Team-BHP
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
-
Motorbikes
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/)
Had this thought on mind since long and never found time. I took a profound interest into geared scooters that I enjoyed well during my college time. The geared scooters are something very special and in present day very unique as you dont find even a single scooter with gears. I definitely wont bore you on how the passion for scooters in me became humongous. Over a period of time I have acquired a few scooters and this thread is for that. I promise you to keep you interested and engrossed by as much pics I can. If not for the Lock down caused by Coronavirus, this thread may have never seen light.
The quest started in 2018 and I was itching to get myself a Scooter. I tried for few months on Olx and couldnt find a good one. I was also quite rust and definitely out of touch with 2 wheeler's as my passion prior to this was with classic cars and going on long drives. I did not know how to identify a good scooter. Then suddenly, I was blessed with an excellent virgin scooter by BHPian and dear friend Arun1100. I never knew it was the beginning of a new chapter that will out grow on me lol:
How it was: 
After restoration: 
The entire story is well documented
here and a good long ride done on it is available
here.
Now that I had a pretty virgin scooter that I will keep for ever, I started to think why not try and get a classic scooter. I was particularly looking for one my dad had. It was a 1984 Bajaj Super with a Rectangular headlight.
Finding this model was incredibly tough. Did not find a single ad on olx or in my friends circle. While on this quest, I found a pretty reasonable Chetak on Olx. I had a conversation with owner and found it to be excellent. He told me he was selling it because of his age. The conversation instilled so much confidence that I took a cab and reached there fully confident I will be riding it back home. Here are some of the pics and details:
Model: Chetak
Year: 1989
Condition of engine: Excellent. Rides like a rocket.
Condition of the body: Quite good for an oldie. May need a restoration in 2-3 yrs
Papers status (during purchase): FC would expire in a month. Paper work is most important for me always.
What works were eventually needed: Tyres were old and needed replacement, a full service. Nothing else.
The very first look 
The handle 
Rear view 
Side on 
The genuine reading after 30 full years 
With the owner 
At the washing center 
At the washing center 
At the washing center 
This probably was the last of the
Cxx registration series. More than the scooter, I bought its faith I got in his ownership.
As the quest continued, I became more and more addictive. As the scooters require very little space, parking issue never was a thing. I stumped upon a 2000 Chetak and found that it had genuinely done only 12k odd kilometers. Yet again, I purchased based on how I felt about the owner and it never proves me wrong. I don't have the initial photos and lost it during change of phones.
Model: Chetak
Year: 2000
Condition of engine: Fresh and super crisp, as good as new.
Condition of the body: Excellent, just bit faded paint. Eventually over coated it.
Papers status (during purchase): FC was lapse. Paid a whopping 10-12k including penalty of 300 per month and renewed it.
What works were eventually needed: Tyres needed change. A full service and clutch.
By far, this has been one of the most expensive. I would take it as a premium price paid for it is as good as new scooter.
After the mini restoration in preparation for Fitness test 
In front of my home, different angles 
Different angles 
Different angles 
Different angles 
A very recent pic. A wash after few months hibernation 
After the wash 
After the wash 
I then stumbled on a reasonably priced LML Select 2. I don't know what or how, I just went and bought it home. Unfortunately I have too few pics of this scooter. Again, might have lost while changing phones.
Model: LML Select
Year: 1999
Condition of engine: Very good.
Condition of the body: Excellent, just bit faded paint.
Papers status (during purchase): FC was running.
What works were eventually needed: Tyres needed change. A full service, cables, star, bearings and clutch.
One pic with the owner 
Pics after I got her home 
Different angles 
Different angles 
Different angles 
Meter is dull. Only from nearby it can be read. Its done some 65k kms 
Now I was quite content with the scooters I own, I got reminded of another one which I was wanting to try and own. The Bajaj M80. I never rode one nor seen one from close. Somehow right from decades ago, I like it. This ones tough to find. You hardly see any ad on OLX or anywhere. I told my friends if they find any good one for sale in their villages, I would be interested to buy irrespective of which State in India.
I kept crawling OLX regularly and suddenly I see an M80 ad, that too by chance. There was an excellent M80 on OLX that wasn't showing up in normal search. I by chance opened an ad where a person posted a Bajaj 150 for sale in Mysore. As the 150 looked excellent, but pricey for me(also because I am eyeing another Bajaj 150 I know of), I casually clicked on his profile to see what else he was selling. Voila! He was selling a M80. It was completely stock condition and genuinely done only some 51k kms. After chatting up with him for a while, I understood he is a collector and very passionate for 2 wheeler. After a day, I found out that he is a BHPian (Ananth_shukti) as well. By the way, if any one got inspired by this thread and want to get an excellent Bajaj 150, reach out to him. Easily the ad can be found on Olx.
The reason why the M80 did not show up on OLX regular search as because it was listed as 'M 80' and not M80. May be it was waiting for me to pick and I consider myself extremely lucky to have spotted the ad. Very quickly I made my plans and visited Mysore. I was delighted to meet Ananth. He showed me all his collection and took a quick spin of the M80. In no time we closed the deal and chit chatted for a while. The M80 is in stock condition except for the indicators. Owing to certain commitments, I had to get it to Bangalore by Train.
Ananth has documented the semi restoration he did in 2014 on this
thread.
Model: M80
Year: 1997
Condition of engine: Excellent! As good as new.
Condition of the body: Excellent. Not a spec of rust. Factory paint.
Papers status (during purchase): FC and Insurance running.
What works were eventually needed: Change of indicators. Rear Tyre needed change as it had become hard and would skid on wet surfaces.
The very first pic I clicked 
The genuine reading 
Some pics 
Some pics 
Once it came home 
Pic in front of Home 
Pic in front of Home 
Pic in front of Home 
A pic at office 
Pic after adding the shield 
Pic after adding the shield 
Pic after adding the shield and carrier 
During change of spokes and rear tyre 
I forgot to cancel the message I had already passed to get me a good M80. One of my friends got to know of a good M80. For what it was meant to be, the definition of good is 'if it runs'. My friend without asking me got the deal finalized and had his friend take delivery in Hubli. As amount was small, he dint bother asking me. He informed me while it was being packed to be sent to Bangalore at the railway station. Though I had already sourced a nearly new M80, I still was ecstatic to add this to my collection.
I received the parcel from Railway station. Filled petrol and it would never start. Might have kicked like 100 times. The spark wouldn't come. I realized much later this M80 has a button to kill engine and it was in kill mode. It did not have the type that all Chetaks have, the small button to kill engine which retracts back to on position. I pushed it to my mechanic who is 2kms away. Found about it only next day.
This M80 had not seen water in several years, though it was reasonably well maintained. My mechanic may have spent over half day only to clean this vehicle. Even the water wash guys took double the time is what my mechanic told. Several works were carried out like cleaning silencer, adding side stand, change of indicators, switches, change of rim and spokes. Most items were available at Bajaji Auto spares on commercial street. Once if was running perfectly, I couldn't see its sorrow outlook. As FC also was due, I decided to do a full paint job and restored it. Now its good for few decades!
Model: M80
Year: 1999
Condition of engine: Very good.
Condition of the body: Average. Factory paint and quite worn. Spokes are rusted and one rim badly rusted
Papers status (during purchase): FC and Insurance lapsed. Renewed insurance eventually. Waiting for the present lock down to get over to renew the fitness
What works were eventually needed: Change of indicators. Rear Tyre needed change as it had become hard and would skid on wet surfaces.
At parcel counter Indian railways 
No damages during courier 
Did not seem bad 
Pic of speedo. It was conked and not original reading 
Mechanic applied something before cleaning 
Before cleaning - Look how dirty 
Before cleaning - Look how dirty 
After cleaning, much better 
Work in progress 
Work in progress 
Work in progress 
How it looks after service 
How it looks after service, I wasnt fully happy with outlook though 
Both together 
Stickering number after paining the number plate 
LHS is the kill switch that eluded me and made me push for 2 kms 
Something I regret. I did not know silensor would be cut open for cleaning :( 
Pic of the basket, very hard to find 
I dedicate this thread to the Lock Down caused by Coronavirus. If not for this Lock down, I may never have found to put my collection on a thread. Each one of us have plenty of time on hand. Am sure most motor heads spend a considerable amount of time this Lock down on Team-Bhp. I spent a good number of hours knit picking the pics of my scooters that I had not organized. I literally had to go through 1000ss of pics and organize. Once I managed that, I started this thread. I spent quite some hours doing this thread and kept me occupied. I look forward to reading many other threads and considering putting up few more threads I have been keeping pending for long time. I have few more scooters archived at a friends place and don't have any pics nor much details handy. Will save it for future.
I hope I did my bit to help you guys utilize your Lock down time!!! Stay safe, stay home. Lets break the chain and flatten the curve.
Mod note: Thread moved to Vintage Cars & Classics in India > Post-War.
Thanks for sharing this very detailed write up.
| All times are GMT +5.5. The time now is 13:14. | |
