The very first Musket completed for a customer has been delivered. It’s the Musket 1120 Magnum with a full 1120cc engine, based on the Royal Enfield single, but with custom designed and cast crankcase, cylinders, connecting rods and crankshaft, this engine is far more Aniket Vardhan than Royal Enfield.

A new engine builder emerges in the USA

From the start, this conversion from a single cylinder to V-Twin configuration was a major change, but with the additional newly designed pieces, this Musket V-Twin is truly unique, Royal Enfield does not have anything like it and the major pieces are all from the imagination and hard work of Aniket Vardhan. I think we’ve crossed over to something altogether different. I don’t know what Aniket calls his operation, Musket Engine Works sounds good or better yet, Musket Motorcycles, but I think we’re watching something all new coming to life before our eyes.

As I look over these photos, the thought crossed my mind that the engine has grown to the point where the Royal Enfield frame, modified as it has to be to accommodate the much larger than stock power plant, is beginning to look like it’s reaching the limits of where it can go. It certainly does the job and Aniket has done excellent work adapting it to an engine for which it was never intended, but with an engine so well thought out, so well designed and looking so good, I’m curious if there would be any demand for a frame designed with this engine in mind from the start. I’m sure the thought has crossed Aniket’s mind before and he’s probably done his best not to think about it.

This Musket project has been such a massive undertaking over so many years, I can only stand back and applaud the effort involved and what must be the incredible sense of accomplishment Aniket now feels. Of course, having completed this build, his work has only begun, now comes the business of pricing the conversion and deciding how he is going to go about the next steps of getting this new engine out into the world. I have no doubt Aniket is up to the task, but I can imagine there are going to be quite a few folks around the world eagerly awaiting news of what comes next.

All I can say is, superb work, Aniket. My hat is off to you.

Link: Musket V-Twin