AFTER setting foot in Malaysia for roughly 10 years, iconic motorcycle brand Royal Enfield has finally found its forever home; a flagship store set in the suburban setting of Petaling Jaya.
The exclusive store located in Gasket Alley is also home to distributor Didi Automotives' other brands.
The opening of the flagship store means an expansion of Royal Enfield's footprint in the Asia Pacific region, with the Petaling Jaya store being the 146th.
Royal Enfield also launched two models in conjunction with the store's opening: the much improved Classic 350 and the Meteor 350.
The Classic 350 now comes with a totally revamped powerplant, a 349cc fuel injected air-oil cooled unit producing 20.2 hp and 27 Nm of torque.
A primary balancer shaft negates the vibrations of old despite resembling the past power unit. Electric start, 5 speeds and a 7 plate clutch complete the updates.
The Meteor 350 shares the same powerplant but is clothed in a more modern exterior. It can be described as a soft cruiser or chopper and is equipped with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres.
Prices start from RM23,500 for the Classic 350 and RM24,300 for the Meteor.
Asia Pacific head of business Anuj Dua remarked that, "We have been consistently building greater accessibility for our passionate community and avid riders.
"We have opened this flagship store with an intent to get closer to our customers and further expand our outreach. This exclusive brand store and our evocative product range, available at accessible price points, will appeal to motorcycling enthusiasts.
"We are confident that the new flagship store will become a 'pure motorcycling' destination for riders of all calibers," he added.
Didi Group chairman Rewi Hamid Bugo further added, "Our vision is to create a differentiated ownership experience for existing and new customers where owning a motorcycle goes beyond just the product.
"We will continue to invest in after-sales improvement and value-added services to increase the ownership experience like riding activities and gatherings that is niche and unique to each Royal Enfield owner.
"We will be affirming the communities and ensuring that engagement with the brand is continuous in the light of a competitive two wheel environment in Malaysia."
The flagship store also hosted the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride as a final venue during the launch as proof of their commitment.
Almost one thousand bikers converged on Gasket Alley to witness the launch of the oldest motorcycle brand's (in continuous production) 'pure motorcycling' flagship store.