[amit_mechengg]

I still cherish the QA sessions with Dilip sir. He is a true gem. Splendor - donkey bike

Tortoise lives for 100 years but a fast cheetah lives only for six.

[coolrain]

This conversation happened on FB between my cousin & Mr Dilip Bam. Mr Bam was his Teacher during his MBA.
I don't know how to copy the screenshot hence just pasted the text.

Simranjeet Bagga ‎Dilip Bam
16 hrs ·
Sir I am ex iimm ...wanted u r advice ..m planning to buy suzuki inazuma. ..shld I go for it
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2 people like this.

Dilip Bam I imagine it would be quite expensive....maybe more than 2L. Basically I don't like twin and multi cylinder bikes. This bike is a twin. So I don't recommend it. I am almost 70 years old, you are less than half my age so your priorities may be different. For me Bullet500 is GOD=Ram. Next to God is Hanuman (his monkey servant), which to me is Hero Splendor Pro. Boss, better than naming a model, please tell me WHY you want to buy THiS or any other particular bike? What do you want? Speed? Mileage? Pickup? Long life? Resale value? *** you want? PleeZe tell.
16 hrs · 3

Simranjeet Bagga its for 2.36lakh
16 hrs

Dilip Bam 2.36 lakh ok, if you have the money. Please tell me what you WANT from the bike? Please specify: Speed? Mileage? Pickup? Long life? Resale value? *** you want? PleeZe tell.
16 hrs · 1

Simranjeet Bagga sir I already have a karizma n bullet desert strom. ....wanted something that suits my built I am 6' 4 .....so wanted some bulky strong bike ..cruiser basically
16 hrs

Dilip Bam Baap ray ! You are 6'4"? You are giant ! Gawd has been kind to you. You already have Karizma and Desert Storm? Is munny dropping from the sky? Even Mukesh Ambani cannot buy so many bikes. How you got so much munny?
16 hrs · 1

[schakravarthy]

Dilip Bam... The name did seem vaguely familiar.. Now where had I heard it?
A little digging into my book library and I found my treasured '94 1st Anniversary edition of Auto India; treasured because that was the only piece of auto journal I had for many, many years and I have grown rather fond of it!
This edition, amongst many other interesting articles, carried a review of Hercules Rockshox. The article had me fascinated to no end and I had religiously memorized every single word of it and used to parrot it out to anyone who'd care to listen ( er.. More often than not, nobody cared. But that didn't stop me from extolling the virtues of a cycle with a Shock absorber; "pure genius" I would say! He he.. ).
The cycle was good, yes; but it was the writing that had captured the imagination of an 8 year old boy.
Now, decades later, having stumbled across this thread, it comes as no surprise that the review was penned by a certain Mr. Dilip Bam!

[sandeepmohan]

The Rockshox was around at the time my folks picked up my first cycle. I was not impressed with this Hercules. Like the road test illustrates, you needed to wheelie the bike to get some movement from the springs. It was so rigid. I ended up getting the thendi puuchaa instead, aka Street Cat.

[Sedate]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

The Rockshox was around at the time my folks picked up my first cycle. I was not impressed with this Hercules. Like the road test illustrates, you needed to wheelie the bike to get some movement from the springs. It was so rigid. I ended up getting the thendi puuchaa instead, aka Street Cat.

Street Cat had awesome suspension! I too had one fitted with a Shimano 18 speed gear system. I had to take it to school one day as the teacher thought that i was lying about cycles with gear! After the incident moved from being 'notoriously famous' to 'famous' in school!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by Shubhendra

Just to let you know guys he is XLRI Jamshedpur Alumni.

Although i read some critic post about use of his language, but just FYI he has excellent command over Hindi and English.

How Dilip Bam got into XLRI - in his own words from his website http://dilipbam.com/autobiography/12...into-xlri.html

Most males on facebook have written: Interested in==WOMEN. Verri honest Verri GuoOo0uDdDD. Very healthy and environment friendly.

The following story was told to me by Prof. B.R.DEY, who was my Prof at XLRi when I was studying there 1971-73. The following conversation happened in the staff-room of Indian Institute of Modern Management (IIMM) in the old campus of IIMM at Vishrantwadi, Pune, India, in 2001. Ten years ago.

One day I had just come back home at 18:30 pm from a three-day TREK, and had class at IIMM at 19:00 pm, NiNE km away. If I had to shave, bath etc., and dress in proper formal clothes, I would get late for class in IIMM. So I came for class in trekking dress. Trekking dress is very dirty and junglee, but I do not care bkoz being punctual on time is more important than dressing well. I reached campus and was ten minutes early, so I went to STAFF ROOM where you can get FREE tea in staff room, so I went there.

Many Profs were sitting there. The boy brought tea and biscuits. One of the senior Profs (I think it was Prof. Rama Shastry) said to me: "This is an MBA institute. How can you come here dressed so dirty?"

Before I could answer, Prof B.R.Dey who was also sitting there said, "I know this fellow since 30 years. Even in kolej he was like this 0nly.

Exactly 40 years ago (1971), when I was trying for admission in XLRi, I was interviewed by a panel of three: One was Prof. B.R.Dey (Masters degree in Statistics==M.Statt. from Univ. of Calcutta==Kolkata). Sekond was Father J.M.Kennedy (gora padri from USA and Ph.D. from Harvard (now dead). Third was Father Tome (also gora padri from USA and Ph.D. from Harvard also now dead).

In the XLRI admission interview in 1971, Prof BRDey (still alive today as on Ides of March, 2011) who Lives in Pune in VimanNagar on Ahmednagar Road) asked me in 1971, 40 years ago, "What do you do in your spare time?"

I replied, "I CHASE WOMEN".

At that time (in 2001) I did not remember this had happened in 1971 in my XLRI admission interview but, Prof. B.R.Dey remembered, even though he is older than me. He has very guud mammary (==memory). Then he told about the FiNAL MERiT LiST.

That time in 1971, when Father Kennedy, Father Tome & Prof BRDey sat down to make final merit list, each Prof would show his evaluation sheet for each candidate. Prof BRDey had given me ZERO (because I had said "I chase women"), but the two udder gora padris had given me high marks. (This happened in 1971=40 years ago in Jamshedpur, and Prof. BRDey is telling this story 30 years later, in 2001 in SBS Vishrantwadi, Pune, campus).

So Father Kennedy asked him, "Why did you give him Zero?" Prof B.R.Dey replied, "He said he is chasing women? How can he say this?


So Father Kennedy said: "At age 24 do you expect boys to read Bible? This boy is honest. We must admit him." So I got into XLRi in 1971.

Dilip Bam thread is always open in a tab in my Firefox - and go through it every now and then, and every time it has me ... - so please excuse me for bumping the thread up!

[salilpawar1]

Just read on Facebook that Mr. Bam has passed away. May his soul rest in peace

[//M]

Rest in Peace Dilip Bam, your wacky humour will be missed !

As per the info I got over whatsapp messages, he suffered a heart stroke at about 1:30 pm. He was probably in his sixties. Very unfortunate news.

May God give strength to the family of the deceased.

[vrprabhu]

OMG

In fact, just a few weeks back, I was thinking that despite staying in Pune for more than 12 years, I never found the time to meet him.....

R.I.P., the quintessential auto critic.

I will always carry your memories in a corner of my mind.

[GrammarNazi]

OMG, just read it on his FB! Truly a great man, May his soul find peace in the heavenly abode.

Still remember his story to encourage youth to wear a helmet. We've lost a one of a kind personality who was way way beyond a brilliant automotive journo.

[ani_meher]

Oh no :( A bad news really. Rest in peace Dilip Bam Sir, your wit and ever-helpfulness to answer any question will be greatly missed.

Found two emails that I got reply from him in 2003:

I read yesterday that a Mumbai based firm named Genext has developed a 200kg bike running on electricity and going 100km per charge, with max 60kmph. I have read previously that they are going to develop 3 such types, some econo, power, and something. Do you have any info on this?

==ALL THESE ARE STILL IN THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE. EXPERIMENTAL BIKES ARE FOR PEOPLE WITH MUCH MUNNY. IF YOU HAVE MUCH MUNNY, GO FOR IT OTHERWISE WAIT FOR ONE OR TWO EARS.

Great advise, and sure saved my munny!

Another is 'Travel Kit for long journey', which he shared on email. In my first year of motorcycling, it was very valuable that someone so experienced was sharing his knowledge:

Travel Kit for long journey

If I was going on a long bike trip (which I go very frequently), I would do the following:

1>Wear the Thickest Denim Jeans and Jacket. Fit pockets inside the Jacket to keep papers and munny etc. Nothing breakable should be kept inside these pockets (like glasses etc.). Otherwise if you fall they will not only break but may also poke you.

2>Best shoes are Hunters by either Bata or Carona. Cost around Rs.350/- or less. Preferably Canvas top rather than rubber top (so that feet can breathe).

3>Kidney pouch.

4>Dark glasses (goggles - good quality like Rayban for day riding and photogchromatic clear glasses for night riding (prevents glare).

5>Two lockable side carriers on both sides. Studds are good. After your trip you can remove them.

6>anti-rain gear==RAIN JAKET AND RAIN PANT

7>Your bike tool kit plus other tools like popat pliers, standard pliers, long nosed pliers, screw drivers, spare tube and foot pump alongwith crow- bars (if you believe in changing punctured tube on the spot yourself).

8>Pollution certificate

9>RC/TC book RTO papers

10>Valid Comprehensive Insurance

11>Hamlet=Helmet.

Dilip Bam

I hope there are others like him who are helpful to newbies.

[Gansan]

RIP.

Truly one of a kind, never to be replaced.

[Divya Sharan]

R.I.P Dilip Bam sir.
I have gone through numerous logs and Q&A columns of his.
He was witty and funny at the same time. His journalism had a different style to it.
He'll be missed.

[sids911]

Rest in Peace Mr. BAM - you will be fondly missed, especially by those that read automotive journals in 80s and 90s.

[navin_v8]

It's indeed sad to hear the loss of this one of a kind auto journo Mr. Dilip Bam. He knew what he said and wrote about motorcycles. Even to this day I can't find an auto journo who can match his writing skills and dry humour. Before we woke up to Jeremy Clarkson and the types we had our very own Dilip Bam. I still cherish his reviews and suggestions in those yesteryears magazines. I remember as a kid I used to window shop at the Wheeler stands on railway stations and Dilip Bam was a hero then when it came to reviewing motorcycles in India. You will live in our memories respected Dilip sir.