TheGhostRider31 Profile picture
Inherited a classic Czech 2-stroker and motorcycling genes from Dad. Loves Aircraft. Collects scale models. Views and Opinions strictly Personal.

Jan 4, 2021, 73 tweets

1/365 - Starting this thread with one of the first Motorcycles to be built in India. The @royalenfield #Bullet350. A Motorcycle which was initially built for the Indian Army but with time found patronage amongst varying genre of people achieving a cult status over the decades.

2/365 - After selling imported Vespas for a while, Bajaj Auto started manufacturing the #Bajaj150 under license in 1959. This was one of the first Scooters in India and certainly changed the 2-Wheeler scene as it was initially available at a significant premium in the market.

3/365 Automobile Products of India (API) was the 1st Scooter maker in India and manufactured the #Lambretta Li 150 Series 2 under license from Innocenti at Bombay in the 1960's. This scooter was very popular and made appearances in a few famous Bollywood movies too. #BikerLife

4/365 Ideal Jawa manufactured the #Jawa 250 Type 353/04 designated as 'A' Type under license in the 1960's in Mysore. A sporty 2 stroke machine with a signature exhaust note, it had a popular following and was a prominent winner in motorsport events across the country too.

5/365 The #HeroHonda #Splendor could easily be the most popular Indian motorcycle. It may have had a modest start when it first arrived on the motorcycling scene in 1994 but over the years with multiple variants coming out it certainly has emerged as a clear winner. #BikerLife

6/365 The first "Automatic" bike in India was the 1984 #KineticHonda empowering riders with a revolutionary gearless mode of commuting. A result of a JV between Kinetic and Honda this 98 cc 2 Stroke scooter opened up a segment itself. The last one was powered by a 4-Stroke engine

7/365 The first Indian Motorcycle to have a 'Cruiser' stance could well be the @royalenfield #Lightning / #Citybike. A raised tear drop tank coupled with ape handlebars, stepped seat and a backrest, it looked American but was powered by an 535/500 cc engine of British origin.

8/365 - The hot favorite of all Motorcycle fanatics in India was the legendary #Escorts #Yamaha #RX100. Launched in 1985 this 2-stroke 100 cc 11 bhp bike was extremely popular amongst the youth. A popular wheelie machine this one certainly has collectible value. #BikerLife #Braap

9/365 #TVS50; the small wonder-In 1980 TVS Motors started production of this potent machine at their plant in Hosur. The pedal started moped was extensively used as a workhorse in South India and even saw some action on the GP racetracks creating a segment of its own. #Moped

10/365 - In Sync with modern times here's #Ather the revolutionary electric Scooter which has made India proud and could pretty much be the best deal in this segment. Super Fast, Super Slick and Super Cool this could as well be what the next generation would ride! #BikerLife

11/365 Nobody thought that the largest selling 2-wheeler in India would be an Automatic Scooter, and the #Honda #Activa was the one that started this phenomenon way back in 1999 as a 109 cc model going to a 125 cc now. This year saw the 2,50,00,000th vehicle roll out #BikerLife

12/365 The #Rajdoot Yamaha #RD350 was made in India by the Escorts group from 1983 to 1989. RD stood for 'Race derived' and could do a 0-60 in under 4 Secs. Perhaps a bit way ahead of it's time this motorcycle eventually achieved cult status much after production ended #BikerLife

13/365 The first Indo-Jap 100 cc motorcycle to be produced in India, the #INDSuzuki #AX100 was made by TVS Motors in early 1984. This motorcycle continued to be produced till the time 2-stroke tech was banned. It changed livery and names till the last one as Max 100 R. #BikerLife

14/365-"Chal Meri Luna" - This popular jingle brings back memories of one of the most popular Mopeds in India, the #Kinetic #Luna was first produced in 1972 based on the Piaggio Ciao. It gained popularity as an easy and inexpensive commuter, especially with the Youth. #BikerLife

15/365 Launched in 1972, #Chetak was the 1st scooter made independently by #Bajaj Auto and had a really long waiting period for delivery almost till 1990. The round headlamp was retained from the predecessor while other specifications changed over time till 2005. #BikerLife

16/365-The popular "Fill It Shut It Forget It" motorcycle was the 1984 #HeroHonda #CD100. The most economical of the Indo-jap 100 cc bikes of that era, this had a sturdier variant called the CD 100 SS. The first Hero bike this one rose to much popularity in India. #Bikerlife

17/365-The revolutionary Sportsbike that brought #Yamaha back from the dead in India was the "Faired" 150 cc #R15 V1. Launched in Black & Signature Yamaha Blue this one took the market with a storm and was a hit amongst Youngsters. It was reintroduced as the R-15-S later in 2015

18/365-The 1st motorcycle from #Bajaj was the #KB100 resulting from a tie-up with Kawasaki. Amongst the 4 Indo-Jap bikes that were launched together this Dark Horse had the longest legs and silently labored on all the way till 1996 when emission norms caused the end of production

19/365- #LML had a tie-up with #Vespa to make the 100cc Vespa XE scooter in 1983 in India. In 1984 it launched the popular 150cc NV. These modern scooters had an attractive design, integrated blinkers and a concealed spare wheel. The 'Alfa' was the split seat variant. #BikerLife

20/365-Often wrongly called as the Bajaj #Priya 150, this 3 geared scooter based on the erstwhile Bajaj 150 was actually built Maharastra Scooters Ltd, a JV between Bajaj & Govt of Maharashtra. Production started in 1975 and went on till 1992 with no model changes. #BikerLife

21/365-Scooters India Ltd, Lucknow a public sector company, produced the #Vijai Deluxe/Super based on the Lambretta GP 150. Believed to have been named Vijai (Victorious) in commemoration of India's victory in the 1971 War this scooter was popular because of its modern styling.

22/365-Definitely Male! A Tagline that aptly defined this motorcycle which revolutionized "sport biking" in India. The #Bajaj #Pulsar180 Classic, popular with youngsters was loved for its characteristic appeal, muscular contours, raspy exhaust and sporty performance. #BikerLife

23/365-Mopeds India Ltd made the #Suvega at its plant in Tirupathi based on a Motobecane. This 50 cc rigid suspension pedal-uusher was perhaps the one that pioneered the Moped revolution in India. It also won many a race at the Sholavaram race track in its hay days. #BikerLife

24/365-The Suzuki #Shogun a.k.a “The Boss” was launched by TVS in 1993 to lock horns with the Yamaha RX 100. The14 BHP output made it a very powerful motorcycle and it produced a signature "grunt". It was discontinued in 2000 in lieu on the stricter emission norms #BikerLife

25/365-The @Honda #Unicorn was a 150 cc motorcycle introduced in 2004 and had a host of interesting features including a rear mono-shock suspension. This was hailed as a popular and reliable machine till the end of production in 2014. 2016 saw it re-launched as a 160 #BikerLife

26/365-The #Bajaj #M50 was a step-thru 50cc machine with hand operated gears launched in 1981. This machine was the first one which was entirely developed in-house by Bajaj. 1986 saw the 80cc #M80 variant. last was a 4 stroke model launched in 2001 discontinued in 2016 #BikerLife

27/365- The #Yezdi #Roadking was one popular motorcycle which also saw significant presence in motorsports events in India. Initially available in limited edition this motorcycle moved from a CB Points ignition to a CDI one with time. #twostroke #idealjawa #BikerLife #RoadKing

28/365-The first true sportsbike in India was the #CBZ from #HeroHonda and it certainly created ruffles when it was launched in 1999. The 1st 4-Stroke 5 speed bike in India this produced 12.5 bhp and was indeed a fast bike. It was discontinued in 2005 after the 'Star' variant.

29/365-#Enfield India launched the #Explorer 50 cc motorcycle based on the Zundapp CS 50 motorcycle in 1983. This was assembled in a new factory in Ranipet near Chennai. A 3-speed machine with modern features and alloy wheels, this was quite popular amongst youngsters. #BikerLife

30/365-In 1978 Majestic Auto, a division of Hero Group manufactured the #HeroMajestic 50 cc moped said to be inspired from a Peugeot 102 of the 60's. Few variants included the Deluxe, Popular and VIP varying in trim and other small bits and bobs, although largely being identical

31/365-A 50 cc Moped the #Avanti VIP/Autogear/Mont was launched by Kelvinator (Refrigerator maker) in collaboration with Agratti Garelli of Italy in 1986. This puny engine developed 2.6 bhp in its time and packed quite a punch. It was incidentally my first Moped too !!

32/365-The #HeroHonda #Sleek SL 100 was a stylized variant of the popular CD 100 and launched in 1989. A design perhaps slightly ahead of its time, it employed generous use of grp in the body panels thus making it lightweight as well as aesthetically beautiful. #BikerLife

33/365-The #API #Lamby150 was a scooter derived from the Lambretta Li 152 series 2 and made by Automobile Products of India in Bhandup, Mumbai in 1977. It had smaller flares than the Lambretta and at times had a horizontally mounted spare wheel serving as a jump seat. #BikerLife

34/365-The first 4Stroke motorcycle from #Bajaj was the #4S #Champion. Made in collaboration with #Kawasaki this was initially plagued with a few Quality issues but later on emerged as the Mileage Champion in this segment promising 87 Kmpl. #BikerLife #IndianBikes #Thread

35/365-A Cute Quirky Motorcycle which got it's name from a popular movie it was seen in was the #Rajdoot 175 #GTS AKA #Bobby. This "monkey bike" from Escorts had scooter wheels and even a spare. Low height and easy operations made it quite popular amongst the youth. #BikerLife

36/365-Inspired by the French "Velosolex" this was built in India by Atlas cycles as the #AtlaSolex and was a Cycle with an Engine with Driving Roller powering the front wheel. This could be folded for storage/transportation and engine lifted off the wheel while pedaling.

37/365-The #Escorts #Yamaha #RX125 was not a mythical creature but a 15 bhp 5 speed motorcycle with a tachometer and gear indicator. It had rectangular headlamps, rectangular indicators and a ‘dustbin’ type fairing. Apparently only 100 samples were made. #Collectible #BikerLife

38/365-The #Bajaj #Byk was a lightweight economical motorcycle displacing 92cc and churning out 6.4 bhp at 7000 rpm. Launched in the year 2000 this motorcycle claimed to have mileage unheard of before for 2-wheelers. It was available in a low-cost basic configuration. #BikerLife

39/365-The Rebirth of a legendary marque by Mahindra brought back this motorcycle as the #Jawa #Classic. Having very similar form-lines as its predecessor this is a looker with generous chrome all around and has a peppy 300 cc engine derived from the Mojo #BikerLife @reach_anupam

40/365-#Honda introduced its premium 1/4 Litre sports bike, the #CBR250R in India in 2011. Deriving its design heavily from the VFR this motorcycle offered ABS and excellent sport-touring capability for its time. Various liveries followed eventually reaching its dead end in 2020.

41/365-The #Yezdi 250 #ModelB was the first ever motorcycle made by Ideal Jawa after the license production ended, under the new Brand name. It shared almost all mechanicals with the earlier Jawa 250 except for a redesigned Chrome Tank and other small changes @reach_anupam

42/365-#KGP Auto (Kirloskar Ghatge Patil) had set up a plant at Uchgaon near Kolhapur to manufacture the Innocenti Lambretta 48 as the #Lakshmi '48 Select' in 1972. This moped had 2 gears operated by the handlebar twist lever and brake was operated by pedaling reverse. #BikerLife

43/365-The 1st #Rajdoot was the 1962 model 123 (or175) and was based on the Polish SHL M11 and had a 175 cc engine mated to a 3 speed gearbox. With its signature Earles Fork suspension and separate kick and gear levers, this was a trustworthy workhorse all over India #BikerLife

44/365-#LML first dabbled into Motorcycles in 1999 via a Collab with #Daelim from Korea and created the #Adreno with a 3-valve, 4-stroke, SOHC tiny 100cc engine with a full fairing ABS body along with features like an electric starter, disc brakes and a 5th gear #BikerLife

45/365-The 1st Scooter from #Hero was the #Pleasure, a 102 cc fun n zippy scooter with ABS body panels launched in 2005. This scooter was known for its catchy punchline - 'Why should boys have all the fun ?' Over the years it has grown and added many modern features #BikerlIfe

46/365-One of the last 2-stroker from Escorts, the #Yamaha #RXZ with its unique racy silhouette and the swept integrated tail lamp design was powered by a 14 bhp 132 cc engine, mated to a 5-speed gearbox with a top speed of 120 kmph. This was also used for Drag Races. #BikerLife

47/365-The 175 cc #RoyalEnfield #Fury was built in collaboration with #Zundapp from Germany. This was the 1st Indian bike to have alloy wheels and disc brakes. It had a good run even on the racetrack and a version inspired by the wins called the Grand Prix was also launched.

48/365-The MotoScooter from #Aprilia, the #SR150 was launched in India in 2016 and immediately caught everyone's attention. Its racy design and peppy engine coupled with the larger wheels and stickier tyres made it an instant hit. #Performance #Scooter #BikerLife #Piaggio

49/365-The #Winner was a 75cc machine. It was the first scooter from the stable of #Hero Motors launched in 1997 and was based on the Italian Malaguti Centro with an engine perhaps derived from the Hero Puch. This step thru had automatic transmission and was a breeze to ride.

50/365-The #LML #Graptor was designed by the Italian company Ugolini for LML. The Graptor had a 150.8cc 4-stroke 2 valve engine producing 13.5 Bhp of power at 8000 Rpm. This engine was designed and developed with the help of its South Korean partner- Daelim #Indian #BikerLife

51/365-#Kinetic launched an upgraded and modern looking variant of its 50 cc #Luna as the #LunaSuper. It had a long 'double seat' making life comfortable for the pillion. It later metamorphosed into the Luna #Superstar avatar in the final years . #BikerLife #India #Moped

52/365-#Girnar (GSIC) made its 1st Scooter #Leo was the 1st scooter inspired nonetheless from the Vespa/Bajaj of earlier times and had it's prototype designed by NID Ahmedabad. A few more models, including the Fuji were launched after this. #Scooter #BikerLife #India #Gujarat

53/365-#Honda #Dio was the stylish version launched alongside the Activa and was powered by the same engine and transmission. It boasted of an ABS plastic body and snazzy colours accentuating its rakish lines. It also has a Special Repsol Edition now. #Scooter #BikerLife #India

54/365-#Kinetic has been one of the leading 2W makers in India and when they launched a #StepThru it did not come as a surprise. The 4 Stroke #K4S was epic as it offered reliability, better ergonomics and features than the rivals. It had a 80cc and a 100cc variant. #BikerLife

55/365-Karnataka Scooters Ltd had made a monoshock 50cc Dirt-bike called the #Falcon #GT50 powered by a #Morini 2-Stroke Engine. The company got taken over by #BrookeBond (Tea) and the bike renamed #BSA #Bond. Others variants were the #Brigand #Mascot and #Spitfire. #BikerLife

56/365-#Bajaj #kawasaki #Caliber 110 launched in 1998 was the first 'performance' motorcycle from BAL and could have been the platform which grew into the Pulsar. The Muscular Tank, Round Headlamp and Retro Roadster look went well with its tag of 'The Unshakeable' #BikerLife

57/365-The #LML #Vespa #T5 was a Sporty Scooter from LML and was launched in 1986. The Square headlamp and the small Fly-Screen added to its sporty look while the peppy engine certainly showed performance. A Premium offering, this appealed to the fashion conscious. #BikerLife

58/365-The #Bajaj #Platina was a premium offering of the base variant of the motorcycle. It came with a small bikini fairing, alloy wheels and a host of other creature comforts. Launched with a frugal 100 cc engine it also had a 110 cc variant for better performance. #BikerLife

59/365-Launched in 2016 the #Hero #Impulse was a 150 cc ADV motorcycle, targeted at the enthusiast rider. However being underpowered and ahead of its time, it actually gained popularity after its demise. It saw many modded versions at hands of enthusiasts. #BikerLife #ADV #India

60/365-The #Yezdi #Classic 250 (D-Type) was the 3rd model from the stable of this Mysore based Indo-Czech motorcycle maker. It probably just came in 2 variants, One was Chrome and Black while the other was Silver and Black. This was one of the most popular models. #BikerLife

61/365-The first variant of #Bajaj #Discover was launched in 2004 and was powered by a 125 cc DTSi Engine. Put across as the younger sibling of the Pulsar this launched a new Executive Commuter segment. This motorcycle was finally discontinued in 2020. #BikerLife #India #Disco

62/365-The #Kinetic #Spark was a 70 cc step-thru introduced in 1989 by the Pune based 2-wheeler giant of yesteryears. This had a 2 speed gearbox operated by a twist-grip gear changed on the left handlebar, and a foot operated rear brake, It ran 5 spoke alloy wheels. #BikerLife

63/365-The #Ankur was a lightweight youth friendly variant of the 50 cc Moped from #Hero #Majestic. The lightweight body was made of a tubular frame which doubled up as the Fuel Tank. One of the last mopeds from Hero, This was also sold in some markets as the #Student #BikerLife

64/365-The Supersports Bike from #Hero was the #Karizma or the #ZMA launched in 2003. Though this had an engine based on the CRF 225 it was surprisingly a relaxed touring motorcycle. It holds many records including the first Indian motorcycle to run 24 Hrs non-stop @vibhurishi

65/365-The #RoyalEnfield #Bullet500 was launched in 1989 and was the 'biggest' Indian motorcycle then. It churned out 22 bhp from its CI engine and had the same old 4 Speed gearbox. It came in 2 new colours and a factory fitted bikini fairing. It was discontinued in 2004.

66/365-The last Scooter from #SIL was the #Lambretta #Cento powered by the 100 cc engine derived from the Italian Marque mated to a 3-speed gearbox. This scooter was produced only in the first half of the 1980's and production soon ceased. #BikerLife #Scooter #IndianAuto

67/365-The revolutionary Step Thru from #HeroHonda was the #Street 100 which came with Rotary Gear shifter, a first in this category of vehicles in India and perhaps the only motorcycle to feature that. An upgrade named #StreetSmart was launched later in it's years. #IndianAuto

68/365-The biggest machine from Ideal Jawa was the 1996 #Yezdi #350Twin. A refined Jawa engine mounted on a modern frame with stylish bodywork, this motorcycle had a single Carb fuelling both cylinders, thus making tuning easier. Long wheelbase made it a great tourer.#BikerLife

A slightly different version of the step-thru by #Bajaj was the #Rave, launched in 1996. Based on the successful M 80 chassis/engine this had the same gearbox and twist-grip shifter clad in a very modern sharp looking bodywork and attractive colours. #BikerLife #IndianAuto

70/365-The Ludhiana Based Pearl Group of Industries led by Jagdish Behal entered into partnership with Yamaha Japan to make this 75 cc Step-Thru #Pearl #Yamaha in India from 1965 to 1971. It had an Auto-Clutch and foot operated gears. #BikerLife #StepThru #IndianAuto

71/365-Based on the French Peugeot 103 moped, The #Sportif was made by Sree #Chamudi mopeds from Tumkur, Karnataka. This 50 cc Technical marvel had stylish 5 spoke wheels, electric start and Automatic transmission. It was very appealing to the Young Professionals. #BIkerLife

72/365-The last Scooter from Mumbai based #API was the #Lamby #Polo from 1986, and had built in indicators in the headlamp console and tail lamp. This was a model with the same basic Lambretta derived power-plant but with few modern features and a sharp design. #BikerLife #Indian

73/365-The #Bajaj #Pulsar150 was the smaller sibling in this revolutionary family of motorcycles. Launched in 2001, it delivered good performance and had electric start and twin horns as accessories. This motorcycle actually turned out to be a game changer for Bajaj #BikerLife

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