I had recently written a blog post on charming workhorses on 4 wheels that have not only done great service for Indians, but have also won their hearts. This is another one, but in this one I am talking about the 2-wheelers. The bikes and scooters that have done tremendous service to mostly middle-class Indians. So, here goes-
1. Hero Honda Splendor- Ah! When it comes to workhorses, you cannot miss out on the Splendor. This bike is cheap as hell to maintain, has so much fuel efficiency that you fill it, shut it, and forget it, and is so reliable and indestructible that it can survive a nuclear winter. And just like the Alto, it is extremely versatile. It can do city duty effortlessly because its light, can cruise on the highway, can do some cornering, and can hit bad patches of road with the grace of a dirt bike.
2. Honda Activa-Who doesn’t know this name? This scooter has powered thousands, it not hundreds of thousands of Indians. This scooter deserves an honorable mention because it is basically a Splendor, but in scooter form. It is easy to use, and even women can use it in your family. Many people’s two-wheeled journey started from this humble little scooter. In fact, the first two-wheeler I learnt how to ride on was my aunt’s Honda Activa. Ahh, so many memories!
3. Honda Kinetic-This is the Activa’s predecessor. This amazing two-stroke scooter took the Indian market by storm, and paved the way for the Activa to continue the way forward. This was one of the first scooters in India to get electric start and an automatic gearbox. It was easy to ride, reliable, decently economical, and got many women and new riders into two-wheelers.
4. Bajaj Chetak-This humble old scooter with its two-stroke engine and 4-speed manual gearbox was every middle-class family’s dream in its era. This scooter has done service for a lot of Indian families. If you don’t believe me, ask your father or grandfather.
5. Royal Enfield Bullet-I know this does not sound like your typical workhorse, but it also has done a lot of service, for specially the army, police, and milkmen. It might not out-of-the-box be the most reliable motorcycle, but its tough, hardy, can take a beating, and can last for ages.
6. TVS XL100-If Sunny Deol was a two-wheeler, then he would probably be the XL100. I am serious. Don’t get fooled by this little thing’s cute looks. It lives up to it’s reputation of being bulletproof and deserves the “heavy duty” sticker on its body. This little moped can do it all, literally. It’s light, cheap, easy to maintain, fuel efficient, it can take a beating offroad, and it can carry heavy loads on it with ease, that is why it is used for luggage-carrying work. Also, it has classy looks, its own character, and is quite fun to ride, despite having a low top-speed and small engine.
7. Royal Enfield Taurus/Diesel Bullet-This one is special, and is quite rare nowadays. In the 90s, diesel fuel was very cheap compared to petrol, so there was also a Taurus, which was a Bullet with a Diesel engine. The diesel engine was borrowed from Lombardini, an Italian manufacturer. It has the low running cost of diesel, and it gave a fuel economy of approximately a mind-bending 70 km/l, or more!
8. Honda Unicorn-This humble 150 cc commuter has a reputation that might make other bikes envy it. People love it for its bulletproof reliability, cheap maintenance, premium feel for a commuter, classiness, build quality, and butter-smooth gearbox and refined engine.
9. Yamaha FZ-S-This humble sporty commuter has served young street riders with a lot of memories and fun. It is in every way a Yamaha. Cheap, reliable, and fun.
10. Bajaj Pulsar- This is a bike that needs no mention. This genre of sporty commuters, ever since it has arrived, has revolutionized Indian commuting and has won the hearts of Indians. A combination of something practical and something special.
So, here goes. Please do tell me if I have missed something.
