, with test rides available on all models over both days.  Held at the historic Watsonian-Squire sidecar factory in the scenic Cotswolds, Royal Enfield’s UK home since 1999, this year’s event takes place on the weekend of 19^th/20^th June.  Entry is free and everyone is welcome, whether they ride a Royal Enfield or not, and there will be a prize on both days for the best machine of any make ridden to the event.

Test rides, accompanied by IAM riders, have proved extremely popular, particularly on UK-only models like the Clubman cafe racer and Woodsman street scrambler.  Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so visitors should arrive early to book a seat.

Wychwood Brewery (famous for their Hobgoblin ale) will be bringing their 1952 Bedford dray to add ‘period flavour’ (although all beer will be for consumption after the event has finished), while the now-famous Sea Scouts’ food tent will be serving excellent value freshly cooked food with an Asian flavour.

Respected journalist and author Jim Reynolds returns as master of ceremonies, providing a running commentary along with technical talks and celebrity interviews. 

Other attractions include an opportunity to browse the sidecar workshops, live insurance quotes, spare parts counter and a display of Royal Enfield branded casual clothing and accessories.  A7 motorcycle tours will also be present, with details of their bike tours in the Scottish borders.

Details from Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 or visit www.royal-enfield.com

Royal Enfield Dealer awards 2010

Royal Enfield dealers from across the UK gathered for the annual dealer conference at Prescott in Gloucestershire, home of the famous speed hill climb.  Encouraged by a positive response to the new fuel-injected engines from both media and public, dealers had an opportunity to see the new collection of genuine Royal Enfield clothing and accessories, supported by a range of in-store merchandising. 

For the first time in eight years there was a photo-finish for the coveted Dealer of the Year award, with Midlands Royal Enfield (Steve Smith, above left with Ben Matthews from Royal Enfield) finishing in joint first place with Hayward's of Cambridge (David 'Stan' Stanley with trophy).

John and Nicki Powell of Bridge Road Motorcycles in Liverpool (above) collected the Highly Commended award for the largest increase in sales.

Steve Whitehead from Earnshaw's of Huddersfield scooped Best New Dealer.

Woodsman in the Wychwood

The Wychwood brewery, located in Witney close to one of Britain's most ancient forests, hosted the UK launch of the new Woodsman model from Royal Enfield motorcycles. First produced in Britain in 1901, Royal Enfield have been manufactured in India since 1955, but remain popular in the UK and their importer's public relations agency is based in Witney. Although powered by a brand new electronically fuel-injected engine, the Woodsman will look familiar to riders who remember Royal Enfield from the Fifties and Sixties.

“We're delighted Wychwood brewery agreed to host the launch of our new bike” says Ben Matthews of Royal Enfield UK. “We felt their traditional brewing techniques reflected the heritage of our classic British designs and the journalists we invited were all keen to visit the home of Hobgoblin ale!”

Goggles on, lads, and off to the 1950s - Sunday Times tests the Clubman

"The bike maker, a part of biking history, has embraced modern technology. Well, up to a point, says our writer"

Click HERE to read Geoff Hill's road test of the new Clubman EFI in the Sunday Times