[aargee]

Appreciate your efforts Sid
There's one more vehicle that was launched by Kinetic - Kinetic King. People who bought it never wished to sell. Why? Either no one bought it or they get peanuts. Here's some info on Kinetic King.

[KA18]

Excellent Write-up Sid.
Just wish Pictures were included with the Posts.

However, I would like to point there are some corrections regarding manufacturers and models here and there.
Not all the posts are in Chronological order.

Originally Posted by sidindica

THE GOLDEN ERA

Another crosstown rival, Suzuki entered the Indian market in the mid 80s with a couple of 100 cc two stroke bikes in partnership with Chennai based T.V. Sundaram Iyengar and sons, popularly known as TVS. The alliance was called as TVS-Suzuki and the bikes were launched as TVS Suzuki Max 100 and another bike was simply known as IND Suzuki, mainly targeted at semi urban commuter segment.

In fact, TVS was the first manufacturer to have a Indo-Jap tie-up to produce 2 wheelers and IND-SUZUKI was the first Indo-Jap 100cc Bike to hit the market in 1984. It later on was called as TVS-Suzuki 100 in 1987 when it brought the Moped division and the company changed its name to TVS Suzuki Ltd.

TVS came up with the Moniker MAX100 (w/o.battery) and MAX100R (With Batt)after the partnership with Suzuki ended in 2001 and since then the name of the company changed to TVS Motor Company.

They had 2 Supra Models, a 11-bhp called as Supra and a 16-bhp called as Supra SS.

These are the facts which I recall reading in Car & Bike magazine long back.
I was particularly keen on buying a TVS-Suzuki motorcycle at that time and did a good deal of research about the company at that time (1995).

Will try to get hold of my old automobile magazine collection (I have some C&B, Auto India, Indian Auto journal) and post some interesting facts.

[sidindica]

the story may be over, but the celebrations have just begun.

old royal enfield bullet ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2J9JQ5Mq74

Caliber ad

YouTube - Old Bajaj Caliber ad

CBZ ad

YouTube - Hero Honda CBZ commercial 2

classic hamara bajaj ad

YouTube - Old Bajaj TV Commercial - www.bikes4sale.in

bajaj M80 ad in Tamil

YouTube - Bajaj M80

Latest ad-everybody makes way for a bullet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgGcOio-4kI

[diwa]

In fact, TVS was the first manufacturer to have a Indo-Jap tie-up to produce 2 wheelers and IND-SUZUKI was the first Indo-Jap 100cc Bike to hit the market in 1984. It later on was called as TVS-Suzuki 100 in 1987 when it brought the Moped division and the company changed its name to TVS Suzuki Ltd.

TVS came up with the Moniker MAX100 (w/o.battery) and MAX100R (With Batt)after the partnership with Suzuki ended in 2001 and since then the name of the company changed to TVS Motor Company.

TVS first started manufacturing mopeds in 1980. Then in 1984 "Ind-Suzuki" was started with Suzuki as an separate company of it's own. In 1987 they merged both companies to form TVS Suzuki.

[Daewood]

Excellent writeup Sid!!
rekindles all those memories..

Originally Posted by JayPrashanth

Apparently this motorcycle did exist but no official confirmation. People say that it was mainly used at Sriperumbudur for racing. The other Supra pumped out 11 Bhp.

It was the most preferred bike of moto-racers in sub 150cc category.
Champion racer Shyam Kothari used one.
Incase wondering who he was, he was one of the most popular youth icons among the female fans of 80s alongwith Ravi shastri.
No wonder both of them were VIMAL brand ambassadors.

The Supra SS was the first Indian bike to sport the wave stickers allover its body. And it was also the first bike to come out in white colour.

and does anyone remember Jagat and Anita Nanjappa,
the unbeatable husband -wife duo who won each and every race ina a Yamaha RD350.

Originally Posted by sidindica

Explorer was a sleek looking bike from enfield, right? and did it have spokes or alloys?

Explorer was more a cross between a bike and moped. and yes it had alloys.
FURY was another great bike from enfield. It too had alloy wheels
and DISC brakes too!!

[ajay2233]

Originally Posted by Gansan

That is a point. The front tyres come with rib patterns. That was not the case during the Jawa period. But we can always switch to uniform pattern tyres, it will make no difference to day to day riding. Many of my friends do.

@ajay2233
The Rajdoot had a unique front fork - Earl spring, I believe it was called. The bike felt planted on the road.

@gansan,
Yes they are the Earl's Fork. These Earls were earlier used in BMW bikes too.
Rajdoots were the last to have shock absorbers in the front. good they did not have the telescopic susps.

[sidindica]

A query-were there two types of rajdoot branded motorcycles-one popular with rural areas and another maybe another one an escort badged "modern" looking one?

[KA18]

Originally Posted by sidindica

A query-were there two types of rajdoot branded motorcycles-one popular with rural areas and another maybe another one an escort badged "modern" looking one?

Yes Sid, I recall there were more than two variants of the 175cc mill. I tried searching for the images, but could not scan them to get the desired results. Anyhow, these should give an idea of the bikes offered at the time:

The Standard Rajdoot 175:



The Deluxe model:



The Rajdoot Excel:

[ajay2233]

Originally Posted by sidindica

A query-were there two types of rajdoot branded motorcycles-one popular with rural areas and another maybe another one an escort badged "modern" looking one?

There used to be a Standard , Deluxe and the Excel.
Standard was the old look with the Earls fork and had 3 gears, the deluxe and excel had 4 gears and telescopic suspension in the front.
will post more information as and when i find.

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Explorer was a sleek looking bike from enfield, right? and did it have spokes or alloys?

Sid

Great thread!

My contribution to it.

Silver Plus Advert from May 1985

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by sidindica

CLASSIC ERA-THE PENULTIMATE

IIRC, there were 2 companies that offered mopeds-the Avanti and Luna, which later came to be known as Kinetic Luna.

Sid, There were many also rans during this period. One such making its foray in to the Scooter Segment was the KELVINATOR

They had a model called Avanti - I am attaching an advert for it from the 1980s.

Best Regards & Drive/Ride safe

Ram

[byomjeet]

It just came to mind yesterday in the night.

Many Indian 2-wheeler manufactures had tie-ups with foreign companies. After theese companies split, the Indian companies continued with their own brand and till today they are selling their products. Some examples are:

Bajaj - Kawasaki

TVS - Suzuki

Hero - Honda

But, where is the brand called Rajdoot? It is lost somewhere in the thin air. The same fate with LML. Rajdoot (Escorts) had a tie-up with Yamaha and LML with Vespa. Yamaha is still doing good business in this country and Vespa has made a re-entry to the Indian market with its own product.

Are these age old Indian brands (Rajdoot & LML) going to come back to the market or they are dead brands?

[rajeev k]

Rajdoot and LML is in the wilderness today because both their collaborators grew in the country and swallowed the local partners Escorts and LML. The foray of LML into the motorcycle segment with models like Freedom, Graptor made with tie up of Daelim Motor Company also did not help LML.
Yamaha soon after acquiring the stake of Escorts phased out the Rajdoot Brand in 2005 whereas Piaggio turned into the three wheeler segment. Piaggio repeated the coup with their tie up with Greaves.

[ajay2233]

Rajdoot spares are still available in plenty. Yamaha also sources a few spares. Yamaha atleast has not killed the brand. Rural India still has thousands of Rajdoots. It may be the milkman's bike , a wonderful bike to ride. low rpm and high torque. loved those family rides on the comfortable doot.

one can easily get a rajdoot for as cheap as 3 - 4 thousands.