Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition
Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition is offered in two colour options.
  • It will be offered in Service Brown and Olive Drab Green colour
  • Each of the Classic 500 Pegasus units will carry a unique serial number
  • Powered by a 499cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine
  • Classic 500 Pegasus edition is limited to 1000 units worldwide and 250 units for India

Royal Enfield, the Chennai based niche motorcycle maker has been skilfully using the brand's connection with armed forces around the world in the past by bringing limited edition models. It's too early for Royal Enfield aficionados to forget the Classic Despatch Edition, Squadron Blue and Stealth Black Classic 500 while the new in this category is the Classic 500 Pegasus edition.

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus edition is limited to just 1000 units worldwide, with 250 units allocated for the Indian market. It will be offered in Service Brown and Olive Drab Green colour options while the units destined for India will be limited to only brown.

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition
Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition

The World War II connection

The Classic 500 Pegasus is inspired by a resilient 125cc motorcycle which Royal Enfield manufactured during the World War II when the company was a British entity.

The motorcycle was designed specifically to deploy behind enemy lines via parachutes and onboard the Horsa Glider to provide communications support. It also acted as a quick mobility platform for the forward units of the Airborne Pegasus Regiment across key operations such as D-Day and Market Garden.

Dubbed as the RE/WD 125, it was more fondly referred to as 'The Flying Flea.'

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus
Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus edition with RE/WD 125

What is new in Classic 500 Pegasus edition?

Royal Enfield tried to incorporate the ethos of the Flying Flea in the Classic 500 Pegasus edition starting with the unique colour options. Each of the Classic 500 Pegasus units will carry a unique serial number stencilled on the fuel tank in line with military-spec motorcycles of the 1940s.

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition
Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus units will carry a unique serial number on the fuel tank

The insignia on the fuel tank shows the silhouetted image of Bellerophon the warrior, mounted on the winged Pegasus sticker. A bespoke set of military-style canvas panniers and period correct RE badging are the other WWII inspired bits in the Classic 500 Pegasus edition.

The motorcycle also gets an all-black exhaust, headlamp bezel, air filter and rims to complete the classic look.

Anything classic about the engine?

No. The Classic 500 Pegasus edition is powered by the same 499cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that powers the regular Classic 500. The engine develops 27.2bhp of power at 5,250rpm and 41.3Nm of peak torque at 4,000rpm and it is mated to a five-speed transmission. The platform and cycle parts remain the same as the Classic 500.

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition
The Classic 500 Pegasus limited edition is powered by a 499cc engine

Is it easy on the pocket?

As expected, the limited edition model comes with a hefty price tag. Royal Enfield has revealed the prices of 190 units they are going to sell in the UK at Rs GBP 4,999. That translates into Rs 4.54 lakh, excluding taxes and duties. Meanwhile, pricing for India is still unknown, though it is safe to assume that it will be significantly expensive than the regular Classic 500.