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-   -   From SS-Traveller: I needed something like T-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introduce-yourself/52566-ss-traveller-i-needed-something-like-t-bhp.html)

Hi,

Petrol has been in my blood since as long back as I can remember - lately diluted with some diesel too. I had my first accident at 12, when I stole the keys to my dad's Amby and took it for a spin round the block. Learnt to drive properly on a Morris 8 at the age of 15, and since my brother and I were solely in charge of its maintenance (on a shoe-string budget), I learnt the hard way about side valves, 4.5x19 tyres and variable-jet carburettors. A neighbour who owned a garage took pity on us and let us tinker in his garage whenever we could bunk school. Soon, though, I was addicted enough to spend hours there (to the great ire of my parents), and learnt about camshafts, timing chains (no belts in those days), gear synchronisers and how the differential works (and how to smoke and drink tea endlessly!). The British Council Library in Kolkata, where I was born and spent the first 26 years of my life, provided an endless supply of books on auto engineering (I learnt that two stroke diesel motors existed too!). My first 2-wheeler was an Avanti Garelli moped, and in its first 3 months I managed to drown it in one of those monsoon floods of Kolkata.

Befriended a motorcycle mechanic, and soon started to learn about all kinds of bikes too - the Avanti went, and a Rajdoot 175 Deluxe (with telescopic front forks, not the folding fork system) came. Then an LML Vespa 150DZ. Both in 1985. I've still got that Vespa, though I haven't ridden it for the last year or more. Rust was a perpetual problem in Kolkata, so I stripped Vespa when it was one year old, had a friend sand-blast the paint off and zinc electroplate the whole chassis, and assembled everything back again. Never needed a full paint job on that vehicle again.

Once I learnt repairs, the fear of breaking down on long drives left me. The driving / riding bug bit me so hard, I took out the Vespa - to Puri, to Jalpaiguri, then to Delhi, and even Ahmedabad. Our honeymoon ride was it, from Delhi to Alwar, Agra and back (more on that later). On 4 wheels, Kolkata-Delhi was an annual trip, until I moved for good to Delhi in 1996.

Apart from my addition to automobiles (and photography), I qualified as a dentist from Kolkata, did my post-graduation at Ahmedabad, and live and practice in Delhi now. I also teach at a dental college in Modinagar, which entails a 140 km round trip every day (I don't employ a chauffeur).

My current rides are an Accent Viva CRDi (4 years, 88,000 km), and a Swift ZXi (1-1/2 years, 30,000 km). The Vespa is my lucky charm, and though I haven't ridden it for some time, it still fires up first kick, and I'll keep it till I die.

Found a 6-cylinder scooter on the roads of Delhi, hope you enjoy the photos.lol:

Looking forward to a great time on T-BHP.

Wow, that's a great intro, welcome to Team-BHP.

Where are the photographs?

Oops, so sorry. Seems I closed the window too soon. Here goes again...

Nice intro ,Welcome aboard. :)

Thats a really funny pic.

Welcome aboard, am sure you find looking down engines much more inspiring than mouths

I should have paid more attention to the "lol" at that end of that sentence. Hillarious.

lol: great intro and the six cylinder scooter might just be Piaggio's (India R&D centre) answer to Honda's Goldwing :D

Welcome aboard SS. The picture and the caption is hilarious. I am sure we will all enjoy your company here.

Welcome, kindred soul.

I drove an Avanti Garelli around too for a while - the 3-speed version.

How many cylinders does your Accent run on, btw?

Welcome aboard SS. Witty intro and funny photo that's a great begining.
22K kms/Annum on your Viva CRDi..huh? That's some driving.

Mine has managed to do only 35K in 2.3 years.

Have a great time here !:)

Good god that 6 BANGer scooter is downright scary!

I had the Avanti Garelli 50cc autogear version. The Accent I have is a Viva CRDi, 3 cylinder, 1.5L, a clone of the Elantra/Tucson's engine, only with one cylinder missing. Don't know why Hyundai discontinued producing this motor, for a 3-cyl this is a mighty good engine.

Thank you all for such a warm welcome, it made my winter so cosy here in Delhi.

@ ajmat: looking under a bonnet is more fun because there's changing technology inside; looking into a mouth is a routine affair - the same model decade after decade! That said, dentists do get to use fantastic technology, at times without realising it. Remember the dentist's drill? We call it the airotor - it's a miniature turbine that runs on compressed air at a speed of - believe it or not - 350,000 to 400,000 rpm. Puts the revs of the best F1 engines to shame.

That's a really nice intro. Welcome to the group SS.

by the way that really is an interesting fact that the airotor has such a high RPM

Welcome Doc!! You got the writing skills at par with the best on this forum!! I am curious to know about your professional skill level though!! lol!

Nice intro and a wonderful snap, that was hillarious!!