Royal Enfield Flying Flea Overview

Royal Enfield is entering the electric motorcycle market by reviving one of its oldest models, the Royal Enfield Flying Flea. It is envisioned as a technology-filled electric bike with good performance like a pesky flea in one of your furry friends. Below, I will give you the history, overview, and details of the Flying Flea.

History:

During the Second World War, the British designed a lightweight motorcycle that could be parachuted into the battlefield for the British War Office by Royal Enfield, which was why it was known as the Royal Enfield WD, later nicknamed the Flying Flea. Not only can it be parachuted, but also be carried by Gliders due to its lightweight nature. It was used on the battlefield to transport messages between assault troops and air troops. The motorcycles were also fitted with issued headlamps to provide stealth from enemy aircraft. However, after many unsuccessful tests due to damage sustained from landing, only a few were deployed to the battlefield. They were used in beach landings between 1943 and 1944 to communicate between troops on shorelines.

Only a few Royal Enfield WD/RE remained in service until the end of the 1940's. However, postwar there was a huge demand for cheap lightweight motorcycles, so Royal Enfield put their surplus to good use by modifying them down for civilian use and repainting any of their surplus stocks. Unfortunately, this only lasted until 1953 when Royal Enfield introduced the Ensign.

2024 Announcement for 2025 Revival

On November 4, 2024, Royal Enfield announced their new project after registering the Flying Flea name in 2020 as both a brand and one of their mainline electric motorcycle. The models currently being developed are the C6 and S6. The start date for the sales is yet to be determined.

Current Specs

The Royal Enfield Flying Flea is set to be 100 percent electric with extensive technology that provides updates to your mobile devices and lets you customize different modes for different riding performances. It has a reinvented front suspension with a customized new mudguard design and girder fork. It is tailored for people who want to enjoy comfort, and ease of use while enjoying the ride. Current speed and horsepower ratings are still to be determined and I will update this blog post once it's announced.

If you want to learn more about the Flying Flea electric bike, go to their website here.