The Taurus is one of the rarest motorcycles on the planet that the Indian automobile industry dared to produce.
The year was 1993, and India, in terms of automobile engineering, was still at a nascent stage; a country that was only 46 years old with limited infrastructure and education. Fortunately, economic liberalisation took place in 1991, and with that, foreign automobile companies started eyeing India. In short, an influx of technologically modern motorcycles from Germany, England, and Japan was about to take place.
The incident prompted Indian manufacturers to accelerate their decision-making processes, including Royal Enfield, a British motorcycle maker that was famous in India but was struggling at that juncture. In fact, the Eicher Group had to bail out Royal Enfield from a complete collapse in 1990—the Indian company purchased it and turned it into an Indian motorcycle maker.
Royal Enfield had several motorcycles in its lineup, but it wanted to do something revolutionary in a bid to find its lost fame. Therefore, the company built a motorcycle with a diesel engine, the Taurus.
The Taurus was a Royal Enfield Bullet but fitted with a diesel engine. This diesel engine, made by the Italian brand Greaves Lombardini, was also the smallest engine Royal Enfield ever used, a 325cc setup.
Petrol prices have always been on the expensive side compared to diesel, and therefore, the Taurus was a promising motorcycle with 85 kilometres per litre, even better than the Hero Splendor.
However, being a diesel meant power figures were outrageous. The massive 325cc engine merely generated 6.5bhp of peak power and a torque figure of 15Nm, mated to a four-speed gearbox – not impressive.
Outside the Indian market, the single-cylinder diesel engine was swapped with a V-twin diesel engine from the PRC market. Even in Punjab, a tractor company called Sooraj Tractors built Royal Enfield diesel models after the company discontinued the original. However, we do not know if Sooraj Tractors had the license to do so.
The Taurus was the only diesel motorcycle on earth that was mass-produced. However, the motorcycle had to be discontinued for three serious reasons. First, given that it was a diesel engine, it used to emit thick black smoke and did not pass the updated emission norms.
Second, the diesel engine meant the motorcycle generated massive vibration that hampered the riding experience. Several riders have complained of muscle pain and sprains due to the vibration.
Third, despite the diesel engine having a basic layout without a turbo and intercooler, given that the world was running towards more advanced petrol motorcycles, mechanics who could work on the diesel engine were rare. While Enfield’s move was bold, it did not become a trending affair, and therefore, no other motorcycle company took the path Royal Enfield walked.
Nonetheless, the Taurus was an essential part of the Indian automobile industry within four decades of gaining independence, proving that the Indian minds were capable of doing certain things that many developed nations in the world did not even think of attempting.
