[sanchari]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

What about the Bajaj Chetak and its cousin the Super and its mother the Vespa. India rode on them for a generation and more.

I agree, Bajaj Chetak was a middle class favourite for a long time. Hamara Bajaj ad is still fresh in the mind.

[motorpsycho]

For me, it will have to be the CBZ, up untill CBZ no one had heard about a 150CC motorcyle and the bike looked like nothing else in the market. I was in college when the bike was launched, and initially the reception in my college was luke warm, then they launched this Ad Campaign, which changed everything.

CBZ

[GTO]

Originally Posted by aargee

Thread exists already - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...cle-india.html (Which is the most iconic 2-stroke motorcycle of India?)

We can let this thread stay independent as it includes all 2-wheelers (and not just 2-strokes). Thank you!

[IntoTheStorm]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Karizma had the timeless design, still looks fresh, a refined evergreen smooth engine along with a balance of comfort and sportiness.

A pic of my Karizma -

Attachment 1971356

Completely agree with you! It was a dream bike when I was a kid and I bought a used one few years back and it surprised me with smooth stress free engine that can still do indicated 120+, slick gearbox, comfy ride and that droolworthy car like dashboard ( at least for me)

[sgm]

I voted for CBZ. I got a CBZ in 2001 and it is still with me, though the usage is like a few 100km in an year, one full tank fuel for one year I bought this when I had just completed 1 year with my first bike. There was craze for HH CBZ/Suzuki Fiero/Yamaha Rx 135 in those days and I got my dream bike, a silver color CBZ with Disc brake(in the early days there was a non disc brake version also). The power and acceleration was really good compared to the 100cc bikes available those days and CBZ was the trend setter with 150+ CC bikes in the early 2000

[rakesh_r]

Some of the bikes below I feel belongs to the hall of fame-
1- Yamaha RD-350- Mad acceleration
2- Yamaha RX-100- Super light and nimble
3- Suzuki Shogun
4- Suzuki Fiero- Dud design with a Bulletproof engine with the most refined exhaust note
5- HH Karizma- First Gen
6- HH CBZ- First Gen
7- Kinetic Honda-First Gen
8- Yamaha YBX
9- RE Bullet 500- Carbed version
10- RE Machismo 500- was at its own league

[Swap_Abarth]

No doubt it is RX 100 for me, my childhood crush. Can't forget that sweet sounding engine and rapid acceleration. With affordable price tag. There are still quite a number of RX100 on road. Which reflects the reliability. Absolute Legend....

[mohansrides]

Originally Posted by iamahunter

Hi Team, the intention of this thread is to conclude few of the most Iconic 2 wheelers in India. The one’s available now and earlier.

Originally Posted by GTO

For its incredible sound & insane acceleration that was W-A-Y ahead of its time, I say it's the Yamaha RD350...

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

+1.

'Bullet' is the most iconic Indian motorcycle for me as well. That said, as much as I admire the machine - I wouldn't buy one.

Voted for 'Others'.

Originally Posted by sanchari

I agree, Bajaj Chetak was a middle class favourite for a long time. Hamara Bajaj ad is still fresh in the mind.

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Some of the bikes below I feel belongs to the hall of fame-

This is my list:

1. Bullet - THE ORIGINAL. The one with the foot brake on the left - 'nuf said. This bike set the stage for the behemoth that Royal Enfield is today. The umpteen permutations of the Classic 350 which is their primary money maker is a direct descendant of the original Bullet.
   
   
2. Yezdi - Yezdi Roadking motorcycle was produced in Mysore and engines were a cult favorite.
   
   
3. Rajdoot 350 - The most powerful two-stroke Yamaha motorcycle made in India. Cult hit. Poor mileage though.
   
   
4. Bajaj Chetak - The one and only. Family workhorse and family pride rolled into one. It carried the proverbial weight of Indian families for decades without any other competitor getting within shouting distance of it. During a specially charted trip to Rajasthan, my father made me and my brother sit for a picture in front of a statue of MahaRana Pratap Singh and his steed Chetak (picture below). This photo occupied pride of place in our living room for 3 straight decades. Such was the pride in the family for that vehicle.
   
   
   
   Me & kid bro in front of the statue of Maharana Pratap and Chetak
   
   
   
   
5. Yamaha RX 100 - Undisputed king of the two stroke market; especially with the younger crowd. Everyone wanted one. High speed performance + Impeccable handling + Aural pleasure; this bike had it all. The bike's design managed to strike a brilliant balance between being lean and edgy, and yet quite neutral. Indeed, the design is so timeless that the bike does not look out of place even today. Well maintained copies go for a premium in the used market.
   
   
6. Hero Honda CD 100 - From the mid-80s, anyone looking for a reliable commuter needed to look no further. This bike stretched a liter of petrol to unearthly limits. In the 90s, a CD 100 SS was introduced and that too took off like a freakin' rocket. It was not the fastest bike. But man, it could and did do anywhere and everywhere.
   
   
7. Kinetic Honda - Everyone either had one or wanted one. Including me. This was the revolutionary gear-less scooter that India was waiting for. We were so done with gears and kick-starters on scooters. With impeccable timing, along came this marvel as a joint venture between Kinetic and Honda, and people just could not get enough. Design-wise, this scooter remains relatively relevant even today.
   
   
8. Bajaj Pulsar - Launched in 2001, the Pulsar twins single-handedly kicked off the performance category of commuter motorcycles. There was simply nothing else on the market like the Pulsar and Bajaj did full justice to the following that the bike deserving built for itself. Absolute bumper hit.
   
   
9. Honda Activa - Launched in 1999 when the marriage with Kinetic came apart. Still the leader in commuter scooters 20 years later. It won't set your heart on fire. But, it will certainly outlive you.

Special mentions:

• Luna
• TVS 50
• TVS Champ
• Ind-Suzuki AX100
• Kawasaki Bajaj KB100
• Suzuki Samurai / Shogun / Shaolin
• Hero Honda Splendor
• Hero Karizma
• KTM series

Cheers

[silverado]

CD100 it is for me.I had the good fortune to own it for 26 years!
Ofcourse RX100 comes very close as well, the sound of a well maintained RX is still music for my ears.

[yesyeswe]

I am surprised to see no mention of Bajaj pulsar, i know cbz was the first in the market(I'm talking about 4 stroke ones) but it was pulsar which sold in good numbers. The round headlight, muscular tank, the black colour and the "definitely male" tv commercials were iconic.

Even though i voted for rx-100, but to me while growing up pulsar was the one which was everywhere, it was the bike which we used to discuss in school and later on pulsar 180 ug4 became my first bike.

[SnS_12]

Born in the 80's and having some crazy biker buddies has given me the opportunity to ride and feel many iconic bikes over the years including all the four listed bikes on this thread.

The RD 350 has to be definitely the most appalling and most iconic of the lot. This is the bike when ridden makes you realize that more than the engine the brakes are what will help you go faster. If anyone riding this bike gave it the beans without testing the brakes, would end up having is heart in his mouth.

Sadly, poor fuel economy and maintenance issues never helped it sell in the volumes and hence the RX 100 is considered a bigger icon today among the masses in India.

As luck would have it I was never able to own an RD 350 or an RX 100, but managed to get my hands on some special two strokes instead.

[DarthVeda]

Voted for Others and my vote is for the Pulsar 180, the ad campaign and the bike changed "sports" bike scene in India in my view. I hadn't thought of owning a bike till I came across it.

[BloggerMathai]

I voted for the RD350 which was actually plentiful in Trivandrum when I was growing up. My list would be something like this;

1. Yamaha RD 350
2. Enfield Fury (I loved this bike so much that I wanted to fit the Fury handlebars and fairing on my own bike but sadly was only able to get the handlebars)
3. Suzuki Max 100
4. Yamaha RX100
5. Yezdi Roadking 250 (had sooooo much fun on that bike. My first experience of clutch-less shifts before I'd even heard about quickshifters)
6. Suzuki Shogun (was not lucky to own one brand new due to unavailability of unleaded fuel in my city back in 96-97 and instead changed my booking to #7)
7. Suzuki GP 140 (later known as the Shaolin) I had one of the first examples that were shipped out from Hosur.
8. Hero Puch
9. Lambretta
10. Kinetic Honda

[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by SnS_12

Attachment 1971549

This image brings back so many memories of my childhood, my cousin used to own rx100, and every week he used to come visit us at night, at that time my father didn't had any vehicle at home, so the bike was a big deal to me.

So before leaving our house he used to give me ride on the rx, i used to sit on the fuel tank, grab the handle and he used ride very fast in our Colony, i know it was stupid, but to me me, a child, it was fun. Those horizontal striped indicators for high beam, turn signals and neutral used to look very fascinating and pretty to me during night

I know it's off topic but the members who had owned the bike and given rides to kids like me, or those who have sat on the fuel tank as a kid can relate with me.

[gasinveins]

This bike never forgets to put a smile on my face every time I take it for a ride. My dad's bike, which he handed to me during my college days. Everything is in stock condition except that I removed the Saree guard which I found no use of. Speedo is at 1.5L KM with an old odometer changed at 1.2L. Almost every month, I drove it in some part of the western ghats mostly to Coonoor and Kothagiri.

In Walayar Dam(It's 25kms away from my college and perfect drive after bunking the classes)



Somewhere in Mettupalayam and Conoor,




Planning to restore the chrome bits again as all the gears and piston was changed in 2015 with genuine parts. Wish my dad bought an RD350 too.