One of the most respected motorcycle designers in the world today, Pierre Terblanche, has parted ways with Royal Enfield, just 20-months after joining the cult Indian two-wheeler brand. There has been no official communication from Royal Enfield about Terblanche’s sudden exit. Terblanche had joined Royal Enfield in November 2014.
Before joining Royal Enfield, Terblanche had a decade-long stint at Italian motorcycle conglomerate Cagiva, where he worked under the great Massimo Tamburini. After the acquisition of Ducati by the Texas Pacific Group, he chose to move along with the brand and emigrated to the US. Terblanche’s stint at Ducati saw him pen some eclectic designs such as the Multistrada, SportClassic, Hypermotard, and the 749/999 supersports bikes. Post Ducati, he worked with Piaggio on their Moto Guzzi line-up, along with former colleague Miguel Angel Galluzzi.
Confederate X132 Hellcat Speedster
Terblanche had a short stint at the newly revived Norton Motorcycle Company, before leaving for Confederate Motors in the United States as head of product development. Under his stewardship, Confederate released their radical X132 Hellcat Speedster, a motorcycle that looks like nothing that ever came out a production line.
Source: Autocar Professional