Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new

RahulNagaraj · 22nd August 2022, 15:28

Thanks to Pratish Girme for sending this in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

Quote:

Dear Team-BHP,

While writing this to you and your team, I am so happy to share my story with you all.

I Pratish Girme, am sharing a story of 1972 registered Rajdoot with you along with photos before & after restoration.

This bike was owned by my grandfather and he would not allow anyone else to touch his motorcycle as he loved to ride it very much, he and my grandmother used to ride on it.

Later on, when the vehicle became old he decided to sell it.

The one who purchased it was the person known to him and was more excited to buy it as it was his first motorcycle in his house. His name was Mr Kolhe.

And when the vehicle became old he decided to dismantle it and kept it in his house below are the images. He literally stored the bike in a jute bag at his house on the terrace. And here the Rajdoot came to a stop again.

I owned an HF Deluxe and later on decided to sell it after a year I told my brother, I want to sell it and he decided to inform his company for a few friends. Somehow Mr Kolhe came to know about my HF Delux.

And unfortunately, Mr Kolhe said to him he wanted to purchase it so he requested a price and an offer of 47 thousand was given to him.

But we also came to know that he owned the old Rajdoot with him which was on his terrace. My father and I went to see the same and decided to purchase it.

I waved off Rs 7,000/- just to purchase an old Rajdoot which belonged to my grandfather and my father was willing to own as a memory of it.

So we both decided to restore it and purchased it back from Mr Kolhe and now the new owner of Rajdoot was Mr Pradeep Girme who owned the memory of his father back and restored it from scrap to new life. Below are the images.

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-1.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-2.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-3.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-4.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-5.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-6.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-7.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-8.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-9.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestoration-10.jpg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestored-1.jpeg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestored-2.jpeg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestored-3.jpeg

Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new-rajdootrestored-4.jpeg

saket77 · 22nd August 2022, 17:02

Goodness! Can't believe it's the same bike! I restored my perfectly running Honda Stunner a couple of months ago by completely dismantling it and it was a pain to look after every aspect. This is for a bike whose spares are widely available.

And Pratish here has restored a motorcycle stored in bits and pieces in a bag, has been out of production for more than 30 years if I am right and are nowhere to be seen on the roads! Hats off!

My best friend had a Rajdoot (his father's actually) and we rode it like maniacs during our teens , so there's some nostalgia attached to it. Not a huge fan of this bike but surely one of the intent and effort of the restorer.

Regards.

coolmind · 24th August 2022, 09:58

Is the bike really restored or a new one!?
Great job.

By the way, the registration also need to be looked at as it should have got expired. May please advise your friend, just in case.

fawad0222 · 24th August 2022, 11:46

Wah! A Rajdoot never looked so beautiful before. Must have really needed a lot hard work, patience, passion, not to talk of resources. Great Job!! Even Escorts might want to acquire it to showcase it's glorious past.

Regards

Renukaprasad · 24th August 2022, 12:06

Nice post. This took me to a nostalgic period when I owned a Rajdoot motorcycle 25 years back. My 4 year old daughter used identify my bike sound from kilometers (distinct sound easily identifiable) and come rushing to greet me. Thanks for the post.

Herschey · 24th August 2022, 21:23

This looks stunning. Kudos for putting in all the efforts into restoring this motorcycle.

MT_Hyderabad · 24th August 2022, 22:23

Amazing thread. Well done.

My only wish, the number plate was looking quite ok. It would have been a great sight to see it back on the motorcycle with some touch up and original font intact.

vigneshkumar31 · 25th August 2022, 08:08

Thank you for bringing the 'Doot back to life. Looks wonderful and heartening to see these gems get their due.

RedTerrano · 25th August 2022, 10:07

If this had not been on TBHP, I would have refused to believe the bunch of rusted metal is this same shining beauty.
Talk about Cinderella eh?
Great job Pratish Girme!
Kudos.

I remember the Rajdoot very well. One of our friends' dad had one.
During college days, "borrowing" our dad's ride and flaunting it in front of friends was the norm. So was the clamouring by said friends to take a ride on it.
But with this friend, nobody asked after the first time.
Never ever.

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The potholed roads and this peculiar shaped fuel tank made all of us worry about our future progeny

saifybhp · 25th August 2022, 11:16

Unbelievable work!! I hope you put a full story of what all you did to restore it back to full glory. It definitely would be a nice read for all other enthusiasts here in the forum. Enjoy riding.

And yes! Also please highlight the issues you faced as part of the restoration process and how you overcame them.

22nd August 2022, 17:02	#2
saket77 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Ranchi Posts: 4,396 Thanked: 12,046 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Goodness! Can't believe it's the same bike! I restored my perfectly running Honda Stunner a couple of months ago by completely dismantling it and it was a pain to look after every aspect. This is for a bike whose spares are widely available. And Pratish here has restored a motorcycle stored in bits and pieces in a bag, has been out of production for more than 30 years if I am right and are nowhere to be seen on the roads! Hats off! My best friend had a Rajdoot (his father's actually) and we rode it like maniacs during our teens , so there's some nostalgia attached to it. Not a huge fan of this bike but surely one of the intent and effort of the restorer. Regards.
	(12) Thanks

24th August 2022, 09:58	#3
coolmind BHPian Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 260 Thanked: 311 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Is the bike really restored or a new one!? Great job. By the way, the registration also need to be looked at as it should have got expired. May please advise your friend, just in case. Last edited by coolmind : 24th August 2022 at 10:00.
	(3) Thanks

24th August 2022, 11:46	#4
fawad0222 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Alig/Pune Posts: 232 Thanked: 987 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Wah! A Rajdoot never looked so beautiful before. Must have really needed a lot hard work, patience, passion, not to talk of resources. Great Job!! Even Escorts might want to acquire it to showcase it's glorious past. Regards
	(1) Thanks

24th August 2022, 12:06	#5
Renukaprasad Newbie Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chennai Posts: 5 Thanked: 10 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Nice post. This took me to a nostalgic period when I owned a Rajdoot motorcycle 25 years back. My 4 year old daughter used identify my bike sound from kilometers (distinct sound easily identifiable) and come rushing to greet me. Thanks for the post.
	(4) Thanks

24th August 2022, 21:23	#6
Herschey BHPian Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Delhi Posts: 149 Thanked: 445 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new This looks stunning. Kudos for putting in all the efforts into restoring this motorcycle.
	() Thanks

24th August 2022, 22:23	#7
MT_Hyderabad BHPian Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: <<-- Posts: 730 Thanked: 3,215 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Amazing thread. Well done. My only wish, the number plate was looking quite ok. It would have been a great sight to see it back on the motorcycle with some touch up and original font intact.
	() Thanks

25th August 2022, 08:08	#8
vigneshkumar31 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 754 Thanked: 5,821 Times View My Garage	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Thank you for bringing the 'Doot back to life. Looks wonderful and heartening to see these gems get their due.
	() Thanks

25th August 2022, 10:07	#9
RedTerrano BHPian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Pune Posts: 973 Thanked: 7,642 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new If this had not been on TBHP, I would have refused to believe the bunch of rusted metal is this same shining beauty. Talk about Cinderella eh? Great job Pratish Girme! Kudos. I remember the Rajdoot very well. One of our friends' dad had one. During college days, "borrowing" our dad's ride and flaunting it in front of friends was the norm. So was the clamouring by said friends to take a ride on it. But with this friend, nobody asked after the first time. Never ever. The potholed roads and this peculiar shaped fuel tank made all of us worry about our future progeny
	(1) Thanks

25th August 2022, 11:16	#10
saifybhp Newbie Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6 Thanked: 29 Times	Re: Bought back my grandfather's 1972 Rajdoot and restored it to new Unbelievable work!! I hope you put a full story of what all you did to restore it back to full glory. It definitely would be a nice read for all other enthusiasts here in the forum. Enjoy riding. And yes! Also please highlight the issues you faced as part of the restoration process and how you overcame them.
	() Thanks