In a surprise turn of events, Royal Enfield announced in 2020 that it would enter the American Flat Track (AFT)'s Production Twin competition. Armed with a flat track-modified Twin 650, the company teamed up with Moto Anatomy’s Johnny Lewis to test the bike through most of the spring and summer. After a formal introduction in August, 2020, the new tracker finally hit the dirt oval against the more seasoned Harleys, Kawasakis, and Yamahas on September 11, 2020.
It didn’t take long for Lewis and the Royal Enfield Twin FT to shine. Lewis even managed to step on the podium AFT Finale at Daytona, with a first and second place respectively. Despite only attending five races during the brief season, the Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield crew still managed to finish 11th overall out of 28 competitors.
With such promising results, Royal Enfield confirmed that it will renew its partnership with Moto Anatomy and Johnny Lewis for the 2021 season.
Gone Racing:
“Johnny Lewis has proven to be a valuable development partner and race winner for Royal Enfield,” said Marketing Lead for Royal Enfield Americas Breeann Poland. “Royal Enfield is excited to solidify its future with Lewis and continue building upon the foundation created in 2020. The 2021 season is not far away, and while there is still work to be done, the team progressed quickly in just a few months, finishing the year with a win and second place in Daytona. We’re thrilled to get back to racing.”
Until the announces the official dates of its 2021 Season opener, the Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield team will continue to put the Twin FT through its paces as Lewis plans to rake up the laps at his Center Hill, Florida, testing facility. For 2021, the crew will also benefit from the experience of former team owner and crew chief David Lloyd who will assist Lewis. Sounds like Enfield is in for the long run and could be about to become an official part of the AFT landscape like Indian and Harley.