Motorcycle manufacturer
Royal Enfield, a division of India-based Eicher Motors Ltd., has opened a customer Experience Center housed within the company’s North America corporate headquarters in Milwaukee.
The center is a new addition to the headquarters, which first opened in the Historic Third Ward in 2016. Company leadership said they chose Milwaukee because they considered it the "motorcycling capital" of the U.S.
The driving force behind opening the Experience Center, located at 226 N. Water St., is so visitors can get a firsthand look at Project Origin, an authentic working replica of the company’s first motorcycle from 1901.
The hand-crafted machine was reconstructed from photographs and promotional ads from the turn of the century and is the only existing working replica of the company’s original 1901 "motor-bicycle." It is the first time Project Origin has been in the United States.
The Royal Enfield Experience Center is going through a soft opening now through Sunday. Full hours start July 26 with the Experience Center open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"When you look at what’s included in the Experience Center, there are (Royal Enfield) models that we have collected throughout many years and we're really excited to be able to open the Experience Center to the public," said
Nathan Kolby, head of marketing for Royal Enfield's America region.
Since opening its North American flagship location in Milwaukee, Royal Enfield has grown to have 160 dealerships in the U.S. and has about 8% market share of the mid-size motorcycle market in the country. The company sold more than 10,000 units in the U.S. last year.
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