[Abhyjith K.A]

My very first thread on Team-BHP was about my journey of having Suzanna, my 2002 TVS Max 100 R come into my life and bless with me all the smiles per mile I could ever want out of a motorcycle. It's been over half a year of ownership and I thought its high time to start sharing some of the adventures we had together. Although there are so many to say, I thought this specific little road trip I had quite recently (With a childhood friend on board too) stood out quite a bit from the rest. So here goes!

It was Pooja Holidays (Both of us are 3rd year college students) and Rohan was coming back to Chennai from Coimbatore and thus, over a brief, yet exciting discussion over text, we decided to go on a road trip together (He suggested me the plan after seeing the multitude of statuses and stories I post of my little rides). The question was where? After all, there’s only so much distance you can cover on a 19-year-old (About to become 20) 100cc motorcycle within a day, isn’t it? (Theoretically, I mean).

Pondicherry was the perfect choice (P.S : I’ll be calling it Pondicherry and not Puducherry as it has a nicer ring to it). A distance of exactly 150 kms from Chennai, meaning we can cruise nice and slowly at our own pace, barely stressing the bike, and catching up with ourselves and our lives on the way, while being able to reach back home at night on the same day, despite exploring around the place in our own time. So off we went!

We started on the 3rd of October, 2022 at 7:30 A.M after I picked him up from the Metro station. I had started recording the trip on my app at 6:45, but there was a slight delay before he was able to reach. So, amidst the waiting and the greetings, the journey officially started at 7:30.



Waiting at the Metro Station

It's amazing to meet an old friend after such a long time, not having seen each other in person for nearly 2 and a half years (Primarily because of the lockdowns and mutual busy schedules), especially when one has gone to another place for college. Nevertheless, nothing much had changed. We were still exactly like we used to be and the thought of adventure kept our spirits high throughout that wonderful day.

I personally know the limits of my bike all too well (Especially after seeing what happens when she’s pushed too far), so although she’s as hardy and trusty as can be, I always take measures to make sure she’s as comfortable as us. For instance, whenever I do long rides, I divide the time like this :

For every 1 hour, I ride for 50 minutes and take a 10-minute break. This little 10-minute break is enough for both the rider and the motorcycle to relax and carry forth the journey with renewed vigour. And of course, we’ll eventually have to stop for a longer, say half an hour to 40 minutes break to have breakfast, lunch dinner, or a snack as the case may be, that’ll help both the rider and the motorcycle to relax even more. And not to forget to mention, the times the motorcycle will get to rest and cool down, even more, when it's parked as you go about being a tourist.

Then specifically when it comes to 2 strokes, 2T oil application is extremely important. Those who have read my first post about Suzanna know the close shave she had due to the oil pump. Thus, my bike runs purely on pre-mix. From experience, TVS-Suzuki engines do well with generous amounts of oil. The exact amount of oil you must mix depends on the condition of the engine. But the general rule of thumb is to add extra oil whenever you’ll be cruising for long distances at high speed or ripping about a lot as compared to a daily commute. Since I had a pillion as well, this becomes even more important.

Then the rest is all down to how well you maintain your bike and how you treat it. My bike sees a lot of miles and almost daily use for commutes, touring, errands, as well as some young-age hooliganism, and doesn’t miss a beat. The same can’t necessarily be said about a garage queen. In fact, she gets mad and sulks if left untouched for more than 1 day, and takes some persuasion (A couple more kicks) to start, which otherwise is never the case. She actually was a garage queen under the previous owner, and it's like she never wants to go back to that dratted life, if that can even be called so.

So, the previous day’s evening, I went and purchased two 500ml bottles of 2T oil, did a full tank, gave her a good cleaning, and took her for a brief spin around the neighbourhood before awaiting the next day with excitement. The funny thing is, she’s so efficient on fuel that I didn’t have to fill her up even after returning back and carried on my usual daily commute for nearly a week just like that. Who said 2 stroke has to mean inefficiency and impracticality ?

There are multiple routes to get to Pondicherry, but we chose 2 different routes, one for going and another one while coming back, just for some variety. While going, we used the OMR-ECR route and while coming back, we used the NH66-NH45 route. The reasons were simple. The ECR Highway is fantastic in the morning. Young, so full of energy and vibrancy that it refreshes you up. The NH66 and the NH45 are beautiful in the afternoon to evening time as the sun sets, painting the plush surrounding green landscape, the plains dotted with hills here and there, in a memorable golden shade that gives you a warm loving embrace, while the large, smooth highway roads seem to go on and on forever. Not to mention, when it finally gets dark, the vibe it gives is a totally different one. You feel transported to a retro racing video game and it feels like the 2000s and 2010s all over again (Those were the years of my childhood and the ones I can relate to the most). More on that later!

While entering the ECR Highway, we stopped at a mini junction after a toll plaza just after the OMR Highway ended for breakfast and a cup of coffee. The time was 8:36 A.M. We had taken a break between 8:20 to 8:30 A.M as planned, but found a place to eat within 6 minutes of resuming the trip. After finishing breakfast, we resumed our trip at 9 sharp.

The ECR highway has its way of tempting you to go fast and feel the rush of the seashore air, but we cruised steadily doing just around 50-60 kph and occasionally even dipping down to 40 kph as this was the first time, I was doing a longer distance ride with a pillion and didn’t want to stress my bike much. Plus, when you’re cruising slower, you get to prolong the fun, enjoy the passing views more by appreciating the details, and manage a flowing conversation with your pillion without all the wind buffeting and higher concentration required when riding fast.


As planned, we did periodic 10-minute breaks to get up, stretch and unwind whenever the 50 minutes of riding was over.

The long straights and curves of the ECR Highway slowly ended a while after crossing Mahabalipuram and now, the roads were narrower, the scenery greener, there were occasional bridges, and the mood ever so wondrous. That’s what riding slower helps you to understand. Why be in a hurry when you can witness so much that’s happening around you, that compensates for just the exciting rush and high that speed affords you?

Rohan took quite a few moving shots of the beautiful places we crossed that you can also see and enjoy :





During one break, we had a Blueberry Goli Soda. How welcomingly refreshing that was!



The landscape then slowly changed. The buildings slowly emerged. We finally reached Pondicherry city at around 12. Wasn’t that satisfying? Suzie had made the whole thing so relaxed, yet so entertaining that I was proud of her. After some riding about, we reached Promenade Beach at 12:16 where we parked her and carried forth on foot.



It wasn’t such a sunny morning that day, so being at the beach at noon time wasn’t exhausting. It was bright and the clouds were white, not overcast whatsoever. Perfect timing. Now let’s talk a bit about Pondicherry, shall we? Here’s a little excerpt from an article I wrote about the trip for my college magazine’s travelogue section :



“Investigating a bit into the history of Pondicherry tells a lot of tales of its time as a French colony, the effects of which are truly evident in the architecture of various parts of the lovely city. It truly is stereotypically French in many ways. The walk along the seashore of the wonderful Promenade Beach, for instance, is lined with wooden benches situated next to solitary trees meticulously planted periodically. Then there are the buildings themselves, particularly around the French Colony. The Art Nouveau features and vibrant colours that detail the beautiful cafes around town make one feel transported to a different realm. An excellent zone for capturing solo and group snapshots to cherish forever. A visit here teaches us the value of aesthetics. Especially those that are culturally inherited.



Witnessing the French Colony and its vibe just makes one think. If it’s like this, now in 2022, imagine how this same place would have been and looked like under French control, let’s say, a hundred years ago, in 1922. It’s an intensely mixed bag of feelings. The sheer weight of the history, along with all the smiles, tears, and unfortunately blood this place has seen…. Nevertheless, the whole of the city truly has moved on, just preserving the aesthetics in some parts of course. The other parts of the city are quintessentially as Indian as they get in the best way possible, that whenever one suddenly happens upon the French-inspired parts while walking, riding or driving through the city, one feels so much awe. Like being transported into another dimension by a time machine.



Pondicherry is, was, and shall always be a metaphorical island. A French colony, taking with it, the French essence within one large cauldron of cultures, languages, beauty, resources and experiences…. All of which drew the colonizers into our nation in the first place. It is an eternal bubble that will always be beloved by the ones who know what it can offer. There are a number of other places to visit ranging from a number of Cathedrals, the Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, the Museum, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the French War Memorial, so on and so forth.”





We had our lunch at one of the many restaurants & cafes in French Colony (Tasted the finest Paneer Tikka I ever had my entire life) after which, we took some photographs and walked along the beach, dipping our feet in the waters of course (I can call it “Dipping our feet”, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s impossible to be at the beach without getting wet well above one’s knees and getting sprinkled or splashed the rest of the way till the head). After some more clicks, we decided to get going to the next place to visit. Auroville.



No visit to Pondicherry is complete without visiting Auroville. Built from scratch on 20 square kilometres of barren land, Auroville is so welcoming, so peaceful and so memorable. Founded by Mirra Alfassa and dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo, Auroville was inaugurated just in 1968 and carries forth its unique image to this very day and beyond. To phrase my article yet again, “A spiritual zone, then, is it? But it feels all too natural within. Riding through the narrow roads of the township, framed with greenery and various curiosity shops dotting the cozy landscape, we noticed something truly exceptional. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry on the road or off of it. Many people had a smile on their face, and the whole atmosphere was one inspiring peace within even the most restless traveler. Auroville is truly a special place in this regard.



We stopped to visit the Matrimandir, an iconic tourist attraction within the city. It is a golden dome which was built to represent “A symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s aspiration for perfection.” It’s a surreal place, fusing together elements of the past with the future. For instance, this isn’t exactly a place of worship as it doesn’t follow any particular religion, even though it follows similar lines of existence. It is powered by a field of solar panels, making it technologically and ideologically way ahead of its time. This masterpiece took 37 years to build and witnessing it is an experience that cannot be easily put in words, particularly when one understands what exactly it stands for.”

Our visit to the Matrimandir was the last piece of our Pondicherry Puzzle, after which we decided to get moving and get back on the road, and head for home. It was around 3:40 P.M as we left the town and entered some beautiful narrow country roads before eventually joining the NH66 at 4 P.M sharp. Thereafter, we cruised, taking in the gorgeous scenery.

Remember how I mentioned these roads are particularly memorable in the afternoon and evening? That was exactly what we witnessed and enjoyed. The sun was slowly on its way to kiss the horizon and we cruised happily on the long, straight, smooth road with the engine burbling along, adding a fantastic soundtrack to the experience.

We followed our exact schedule of riding for 50 minutes and taking a break for 10 minutes thereafter. During one slightly longer coffee break, Rohan clicked this photograph of me goofing about with my bike. I love this photograph so much as it holds a ton of memories and represents a lot of things to me.



We resumed our journey and as the sun descended further, the golden yellow shades of the sky slowly followed suit as the world prepared itself for the inky blackness of the night. But it wasn’t time yet, as things were about to be shaken up.

While going forth, I suddenly noticed someone on the side of the road next to his parked bike, signalling us for help. I pulled over immediately to see something strange. The bike, a black Pulsar was scratched all over and its front fairing was smashed in half. The man’s clothes were ripped and he was bruised with his eyes and voice showing someone truly broken inside. It was obvious he had fallen down, as he confirmed he had done so, back at a junction. Thankfully his bike was still rideable. But now, his luck had taken a drastic turn when he ran out of fuel as well and got stranded.

He gave us a bottle and a 50 Rupee note asking for us to help get him some fuel. After making sure he was physically ok, we took the bottle, turned down the money saying it wasn’t an issue, rode till the next fuel station which was 3 and odd kilometres away, got half a litre of petrol, and came back to him at once. I didn’t offer a tow as he looked to be in no state to do so. We asked him where he was going, and he said he was going to Tambaram where he worked, from his village (Couldn’t remember the name of the place he said) when the mishap occurred. He told us he had no idea how we was gonna get there as his phone got damaged in the crash and he had lost his cards along with a lot of other things as well.

Now Tambaram and Chennai city from that place was well over 100 kilometres away and there was no way he could reach there without help. So, I gave him some cash which would allow him to reach there, plus have a bit for emergencies. He was so overwhelmed that he fell on my feet, and gave me a big hug, almost crying.

It was a genuine case of bad luck and not some scam. One could easily tell. I already know the dangers of stopping on certain stretches of highways here in our country, but I’m glad I did stop for this. Plus, I had my friend along with me as well, so I’m glad we could be of help to him. After bidding farewell and telling him to ride slow and safe, we carried forth our journey.

But this time, we were faced with some dangers of our own. Early on, while in Pondicherry, I noticed the horn had suddenly stopped working. No big deal, I thought initially. But slowly, the indicators also started failing with just the buzzer beeping slowly and no light flashing. Then, the neutral light also gave way when we stopped for another break at 5:50 P.M. Then, I realized what was going on. A blackout.

I quickly turned the ignition on and tested the brake light by pulling the brake lever, which also didn’t glow. Then, I fired her up and flicked on the switch for the lights, resulting in nothing happening. That’s when the seriousness of the situation dawned upon us. All the electrical ancillaries had failed, and the sun was slowly setting, meaning we had to ride the 80 kilometres back to Chennai in the dark on mostly unlit highways without lights, indicators, and a horn.

Thankfully the Max 100 is a bike that doesn’t actually require a battery to run. In fact, I added the battery after purchasing my bike just for the ancillaries to work properly. So, since the engine ran completely independently, she fired up and chugged along as if nothing had happened. At this point, only the engine, the speedo, and the odo worked with everything else blankly just existing. Now imagine such an affair with a very modern & tech-filled bike or car that works purely in conjunction with the electricals and electronics. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for simplicity.

At 6 P.M, we resumed our journey, this time, with added hurry to cover as much ground as possible before the sunlight vanished totally. This time, I maintained around 70 kph of speed, touching that number whenever possible and going a bit above as well whenever the opportunity presented itself as the traffic was also now slowly increasing. We carried on like this till 6:50 P.M when we pulled over for another break. By then, the sky had gone fully dark.



At this point, the breaks were purely for the motorcycle and not really for us, as we were intent on reaching home quickly, looking at our circumstances. We really were pushing the engine to its limits. I’d usually have no reservations to ride my bike like this when it’s a solo ride, but with a pillion, this was a unique situation as you can guess. On a small-capacity motorcycle, such details do matter.



At 7 P.M, we hit the road and decided no more breaks would be required. I had the throttle wide open as we powered along, with our destination getting closer and closer. We briefly calculated, taking into account distance, speed, and traffic that we could reach the airport only around 8:30, where Rohan said he’d take the metro home to escape the massive traffic and delay that usually ensues while going by road. So we did the same drill. Maintain the speed between 60-75 as much as possible, use hand signals whenever we had to make a lane change, pull the clutch, flick the throttle and use the exhaust as a horn if at all required, and never slow down unless required as all the vehicles were powering through the road at high speed.

There were two situations that were both close shaves. One was when two buses took a quick turn from a diversion and entered the highway, blocking a large portion due to the terrible turning circle, forcing us to swerve to the right and power out of the way in the nick of time. The other was when an old man simply ran across the road at a green light near a bridge. There, we were doing barely 40, so had enough time to react.

After that, the highway freed up again, so I opened her up and we rode into the inky blackness of the night. Despite all this, no bleakness was ever in sight or feel. Our spirits were still high, albeit, more excited and alert as now, this started to feel like a real adventure. The engine roared along and its soundtrack is one that somehow energizes you. Rohan was doing the hand signals for the lane changes and it felt amazing to work like a team in this small regard.

We heaved a sigh of relief when the lights of SRM University came into sight as that meant Chennai International Airport was just about 25 kilometres away. So, we kept pushing forwards.

This part of the journey, starting from when we resumed our trip at 7 proved to be so memorable. I remember a year and a half or so back, just after the lockdowns had ceased, travelling with family by car in this very stretch, with the driver cruising at 130 kph. Never would I have imagined at that moment that in such a short period of time, I’d get my own bike and be riding along this very road with my friend as a pillion. This truly felt special to me. We were so engrossed in being alert and watchful of the road that we didn’t have time to take snapshots on the move to immortalize those moments, but I guess, safety first, for all those memories are still cherished in our minds.

As the miles went by, the feelings became surreal. It felt like we were in a video game. If only the lights worked and the instrument cluster was lit up like a Christmas tree, it really would have felt like we were young children again, playing a racing video game from the late 2000s, retro aesthetics intact. The sound played the part too. With the beautiful combination of burbles, roars, and the intake wail and howls on acceleration all mixing together in a mishmash of utter perfection and sensory delight, every single moment was savoured.

In no time, we crossed Tambaram and finally reached the brightly lit chandelier, that is, our Chennai International Airport. There’s a bridge right nearby that you climb right next to the terminal and at night, it's quite an experience to witness the Thirusulam hills on the right side and the futuristic aesthetics of the airport on the left as the cool wind blows across your face and the stars shine brightly above. It was 8:09 P.M when we reached the entrance of the metro station. Finally, our journey was coming to an end.

After reminiscing our adventure and bidding our farewells, Rohan left and I fired Suzie back up and hit the road. It was 8:13 P.M. Traffic was still very much there, but it all moved quickly and fluidly. What an adrenaline rush! When I reached home, it was 8:42 P.M. 311.66 kilometres travelled in total. The odometer showed 40,054 kilometres. It had rolled past the 40k mark en route a while before we reached the airport. When I got her, she had 35k kilometres on her (I told you she was a garage queen before). So that’s 5k kilometres of ownership completed. And what a way to hit 40k!



What I absolutely love about Suzanna is the way she never missed a beat throughout the whole journey. And especially towards the end, she forgave all my thrashings and took them all, making sure we reached on time. The electrical blackout almost seemed like a challenge thrown at us to make our trip even more memorable. Maybe it was for the greater good, as we wouldn’t have had the sense of hurry required to reach home on time and prevent any possible mishaps. Who knows? I prefer to look at things the positive way, so that’s that.

Rohan texted me soon afterwards, telling me he had reached home as well. By the divine blessings from above, we made it and we made it safe. That’s what matters the most. We shared the photographs we took and went to bed after having dinner. And as you can guess, I slept like a baby after recollecting all that we experienced.

The best part? This is just the start. So much more to come. Stay tuned! Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing down all this. Cheers and happy riding!

[aravindhunt]

Nice gesture on helping the stranded person. But dont try this stunt of riding without lights. Its not only dangerous for you, but also dangerous for others too. Riding without lights is more dangerous than riding with high beams. There is high probability that other vehicles might miss you in the darkness or might think that you are a stationary vehicle. I guess there are no reflectors also in your bike.

Being a Team BHPian you should ensure and promote safe driving.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by Abhyjith K.A

My very first thread on Team-BHP was about my journey of having Suzanna, my 2002 TVS Max 100 R come into my life and bless with me all the smiles per mile I could ever want out of a motorcycle.

Quite a breath of fresh air to read about touring on a 2T motorcycle in 2022. Yes a very nice and enjoyable read, and looking forward for more.

Just a small piece of advice, do look at investing in riding gloves and a good certified riding jacket with protection. It literally saves lives when we run out of luck.

Two queries - what is the 2T oil you used and in what ratio for the trip?

And, which app do you use to record all that data about your rides - seems like a neat and efficient app to track motorcycle rides.

[Abhyjith K.A]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Quite a breath of fresh air to read about touring on a 2T motorcycle in 2022. Yes a very nice and enjoyable read, and looking forward for more.

Just a small piece of advice, do look at investing in riding gloves and a good certified riding jacket with protection. It literally saves lives when we run out of luck.

Two queries - what is the 2T oil you used and in what ratio for the trip?

Thank you for your kind words! I'll definitely look into riding gear soon.

I used Elf Moto 2 Champ 2T Oil. On an engine that's in perfectly good condition, I'd recommend 40ml/litre for city riding and commuting and about 70ml/litre for extended high-speed ripping and touring. This is for the Max 100's engine specifically. Unfortunately, I experienced some mild piston seizure during the early days of amateur 2-stroke ownership (Had to learn the hard way), and thus, I pre-mix 100ml/litre for my bike specifically till I eventually get the engine rebuilt in the future. That's the beauty of some 2 stroke engines. They just keep on going with some extra aid.

Thank you, sir. My passion for not just automobiles and 2 strokes, but also for writing and sharing goes way too deep for anyone else's words to affect. You can't destroy things built slowly upon the granite-tough foundation of time. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for some others, so I suppose we all can sometimes learn what not to do from others

Originally Posted by aravindhunt

Nice gesture on helping the stranded person. But dont try this stunt of riding without lights. Its not only dangerous for you, but also dangerous for others too. Riding without lights is more dangerous than riding with high beams. There is high probability that other vehicles might miss you in the darkness or might think that you are a stationary vehicle. I guess there are no reflectors also in your bike.

Being a Team BHPian you should ensure and promote safe driving.

Thank you! I'll keep the last line in mind always . But I gotta point out that it wasn't a stunt by any means. Just a desperate situation of 2 young lads trying to reach home in the dark without any other choice, as this all happened without warning. Can't really think of any alternatives that we could have gone for. And P.S, the side box (A Studds Safari) has king-sized reflectors. You'll notice them in the pics above. Appreciate the concern!

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

And, which app do you use to record all that data about your rides - seems like a neat and efficient app to track motorcycle rides.

Forgot to reply to this. It's called Galileo GPS Speedometer. It's a fine app. Will search for some other options that also includes map routes and some more data, cause why not?

Completely open for suggestions from everyone!

[RR96]

Hey, enjoyed reading your travelogue. Also read your ownership review of your Suzie, it was wonderful. Your ride, the experiences you had, time spent with your friend all gives one happiness. Continue riding and writing.

I had been to Pondicherry on 4th of this month and had visited the beach, White Town, Auroville and Maitri Mandir. It's a beautiful place. I am also writing a travelogue on it. I hadn't taken photos of the beach and its walkways, would you mind me sharing your photos on my travelogue . I would obviously share photo credits, if you allow.

Thanks.

[Abhyjith K.A]

Originally Posted by RR96

Hey, enjoyed reading your travelogue. Also read your ownership review of your Suzie, it was wonderful.

Glad you enjoyed reading both stories! Will always continue sharing my experiences for sure

Wow, just one day apart! You are always free to use my pics with credits for sure. Looking forward to reading it

[boniver]

You have a very good writing style, my man! And about that little bike of yours, trust me, it'll never let you down no matter how you treat it. Just don't forget to add 2T oil!

Pondicherry brings back nice memories. I was there exactly a year ago, and really loved that small town. Paradise beach made me want to never leave!

2 days ago, I had to let one of my bikes go in order to make space in my garage for a bigger bike (now that I'm at home, my parents are absolutely furious seeing me ride that little thing everywhere and on the highways).



Any guesses as to which one I bid goodbye to?

[Ravi Parwan]

Great Day trip travelogue, took me back to college when we used to do such trips in abundance.

Originally Posted by Abhyjith K.A

I used Elf Moto 2 Champ 2T Oil. On an engine that's in perfectly good condition, I'd recommend 40ml/litre for city riding and commuting and about 70ml/litre for extended high-speed ripping and touring. This is for the Max 100's engine specifically.

I understand you got a some engine seize anxiety due to your earlier scare, but this much extra oil will ruin your engine while also being very polluting for the environment.

Isn't that almost twice the limit? I remember, we used to add 20 ml/L in Bajaj and vespa scooters. 30ml/L for long drives. Add any more and you get a very smokey exhaust with also a chance of fouling the spark plugs and clogging up the exhaust.

[Abhyjith K.A]

Mod Note : Post Edited. Smiley usage is restricted to two per post on Team-BHP. Please do NOT use more than 2 smileys in a post.

Originally Posted by boniver

You have a very good writing style, my man! And about that little bike of yours, trust me, it'll never let you down no matter how you treat it. Just don't forget to add 2T oil!

Pondicherry brings back nice memories. I was there exactly a year ago, and really loved that small town. Paradise beach made me want to never leave!

2 days ago, I had to let one of my bikes go in order to make space in my garage for a bigger bike (now that I'm at home, my parents are absolutely furious seeing me ride that little thing everywhere and on the highways).

Attachment 2370144

Any guesses as to which one I bid goodbye to?

Thank you so much! I totally agree, for she's been with me through thick and thin

Yes indeed. It's a paradise. A perfect escape that doesn't involve hiding in a hill.

I suppose it's the NTorque, for I'd find it hard to believe that its the Max or the RX. Sometimes, some things are just impossible to do.

Originally Posted by Ravi Parwan

Great Day trip travelogue, took me back to college when we used to do such trips in abundance.


I understand you got a some engine seize anxiety due to your earlier scare, but this much extra oil will ruin your engine while also being very polluting for the environment.

Isn't that almost twice the limit? I remember, we used to add 20 ml/L in Bajaj and vespa scooters. 30ml/L for long drives. Add any more and you get a very smokey exhaust with also a chance of fouling the spark plugs and clogging up the exhaust.

Thank you! Pleasure to spark some nostalgia

That's why I said my info applies to the Max 100 engine specifically. Different vehicles require different types of treatment. I'd also like to add that it's not in conjunction with the oil pump. Pure pre-mix.

There's no real "limit" really (Doesn't mean we can use as much as we want). It's just that different engines have different wear levels and require slightly different ratios. Mine is slightly messed up as such, so it requires more.

In fact, when the first time it heat seized, I was on a long journey returning home after dropping a friend off at an NCC Camp. That time, I had a 40ml/l mix as I didn't know it requires more on the highway. But my mechanic simply added some 20W40 into the tank and told me to ride it a bit like this, but gently and see what happens. It rode like nothing ever happened. So I did the same, but with 2T and it runs pretty fine.

A friend of mine once told me how someone he knew had an RX that he managed to seize only after doing 150 ml/l of Laal Ghoda (20W40 & not even 2T) just while having fun smoking on the streets. That is an extreme case, but I've heard of people touring on 2 strokes using car engine oil and whatnot.

As I said, TVS-Suzuki engines do well with generous amounts of oil. As for the environment thing, very few people use a 2 stroke in an everyday scenario like I do. So the collective emissions themselves are so miniscule it doesn't really matter as such.

[boniver]

Originally Posted by Abhyjith K.A

I suppose it's the NTorque, for I'd find it hard to believe that its the Max or the RX.

Oh I wish it was as easy as that! But the NTorq is my dad's ride for 2kms a week, and selling it would lead to me living on the pavement outside the house.

I sold the RX, as I never felt it deserved the halo that people attribute to it. The MAX100 always felt infinitely more special to me, to the point where I just wouldn’t even touch the RX for weeks at a time (after all, despite all the restoration and everything, I only rode it for a grand total of 15kms during its time in my garage).

Now I’m happy. I have one bike that deserves 100% of my attention, and I’m glad I chose the better one of the two and didn’t get swayed by public opinion.

[aargee]

Pls pardon that I couldn't resist sharing we did something similar way back in 1999 with my college friends, rode all the way from Chennai, near to Pondi & back and had lunch at Golden Sun Resort (still operational) on varied 2S from Rx100, Rx135, KB100, Suzuki Samurai when yours truly had Max 100!!

Just for a briefest moment, time appeared to stand still recollecting the past memories from our trip. Good luck on maintaining your Max100R for years to come

[vredesbyrd]

Wow. This is like a breath of fresh air on the forum. Loved it.
Really liked you and your friend's adventure. I've done silly speeds (70+) on a scooty on the same Chengalpattu to Tambaram stretch years ago.

Keep posting content like this. The forum needs it, now more than ever.
P.S. Do get the electricals fixed asap before riding out at night again. It is scary without sight (lights) and sound (horn)

[Abhyjith K.A]

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Originally Posted by boniver

Oh I wish it was as easy as that! But the NTorq is my dad's ride for 2kms a week, and selling it would lead to me living on the pavement outside the house.

I sold the RX, as I never felt it deserved the halo that people attribute to it. The MAX100 always felt infinitely more special to me, to the point where I just wouldn’t even touch the RX for weeks at a time (after all, despite all the restoration and everything, I only rode it for a grand total of 15kms during its time in my garage).

Now I’m happy. I have one bike that deserves 100% of my attention, and I’m glad I chose the better one of the two and didn’t get swayed by public opinion.

Whoah! Now wasn't that a suprise. I can't comment much on the RX, as I'm yet to try one out, but I totally understand how it feels to have just "The One That Matters The Most" with you. We eventually end up identifying ourselves with it. That's been my experience so far, at least!

Something tells me it's the wail on acceleration that captures our hearts more than anything else.

Originally Posted by aargee

Pls pardon that I couldn't resist sharing we did something similar way back in 1999 with my college friends, rode all the way from Chennai, near to Pondi & back and had lunch at Golden Sun Resort (still operational) on varied 2S from Rx100, Rx135, KB100, Suzuki Samurai when yours truly had Max 100!!

Just for a briefest moment, time appeared to stand still recollecting the past memories from our trip. Good luck on maintaining your Max100R for years to come

Thank you so much for sharing all this! Just makes the thread more special! Glad I could evoke those precious memories. Must have been a real hoot to be part of a 2 stroke convoy like that

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

Wow. This is like a breath of fresh air on the forum. Loved it.
Really liked you and your friend's adventure. I've done silly speeds (70+) on a scooty on the same Chengalpattu to Tambaram stretch years ago.

Keep posting content like this. The forum needs it, now more than ever.
P.S. Do get the electricals fixed asap before riding out at night again. It is scary without sight (lights) and sound (horn)

Thank you for your kind words! Will absolutely continue doing so. Lot of stuff to share, as a matter of fact.

Oh yes, that stretch is just impossible to drive slow on. It's so much fun!

And P.S. The electricals fixed themselves without me doing anything randomly and they work just like they used to. For real. Happened a week after the road trip, while on my daily commute. Sometimes, certain things make us feel like these machines we personify out of love are living for real

[rajeevsulu]

Nostalgic! I have done a zillion trips between 1987 to 1997 on this same route. Pondy was and is a booze doer"s delight. My Rx100 was used exhaustively on this stretch. Memories!

[Abhyjith K.A]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Nostalgic! I have done a zillion trips between 1987 to 1997 on this same route. Pondy was and is a booze doer"s delight. My Rx100 was used exhaustively on this stretch. Memories!

Haha, totally understand. 2 stroke cruising on this route is sheer heaven. Even for non booze doers, it's so damn welcoming. Especially those lovely French style inspired cafes. The roads are pretty great overall today, so you gotta re-make those trips just to see how things have changed!