What if Royal Enfield had Built a Big Twin Paris-Dakar Rally Bike?
While we love to watch the 450 singles of today’s Dakar Rally, we can’t help but harbor a heavy nostalgia for the big twin era of the ’80s and ’90s, when brute-force desert bombers boomed across the Sahara at speeds in excess of 100 mph. In fact, as many of you have seen, we’ve been running an ongoing series called Dakar Legends, which highlights some of these iconic machines.
In contrast to today’s Dakar bikes, which are based on production 450 motocross platforms, the big twins of this era were largely purpose-built prototypes of extreme size, durability, and power — machines like the Cagiva Elefant, Yamaha Super Ténéré, Honda NXR750, and BMW R900RR. It was a heady time, when manufacturers were waging an off-road arms race to create the bike most capable of conquering the world’s most grueling race.
Artist and moto-enthusiast David Gwyther of Death Spray Custom (DSC), who’s done many collaborations with motorsport brands, had the opportunity to create a one-off custom in collaboration with Royal Enfield’s own in-house custom department. David’s mind went straight to the Paris-Dakar Rally of yesteryear, as he wondered what form an Enfield rally prototype might have taken:
“The concept was to create a big twin rally bike from the golden era of Paris-Dakar. The period when the Tenere, Cagiva Elefant, and Africa Twin were competing. Imagining if Royal Enfield made a prototype in those years, but it was mothballed until now.”
While you might expect such a project to start with one of Royal Enfield’s adventure bikes, both the original 411cc and current 450cc Himalayans are single-cylinder machines. This project, on the other hand, would begin with an unlikely donor: Royal Enfield’s parallel-twin cafe racer, the Continental GT 650.
Massive rally fairings and lighting helped define the bikes of this era. David knew from the beginning that he wanted to eschew modern LED lights in favor of a period-current halogen setup, and he also knew he wanted a “letterbox-style” headlamp.
“The headlight is from a Honda NSR250, which the head engineer Ian Tam managed to source new… For me, with any build the headlight and the engine define the bike in so many ways.”
As for the engine itself, it was upgraded with an S&S 865cc big bore kit, Power Commander, and a flat track tune from Moto Anatomy, who field Royal Enfields in the American Flat Track SuperTwins class. They have this engine producing north of 90 rear-wheel horsepower — nearly double what the stock bike makes at the crank (47 hp).
The suspension was upgraded to long-travel spec, and the bike is now running a braced swingarm and tubular subframe from Harris Performance — the legendary British chassis experts who helped design the Enfield 650 twins. Heavy-duty spoke wheels, custom-made engine protection, performance exhaust, and other modifications round out the performance side of the build.
Then there’s the bodywork and livery, which truly turn back time to the early 1990s.
“Working with modern-day industrial designers to kinda make an ugly-looking bike that was created before modern 3D design, but using 3D design, was the unusual challenge for the Royal Enfield design division.” -David
Of course, David wasn’t satisfied just to develop “Wildfire” itself — the bike was meant to be ridden, and the rider needed a matching set of gear, just like the rally pilots of old. So there’s a custom-designed Bell helmet and full Dakar-style adventure kit.
Using the bike’s Goodwood Festival parade lap, David even spearheaded the creation of videos that look straight out of the early 90s, as if this Enfield had graced the cameras of Eurosport…and the footage was only available on 35-year-old VHS tapes. It confounded a few folks on social media! (We’ve got the actual Goodwood parade lap with commentator coverage later in the article.)
Then there are the magazine ads — don’t you miss those? We do. Today’s ads just don’t have the same flair.
So how does this high-powered Royal Enfield rally bike ride? Pro rider Gary Birtwistle put the bike through its paces in Joshua Tree, California, as part of the “Giant Rock Rally” (video below).
“Quite satisfying on mild enduro courses; the plan is to compete in rallies in the near future.” -David
We can’t wait to see “Wildfire” in action on the dirt. Until then, we’ll satisfy ourselves with these photos and videos of the great Royal Enfield big-twin rally bike that wasn’t. David has made sure to thank the collaborators who helped make the bike a reality.
“Luke Bedford and James Bannister were the team behind the project, and without Adrian Sellers and Ian Tam it wouldn’t have got built!”
Below is our full interview with David about the bike, along with more photos courtesy of Mitch Payne (@mitchpayne) and Royal Enfield.
Royal Enfield “Wildfire” Rally Bike: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
My name is David Gwyther, I’m a contemporary artist working under the name of Death Spray Custom or DSC for short. Loved motorcycles since I was a child, they’ve been a part of my life constantly. Two wheels, from BMX to road racing, scooters to superbike, and everything in between, all tribes included.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
Royal Enfield Continental GT.
• Why was this bike built?
The bike was a collaboration with Royal Enfield’s specialist custom department and myself.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The project was a completely open brief from Royal Enfield, with the opportunity to create and craft from scratch a bike with the in-house Royal Enfield custom department.
The concept was to create a big twin rally bike from the golden era of Paris-Dakar. The period when the Tenere, Cagiva Elefant, and Africa Twin were competing. Imagining if Royal Enfield made a prototype in those years, but was mothballed until now.
Working with modern-day industrial designers to kinda make an ugly-looking bike that was created before modern 3D design, but using 3D design, was the unusual challenge for the Royal Enfield design division.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Only the cradle of the frame was unmodified, everything was either created bespoke or modified. The engine features a 865 S&S kit and Power Commander.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
“Wildfire.”
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The benchmark in mind was creating a bike that had comparable numbers with the factory twin rally bikes from the late 80’s. This engine with the Moto Anatomy flat track tune can do a comfortable 100bhp so definitely comparable to the factory bikes of the era, and oil-cooled too.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
Quite satisfying on mild enduro courses; the plan is to compete in rallies in the near future.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The lighting. From the early stage of conceptualising the bike, I was very keen to use halogen lighting from the era I was working around. LED lights in a custom bike dates a bike in the inverse way.
The headlight is from a Honda NSR250, which the head engineer Ian Tam managed to source new. The letterbox style was desired from the start. For me, with any build the headlight and the engine define the bike in so many ways.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Luke Bedford and James Bannister were the team behind the project, and without Adrian Sellers and Ian Tam it wouldn’t have got built!
Goodwood Parade Lap Videos
Follow the Builder / Designer
Web: DSC1000.com
Instagram: @deathspray
Photography by Mitch Payne (@mitchpayne)
I would really like to see the videos that are mentioned in the article for the Wildfire Royal Enfield Rally bike. I will see what searching YT turns up.
Beautiful bike!
They’re at the bottom of the article! 🙂