Greetings!
My name is Kyle Pereira and I'm a bloke who rides Enfields where they're still being made - yes, in India! It's great to be a part of this forum and I thank you for having me here.
I apologise for raining on anybody's parade, but this bike is most certainly NOT an Indian military bike in its original paint. The reasons why I can say this with conviction start from the paint job itself. No Indian army bike, or any army bike from any other country for that matter, would have such bright transfers of the manufacturer on the tank along with the red flashes along the flanks. That would make it so much easier for the enemy to train his scope on, don't you think? The army bikes ridden here by the 'jawans' (that's what soldiers are called here in India in the local tongue) are mostly olive green numbers with a very discreet Royal Enfield badge/decal on the tank. Desert tan and camo schemes do exist on some of the Indian army Bullets, but they are seldom seen. None have such flamboyant markings, however.
Secondly, the Indian army bikes absolutely do not have such indicators (blinkers). They are mostly chunky rectangular units and the ones at the rear are placed on either side of the registration number plate, facing upward rather than poking outwards.
Thirdly, all Indian army Bullets that I have seen (and I have seen many) have always been shod with the long seat that also accommodates a pillion.
Also, the handle bars are wrong for an Indian army Bullet, because the ones fitted here are off the Machismo while the ones fitted on the real McCoy are the flat bars. The panniers are wrong too - canvas or even leather saddle bags for that matter, won't last too long in our hot humid climate and that is why the Army prefers metal boxes held by a rather stout frame on either side of the bike at the rear. This, however, could have very well been changed by the former owner, along with the addition of the tool roll at the front.
Also, the following seems to be incorrect. And I quote: 'Its funny when I purchsed the Bike I was also a bit skeptical, so I called Royal Enfield in India and they admitted that before 1985 the records are very sketchy cuz they didnt move completely to India until 1986, however; based on the serial number it appears to them that it was Indian made, he also stated that to his knowledget all models for military use were made in India that year and based on the set up was not a civillian model.'
Enfield India, as it was called then, was building bikes completely in the country since the sixties. I do not know how the bloke on the other end of the line told you that they moved in completely only as late as 1986. Yes, the records are not very well organised, but my bike, a Standard 350 Bullet dating back to 1980, is on the books for all to see. Also, what setup was he referring to? The civilian and army bikes are identical, save for their paint schemes and small odds and ends like indicators/blinkers and the like.
I hope this answers any queries that you might have had. I absolutely do not mean to offend anyone, but I'm just clearing up the air...