MODEL RE (‘FLYING FLEA’) £2000

While based on the German DKW, Royal Enfield’s 125cc two-stoke appeared nearly 10 years before the BSA Bantam. Allegedly, production was promoted by a Jewish-owned company in the Netherlands, whose DKW franchise was removed by the Nazis. Seeking a similar bike to sell they asked Royal Enfield to copy the RT98, cheekily specifying a 125cc engine so their bike would be the more powerful. The outbreak of war curtailed the order, but the lightweight design was adopted for military purposes. Deemed suitable for parachute drops to meet advancing troops, the little bike earned the nickname ‘Flying Flea’. Post war, it became the civilian Model RE which, with updates such as a redesigned engine and telescopic forks, became the RE2.

“These command a surprising value now,” says Allan. “They appeal to classic bike and military enthusiasts so there’s a demand for bits, making re-manufacture viable for items like chainguards, toolboxes, numberplates and hand change bits. Miller electrics are an issue but we’ve made contact breaker points for them.”