Royal Enfield Makes India's Most Reliable Motorcycles: JD Power Survey
A recent study by J.D. Power has revealed that Royal Enfield manufactures India's most reliable motorcycles. At least some of you might find it hard to believe, but the data collected from 6,503 new two-wheeler buyers says so! The renowned motorcycle brand has outperformed its rivals in the initial quality study. In the 2025 India Two-Wheeler Initial Quality Study (2WIQS) by J.D. Power, Royal Enfield reported the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), making it the highest-ranked brand in terms of reliability.
How Was The Study Conducted?
The survey, conducted in collaboration with Differential, Singapore, analysed responses from 6,503 new two-wheeler owners from across India. It took into account, both internal combustion engined (ICE) and electric two-wheelers and covered 80 models from over 12 manufacturers. Owners were surveyed between October 2024 and January 2025. The first six months of the ownership experience was recorded.
For ICE two-wheelers, eight categories of problems were analysed- brakes, engine performance, ride and handling, electrical components, and transmission. For electric two-wheelers (electric scooters and e-motorcycles), issues related to battery, charging, and acceleration were analysed.
The study had Royal Enfield emerge as a top performer by scoring 68 PP100 (Problems Per 100 units). This means that its products reported fewer problems on average, compared to those from other brands. These findings have reinforced Royal Enfield's reputation in the country.
Overall Industry Findings
The industry-wide average for 2025 stood at 86 PP100. this means 86 of every 100 two-wheelers analyzed reported problems of some sort. Engine-related issues were the most commonly reported problem across the industry, followed by electrical faults and braking system concerns.
Interestingly, electric scooters exhibited nearly twice as many problems as petrol two wheelers. In the survey, these scored 98 PP100, significantly higher than the 53 PP100 average of petrol motorcycles and scooters. The most commonly reported issues in electric scooters were related to brakes, lighting, and the quality of fit-and-finish.
Customer Satisfaction on the Rise
Despite the number of reported problems, customer satisfaction has improved over the previous years. 58% of two-wheeler owners experienced fewer issues than expected, a notable increase from 44% in 2024. Among all categories, electric scooter owners reported the highest level of satisfaction, with 61% stating that their vehicles had fewer problems than they had anticipated.
Why This Matters for Indian Two-Wheeler Buyers
For Indian consumers, reliability is a major factor when choosing a two-wheeler. Motorcycles and scooters are often used for daily commuting, and frequent mechanical issues can lead to increased maintenance costs and major inconvenience and potential losses in personal and professional lives.
The Engineering Evolution
Royal Enfield’s top ranking in initial quality highlights its ability to produce motorcycles that perform well even after extended use. The brand has made sizeable progress in its engineering excellence in recent years. The J-platform and J-series engine have made the likes of the Classic 350 (probably one of the most popular Royal Enfields out there), Meteor 350 and Hunter 350 extremely competitive products in the mid-capacity segment.
The Himalayan 450 also excels with its Sherpa engine. Even the 650 lineup received major upgrades recently and are now no less than 'world class' in terms of engineering. These new-age platforms and modern engine lineup have helped Royal Enfield to steer away from having 'unhappy owners'.
Going by JD Power results, it has set the benchmark for long-term quality and durability. It will further urge other manufacturers to ramp up the quality and endurance levels of their products and compete with the Indian-owned British marque in keeping customers happy.