• Germany’s Motorrad Bläsing takes top honours with their custom Shotgun 650 build – SHAAN

• Six elite European dealer builds debuted at London’s Tobacco Dock following a gruelling six-month build process

• The competition highlights the ultimate customisability of Royal Enfield’s twin-cylinder platform and the creativity of its dealers

Royal Enfield, the global leader in the mid-size motorcycle segment, has officially crowned the winner of season two of the European ‘Busted Knuckles Build Off’ (BKBO). Following an intense weekend of public voting and expert judging at the spectacular Bike Shed Show in London (May 22nd–24th, 2026), Germany’s Motorrad Bläsing emerged victorious, capturing the top prize, a trip to Royal Enfield’s Motoverse event in Goa, India, for their extraordinary interpretation of the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650.

The competition, designed exclusively for Royal Enfield’s dealers and taking place for the second time in Europe, challenged builders to showcase their creative engineering, bespoke design, and artistic expression utilising a £5,000 customisation subsidy from the motorcycle manufacturer. Out of many concept proposals from Royal Enfield dealers across Europe, only six designs from six different countries were selected to be transformed into physical reality.

The six finalists went head-to-head with an impressive display around Tobacco Dock’s ‘Dockside bandstand’, the feature represented the absolute pinnacle of European motorcycle craftsmanship:

• Germany: Motorrad Bläsing (Winner)

• UK: Krazy Horse

• France: KS Motorcycles

• Italy: Royal Enfield Rivera

• Czech Republic: Vintage Garage Prague

• Portugal: Unik Edition

For the team at Motorrad Bläsing, the victory is a historic back-to-back triumph following their success with the “Beach Cruiser” in 2023’s inaugural edition of the BKBO. However, bringing this year’s winning Shotgun 650, SHAAN, to life pushed the German builders to their absolute limits. Reflecting on the gruelling process and the emotional win, Thomas Bläsing of Motorrad Bläsing shared:

Finishing that bike was an absolute whirlwind—we worked on it until the very last minute, and the stress even gave me nightmares about unfinished wiring for days after. It is easily the most complex project we’ve ever built together, but seeing the reaction from the Bike Shed crowd made every sleepless night worth it. The warmth, appreciation, and deep respect for bike culture in the UK was unlike anything I’ve experienced back home, and I’m still processing how incredible it felt.

The final decision was determined by a combination of physical votes cast by thousands of attendees at the Bike Shed Show, and a panel of renowned custom motorcycle builders and senior Royal Enfield designers. As the grand prize winner, Motorrad Bläsing has won an all-expenses-paid trip to Royal Enfield’s legendary Motoverse festival in Goa, India, later this year.

Speaking on the success of the campaign, Adrian Sellers, Head – Custom & Motorsport at Royal Enfield, commented:

It made perfect sense for the final display of Europe’s second BKBO to take place at the Bike Shed Show, an event dedicated to celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship, and culture surrounding motorcycles.

It was a true privilege for attendees to see the finest work from Royal Enfield’s dealer network take center stage across the event, showcasing each dealer’s unique imagination and skillset as they interpreted the possibilities of the Shotgun 650 so differently. Each of the final motorbikes had its own distinct character and beautifully reflected its builder’s creativity, resulting in a display of truly diverse custom builds.

For enthusiasts who want to see the blood, sweat, and tears behind these incredible machines, the “documentary-style” episodic edits for each dealer are currently airing across Royal Enfield’s official social media channels, with a wrap-up video to come.

• All six Busted Knuckles Build Off custom entries will be unveiled at the Bike Shed Moto Show VIP evening, at 5pm on the 22nd May.

• Attendees of the Bike Shed Moto Show can vote in person for their favourite to win, with the public vote and expert panel deciding the ultimate BKBO winner.

• Photographs of the six finished builds have been released, along with the build information for each entry.

The wait is almost over. This Friday, 22nd May, the spotlight will shine on six incredible custom builds, as the Royal Enfield Busted Knuckles Build Off (BKBO) entries are revealed at the Bike Shed Moto Show’s VIP Evening in London.

For months, six of Europe’s most talented Royal Enfield dealers have been wrenching, cutting, and welding – each transforming a Shotgun 650 into a one-of-a-kind machine.

These six custom builds – representing the very best of UK and European craftsmanship – are now ready for their grand reveal.

Attendees of the VIP evening at the Bike Shed Moto Show on Friday will be the first to witness the unveiling. Show visitors will then have the chance to vote for their favourite build, deciding which dealer earns the ultimate bragging rights.

The 2026 BKBO winner will be decided by a combination of the public vote and the expert panel’s decision. Members of the public can cast their vote by placing a token in the designated ballot box throughout the Bike Shed Moto Show (22nd to 24th May).

Busted Knuckles Build Off 2026 Custom Entries

‘Shoot From The Hip’

Built by: Krazy Horse, UK

To mark its first-ever Royal Enfield build, Krazy Horse knew it had to do something special, something that pushed boundaries, honoured its roots, and delivered a seriously cool chopper. Drawing inspiration from founder Paul Beamish’s very first authentic American-style shed-built chopper, ‘Shoot From The Hip’ features a custom one-off rigid frame with a radical 42-degree rake, stylistically finished with a wild purple flame paint job.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/241

‘SHAAN’

Built by: Motorrad Bla¨sing, Germany

Following their 2023 Busted Knuckles Build Off Europe victory with ‘The Beach Cruiser’, German powerhouse Motorrad-Bläsing (W&B Custom Bikes), have returned to the global stage. Their latest creation, SHAAN, is a high-tech tribute to Royal Enfield’s 125-year heritage, named after the Hindi word for “Pride, Honor, Splendor,” SHAAN is the result of over 1,000 hours of intensive development.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/242

‘19-01’

Built by: Royal Enfield Riviera, Italy

From the heart of Italy’s legendary Land of Motors, Romagna, a new custom creation has emerged to challenge the eyes and stir the soul. Royal Enfield Riviera, the exclusive flagship store born from the 20-year technical heritage of X-MOTO GARAGE, presents the Italian entry into Royal Enfield’s European Busted Knuckles Build Off competition. 19-01 is a motorcycle that blends historic racing DNA with a bold, “annoying”, and unrepentantly fun aesthetic. In a nod to the local Romagnolo spirit of Sboronaggine (the art of being a charming, high-energy show-off), the Riviera team equipped 19-01 with a suite of one-of-a-kind CNC-manufactured racing components. Every billet part was machined specifically for this project, ensuring that this Royal Enfield custom build is not just rare, but truly unique.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/243

‘Brat Cafe’

Built by: KS Motorcycles, France

Representing France in the Royal Enfield Busted Knuckles Build Off, a pan-European competition for Royal Enfield’s dealer network, KS Motorcycles has transformed a Shotgun 650 into the Brat Café. Each element reflects a shared vision: the base bike, the custom parts developed with BAAK, the Beringer braking system, and the involvement of local talents. All of this transforms the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 into the Brat Café -a muscular, minimalist reinterpretation of the classic café racer

that blends bratstyle influences with the Shotgun’s natural bobber silhouette.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/244

‘Royal Tribute’

Built by: Unik Motorcycles, Portugal

To celebrate a milestone year in their decade-long history, Tiago Gonçalves and the team at UNIK Motorcycles are representing Portugal in Royal Enfield’s Busted Knuckles Build Off (BKBO). The inspiration for ROYAL TRIBUTE is uniquely tied to the shop’s physical expansion. As the new, exclusive showroom was under construction, the Shotgun 650 build progressed alongside it, allowing the design language of the space and the motorcycle to influence one another.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/245

‘Sidegun 650’

Built by: Vintage Garage Motors, Czech Republic

In a bold fusion of historic craftsmanship and contemporary custom culture, Vintage Garage Prague, Royal Enfield’s Prague-based dealer, has completed its one-off sidecar build, by blending VELOREX ‘s decades of specialised manufacturing tradition with the raw, “by-custom, for-custom” attitude of the Shotgun 650, the team has created a machine that reimagines the sidecar for a new generation of riders.

Media content here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/246

Editor’s Note

Schedule: Royal Enfield VIP Evening – Friday 22nd May

For those attending the Bike Shed Moto Show on Friday:

16:00 – Doors Open

The 2026 Bike Shed Moto Show Press Preview begins. No music to be played throughout the venue for content requirements.

17:00 – Royal Enfield Busted Knuckles Build Off launch

All six BKBO builds are revealed at the Dockside bandstand. Estimated duration: 15/20mins.

18:00 – VIP Evening begins

Music on and party mode engaged. Free bar tokens distributed at the main Royal Enfield stand. Free Screen Printed tees.

23:00 – End of VIP evening

• Flying Flea, the new EV brand from Royal Enfield – global leaders in the mid-size motorcycle segment (250-750cc) – introduces all-new electric mobility solutions for city+ space.
• Silently riding into this category will be the classic-styled Flying Flea C6 and scrambler-styled Flying Flea S6 – equipped with seamless connectivity infused with inimitable style and feel typical to Royal Enfield motorcycles.
• Fully electric motorcycle meant for agile, exciting, and accessible city+ mobility, C6 will be available for retail in Spring 2026.

Marking a major milestone in the company’s 123+ years of history, Royal Enfield proudly enters the EV space by announcing the launch of its completely new electric vehicle brand, Flying Flea. The expression of Royal Enfield’s commitment to keep moving forever forward, this new brand of electric vehicles continues a legacy of innovation and builds a unique, and exciting range of urban and city+ motorcycles for the global electric motorcycle marketplace and beyond.

This new Flying Flea brand takes inspiration from the original Royal Enfield Flying Flea motorcycle of the 1940s, a landmark in automotive engineering and design. Though it was purpose-built for use during WWII when these amazing machines were airdropped via parachute to provide lightweight, easy-to-use all-terrain mobility, it was later embraced by civilians too for city exploration purposes. This lightness, agility and adaptability returns with the Flying Flea brand and its upcoming range of electric vehicles.

Speaking about what Royal Enfield brings to the Flying Flea and to electric mobility, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director, Eicher Motors Ltd., said: “Ever since the wheels began turning in 1901, Royal Enfield has been an ally for exploration and pure motorcycling experiences for millions of riders. For more than 123 years now, as Royal Enfield has evolved with time, emerged through challenges and grown to be a global motorcycling brand, our mission of pure motorcycling has been preserved and nurtured, and has become our true-north. Today, as we get ready to script a new chapter for Royal Enfield, this mission has been the driving force and inspiration, and is the link between Royal Enfield and the Flying Flea, our new brand for super fun, gorgeous and enjoyable urban-plus mobility. This is a significant step in our evolution as a brand and an opportunity for us to distill the essence of Royal Enfield DNA combined with all the great benefits of EV technology and bring something absolutely delightful and differentiated to the world of city-plus mobility.”

Announcing the creation of the brand and showcasing of its first two models at the global launch event in Milan ahead of EICMA, B Govindarajan, CEO of Royal Enfield added: “It is an especially exciting moment for us, as we present the new Flying Flea brand at EICMA. This represents a completely new chapter for Royal Enfield, inspired by our legacy, driven by our vision for the future and an outcome of REBALANCE, our approach to business. Flying Flea combines distinctive style, city-focused practicality, and cutting-edge technology. This is the start of a fresh, sustainable ride for us, and offers the world an elegant, effective and sustainable everyday transportation.”

He further added: “We’ve been deeply investing in R&D and infrastructure for EV over the last many years, and have built a world-class team including 200+ engineers in India and the UK. We have also initiated the development of an EV manufacturing plant in Chennai, India. We have invested in Barcelona-based Stark Future known for its advanced off-road electric motorcycles. All aspects of our connected electric motorcycles, including product strategy and development, technical components like motor, battery, BMS, custom software, and our retail and market strategy have been developed in-house by our dedicated technical and commercial teams.”

Speaking specifically about the brand launch and models unveiled at the launch event, Mario Alvisi, Chief Growth Officer of Electric Vehicles for Royal Enfield said: “Flying Flea is not just a new division but a completely fresh start in every respect; when we say this is a city+ platform, this is to say Flying Flea allows riders to break free to and from the city with a truly moving and visceral riding experience. This is much more than a new brand from Royal Enfield – this is a whole new approach from the brand. We have worked tirelessly to assemble a world-class team and culture, invested in a groundbreaking infrastructure, class-leading technology and have formed both the brand and products from a blank sheet of paper. With no carryover, no crossover and no cutting of corners the end result is products unlike any other in the market. These products not only offer a sophisticated mix between authentic design and cutting-edge technology, but are purpose-built for a whole new space. Flying Flea is for those who will not accept compromises in design and functionality, who seek technology that heightens their experiences and value ease of operation, ownership and, above all, enjoyment.”

The first model under Flying Flea to hit the road next year will be the FF-C6. Taking inspiration from the original Flying Flea model, this is a modern interpretation with a sophisticated, distinct aesthetic coupled with class-leading technology. This will be the first motorcycle to bring to life the core pillars of the Flying Flea brand:

• Authentic retro-futuristic style – The authentic and unmistakable design is highlighted by the first-of-its-kind contemporary reimagining of the original Flying Flea front suspension, featuring a forged aluminium Girder fork and articulating mudguard. This fork style was synonymous with pre-1930s motorcycles, and the original Flying Flea notably elevated this style with an elegant‘rubber band’ style girder fork. This focal point of an already distinctive design is not only carried forward with the new Flying Flea but reinvented and completely modernised, a ground-up redesign of which results in a unique riding experience only available on the FF-C6.The flowing forged aluminium frame provides a lightweight yet strong structure with a timeless silhouette, while the magnesium battery case utilises organic design language for optimal weight saving and cooling. The design theme of the battery fins is emblematic of the Flying Flea’s ethos,fusing tradition and technology. The dynamic front fins, arranged in odd sequences, represent innovation and modern technology while the elegant rear fins, placed in even sequences, embody tradition and legacy. Both clusters of fins twist and turn, eventually merging seamlessly into a graceful wing-shaped motif at the centre. A true round touchscreen cluster maintains classic lines alongside high-tech functionality.
• Cutting Edge Technology – Cutting-edge connected features utilise a myriad of native technologies for a seamless experience both on and off the bike – 28 patents have been filed in the last six months alone, with further advancements coming by the day. Bespoke software, developed in-house constantly monitors and optimises riding experience, from improving mileage to creating a captivating riding feel. To leverage the full capabilities of the FF-C6 we have developed a central Vehicle Control Unit, which integrates all the physical and digital touch points, powered by a tailor-made chip made specifically for FF. This VCU enables over 200,000 different ride mode combinations, constantly monitors your bike when you are away to alert if it is disturbed or moved,and is always up to date with Over The Air updates and feature additions. The ride modes allow the user to tailor their experience not just for economy or comfort but for sheer enjoyment through nuanced adjustments to throttle, brake and regen feel – allowing your bike to change as your mood,your roads and your needs do. The phone as a key technology allows you to simply jump on and ride away.
• Accessible and Exciting Riding Experience – Effortless twist-and-go visceral acceleration creates an intoxicating mix of pace and fun with lean angle sensing ABS, alongside efficient and capable highway cruising with cruise control. Easy and fast charging at a domestic 3-pin plug coupled with ample range to explore your city. Easy handling paired with lightweight components result in an infinitely usable, uncomplicated and encouraging ride regardless of your ability.

Glyn-Neath, South Wales, January 2026 – The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has demonstrated its off-road capability by securing a class victory in the Big Bike Single class at the challenging Valleys X-Treme Lite 2026 race, held on the weekend of January 10th and 11th in Wales.

Cooperb Motorcycles prepared three production Himalayan 450s for entry, with Jake Edey completing 7 laps in 2:09:20,79, winning the Big Bike Single class by 51 seconds, and finishing 60th overall out of 240 total entries – his total time would have even secured third place in the Big Bike Twin class, if eligible.

Proving its capabilities from the factory, the Himalayan 450 ridden by Jake was mostly a production model. For the challenging Welsh course, which featured a variety of conditions – from demanding woodland sections and slick, muddy ascents, to high-speed sections on fire roads – minimal modifications were made.

These included fitting the Rally Seat, Rally Tail, and Arrow Exhaust from the Himalayan Genuine Motorcycle Accessories (GMA) catalogue, with Cooperb Motorcycles completing the setup for the Welsh winter valleys by fitting knobbly tyres and adjusting the suspension.

Two other Himalayan 450s entered in the Lite Race from Cooperb Motorcycles, with Jack and Ian Cooper competing in the Lite race.

The success of the Himalayan 450 in this event underscores the Royal Enfield’s commitment to real-world adventure riding, and providing riders with the option to ‘go-anywhere’ regardless of the riders off-road ability, proving the strength of the Himalayan 450 from the road to competition-level riding.

Jake Edey, Big Bike Single 2026 Class Winner:

“Conditions were properly tough. But the Himalayan handled everything brilliantly, the 450 engine is a perfect balance of usable power and smooth delivery, which made maintaining traction in the wet far easier than you might expect. I had no issues in the muddy climbs or tight woods and managed to pass several bigger bikes along the way.

That said, by now I know just how capable the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 really is, no matter what the UK throws at it.

The Himalayan’s lower seat height was a real advantage — when I needed to dab a foot to regain balance, the bike wasn’t already tipping past the point of no return. That gave me a lot of confidence over a long, demanding race.

About two hours in, fatigue started to creep in and I had a moment where I came into a rocky downhill section far too fast. But the Himalayan stayed stable and predictable, allowing me to recover without incident. I’m convinced that on a bigger, heavier bike I’d have been thrown off.

What really stood out was how much I enjoyed the whole experience. The bike wasn’t just capable in extreme conditions — it was genuinely fun to ride. After a tough race, some sketchy moments, and plenty of laughs, I crossed the line winning the Big Bike Singles class and even set the fastest lap among the twin-cylinder bikes.

To really underline how usable it is, I rode the Himalayan into work the following Monday — which pretty much sums up what the bike’s all about.“

Quote from Becky Blackmore, Marketing Manager Royal Enfield UK:

“We are really proud of Jake Edey’s fantastic performance and class win at the Valleys X-Treme Lite. This result emphatically proves that the Himalayan 450 is a serious, capable machine that can tackle extreme terrain, even just with light preparation.

This win is a testament to the Himalayan’s adventure lineage and its suitability for riders of all levels looking to push their limits.”

About the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450:

A motorcycle with strong adventure lineage yet remains true to our philosophy of pure motorcycling. The all-new Himalayan 450 retains the capability, versatility and the ability to go anywhere your adventure takes you. Nothing you don’t need and everything that you do for the changing times.

The Himalayan 450 is currently available through Royal Enfield’s winter deals offer, running to the 31st March 2026, with 0% APR Representative on the 50/50 Advance Payment Plan (APP), and eligible for the low rate 5.9% APR Representative PCP and HP offers. More information can be found here.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• A full quote from Jake Edey is available on request.

• Ian of Cooperb Motorcycles extends an open invitation to press and media to join Cooperb on some Himalayan experiences, including their Scramalayan and Himalayan Adventure Rides – all accessed on the Royal Enfield Riders Club – dates upcoming to be confirmed down the line. If interested, please contact alex.strange@motocom.co.uk.

• More photos, courtesy of Jamie Morris, found here: https://royalenfieldmedia.co.uk/folders/201