Caliber: My First and Fav. bike My father used to ride on Girnar 150 scooter ( this brand will be unknown to most of you ) for around 15 years. Then it was evident that the scooter wont pull on for long and has started giving trouble. So it was time for a new two wheeler. My father decided upon Splendor, but was not comfortable with the bike and also the cost was a bit high for our budget at that time. So we thought of Bajaj Boxer. All four of us went to Bajaj showroom, parked our 800 and then instantly stared at Boxer. At that time, Caliber was on display but not avaliable. Booking was supposssed to be opened in a few days.
My mom instantly disliked Boxer for the looks so did sister. I was looking at Caliber after the initial glance at Boxer. My mother then said that Caliber has got better looks. My father wanted to avoid Caliber ( after all it was his money to be spent and he was the prime user ) but we were just stuck upon the beauty ( for me it was very beautiful, much more than my present zues ). Eventually owing to family member's pressure, my dad booked Caliber after two days from A.S. Motors, Vadodara. Then on 1st Feb 1999, we were suppossed to get delivery of the bike. My father went to Varna ( a place near Vadodara where A.S. motors stockyard was ) to take the bike. There were only three calibers sold in Vadodara and ours was fourth.
As soon as the bike came home after the RTO stuff, almost everyone from neighbours came and started looking at Caliber. They were surprised to find a Bajaj bike with us. Someone commented that Splendor was better than this and we said nothing. After the celebration, I was just sitting on the bike and appreciated rpm meter, a necessary thing absent even on most of today's bikes. At that time I was 12years old, yet had a lot of technical knowledge. Then my father decided to offer me to ride as a pillion on the bike. I was filled with immense joy, and literally tried to jump on the bike but i fell down. Now I realised that is not a scooter's rear seat, and it was pretty high for jumping unlike Girnar's.
Got up and climbed onto it. It had got fantastic headlight and the meters were a joy to observe ( I had habit of observing the meters since I was 5-6 years old, then we had President and Girnar, though girnar meter wont work ) and orange color impressed me. ride was better than Girnar and the exhaust note made everyone look at us at shopping center at IPCL township vadodara ( where we were residing ). Was real fun and I felt proud of MY bike.
Time passed by and dad bought a plot for construction the house where from where I am writing this. Even today the roads are non existent, and at that time it was farm. Caliber used to daily travel till this place for my dad's sightseing . I would be with him ocassionaly. I felt bad for the bike as it had to go thorough roads where only tractors and bullock carts went. The bike was now, in my opinion, abused. I told my dad that he was doing wrong with bike. At that time he told me he hadnt bought the bike to keep in museum ( now I really understand what he said and what he did ). Days passed by and we shifted into this house in 2000. The bike now took my father to IPCL plant 13kms one way. Was now the workhorse of family ( the other being My hercules topgear ) and as it was new locality, we had to usually search around a lot for the things.
In 2001, came earthquake. My maternal grandfather who was living in 200 year old house just survived this. Their old house came down crashing. Location is 110 kms from A'bad and in saurashtra. Basically they were small Rajwada before independence. The house was old type constructed out someother thing than Cement. We got the news off late the next day because of the telephone lines out of order. Immediately we went to some pvt. travels office and asked about the road conditions. He told that they cant ply busses because the road are broken. So our car cant go. My dad started with Caliber to this place 165kms from our house the next day. The bike took everything in its stride and it was real go anywhere bike of that time with great torque. Cruising at 70 was not a problem. Nobody died, but the whole house was now nothing but huge and heavy debris.
Till now the caliber returned 69-66kmpl with my father's driving. He always accelerated slowly than others. But it resulted in great effeciency. Bike used to visited service center at 15kms intervals and oil changed by self at every 4k kms. Because calibers were rare, people would sometimes stare at us and occassionaly gave unwanted instruction to sell this bike off and get the standard bike " splendor ". We ignored them. This bike was great for monsoon also, as we soon find out. It was able to invade into sometimes really deep waters collected on the roads. Two people on the bike 2nd gear, 4K rpm and it was enough for most of the purpose. spares till now were not required and no accidnets on this bike till now! mean while the bike completed 50K in 2004.
It was now my turn to ride the bike in August,2005 when bike had cloked 65K kms. Now my heart was on this bike. Leant quickly thanks to technical information and rpm meter. In fact I learnt to ride a bike wathcing rpm meter! Gear shifts at 2.5k even with 180kg load of people was not a problem. Got liscence and dad moved onto 800. The next month , we bought Baleno. It was now MY BIKE. The earlier spirit was not like this I felt and initially appreciated Automatic transmission ( I am a bit lazy AFA gear shifting is concerned ), but then within 2 months I was now very happy with the bike. I rode it like a performance bike extending it to 6K before each gearshift.
But when I serviced it, the service advisor told me that engine is gone and will not work for more than 5K kms. I then started analysing the bike and came to conclusion that the valves need replacement. Piston ring is also in need of replacement. The bike acutally stopped in shallow water collected on roads. But decided to pull on with it. Nothing was that major. I was now doing 8K before each gearshift and once did 22km journey in 18mins and the most part was highway where i touched 95 indicated. It must be 85 in reality. I was in full enjoyment mode despite the now evident power loss. But now I discoverd when surying for engine overhauling that the spares are now not avaliable in proper quality at any place. Bajaj dealer was rude and said I dont have technicians. My heart was now crying becasue I had abused the bike. Still it was returning 55kmpl.
Now my elder sister was now learning the bike. She got the liscence and now I realised that bike has competed 88K+ kms. False neuterals were too much and finally I took dad' s permission for 15k rs. upgradation to Hodibaba. Dealer was not responding and parts were not with him. So my father said it was time for a new bike. Was confused with Shine and Zeus. The one who gave more rs. for caliber in exchange will get me as customer. Suzuki gave me 12K for a now 90K kms completed bike. Bought zeus. And when at the dealership they took away MY CAKIBER, I was in tears. Literally. It was closet I came to real joy and it was my friend, the one who took many of my frustation in the form of 2nd gear full throttle rides. I loved it. Now I realised that if I had used it properly, that bike would have done 1,25,000 kms overall. I crave for that punchy exhaust ( my third fav. exhaust after HD, Superbikes) Zeus was selected apart from price, because it had tachometer. I simply cannot ride a bike without tacho.
This was sad ending. Really sad.
some positives:
1) excellent handling.
2) great FE
3) great looks
4) great electircals. ( the original horn was still there ) They could power 5560W bulb
5) Perfect Exhaust note.
6) Good reliability.
I dont think of any negatives of this bike now. It was solid and excellent performer and I used to ride it at 80kmph in city also. I am also not giving maintence details as this is for appreciateing my associtation with the bike.
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