Royal Enfield’s Gorgeous New Retro Scrambler Marks Another Historic First for the Brand

As the iconic motorcycle manufacturer continues rolling into a whole new category, the knack for stunning throwback aesthetics endures.

Close-up of a black electric motorcycle with gold front forks and gold-spoked front wheel against a green background.

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By Steve Mazzucchi

Published 4 hours ago

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Exactly one year ago, I breathlessly wrote an article entitled “Someone Finally Made an Electric Motorcycle That Looks Like a Retro Bike.”

It spilled the beans on Royal Enfield’s electric ambitions, brought to life in the Flying Flea C6 (FF.C6), which drew stylistic inspiration from the original Flying Flea, a scrappy little bike that parachuted onto World War II battlefields some eight decades ago.

Black and gold Flying Flea motorcycle with knobby tires displayed indoors with people in the background. — This sneaky snap from the EICMA debut is the first real glimpse of the FF.S6 in the flesh, so to speak.

Just as that bike was unveiled at Milan’s massive EICMA motorcycle show, its follow-up is here in the form of a stunning scrambler-style bike, the Flying Flea S6, or FF.S6.

That makes it RE’s first off-road capable electric motorcycle — and a damn fine-looking one at that.

Design notes

While Royal Enfield remains a bit cagey concerning the specs, they have dished out a few key details that provide some insights into how this thing might perform from town to trail.

Calling the FF.S6 “a lightweight city+ explorer built for those who crave adventure,” the brand says it delivers a balance of agility and confidence over multiple surfaces.

Top-down view of a black and gray electric motorcycle with digital display and knobby front tire on a light gray floor. — The hand guards provide protection off the beaten path, while the narrow waist invites a wider range of riders to swing a leg over.

Scrambler trademarks come in the form of the upside-down fork, chain final drive and mulleted wheels — 19 inches front and 18 inches rear.

The bike also features single disc front and rear brakes with Bybre calipers and gold spoked rims, distinct from the C6’s alloy wheels.

A high-torque electric motor provides the oomph, but much to the chagrin of every moto journalist, no specific details about that oomph are available yet.

Rear wheel of a motorcycle with knobby tire, gold rim, black spokes, and a silver chain on a black sprocket. — Beefy tires project off-road bona fides, offset by beautifully spoked wheels carrying strong throwback vibes.

The distinctive finned magnesium battery case shaves weight and promotes cooling, while a long enduro-style seat offers comfort and flexible riding positions over the long haul.

The past and future also converge in the touchscreen cluster, which is classically round but boasts a high-resolution display offering advanced functionality and connected features.

Tech forward

That cluster is just the beginning of a bunch of advanced but discreet tech that takes this bike far beyond what the Flying Fleas of the 1940s offered.

The FF.S6 also features integrated navigation, a dedicated off-road mode, lean-angle sensing ABS (which can be disabled) and traction control.

Black electric motorcycle with gold rims and knobby tires on a gray background. — Few if any brands can beat RE for affordable retro style, apparent on this very futuristic bike in the round touchscreen cluster and mirrors, among other touches.

A high-performance chipset enables 4G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity, complemented by a voice assist button, accessible via the rider’s phone mid-ride, which lets you talk your way through navigation options, music and more. (A nice byproduct of electric bikes is that they can actually hear you.)

The FF.S6 also boasts a custom-built Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), which integrates thousands of ride mode combos and dynamically adapts performance for what I can only imagine is an exceptionally smooth ride.

Smartphone with 95% charged battery icon on screen placed in a carbon fiber compartment with charging cables. — This little compartment on the “tank” to stash and charge your phone looks sweet. Here’s hoping the devices themselves don’t get much bigger.

The bike also lets riders interact with it via a smartwatch and a connected app — something I am pretty sure I’ll never do, but some people might love.

Lastly, a pre-loaded suite of auxiliary apps and over-the-air updates mean the FF.S6 can evolve with the times, just as the brand that made it appears to be doing.

Availability and pricing

Royal Enfield says the FF.S6 is slated to launch towards the end of 2026. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Black and gold off-road electric motorcycle with knobby tires and "Flying Flea" branding on the motor casing.

Royal Enfield Flying Flea S6

at Royal Enfield

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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