Royal Enfield has launched the limited edition Classic 500 Pegasus motorcycle in India. The Pegasus variant is inspired by the RE/WD 125 Flying Flea motorcycle that was manufactured at Royal Enfield’s facility in UK during the World War 2. Conceived as a tribute to the Flying Flea and Royal Enfield’s military heritage, the Classic 500 Pegasus will have a limited production run of only 1000 units available globally.
In India, 250 units of the Classic 500 Pegasus, in the wartime colour of Service Brown, will go on sale at a price of INR 2.49 lakh (on-road Mumbai), on a website exclusive for the Pegasus Limited Edition exclusively on July 10, 2018. Each of these 250 limited edition commemorative models will be available along with a set of bespoke military-style canvas panniers bearing the Pegasus logo, one helmet and a t-shirt from the Pegasus collection.
Royal Enfield had produced munitions, artillery equipment and motorcycles during both World Wars and supplies the Indian armed forces with motorcycles to the present day. But by far its most storied wartime creation was the airborne troops’ ‘Flying Flea’, a two-stroke 125cc motorcycle used by airborne forces. The Flying Flea, according to the brand, was the only proper motorcycle to be dropped by parachute with paratroopers. Often used by commanders to carry vital messages, the Flying Flea’s strength and go-anywhere handling made it almost unstoppable, even over the harshest terrain.
Each of the limited edition motorcycle comes with a 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. In addition, consumers can also buy a range of genuine motorcycle accessories that are compatible with the motorcycle.
An array of Gear, inspired by this motorcycling legacy, are also going to be available. Ranging from shirts, t-shirts, caps, lapel pins, bags and helmets, the limited-production apparels and accessories of this collection are also adorned by the official military insignia and the Pegasus emblem.
As we mentioned earlier, just 1000 of these special edition models will be available across the world out of which only 250 will be available in India. Each of the Classic 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. The Pegasus motorcycles’ markings are based on a genuine World War 2 Flying Flea used by the 250th (Airborne) Light Company, now in Royal Enfield’s official collection at the company’s UK Technology Centre.
Launching the limited edition Classic 500 Pegasus motorcycles, Rudratej (Rudy) Singh, President, Royal Enfield, said, “The association with the Pegasus Parachute Regiment is another reminder of how Royal Enfield history is deeply steeped in motorcycling pedigree. I am confident that the Classic Pegasus edition will, like many of our other armed forces inspired variants, become a collectors’ piece. We have been making army tough and versatile machines – ‘Made Like a Gun’ – since 1901, and we will continue to share some of these ‘hidden gems’ and stories through our motorcycles.”
