Side by side, it’s fairly obvious just how different a custom motorcycle is from a mechanical watch. Look a little closer, when you start to dissect each, they’re kindred spirits if not nearly identical. Both need precision-built components and engineered synchronicity to run as intended. Both have complex machines at their hearts which require a constant replenishing of energy. And, in this day in age, both are just as superficial as they are purposeful and subsequently the attention to detail involved in both are almost unparalleled. When Royal Enfield approached Bandit 9 and commissioned two motorcycles, it’s easy to see why well-made timepieces were the main inspiration.
For the Arthur, Bandit 9 started with a Royal Enfield Continental GT and took a year to build and complete. The frame itself is reworked, it has no hard corners or anything to stop the flow of its design — follow it around the bike, and it’s one continuous line with no obvious end. The 535cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine is the only part of the original Continental GT to go relatively untouched. From the frame and suspension to the intake and exhaust, and everything in between was reimagined and polished to a mirror finish.
For the Merlin, Bandit 9 took a RE Bullet and turned up the timepiece influence ten-fold. “As with luxury timepieces, God is in the details. The saddle was inspired by balance springs seen in exhibition backs of high-end watches.” And for the speedometer, “the housing is made from a polished aluminum capped with a bronze bezel. The dial was made from stainless steel and reflects sunlight like a centrifuge over the radially brushed surface. Bandit9 engraved Roman numerals in place of conventional Arabic numbers.”
Like a finely-tuned well-crafted watch, nothing on the Bandit 9 Arthur or Merlin projects is over the top, out of place or unnecessary. Even the mirror finish aluminum and steel is well suited to the minimalist style of the bikes. Take a minute to pore over the images a few times — every pass you’ll probably find a new favorite detail or one you didn’t catch before.