Royal Enfield Information Request

Hello there,

I’m hoping someone can help me with a bike I’ve owned for a while now. It’s a future project that was unearthed during a recent archaeological dig in my garage and I thought I’d try to get some information about it.

It’s apparently a 1955 Royal Enfield Constellation of some kind but, although I’ve seen similar fairings and front guards on other bikes, I’ve not seen the faired in side covers and tailpiece or the rocket 2 into 1 exhaust. I haven’t bought any RE books yet, but a quick look on the net hasn’t come up with any particular information on this specific model.

It’s certainly a bit unusual. So ugly it’s beautiful, in fact, but the factory has spent a lot of time shaping the fairing around the frame, 2 into 1 and the engine. The speedo may be a bit optimistic at 150mph, but I love the alloy rocket tip on the silencer.
Can anybody help point me in the direction of information on this bike?

Cheers, Lance.

Might be worthwhile contacting
info@hitchcocksmotorcyles.com

sam

It's an Airflow Constellation which they advertised as being wind tunnel developed. They used the tunnel at the Bristol Aircraft Co. , now part of Rolls Royce. I think the Constellation was introduced in 1958 but I may be wrong. Before that the 700cc bikes were Super Meteors.

Martyn.

I would have thought a fully equipped Airlfow Constipation (intended!) would be a rare beast now an very deserving of a sympathetic restoration.

The Airflow fairing was developed by RE and an aftermarket extra, below are some pic I have downloaded;

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...onstellation&selectedindex=59&ajaxhist=0&vt=0

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...tedindex=0&cbir=sbi&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...edindex=16&cbir=sbi&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

Yahoo Interceptor group may be of use to you on this. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RE_Interceptor/

Thanks for that, Onder. An interesting site. It appears my Enfield is a Meteor or Super Meteor. I've contacted the Royal Enfield Owners Club with engine and frame numbers and they can confirm some model information. Will post when I receive it.
Cheers, Lance.

Well there we have it. Graham of the Royal Enfield Owners Club has very nicely confirmed that my RE is a matching numbers Super Meteor, which left the Redditch factory on the 23rd January, 1961, bound for Perth, Western Australia. Although no spec sheet is available, Graham feels the bike was probably supplied as is, with the Airflow features. In black, I’m wondering if the dealer was perhaps trying to convince the local police to try an alternative to their BSAs?

I’ll now look at collecting the missing bits for future restoration.

Cheers, Lance

I think Motor Cycle ran a road test on one . Seem to remember talk of 90mph cruising enroute to catch the boat at Antwerp or some such xchannel port