Everything Bajaj Chetak

Ride safe . . . away I go again

2012-01-28T06:25:00.000-08:00

There is no reason to ride without protective gear. I spent $130 on both the helmet and the body armor jacket from the Motorcycle Superstore- actually it was my Christmas gift this year. It was a good deal. Of course, you can spend more if you like to, but I wanted to show all of you that money is not a reason to not ride without protective gear. most helmets cost more than what I paid for my jacket and helmet. Ride safely!

Bye again.

Oh and P.S. I have not stopped riding obviously.

I am now riding a 1979 Vespa P200. I wanted more power and speed and furthermore, the market is flooded with parts and the Italian-made parts seem to hold up much longer and the quality control in Italy is different than India. A beater commuter P200 can be found in the $1500 (Bajaj) range, but you should be comfortable with basic wrenching and the occasional maintenance (or hire someone). The P200 is considered the work horse of the scooter world and actually complete the Dakar Race and is now racing in Budapest-Bamako Race right now.

Slight Return (busted crank)

2012-01-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

I have lost track of my black Bajaj Chetak. It resides in the East Bay (SF Bay Area) now. That's a lll I know. I have been lending a hand as-needed to the owner of my wife's yellow Chetak. At first the brand new battery crapped out as did it on the black Bajaj Chetak. The owner, Jon, of the yellow one recharged per my recommendation with a heavy duty motorcycle battery charger and the battery has been problem-free since then. I really like the look of white walls, but since then have learned that the walls (sides) of the tires are four times thinner = shorter life. Jon installed Continental Zippies on his Chetak and honestly that is one of the best tires to put on your bike. You can score good deals of them at Motorcycle Superstore. The last call I got from Jon was the engine is dead. He checked the spark plug and inspected the flywheel. He had the CDI and electrical tested. No problems there. He brought it in to Barry G. at SF Scooter Center and Barry found that the flywheel nut spun freely. He removed the flywheel and found a broken crank. This reminded me of a conversation I had with Steve of MotorSport Scooters years ago where he was rebuilding a lot of Bajaj engines due to broken cranks around mile 10,000. Jon does not even have 5,000 miles. A shop wanted $1000 for fix or to swap out a new engine for him. The ladder would be good so Jon could sell his engine for parts. Jon is a college student on a budget and has no garage, no tools, nor is he comfortable wrenching. I recommended parting the bike to him. I suspect his bike is worth more in parts. Many people on the Retro Bajaj list are looking for parts.

I also spoke to Kent, a mechanic former for Bajaj USA, and he said parts are no longer made and getting more and more scarce. Kent recommended walking away from the bike and moving on to a new one.

Jon needs the Chetak to run for one more year and he is on the college budget so Barry offered a weld solution. For $100 the flywheel was welded to the crank and should hold up for one more year at which time Jon will most likely sell. On some vintage bikes I have seen the farmer's weld has worked a long time.

The end of this blog

2011-07-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I sold my wife's 2002 Bajaj Chetak. Last week I sold my 2003 Bajaj Chetak. She no longer was riding and has a fully restored 1967 Vespa SS180. I am in the process of restoring a 1962 Lambretta TV175. Without a doubt, the Bajaj Chetak was the perfect first scooter for us. Our bikes continue to run strong and who knows we may see them again in the future if we are lucky.

What I leave behind is hopefully some useful information for the newbie and novice Bajaj owner or a person considering entering the scooter world. This blog serves as the legacy of owning Bajaj Chetaks for nearly ten years.

The greatest wealth of help, information, and Bajaj family can be found at the Retro Bajaj Forum. The good folks there were my mentors and I owe them so many thank you's. They are friendly and loving like the Lambretta family -- not like Scoot BBS.

As you see in my binder, I have the parts catalog and maintenance manual. I recommend you download those now and create a binder and make notes. You can download those and more here at BajajUSA.com.

I recognize that the Chetaks are not as popular as the Vespa Ps and Stella's, but arguably they are as good as a Stella. Hell they are both made in India for better or worse. A new 4-stroke Stella sells for $4200 from a dealer. I strongly encourage all Bajaj owners to recognize the value and reliability of their Bajaj scooters when selling and most importantly keep a fair price. A 30 year old original Vespa P200 in great condition still pulls $3000 with a lot of miles on them. There is no reason a good condition Bajaj should go for less than $2000 when it costs over twice as much for a new Stella 4 Stroke, which is a very similar bike.

I also stress to you that you purchase parts now that you think you will need in the future. And hold on to your old parts you replace. They may need to be repaired and used again in the future. There is a limited supply of parts available, what ever was left when Bajaj USA closed their doors. Used parts from busted bikes may be necessary some day.

Shops that may have parts:
San Francisco Scooter Centre (Barry G. is well stocked)
Scooter West (Steve)
Pride of Cleveland (Phil)

Take care of and your Bajaj. It is the perfect first scooter for those who appreciate the vintage culture.

I predict a long life for the Bajaj Chetak and know they will remain a steel workhorse in the scootering community.

Good bye "SCTx2" and "PUTx2" (our license plates on our Chetaks. All that is left of our bikes are the license plates, which hang in our shop and the fond memories and photos).

If you wish to learn where owning a Bajaj took me or you found this blog to be informative and you benefited from it you can see my restoration of a 1967 Vespa SS180 or the work in progress 1962 Lambretta TV175.

Tool kit

2011-07-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Don't go out and buy yourself a tool kit for $30. Print out a list of all the tools from the Bajaj Parts Catalog. Then post the tools you need to Freecycle in your area as well as watch Craigslist "Free Stuff." If you frequent garage sales, you can assemble a kit. If you are less patient, take you list to a flea market/swap meet and I pretty much can guarantee that for $10 you can assemble a Craftsman-quality tool kit and find yourself a nice bag to boot.

The tools in the scooter kits are poorly made.

On the other hand, if you are not or do not have access to a welder to make you the rear tire jack, spend the $8-10 to buy one. It's a good investment.

Tire gauges can be found too for cheap.

Build your scooter tool kit for 1/3 the price with quality that will out live you ten-fold.

2002 Bajaj Chetak sold

2011-07-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

There was a second person who wished to look at my 2003 Bajaj Chetak scooter, but missed it. I gave him first dibs at it as well as a price cut, because he just missed my scooter. I sold my wife's scooter to him for $1700, which is a fair deal.

Below is the Craigslist listing. It sold in 24 hours.

2002 Bajaj Chetak w/ 4K miles &many upgrades - $1850

Before reading on, please note that this bike has a clutch and is a 4-speed on the handlebar - left handgrip and lever.

Two years ago my wife was 3 months pregnant and into the garage her 2002 Bajaj Chetak went and stayed except for a weekly ride around the block to keep the oil moving to reach the engine gaskets. Now with our daughter she is just not riding at all and the bike needs to go to new rider who will ride it often and proud.

My wife is the original and only owner. The bike has never been crashed. It did have a fallen motorcycle hit it while parked, but the damage is minimal and Barry G. of SF Scooter Center gave it a clean bill of health. It's beneath the floor matt and even when you see it you'll laugh at how small it is. Body is in really good shape, especially for the bike's age. It has always been garage stored. Less than normal wear for a bike its age.

Before you gawk at the price, consider that a brand new Stella 4-Stroke runs for $4200. This scooter is way less than half that price and has only 42XX miles on the ODO. Beyond that it will rally any Stella 4-Stroke all day long. If you wonder about the value of this Bajaj call Barry at SF Scooter Center and ask him. He has sold 1200 of these scooters and is very familiar with them. He would sell this scooter for over $2100. Title is clean and is registered as non-op since my wife wasn't riding it - to save us money (but you will have to register it anyways so no difference to the buyer).

History: about 500 miles ago, Kent L., who was the official mechanic for Bajaj USA, performed a comprehensive tune-up and safety check on this bike. It runs solidly and is extremely dependable. It is a first kick bike. It will easily pull you SF hills. Bike includes chrome rear luggage rack and chrome crash bars upgrade. The bike has received well over $350 in upgrades in order to ensure a long-hassle-free life for you, including new float bowl at gas tap, two brand new tires, spark plug resistor cap replaced with NGK one, new spark plug, brand new battery, halogen upgrade headlight bulb, battery regulator/rectifier (the 2002 ones broke down and did not recharge the battery properly) upgrade, and a 2003 Bajaj flywheel (the 2002 flywheels had a tendency to break). As of July 25th, 2011 oil was changed, new headlight bulb installed, and a new battery were put in.

To sweeten the deal, I'll thrown in a brand new "Cuppini (Italian-made) legshield trim" set, which you can install on the Bajaj to chrome it out more. Price it out and you'll see it's over $50 to buy and ship it to you.

With low-miles/similar condition, Bajaj Chetaks like this sell for around $1600 without the upgrades. Upgrades and recent tune-up is about $450 plus $50 for the legshield trim puts a fair value around $2100, but I'm letting this bike go for a lot less. If you buy a used scooter you are still going to have a tune-up and probably new tires, maybe a battery, etc. You don't need anything at all with this bike.

$1850 cash and it's your's. I have title and DMV bill-o-sale on hand.

Note: engine cover not on for Craigslist photos as I was riding without to let the new flywheel settle before I hit it again with the torque wrench.

Replacing tires

2011-07-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the dang tire grabs on to your rim halves for dear life. You tried bead Dawn Soap along the tire and the rim, let it sit, and usually it works, but not this time... A little bit of heat from a heat gun will do the trick and make your job so much easier. Remember, I said, "a little."

How to replace hand lever on your scooter

2011-07-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

It is wise to double nut or use a nylock nut after adjusting any cable on your scooter.

To adjust your throttle, clutch, or brakes you follow a similar approach with your 3rd hand tool plus a ratchet.

Note: often Vespa & Lambretta throttle cables are thicker and you need to score with a file or Dremel your 3rd hand tool so the cable can properly sit in the tool. Very easy to do.

Owning the proper thin spanners will make your clutch/gear box tune up so easy. You can bike these thin spanners online for bicycles.

How to change your oil

2011-07-27T15:19:00.001-07:00

In the past I have always used Yama-Lube, a good semi oil, but it proved to be a hassle to always go to a Yamaha dealer for oil. So I switched and began to just go to Auto Zone for the Valvoline pictured above.

Replace 2002 Bajaj Chetak Flywheel

2011-07-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

The 2002 model of the Bajaj Chetak has the reputation of the rivets shearing off and the flywheel hence going bad. It did on my wife's bike so I upgraded the flywheel to a 2003 one.

Facts not in slideshow:
(1) Note the difference between the 2002 and 2003. The flywheel holding tool mounts to the two holes (not threaded) on the front of the flywheel. The 2002 tool mounts to the back side of the flywheel and the 2002 flywheel does not have those two holes in front.
(2) When you remove the old flywheel count to make sure you have the correct number of broken rivets. Note that in the slideshow there is a picture with 3 rivets in front of the removed flywheel and 2 stuck to the magnet inside the flywheel for a total of 5 rivets.
(3) Make sure you line up your new flywheel to your stator (as long as you have not moved your stator, if so, you need to reset the timing - when ever removing your stator use a sharpie to make a line so you can line it exactly back up as it was) as in the slide show at 1:20. Look for the arrow and marker marks.
(4) After you install your flywheel, ride a few times. Let the engine heat up and cool down. The flywheel will settle. The use a torque wrench to tighten back down. Do not over tighten or you run the risk of braking an item or two.
(45) SF Scooter Center told me to torque to "43 ft lbs".

Luggage

2011-07-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have done grocery shopping and even Costco runs on my scooter - no joke. My wife and I bought "clearance" aluminum racks from Target. The one photoed here is a small one and cost me $7. My wife bought a huge one, that cost her $10. Many people just use plastic crates. I wouldn't count on bungee-cords . . . rather I would hit your hardware store up and buy 4 strips of "framing" metal and some bolts, nuts, split washers, and flat washers to sandwich and lock the basket in place.

I chose use hardware that allowed to remove my basket without tools any where I went. It cost me about $10 total, but you can do it for a lot less if you wish. I tend to over do things. My basket was extremely sturdy and mounted to my rear rack on the BBQ grill.

I held everything in the basket with a bungee-cord net.

Amazon sells similar baskets for $12.

It's all about the spark

2011-07-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

Every Bajaj owner should not only carry a spare spark plug with them at all times (they need to be replaced every 3-5K miles), but should also replace the spark plug resistor cap. Even if your bike is running great it's bad economy not to make the replacement. A spark plug resistor cap will cost you $2.50 and a pack of 4 Iridium upgrade spark plugs costs $9 or a stock spark plug for $2 from Amazon. For part numbers reference Retro Bajaj Forum's part list. Do not buy the 90 degree spark plug resistor cap. It does not fit as it should. Buy the 120 degree one.

If your scooter is sputtering or not running this is the first thing you should do. If your bike is running perfectly, you should still do this $4.50 upgrade, because at some point your stock resistor cap will go bad and it will be a bummer if it's when you are out a long epic ride in the middle of no where or in a rush to work.

Here's a quick install video.

This job will take you no longer than 10 minutes and what a difference it will make in how your scooter starts and runs.

Good bye to my 2003 Black Bajaj Chetak . . . lament

2011-07-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

On July 20, 2011 I sold my Bajaj Chetak for $1500. Considering I paid $2800 out the door for my scooter I am not super happy with the price. I spoke with Barry G. at SF Scooter Center and he said he would sell my Chetak for $2500 and it is a great bike. The new Stella 4-Stroke sells for $4200. Bajaj sellers need to begin to raise their prices to reflect the great bike it is. $2000 for my bike in the condition it is in is fair. Currently, the economy sucks and the prices are low.

San Jose Vespa posted to Craigslist:

2006 BAJAJ CHETAK
4 stroke 150 motor
4284mi
this is a manual 4 speed scooter
clean bike, serviced and running perfectly
$1,599 + tax, title.

Here is my bike on Craigslist:

Unemployed teacher selling his noble steed.

Original and only owner. 2003 Black Bajaj Chetak. 4-stroke - no oil mixture in gas. 4-speed manual shifting. Shifter/clutch-lever is located on the left handle bar. 80 plus miles per gallon. First kick. Runs very very strong (my Bajaj mechanic told me it's the strongest Bajaj he has ever ridden). Garage stored. Registered through Spring 2012 (cost me $76 for the year). Ready to ride with no additional investment. Never dropped nor crashed. Includes rear rack, chrome legshield trim, and front fender chrome. Also included is stock plastic hub caps and the passenger handle bar for beneath the seat. Additional parts available through Barry at SF Scooter Center.
I just invested $155 in the scooter this weekend. On July 8th, 2012 I installed a brand new battery and tune-up including carb rebuild, oil change, spark plug resistor cap upgrade, new spark plug, new halogen upgrade headlight, and new tail light bulb plus blinker bulbs at just over $65. I put on brand new tires at $90.00. In my mind, I am selling my scooter for $1345.00 plus the cost of tune-up, battery, and tires at no profit -- just my cost; therefore a total of $1500.

Odo reads at 7203 miles. I recognize many of you are looking for scoots with low miles, but what people won't tell you is that when older scooters sit and are not running the oil is not cycling and reaching the seals/gaskets in the engine and therefore dry and crack resulting in a loss of engine compression and possibly creating a leaky engine. What this means to you is that the engine will need to be rebuilt. An average of 800 miles per year is not a lot of riding on my scooter.

My scooter runs an honest 55 mph and I have hit 61 mph on it. I would happily put my scooter up against any Stella 2-stroke and I know the Bajaj has less issues and is more reliable than a 2-stroke.
Serious inquires only. No low-ballers. I am offering a very fair price for the scooter considering the recent tune-up and new parts. The parts I installed and the tune-up most buyers would need to make those anyways with a used scooter they buy, but I did it for you. $1500 cash and the scooter, clear title, stock plastic hub caps and the passenger handle bar are your's.

Engine rebuild - bearings

2011-07-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

When/if you need to rebuild your Bajaj engine replace everything you can with non-Indian parts. We know that the Indian scoots don't have the highest quality assurance; hence the prices of LML's, Bajaj's, and Lambretta GP's. The easiest thing to replace with quality is bearings. Learn more here. And bearings are super important.

Broken flywheel results in power loss

2011-07-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

My wife has a 2002 Bajaj Chetak, which ran well and was maintained per manufacturer schedule. Rode streets and a 5 mile stretch of high way daily. Felt a power loss on the highway as if I ran out of gas. Went 100 feet with power sputtering. Clutch in . . . engine died. Would not kick over. Has compression. Flywheel side might be the source of the funky air release sound when I kick the kick start.

Trouble shooting with the help of the Retro Bajaj Forum.

Replaced the spark plug resistor cap. Spark plug appears decent, but will replace as it's only a $2.00 test.

The big concern is the scraping sound the flywheel makes and the fact that bike will not fire up, as you will note in this video:

It appears that almost all of the flywheel rivets are missing from my wife's scooter as you can see in the video or the photos. I have been told I all I need to do is have the flywheel re-riveted. I suppose I could also have it welded so that never happens again.

The steps I will follow to repair the flywheel can be found here with pictures included.

For a list of other common issues for the 2002 Bajaj Chetak visit the Retro Bajaj forum.

Scooter Rider Magazine review of Bajaj 2003

2011-07-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Before reading there are two things to note:
(1) There are many typos in this article that I commented about to the editor/publisher, but I was never responded to. I do race to get info up on my blogs and have limited time, but as a journalism major when it comes to print I want my words to best represent me. I assure this article did that, but was cut down and revised by the editor without my approval. For an example in the 3rd paragraph it should NOT be "Asians or Indians," but rather should be "Asian-Indians". The meaning was completely misconstrued, likely because the editor did not know that a Bajaj is Asian-Indian made.
(2) After owning two Bajaj's in our family for 9 and 8 years I can say that they have required nothing more than the normal maintenance; hence without a doubt the Bajaj Chetak is a perfect first scooter for those that love the vintage look and feel. I now own a 1962 Lambretta TV175, because the Chetak made me comfortable enough . . . .

Scoot Quarterly's review of the Bajaj Chetak & Legend 2002

2011-07-11T17:57:00.001-07:00

Click on picture to enlarge.

Battery

2011-07-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have used Yusa and Interstate batteries. They a good batteries. I scored Interstate for $19.99 and Yuasa for $36 from a battery supply store back in Harrisburg, PA. They cost near $50 where I am now, so I opted for the $25 Walmart battery. Note: for the battery kits (where you charge them) that you need a battery charger. I own a Battery Tender Junior.

The secret to maintaining and extending the life of your battery is to ride frequently and often or use a "float" charger, because float charger turn off and do not over charge.

The batteries which work for your Bajaj are:

Generic battery: 12N9-4B-1 9Ah

Yuasa: Yb9b

Parts Unlimited: rcb-9b

Exide: 12MX9-B

For more information visit Retro Bajaj.

I've heard many times the starter eats up a lot of battery juice; hence it is recommended you use the kick start instead.

If you are not riding at least three times per week, you will find the battery is not being recharged quickly enough, which will result in a short life. To combat this it is wise for you to invest in a "float" charger (shuts off automatically and does not overcharge like a "trickle" charger does, which could also destroy your battery). I have owned three and am the most happy with the "Battery Tender Jr.", which I bought via Amazon for the best price I could find.

If you are riding often, it's a good idea to plug into the charger once per month and fully recharge your battery. A quality $50 battery should last 3-5 years and with a float charger used properly, definitely 5 years.

Headlight upgrade

2011-07-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

A while back I rode my buddies P200 with the upgraded halogen headlight at night time. I could see so well. I wanted it on my Bajaj. It costs me $11 at Autozone. I also applied some bulb grease to the conductors to expand its life. I was careful not to touch the bulb at all as oils from our skin will also shorten the life of the bulb. What a difference this bulb makes in terms of our safety.

It should be noted that this bulb pulls more from your battery than the stock bulb. So make sure you ride frequently or use a float charger to protect your battery.

The bulb you want is H-4 60/55 watt halogen. While I at Autozone I also replaced a blinker light and the tail light again applying the light bulb grease.

For a list of parts or any help you need with your Bajaj visit Retro Bajaj. These guys are knowledgeable and friendly - it's a wonderful community that has been around for a while.

Upgrade your spark plug resistor

2011-07-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

One of the most common things to go wrong on your Bajaj is a sputtering loss of power. Eventually, at some point, your spark plug resistor cap will go bad, so why not replace it now? It only cost $2.50. Furthermore, while you are at it, replace or upgrade your spark plug. Seriously, why do wait until we hit 10,000 miles on the odo? We're talking $5.

Buy:

Resistor cap: VB05 (NGK stock replacement 120 degree bend - this is important so that it fits using your stock set-up. The 90 degree one will require you to cut away plastic from the engine cover to get a tight fit).

Spark plug upgrade: BPR7HIX/NGK5944 (NGK Iridium upgrade - your bike will idle smoother and create more power at higher RPMs with this plug. It costs $7 as opposed to $2.50 for the stock one).

Remember, when installing the spark plug resistor cap to twist the old one counter clockwise out of the wire and it will come off pretty easily. Then cut just the tip of the wire so the new spark plug resistor cap will have good contact.

Also, keep in mind you need the screw on the spark plug cap that comes with your brand new spark plug. The stock spark plug resistor from Bajaj did not use it.

Call your local motorcycle/scooter shop and ask them to order the parts. Autozone can get the spark plug, but not the cap.

For a list of parts visit RetroBajaj and you can also read discussions on why people upgraded.

I just replaced only the spark plug resistor cap and rode up a San Francisco hill and my bike was pulling/jumping in 2nd gear wanting to give me more. It runs as strong as the day I first bought it - maybe stronger. It tacked hills in 3rd gear too!

3rd, 4th or what ever hand tool it is helps

2011-07-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

Your local bike or scooter shop sell 3rd hand tools or your friendly internet store. Mine is a Hazzo. Pedro is another good brand. Expect to pay $25. Note: using a Dremel or another device for the certain thick cables on some bikes you will need make a grind line where the cable runs and gets pinched (see photo: it's the right arm only). I understand hardcore cyclist don't use this tool and mock it, but hey we're scooterists. Ain't no shame! With a ratchet and a 3rd hand tool I was done in 3 minutes as opposed to being clumsy with pliers and having my wife hold the brake in while I tighten.

Broke down due to presumed fuel starvation & gas leak

2010-10-10T10:01:00.001-07:00

Finally after months of my scooter sitting and not running I was able to work on it. The last time I rode my Chetak it would fire up and run for a few blocks and then sputter out and stall. It took a little while, but I could get it running again and the story repeated itself. I first checked the fuel lines and then the fuel flow. Everything seemed clear there.

Next I, I took apart and cleaned my carb.

I labeled what lines go where so as not to forget.

I took every part of the carb apart and cleaned it.

I removed slide and the manufacture's screws were punched on the back side so the screws would not fall out. I used a split washer and blue lock-tight to replace them.

I let the lock-tight dry over night and put the carb back together.

Even though I saw no crystalization on the jets or anything I really hoped the bike would fire up after I reinstalled the carb.

It did not. There is compression and it appeared the fuel was flowing and the carb was functioning, but it did not fire up.

April 4, 2010 follow-up . . . I replaced the spark plug tonight and the bike is now running thanks to some advice from the Retro Bajaj forum. It is also possible that the original Indian spark plug cap may be firing when you test it for spark, but the $6 replacement for a new NGK one will result in a bike that does not sputter.

I looked beneath the gas tank to check the fuel lines and such once more and found this:

I traced the line to the "Canister Kit".
And then I traced it to the top of the fuel tank.

I am not exactly sure what the Canister Kit does as my Service Manual and Parts Catalog give little insight. I am going to look into that. I wonder if it pushes air to the gas tank to help with the gravity feed.

I do not have a spare line to replace the split on yet.

Which by the way makes a puddle of gas when I kick start -- not sure why. I suspect it happened when I rolled the scooter down the ramp out of my garage without the seat on it. I sat on the bike and I may have sat on the "L" valve. A used gas tank costs $5o. The other option is to find someone who will weld a dry clean gas tank - also possible. The easiest and first step should be to test JB Weld on it. Remember, the way of least resistance is always best when repairing scoots.

Step 1 was to clean the area of grease so the JB Weld would stick. Note that I rode with a sock to catch the gas, but obviously the sock was damp and ate a way at the paint. Damn that was dumb of me. It would have been better to leave the area without a sock and let the gas evaporate, which would hurt the paint less. I did not know this.

Step 2 is to lightly sand the area, wipe clean and air dry the area.

Step 3 prep the JB Weld.

Step 4 is to apply the JB Weld. Lay it thick enough to slant outward so the base is wider. Here you can see the paint peeling due to being soaked with gas on the sock. Apply JB Weld with a tooth pick or skewer stake for good control. Only apply small dabs at a time and fold the thick mess around the "L" tube.

Step 5 is to let the JB Weld dry. As you can see, once reconnect the tube you won't even see this area and the gas tank will be dry. My scoot is garage stored so rust on the gas tank is not a concern of mine, but if it is for you scrape and lightly sand the area and then tape off with newspaper and hit with black spray paint in two thin (I mean THIN) coats and you're good.

Fuel starvation

2010-04-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

On a local rally ride yesterday, my bike ran perfect until I stopped for lunch and then stalled at every stop and sputtered along for a couple miles before I put her in the chase vehicle. Maybe carb or junk in the fuel line or clogged filter -- I will post when I figure it out.

Here's the rally ride:

Bajaj in advertisements

2009-07-08T10:13:00.001-07:00

Occasionally you'll see Bajaj in movies, print, etc. I remember there was one in the movie, "Along came Polly" starring Jennifer Anniston. Above is a advertisement with my wife, Lisa, on her Chetak.

Break down Bajaj

2009-07-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Before I purchased a Bajaj Chetak, I spoke with a friend of mine who owned Vespas and did a ton of research. He told me that Bajaj was made with inferior metals according to what he read deep in the forums on ScooterWorks website, I believe. This was over 6 years ago. That may be true, but what I am quickly learning it is more likely the "quality control" that is the issue with Indian-made scooters.

I have been totally happy with my Chetak and I have ridden it hard with little to know problems. Dealers have told me that they have had less problems with Bajaj than the 2-stroke Stellas, which is also Indian (LML).

I have 7,000+ on my Chetak now. While at AmeriVespa 2009 this past weekend I ran into Steve, owner of MotorSports (a very reputable shop) - a Bajaj dealer, and he asked me if I was experiencing any problems with mine or my wife's Chetaks. He went on to explain that recently his shop has replaced a half dozen Bajaj cranks, due to failure. He explained that the bikes had 10,000 plus miles on the odometer. An hour later my ignition switch stopped working. Two hours later it worked. Then it never worked again.

When I got home, I emailed my Bajaj mechanic. Now I should preface this by saying that my mechanic worked as a head mechanic for a Bajaj dealer and he worked as the mechanic for Bajaj USA Corporate. He knows Bajaj! I asked him if he has seen any problems with the crank needing to be replaced.

This is what he said . . . "Yes, all the time, they normally start to fail around after 6000 miles. And I had been rebuilt at least 40 to 50 of those engine due to the crack bearings or output shaft failure. Remember they were made in India."

The reality is whether Bajaj, Stella(LML), or SIL there is a chance that your scooter may never have problems at all or it may have a lot of them. The metals used, though I am not super educated or an expert, are probably not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is the lack of quality control in the Indian factories. I can say for sure that grommets, seals, and bearings from India are not worth saving money on. I have researched the crap out of these when restoring my wife's Vespa SS180 and my Lambretta TV175. So if your engine goes bad, I suggest you replace all of those items with quality made ones if possible to get (some Bajaj parts are strictly Bajaj without repros available and Bajaj is in financial trouble and may not be around for a while and Bajaj USA no longer exists).

If your engine goes bad, price out the parts. It may be worth putting another engine in there for not much more money, like a P200. Be careful with LML and Indian brands. Rebuild those first.

I strongly recommend considering rebuilding the engine yourself to get to know your bike. If it's like a Vespa engine it is not that hard.

Tune-Up

2009-07-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Our mechanic charges us $40 per hour. My wife's Chetak needed a major tune-up, which cost us $120 total. Our mechanic provided us with detailed notes on everything he came across, repaired, or recommended doing in the future. See his notes below:

I hope that these notes will be helpful for other 4-stroke scooterists, whether Bajaj or the new Stella which is supposed to arrive in stores in the near future.

Maintain your bike. The routine tune-ups will keep you running longer.

amerivespa 2009

2009-07-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

What the hell is in my oil filter?

2009-03-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I changed my oil on my Chetak and you will never guess what I found in the outside of my oil filter?! It looks like two torn pieces of engine seals. They are a back paper-like substance. I have over 6,000 miles on my bike; therefore I know these two torn pieces are not recent.

As an added precaution, I always check my oil filter for slivers of metal, possibly from clutch wear and alike. To do this I stick a white paper towel inside the oil filter so I have the silver metal or any other alien form pops out from the white paper towel background.

After that I use compressed air to blow the filter clean from the inside out. This frees it of all debris.

I emailed my mechanic, who worked for Bajaj USA at their corporate office and at a Bajaj dealer (also Vespa, Lambretta, and everything else) as a head mechanic, and this is what he had to say:

"Be honest with you, I have been a mechanic for almost ten years and I have seen a lot of crazy stuff coming out when performing oil changes. Normally, I will not worry about it unless the engine sounds weird or runs like crazy.

Do you have any problem with the engine? Any oil leak? Any idle issue? If not, then don't worry about it since those pieces are already broken or came off."

With that response, I filled it up with new oil and will ride the bike and pay special attention to it as all of my answers are "no" to my mechanic's questions.

FOLLOW-UP FROM MECHANIC AFTER SEEING THIS PICTURE:

Jeremy,

Looks like those things are the engine case paper gasket. Do you have any oil leak out from your engine? If not, don't worry at all.

What happen are..... those engine paper gaskets for most of the time are larger than what it is supposed to be. And sometimes due to the engine design, gasket can't cut out exectly or match the engine cases because if everything matches the paper gasket are not strong enough to seal, hold and keep the oil inside the engine. For some cases, when the extra stick out paper gasket inside the egine has soaked oil for too long, they will be soft enough and tear themselves apart. That is what you see in the screen filter. And that is why engine will leak oil when they get old. And of couse, the material to make the paper gasket is also important. For bajaj you don't expect they are top qualities.

So for now, if you have any oil leak, you know what happen.

Hope this information would help you.

Kent

Tires

2009-03-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

I ride Michelin S3s, which are the sport Michelin tires. I like them, because they give good road performance and they can put on a lot of miles.

My wife's white walls are Sava Kran touring tires. I have been warned about using these tires many times because of the poor quality. I had them installed on my Bajaj Chetak and will say they did not last many miles the tread was gone. Secondly, the rubber has begun to harder on my wife's second pair of Sava Kran white walls. This will result in cracks and hardened rubber looses traction on the concrete, which could result in a crash. My wife also had a rear tire blow out with her Sava Kran and the tires little blew out and has a big hole in it. I will no longer buy Sava Krans or white walls in general, because they have the reputation of rubber that hardens quickly. The stock tires on the Bajaj are not the best choice for riding either.

My wife prefers touring tires as they are better in rain and they provide a more stable ride -- plus they look stock and true to the era of scoots.

My wife's scoot is getting a tune-up as we are about to ride on a 125 mile ride at a rally next month (HTTH8 Rally) in the San Francisco / East Bay area and our mechanic told us her tires and tubes are not in good shape, which we weren't surprised to hear. I knew I would not have time to go to a local shop and then drive them to my mechanic for over a week because my life is too busy; therefore I opted to order online and ship to my mechanic, which was a good financial choice as the tires cost $45 each with tax locally, and I paid $31 each and got free shipping online with Motorcycle Super Store.

The scoot won't look the same without the white walls, but my wife doesn't care. She just wants tires she can count on!

Bent scooter and broken ankle

2009-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

In September 2008, while riding down Market Steet (San Francisco) to work, my wife's rear tire blew out. She did not have a jack for her -- it was in my bike. Guillermo, of Lambretta Works, pulled over on his Lammy and gave her a hand.

The following week Lisa was hit by a stray motorcycle, which broke her ankle and rolled the frame of her scooter's floorboard of her Bajaj Chetak. Not the best seven days of her life.
A car was a full stop, with its emergency blinkers on, on Market Street just above the Castro. My wife stopped behind the car. She looked behind her and saw a motorcycle closing in to fast and the rider went down and was separated from his bike. He slid into the median and the bike slid towards her. She dropped her scoot into gear to move, but was hit before she could release the clutch. The motorcycle slid for quite a distance at quite a speed and bounced off of Lisa's scooter. The problem is it hit her ankle first, because her legs were down and she was at a complete stop.

Our estimate was done by Barry at SF Scooter Center and is for about $900. The bike would also benefit from a tune-up. Being that these bikes are not super valuable and our Bajaj Chetaks are our utilitarian transports, we likely will not have too much work done on the bike.

More to follow when we decide what to do with the bike.

In the mean time, Lisa's ankle has gotten a lot better. There is a chip of bone that small and the ligaments are holding it in place and scar tissue is forming around it. She had to wear a brace for a month and use crutches. She is pretty lucky. I was able to ride the bike home. The motorcycle rider was luck as well and was able to walk after the accident. Clearly, it was his fault. He lost control of his bike.

UPDATE:

Due to the fact that the Bajaj is far from a rare desirable scooter, it doesn't make much sense to overly invest in the repair of the body work and paint, which could be $1000 to have that done; therefore Barry G. of SF Scooter Centre recommended just hammering it out.

I took my first crack at hammer and dolly today, after researching it a bit. Note: for truly "moving metal" leave that to the artists! Heat, cold, and a bunch of other stuff beyond me go into that.

Overall, my goal was to only clean up the dent, not have a perfectly restored piece.

The secret is not to hit hard and to keep the support weight stable.

Overall, for my purposes I am happy with the result and more importantly so is my wife, who owns and rides this Chetak.

The floor rail mat will cover this spot so to the naked eye people won't even know it ever happened, unless they lift the floor rail mat up or are beneath the bike.

Now all that is left is to sand the areas of paint that surround the bare metal. I will then put a coat of touch up paint on the bare metal to avoid rust in the future.

Really save on gas

2008-11-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

A while back my friend and fellow Chetak owner, Dave Cicco, told me about these guys in Asia that were mounting lawnmower engines onto their bicycles.
I looked into it for the fun of it and found out that you can buy these kits for a standard bicycle for well under $1,000. Seems like the perfect vehicle for college students living in a college town, like my college experience at Humboldt State University.

I love the miles per gallon I get on my Bajaj Chetak, but without a doubt something with a small displacement like this would give even more bang for the buck at the pump.
I was quite intrigued when I finally saw one these bike with a engine kit mounted to it and made sure to take a lot of pictures so you guys could check it out too. Though it's nothing to do with Bajaj, it's pretty damn interesting.

Photos taken from the Nihonmachi Festival in Japantown (San Francisco) 2008.

San Francisco commuter

2008-11-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

My wife commuted to work in San Francisco on her scooter (or mine pictured here). She felt pretty darn safe scooting in SF and was very happy with the convenience of it, especially with parking. Without a doubt, in a city it's best to ride a utilitarian bike or a beater, because others will not care for your baby. For my and wife and me, our Chetaks are our utilitarian vehicles. Our other scoots are for "special occasions".

Scooter Camping Stove

2008-11-02T06:34:00.001-08:00

Note: The stove top fits over the fuel/burner section and is the size of a large soup can in your scooter. You can see how it slips over the top of itself.
Unless your a hardcore backpacker, you probably don't have a hardcore backpack stove and you probably don't want to shell out the cash for a super high-end one, but you should enough to get one that will last and also runs on multiple fuels -- even the gas from your scooter. My dad owns the stove picture above. It's a "Optimus SVEA 1-2-3". He is a backpacker and his college buddy who backpacks with him bought the same stove back in 1970 and the stove still works perfectly and the design has changed very little. It's a solid little stove. You can buy it for under $80 brand new and under $50 used.
If you want to live the high life while camping, you can also buy an espresso maker, like this one pictured above.

In my scooter camping slideshows you will see that I have a different stove and espresso maker. My maker is cheaper and less hardy. You can buy mine fore a few bucks at Ross or Marshalls. My stove is more complicated than my dads and costs me about $70, but I also had to buy a fuel tank to use with and it takes up more space; therefore I recommend the Optius SVEA 1-2-3. If you have a Coleman Outlet store or similar you may luck out -- I once saw a similar stove to the Optimus for $20 refurbished there and picked it up for a friend. That was a bargain.

Moving your scooter with your house

2008-11-02T06:33:00.001-08:00

I'm a huge fan of Penske trucks when I make a move and I used one each time my family and I moved from coast to coast. On our move back West we rented a 26 ft truck (largest available) and a trailer for a car. We had to put all of our belongings in the truck, including three fully assembled scooters and my Lambretta in boxes. We had to leave a lot behind, some of value, but the scoots were priority. While I felt safer having the scooters in a covered truck for the 2,800 mile drive my big concern was the fact that there are NO tie down straps in these trucks. You are not allowed to change the truck in any way without it co$ting you.
Above, we're unloading the scooters in San Francisco. My original thought was to use three skids and strap the scooters to them and then strap them in place, but my father-in-law had a far superior idea.
He suggested that we buy a star wrench (like an allen wrench) and remove the screws from the floor and replace them with eye hooks, washers, a lock washer, and a nut -- all of which is a hair smaller than the threaded hole in the frame of the truck. It was so easy.

My father-in-law also built rear wheel chucks out of the scrap 2x4s from Home Depot. The idea being that there would be no forward/side movement of the rear end. We strapped down the scooters using Canyon Dancers around all three handle bars (my preferred method). This method worked very well.

Being anal, I kept the cowls and glove box of the SS180 wrapped up the cab of the truck with me for added safety.

This truck was the Vespa's home for nearly a week. Sadly, I forgot the camera to take a picture of the scooter our 10x25 ft storage unit as that was her temporary home for a few months.

Congrats to the blog . . . over 26,000 visits in one years ten months.

Scooter locks for Bajaj, Stella, Vespa Ps

2008-07-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

When you live in an urban area there isn't much you can do to fully prevent your scoot from being stolen. All you can do is make it such a pain in the butt for the thief that he passes it up and moves on to the next scoot.

I have seen people rely on their steering column locks. I have also see guys, at shops, that are 5'2 wheel barrow the scooter by lifting the front tire and rolling it into their garage when in neutral, because the owner forgot to leave his/her keys.

P-Series (Vespa, Stella, Bajaj) style scooters weigh approximately 250 lbs. With a pick-up truck and another guy in an alley you could quickly wheel barrow the scoot into the shadows and then the two of you could pick the bike up into the back of the pick-up. Will that ever happen? Probably not, but it could. And for under $150 you could probably avoid that.

A good lock for the P-Series scoot is made by On Guard called the "Beast" 5017LPT (costs $98). It is pictured above. You run the hammer arm between the front shock and fork. As the bike rolls forward or backwards the chain will wrap around the wheel and lock it up -- unless of course you are lucky enough to lock it to something. It fits the Bajaj like a glove when installed the way it is in the photos below (any other way it won't fit) and I am $1400 theft guarantee the Beast offered for scooters. I also tested the 5' Kyrptonite New York Fahgettaboudit (costs $150, but only offers $1000 for theft for scooters) in the hopes that it was long enough to wrap around the legshield and lock at the fork; unfortunately it wasn't. In my opinion either lock is a heck of a deterant.

My research shows that On Guard is as good quality as Kryptonite and is a little less expensive.

Here's one closer. In order for it to fit, the lock must be facing upward towards the fender. From the looks of it it will be a major pain in the butt to bust up the lock without totally damaging the scooter, which I think thieves would want to avoid.

Below are pictures of how the lock looks installed on a Chetak. Remember a Vespa P or Stella would accept this lock as well.

Additionally -- as a second lock only -- it would be wise to get a long cable clock and run it tight around your legshield and lock that to the Beast lock as well so that the headset could not be turned freely without removing the cable.

Traveling with your scooter

2008-07-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

My wife and I have traveled with our scooters a bit . . . to rallies and such. We often borrowed a trailer from a friend or rented a $25 U-Hual motorcycle trailer. I use to have to drive our scooters into Philly for tune-ups and learned quickly that it's not all that easy to tie down your scooter (NEVER USE YOUR KICK STAND -- compress the suspension & leave your kick stand up) with certain equipment. So I figured I'd tell you the equipment you need.There are two types of motorcycle tie down straps: (1) ratchet or (2) cambuckle. My preference is the cambuckle, but I must stress that you get what you pay for with either of these. I am not a fan of the Home Depot or Lowes straps as I have not had good luck with them. If I am looking for inexpensive ratchet straps I go to Costco. You want heavy duty quality.

Ratchet straps -- if you use a lower quality ratchet make sure that with the loose line you tie a knot at the base of the ratchet as it will build up a small amount of slack and then begin to slip and your scooter will start to lean in the trailer behind you over time as you cruise down the highway. Trust me on this one. The other pain in the butt is de-tangling them. It sucks. I probably have 3-4 hours invested over the years in getting the knots out.

Cambuckle straps -- my buddy Ted has a set that is about 3" wide and you give a nice pull on each side and the bike locks in place beautifully. It took us 5 minutes to have the scooter loaded and tied down in the back of his truck, whereas ratchets always took me so much longer. There was no excess in the strap. It was nice and clean and ever so sturdy. Similar to the cambuckle straps pictured above, but wider and shorter straps.

I also purchased Canyon Dancer "Handle Bar Harnesses" and feel that my scoots are so much safer and sturdier in a trailer or a truck because of the Canyon Dancer. This was a great investment. It makes traveling with your scoots easier too.

The last thing you will want is a wheel chock to lock the front tire in place, whether in a truck or a trailer. You have a ton of options. Economy ones look like these from Harbor Freight Tools:

The one above is my preference for when you are in a trailer. Just screw it into the wood base.

These are fold-able and are small. Great for in the back of your truck. You can stash them under the seat when you aren't using them.
You could make something like this out of wood if you prefer.

With a Canyon Dancer, two straps, and wheel chock you will have easy installs of your scoot and super safe travels.

Of course, you can do all this stuff on a budget, for example, two small pieces of 2x4 will make a great wheel chock in the back of your truck. You can buy cambuckles and straps separately and bring it to your local shoe repair shop and ask him to use his heavy industrial sewing machine to sew the straps -- usually $1 per stitched area. This allows you to make heavy-duty straps at a fraction of the cost.

Best Buy Ramp for $50

2008-07-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

Heads up Costco is currently selling a PAIR of awesome ramps for $99 plus tax. Find a friend to go in with you and split the set or sell the other on Craigslist. At $50 you can NOT go wrong here. A ramp is also a useful thing to have around, especially at this price.

Stapleton, Inc. aluminum bi-fold ramp.

Details:
(1) Arched design ideal for loading items with low clearance.
(2) 600 lbs weight capacity per ramp.
(3) Working length 85 & 1/2" x 11 & 1/8".
(4) Folded size 45 x 11 & 1/8" x 5 & 3/4"
(5) Heavy duty safety strap included.
(6) E-Z to handle at 15 lbs.
(7) Aluminum construction.

This is a NICE ramp. I have seen it at a local motorcycle shop in S.F. for $150. Online it costs $55 plus $25 plus for shipping for something similar.

Folded it fits in the cab of your truck.

Hot Rod Al Pipe

2008-01-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

I paged the Bajaj Yahoo Group to see who has a Hot Rod Al pipe and how it compares to Phil's POC pipe. The Hot Rod Al pipe is a little less expensive, but both are basically in the $300 range.

I asked riders to write a review of the pipe and include photos as well as a movie showing the speedo with audio of shifting through the gears.

Chris P., of Calif., responded and told me he planned to buy a pipe. I recently checked back in with him via email and this is his response:

"hey Jeremy, I installed the pipe today and it is awsome. It is loud but not too loud and I could real feel a kick in the horse power. I was also toping out at 55mph before 60 today so I am very stoked. I didnt get any photos of the install but it is very easy. I also did the tricks mod today. Hot Rod Al will probably not be making any more of the pipes so you may want to pick on up ASAP. Al is also going to a custom made 26 carb on it in a few weeks. I will try to send you photos and a video of the pipe." -- Chris

I look forward to Chris's review, photos, and video to share with you.

The story behind Bajaj

2008-01-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

Below you find high resolution scans from Vespa, style in motion, which documents how Bajaj, as a company came to be. It gives a good history for you to tell every time someone asks, "hey is that a Vespa?" It does not address the 1980s and 2000s attempt to sell Bajaj in the USA.

Click on the photos to enlarge to read or to print.

190cc Bajaj Mod

2008-01-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Roy wrote an article on how he designed and built his 190cc kit on "All things Bajaj." Comments are posted there as well.

Here's what Roy wrote:

a lot of research went into this and those so inclined may benefit from this. first i decide on the maximum size that the cyl could be sleeved to this is determined by the engine case as it can only be opened so far (70 to72mm) that sets the piston size at (63 to 67mm) working with Marvin at Kustom-Kraft.com tel 888-697-4343 (tell him roy rhodes set you) we decided on 65mm this allows for two over bores if needed and gives a displacement of 189.1cc if you went the max at 67mm you would have a full 200cc. but no room for boring. the piston i decided on is a Honda ATC200 81-86 std size 65mm this piston has a dished top and must be machined down in a lathe also the skirt must be shortened this is also done on the lathe the piston pin dia is 15mm the stock pin is 17mm i machined a sleeve on my lathe and locktited it into the rod small end. the cyl head must be mounted on the lathe and a recess cut to match the new cyl dia this is then blended into the combustion chamber and additional material removed from the chamber to bring the cr down in my case 10.75 to 1 at this cr the electric starter just will turn the engine over but if its up on compression i must jog the starter or kick it past top before it will spin the motor. Marvin supplied a custom cut copper head gasket and i used 2 stock base gaskets to seal the cyl you can only raise the cyl so much before the cam chain becomes tight. and that is how i did it doing all the lathe work and cyl head work myself, is there a better piston to be used?, or Marvin said that a custom piston could be ordered but cost is a factor. total cost for this work was $380.00 but as Marvin now has all the info on hand the next customer may do much better also if you supply your own piston they can be had for less im using a ProX2430 cast piston which Marvin supplied.

one thing i forgot is that the engine case must be opened up to accept the larger cyl liner this can be done by stripping the entire engine and having a machine shop do it but i stuffed the engine case with shop towels cotton balls more shop towels and then sealed it with modeling clay then i made a guide from 2in thick oak and used a 2 3/4in hole saw to open the engine case up a little clean up with the dremmel and then remove and clean the engine just for good measure i flushed the engine with a parts cleaner pump and cleaning fluid and then did the final assembly.

No replacement for displacement

2008-01-12T04:49:00.000-08:00

For a long time now I have complained to my wife and other Bajaj owners that I want just a little more power and I once even, jokingly, said to my friend Christopher Markley, of Moto Rapido, that he should build a top-end kit for the Bajaj Chetak & Legend. We even laughed about "super chargin'" the engine.

I also spoke with friend and mechanic, Mike Lawless, of Philly Scooters, about "turbo chargin''" my engine -- just need to spool up some air. He didn't think it work. He also told me, "Jeremy if want to go faster buy a new bike like a TS1 or something. Remember, there is no replacement for displacement." He was referring to the top-end of the bike.

Unlike the two-strokes, which have had top-end performance upgrade kits available for years from many different manufacturers, the Bajaj has had nothing. As I restore my Lambretta TV175 I will either aid Dean S's "Deanspeed 190" or the all-new "Casa Lambretta 186". My goal has always been just to rally against a stock Vespa P200. Nothing fancy. No race machine. No rocket science.

The availability of a new top-end for a 4-stroke Bajaj made a major step forward on Thursday, January 10th, 2008 Roy posted the following on the Bajaj Yahoo Group:

"i have completed mods to my 06 chetak which include boring the engine out to 190cc,10.75 to 1 cr, fully ported and polished intake and head, custom free flow exhaust that sounds like a hot sports car not a harley, racing cdi unit, racing coil, iridium plug, free flow intake filter, 26mm carb, custom seat, cuppini full size windshield designed for a vespa LX this thing is slick (part # CUP2445), 120-90 rear and 100-90 front tires on wide rims. without running the piss out of it (3/4 throttle) i cruze at 60mph sitting straight up and feel that when the carb is dialed in and engine broken in a top end of 65 to 70mph should be no problem. i can get the racing cdi,coil,air filter,and iridium plugs if enough people are interested price will be given but first i need to know if enough people are interested to make an order."
-- roythebad

Note: I going to email Roy for permission to post his contact information here as well as photos, video of his bike running (dialed in on the speedo), and a review of his set-up for my readers. I'll keep you posted.

Follow-up: Roy emailed me that day and said . . .

Hello Jeremy i am glad to hear of your interest in my project. i will be posting on the All things Bajaj site about how i built the 190cc engine you are welcome to post this on your site. first i would like to say that i have a very well equipped shop with a metal lathe with milling attachment, drill press mill combo, plasma cutter, mig welder, and thousands of dollars worth of tools all left over from my business that due to health problems i had to close. working on my bikes gives me great satisfaction and helps to keep me out of trouble i enjoy the work as much as i do the riding and due to my health i cannot ride as much as i would like (2 disks removed from my neck and 2 more disks ruptured but not removed one in neck and one in lower back) I do not own a camera or video equipment i am more a hands on mechanical person that likes to tinker but due to the interest in my project i will be buying a camera so i can post some pics the best time to have documented the engine build would have been while i was building it i probably have well over 100 hrs in research and hands on trial and error to get to what i have now, i could photo items such as my custom exhaust and the racing ign parts, bike etc and write about my building and running experiences. people can contact me at l r h 517 30 91 at a o l (I wrote it like this to protect Roy's email address from SPAMMERS), but please be aware that due to my health sometimes i am un able to even use the computer for periods of weeks at a time. the only items that i may offer if there is enough interest would be the racing cdi, racing coil, air filter, iridium plug, and possibly the 26mm carb. i will give contact names and phone # and email for the place that did the cyl sleeve job as he has all the info for this and can supply a finished sleeved cyl, piston, and a nice copper head gasket to complete the kit.

again thank you for your interest and feel free to wright me any time. roy rhodes aka roythebad

Bajaj self-portrait contest

2008-01-02T15:10:00.001-08:00

After seeing this amazing self-portrait of "JustinScoot" from Stella's web page it dawned on me . . . host a Bajaj & owner self-portrait contest. I love this photo, because he looks like he should be scootin' along side Mel Gibson in the movie classics "Mad Max" & "Road Warrior".

Here's how it will work . . .
1) You and your Bajaj "BOTH" must be in the photograph
2) Entries must be emailed to jeremy at bassmonkey dot com no later than Mardi Gras, Feb. 5, 2008. Include your photo, full name, city, and state.
3) I will set up a survey on this blog for all Bajaj owners and blog readers to come and vote for the best entry
4) Winner will be announced on Valentine's day, Feb. 14, 2008

** Winner will have "bragging rights" and I will also email the information on to Scoot! Magazine in the hopes they publish the winner's photo. **

Another Stella owner, Gary Issac, created this 50's motif photo of his Stella, which can be found on Stella's friends web page.

I hope these photos and links provide you some inspiration (your's does not need to be like these).

I look forward to your entries!

Entry #1:
Bob Hartman
Rochester, NY

Our Chetaks

2008-01-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

My wife's Chetak is a 2001 butter yellow and I have a 2003 black Chetak. I still need to add the chrome legshield to my wife's bike plus her Chetak emblems. We both have rear racks. She scored a good deal on alum. racks from Target on clearance for both our bikes. She has a large one and I have a small one. It is easy to attach to the rear rack -- just a quick twist of the eye screw.
My wife also owns a 1967 Vespa SS180 and I own a 1962 Lambretta TV175. Next she would like to find a Series 1 or Series 2 Lambretta for herself. I would like a Vespa GS160 or a nice "quick" P200 for a daily rider.

Need a title for your vintage Bajaj?

2008-01-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

Many barn yard finds don't come with a title or maybe you lost your title for your vintage Chetak or other model. That's an easy fix at $80.

Look into International Title Service. They're the most frequently used service for old motorcycles and cars.

In a nutshell what you do is sell your bike to them and they resell it back to you with a clean title.

Easy as 1-2-3.

Alternative ways can be found on Scoot.net's Wiki.

Of course these approaches are for the USA.

Bodywork home repairs

2008-01-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

BEFORE you do anything go to the following web forum and classroom at:
http://www.autobodystore.com/

Ask about "moving metal" and show them a picture of your problem area. These guys know their stuff and many are ol'schoolers that pratice the "art" of bodywork. They would be the experts I'd ask first. I was turned on to these guys by Christopher Markley of www.motorapido.net, who worked on my wife's 1967 Vespa SS180.

On the Bajaj Yahoo Group today, Mark emailed and said his scoot was dented by a hit-&-run and he wanted suggestions for repairs. His cowl was damaged.
This dent is somewhat creased and that is not a good sign for an ameteur home repair. The more it is creased the harder it will be to repair without needing to repaint.
On the flip side if he can manage to bump the dent back out he may get away without re-painting the cowl, because the paint is in decent shape currently.
For smaller dents without creases I recommend either buying or building your own Ding King from "As Seen on TV". If you visit your local Harbor Freight Tools, Home Depot, and Dollar Tree (for mini hot glue gun and glue) I am sure you could easily make your own dent remover that is even more versatile than the Ding King.
In the photo you can see it's an easy 3-step process using a Ding King.

For this dent this approach would be my first line of defense. ALWAYS use the way of least resistance and work your way up. Hammers are almost always a BAD idea.

With a friend applying hand-pressure to the back of the dent and you working your Ding King try to pull out the dent while your friend pushes you guys may get it to pop back out and look somewhat decent (not perfect). You never know. Research heating and cooling the metal too for expansion and shrinkage. You can heat it with a Harbor Freight Tool's heat gun (cost about $10 on sale) -- just check on how it will affect the paint first. This is a much better approach than a dent puller, which requires you to drill a hole into the metal and then pull it out.

Your next line of defense is hammer & dolly (costs $16 on sale at Harbor Freight Tools).

Chetak to return?

2007-12-29T15:11:00.000-08:00

Read April Whitney's blog post "Bajaj longs for scooter success" dated December 25, 2007.
http://www.scootmagazine.com/blog.php

The Hindustan Times published the following article on December 25, 2007:

After ten years, Bajaj to ride scooters

Ten years after phasing out its iconic Bajaj Super and the Bajaj Cub, Bajaj Auto is now planning to revive its scooter business.

The world’s fourth largest maker of motorcycles and scooters, which built its fortune in the eighties and nineties selling lakhs of the geared scooters, is planning a series of steps, including setting up dedicated showrooms for scooter-buyers on the lines of its ‘Probiking’ showrooms.

Probiking is a series of branded, exclusive showrooms for Bajaj Motorcycles that offer an exclusive sales and service experience to prospective buyers. These would display and sell new models in the scooter segment, currently in the pipeline.

Bajaj Auto is keeping its cards close to its chest though. “We have nothing to share at this time,” Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj told Hindustan Times in reply to an email sent on Monday.

The company, which has since the late nineties shifted focus to the highly lucrative motorcycle business, has been found the going tough in the high volume 100 cc segment, where the Gurgaon-based Hero Honda has the upper hand. Unable to keep the volumes and profits from the 100 cc segment, where profit per bike can be as low as Rs 2,000, Bajaj launched the 125 cc XCD in an effort to woo the country's milkmen and contractors.

When it stopped making scooters, Bajaj had close to 80 per cent share of the scooters and scooterette business in the country. Most of this market has been taken over by Honda Motor and Scooters India (HMSI) with its range of geared and un-geared scooters.

Embles (aka badges)

2007-12-28T05:39:00.000-08:00

Unlike the Vespa P-Series and Stella scoots, the Bajaj does not come with chrome emblems. It comes with plastic ones. A corner I wish Bajaj had not cut. The beauty of the vintage bikes (note that P-Series and Stella are not vintage and are not considered as handsome as vintage), like cars and homes, is in the details. The Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke is a utilitarian bike.

I wanted my bike to have a bit more of a vintage look and therefore I ordered three emblems from Phil of Pride of Cleveland Scooters. There are two styles, brushed and polished. I ordered the brushed as Phil said they looked best. On the back of these ultra thin emblems is a 3M adhesive that will stick your bike for life.

Using butcher paper I traced my cowl and marked where I wanted my large emblems to go on my cowls. I cut out a small rectangle to fit the emblem in. I then washed my scooter and dried it. I first installed the SMALL emblem on the legshield of my scooter. Afterwards, I removed my cowls and using painters tape I locked my butcher paper template in place and placed one of my LARGE emblems in place. I repeated this process for the other cowl.

I have had these emblems on my scooter for many years now and they have survived the bad weather here, washes, and rain. They are an inexpensive detail that makes your scoot look quite nice.

Chrome legshield addition

2007-12-28T05:04:00.000-08:00

The Bajaj Chetak & Legend do not come with chrome around the legshield, but you can add after market chrome.

Here's what you'll need:
1) Cuppino chrome trim
2) Heat gun ($10 at Harbor Freight Tools)
3) Dremel tool
4) Thick workman gloves and rag towels
5) Screw driver
6) Painter's tape

Do NOT use pliers! Let me repeat that, under no circumstance are you to use pliers. Pliers will create small "dents" in your legshield trim. The guy who helped me install mine used pliers and I saw the dents in the making and told him to stop. Too late!

STEP ONE:
Prepare the chrome to fit over the black trim around your Bajaj's legshield. Especially around the curves, you may find that the split in the chrome legshield may not be wide enough to fit over your legshield. What you need to do is to use your Dremel tool to sand/grind this split so that it is wide enough. Here's how . . . with a Dry Erase marker mark the areas on your legshield that are too narrow. Now, with your Dremel tool ONLY grind the INNER SIDE of the split (this side is the side that goes inside the scoot and will NOT been seen by anyone). Do NOT grind the outer side (this side is visible from the front of your scooter) as you need as much of a lip as possible so it lies flush with the front of your leghield.

STEP TWO:
Using painter's tape protect the black trim and paint around your scooter's legshield. Wait until the hottest day of the year at the hour when the sun is at its hottest point and cover your scooter or put it in a metal shed along with the chrome legshield. The goal is to get your scoot and chrome legshield trim piping HOT so that the trim is pliable. After your scooter and trim has sat under the hot sun for a few hours ask a friend to come over and help you. Wearing thick gloves and using a rag towel to hold the left piece of chrome trim (note: the right side needs to go on second because it goes on top of the other piece where they meet) heat it with a heat gun until its near to hot to hold. This will take a while. Now align the trim with your legshield and ask yourself which direction (from top to bottom or vice versa) will require the least bending to the most. Work in that direction. You want to start with the least bending possible and you will find that the bigger curves will be less because you have straightened out the smaller ones first (for the most part). Have your friend hold the end of the legshield trim in place as you slowly shape the chrome to fit the curves on your bike. Take your time. As you move up have your friend follow closely behind with pressure.

Now repeat that step with the other piece of chrome. Remember to get it piping hot first. After you have it installed apply more heat to both sides. Working with your friend start from bottom to top on the first piece of chrome installed. Have your friend apply pressure and you are to secure a screw in place. Now your friend will apply pressure and the next screw hole making sure to keep the chrome pushed tight against the bike. Add the second screw. Repeat until done. Repeat on the final piece of legshield.

Note:
1) I do NOT like the pointed screws as they will damage your paint. The vintage bikes used a flat tipped screw to not damage the paint. You might consider investing in these.
2) This process is a big paint in the butt. Please take your time and don't rush it. It is not easy nor fast, but it looks great when done right.

Purchasing tires

2007-12-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

I just visited Clauss Studios to investigate if he may already have molds for the rubber for the floor rails for my wife's 1967 Vespa SS180 restoration. While I visited Clauss Studios I found that he sells Shinko brand tires (formerly Yokohama) for cheap! We bought white wall'd Sava Kran Touring tires for $19.99 on clearance "as-is" from Motor Sport Scooter. A good deal on a mid-grade tire, but there are some small defects with the white walls. Sava Krans seem to loose thread fast and not last long; therefore it's a much better deal with Clauss.

http://www.claussstudios.com

I am riding Michelin sport tires on my Bajaj Chetak right now and I am very happy with them. I bought them through a local motorcycle shop that sells scooters and paid $28 per tire I think. A great price.

Bajaj history (abridged)

2007-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

In the early to mid 1960s Vespa outsourced to India to build Vespa Sprints. The Indian factory had to uphold Vespa's quality assurance and factory system. The relationship was short lived as legal issues came into play. The end product was that Bajaj purchased the factory from Vespa. After this happened the Bajaj badge began to appear. At first, with any brand transition, the bikes had a Vespa and a Bajaj badge on the legshield. You can find these bikes in the USA. Or you may be riding a Vespa Sprint that was made in India and not know it.

As you can see in the photograph above of this classic Bajaj, it's basically a Vespa Sprint with its trapezoid headset. It's a handsome bike.

The "Chetak" was named after a famous horse that belonged to a Indian Prince, I believe. The horse belonged to him and helped a lot in battle and such. Pictured above is a 1980s Chetak I believe. In my opinion, much more handsome than the newer 4-stroke Bajaj Chetaks. These bikes were 2-stroke and can be found in the states. They often sell for less than a Vespa of similar model.

In the 1980s Bajaj tried to sell in the USA. It didn't go well. It returned again in the early 2000s with Al Kolvites as the president of Bajaj USA. 4-stroke versions were imported. Bajaj USA died around 2006 and became Argo USA -- Chinese plastic scoots. A strong Bajaj culture existed via Bajaj Yahoo Group while the bikes were being sold. Note: some Bajaj are still available new as 2005 models. Check with dealers. The only thing about the newer Bajaj's that I could do without is the horncast and a little more chrome, say floor rail kit and a legshield trim would have been an added bonus.

Like its predecessor and its competition the Chetaks & Legends are work horses, like the Vespa P200s, and take a heck of beating and keep on running. The roads in India are harsh with pot holes and the Bajaj was built to withstand the harsh roads and to be easily worked on and repaired.

Like the Stella (LML), Vespa P-Series, the Chetak is the last of line of the work horse scooters. The Stella and Vespa horncasts are much more handsome than the Chetak and there is more chrome on the other bikes, but I have spoken with dealers and the overall report is that the 4-stroke Chetaks have way less problems than its 2-stroke rivals. I intend to give my one-year-old son my Chetak when he gets his license. My Chetak should run for a long long time. I ride hard and it remains to be very trustworthy and dependable.

If I was to buy my first scooter all over again, I'd buy a Vespa PX150 from Vespa Mechanicsburg for $3600 (sale price -- only have 3 left). My wife's Chetak costs $1999 and you just can't beat that price. Now the Chetak is $3000 and the Stella is $3300. Genuine Scooters runs a very smart marketing campaign for its Stella, because the bike uses Vespa aftermarket products. So this makes upgrades and accessories CHEAPER and easier to find. I have no intention of selling my Chetak, because it is a tank of a scoot, but if you're purchasing you should consider all your options and what you plan to do with your scoot . . . ie buy a Stella or PX and put a DR177 kit on it for a cheap speed/power upgrade. Or buy a Vespa for resale value. If you're looking to be accepted into the classic/vintage culture either a Vespa P-series or Genuine Scooter (Stella) will get you in. But if you're looking for a dependable daily rider that requires next to no maintenance, a 4-stroke Bajaj Chetak or Legend will deliver that to you at an affordable price.

If you come across a Bajaj from 1980 or earlier for a good price (it will be cheaper than a similar Vespa) it is worth picking up. The vintage crowd will accept you as well. And the bike is prettier than the newer bikes.

Wear your badge

2007-12-24T07:08:00.001-08:00

There have been a few vintage snobs that have refused to ride with me because I ride a "new" Bajaj Chetak. They dislike new bikes, plastic bikes, and twist-n-goes (TNGs). I have even been told to #*%$ off because I ride a Bajaj. Note: you will get more love than a Vespa ET though -- isn't that weird.

I am not a snob and will ride with anyone who scoots -- period! My wife is the same way and she is the one who owned her Chetak before me and introduced me to the world of scootering.

On the flip side, my wife owns a 1967 Vespa SS180 (probably the 3rd rarest Vespa and highly collectible) and I own a 1962 Lambretta TV175. Both bikes are being restored from the ground up and they are documented at:
www.vesparestoration.blogspot.com
www.lambrettarestoration.blogspot.com

If those specific individuals ever see me on either vintage bike and ask me to ride with them I will tell the to #*%$ off. Ah, the spirit of scooterist!

Both my wife and I have coats with patches sown on and the Bajaj patch above is my favorite patch by Bajaj. I'd like to add it to my jacket. I have the "Never Shiftless", which came on the jacket when my buddy gave it to me. It's a bit cheesy for me. But I will wear a Bajaj patch beside a Lambretta patch with no shame and no snobbery.

Wear your patches Bajaj riders!

Safety first -- headlight

2007-12-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

12V 35/35W H4 -- Halogen bulb. Fits Vespa PX 2001 and newer, Bajaj Chetak 4T, most Kymcos, and more.

This summer while visiting home (S.F.)I rode my buddy's, Eric's fully restored and mildly mod'd, P200. Fast bike. He had a halogen bulb in the headlight. Evening approached and it quickly got dark. The halogen bulb was amazing! It made such a difference compared to the stock bulb. We switched bikes and I rode his Vespa Sprint. When riding towards one another I could see how easy it is for cars to see a scooter with a halogen bulb compared to a stock bulb. Eric said that this small upgrade was a "no brainer" for him and he feels safer riding at night with a halogen bulb.

The bulb will cost you less than $10 depending on where you buy it. I know that KTM-parts.com (KTM = motorcycle) sells it for $8.95. I expect that an auto parts store may sell these for even less. Your local scoot shop could be as high as $20.00.

Scooter Camping 2007

2007-12-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

Dave and me on our annual scooter camping weekend along the Appalacian Trail. Not as many slides from this trip as in the previous "Scooter Camping 2006" slide show, but you can see we had a good time. This time we went geocaching and that was a fun treasure hunt for the scoots. No cars. We pack like backpackers with single burner stove, etc. At one point Dave ran out of gas and had to fill a camp stove fuel bottle with gasoline on our way home; though my camp stove will run off of unleaded gasoline as well so the bike and stove could share the same fuel.

Avoid stripping threads

2007-12-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

You would be amazed at how easy it is to strip threads on your scoot using tools such as a ratchet set or monkey wrench. In fact, I have stripped the threads that my valve adjust cover screws into with a monkey wrench (see previous post titled "Oil Change") and I have stripped the studs on my rear wheel hub with a ratchet set. More on that later.

The best way to avoid this is to purchase a torque wrench for $12 (sale price from your local Harbor Freight Tools) and set the correct "foot pounds" prior to tightening everything up. This will avoid any errors at a cheap price. Do NOT use the torque wrench to remove nuts or screws as it could damage the internals of the wrench.

The "free" way to avoid stripping threads is to tighten with your hands all the way and then just snug things up a hair with wrench. Use the Bajaj hub/wheel wrench ONLY when removing and especially when installing the lug nuts. Don't kick the wrench like you do on a car. Do it all by hand. This will help you avoid stripping anything. If you want to be extra safe use nylock nuts -- but make sure to replace them every time you change the tire.

Headlight problems

2007-12-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a question for a potential column...
My headlamp doesn't work unless I turn on the high-beam, so essentially my running light isn't running. Are our bulbs dual element bulbs which may mean that only the one element has burnt out. If that's the case, changing the bulb should solve the problem. Or could this be a bigger electrical issue? I guess the easiest thing to do would be to pop out the bulb and check, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, mainly because I'm not entirely sure how to do it. Have you ever had to replace a headlamp bulb?

-- David

David, I do not believe the bulb is dual element. I remember years ago reading a Bajaj Yahoo Group post from president Al Kolvites that the high beam works off reflection and does not require extra juice from the battery.

The first place I would look is your switch, since the high beam does work. I have emailed Al Kolvites for advice and am waiting to hear back from him.

I believe the light bulb is an easy change. Refer to the parts manual, which you can download for free from www.argousa.com

-- Jeremy

Problem solved (follow-up):
"So, I got a halogen bulb (had to order from a nearby motorsports super-store, $9.95) and I'm happy to say that it solved my dead running light situation. No need to investigate the wiring. I just put it in today so I'll be able to see the difference tomorrow night on my ride home from work. " -- email from David.

The halogen bulb is a great thing to invest in . . . see my "Safety first -- headlight" blog post.

Vespa Vagabond

2007-12-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

I attempt to be meticulous in my restoration blogs (see Vespa and Lambretta), but the quality of the writing goes by the wayside for the content.

I have always wanted to tour coast-to-coast on a scoot. This woman did it solo and documented the trip with quality writing (which I appreciate as a English teacher) and photographs (which I also appreciate as a amateur photographer of film cameras).

I have chatted about scooter camping before, but this woman took the ride to a whole new level by traveling alone on her Vespa from SF to NYC over two months on back roads through no named towns. An amazing trip indeed.

Check her blog out at:
http://www.vespa-vagabond.blogspot.com

Battery Care

2007-12-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

During the winter I ALWAYS store my battery in the basement, where it is dry and the temperature does not fluctuate (it stays about 70 degrees) hooked up to a float charger. This will add to my battery's life span.
Battery care is pretty simple for scooters, whether you're riding a P-Series Vespa, Stella, or Bajaj. Scoots don't have alternators, like cars, and their batteries don't fair well when the scooter is not ridden daily. Say you're a weekend rider only -- the best thing to do is disconnect your battery Monday through Friday. But if you're like me and ride as often as the weather will let you . . .
you should invest in a "float charger," which will NOT overcharge your battery like a trickle charger will. Float chargers will give juice as needed and shut off when not. They cost about $30 at your local scoot shop, but you can buy then on sale for $5.48 at Harbor Freight Tools (available online). They go on sale several times per year. Run the float charger when ever you are not riding.

I purchased my Parts Unlimited RCB9-B battery at a local motorcycle shop for $19.99. I would recommend looking for your local "battery warehouse"-like distributor for the best deal. Battery Warehouse, where I live, charges $36 for a Yuasa YB9B battery, which is a premium battery. Scoot shops charge $55-60 for this battery. The two brands and model numbers I gave you will work on the Bajaj Chetak, Stella, and Vespa P-Series bikes.

Expect three to five years for the average life of a battery. The Yuasa will give you five if you care for it.

When the charged liquid gets low in one or more of your battery cells, add distilled water. This will increase the life of your battery.

Outdoor storage

2007-12-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

Some where deep back in the archives of the Bajaj Yahoo Group there is a post that recommends going to Home Depot or Lowes and spending $20.00 on a BBQ cover (made of P.O.? something or other) and saving yourself $100 on a special motorcycle cover. I used bungee cords around mine and my bike was outside all winter long fighting the elements because I did not have a garage. The cover did a great job. If you park in a parking lot I recommend buying reflective adhesive stickers and putting them on your cover for cars to see at night. Don't want you scoot knocked over.

Oil Change

2007-12-09T15:27:00.001-08:00

The oil pictured above was recommended to me by my dealer, Mike Lawless, of Philly Scoots. I recognize that it is synthetic, which goes against the manufacturer's recommendation. But, Mike knows his stuff and he has brother have both raced motorcycles and worked on them for a long time. Mike also runs Yahamalube in his Chetak. I have run it in my bike and my wife's for years without any problems.
Changing your oil is a quick and effortless job. Above you will find the instructions on how do so with the amendments handwritten on it.

Note: when you put your cylinder valve cover on (1) ALWAYS replace the o-ring. It costs about $.40 cents at Ace Hardware. Better yet, buy the big-o-bag of o-rings from Harbor Freight Tools for $5.00 or when it goes sale for $2.00 and you will have an assortment of 200 o-rings on hand. (2) Hand tighten the cylinder head valve cover back down until your fingers can not move it. Now with a wrench tighten the smallest amount until the it is snug. Be CAREFUL as I once stripped mine because I wanted to make sure it was tight. Stupid. I had to have a local Kawasaki shop Heli-Coil it for me. Unnecessary mistake. Fortunately, it cost me less than $40 to fix.

Performance pipes

2007-12-09T14:39:00.000-08:00

I kick myself every day . . . my wife ordered chrome legshield for me for Christmas along with Bajaj Chetak badges from Phil of POC many years ago. He offered her $50 for POC pipe, because the first 50 buyers would get that price. I said, "hold off on it baby. I can get later when we have more cash." I thought it might go up to $75, not $300!

I have heard that the Hot Rod Al pipe is very nice too. I have ridden a Chetak with POC and the "noise" everyone complains of does not bother me. The acceleration was nice with increased power in the middle of the power range. Below is Al's pipe.

Here's a guy with a POC pipe on his Chetak:

Hot Rod Al pipes go for about $280 and can be bought directly from him or Scooter West. I'd like to buy one one day . . . better yet . . . I'd like Chetak to offer a 186cc or 200cc top-end for the Bajaj Chetak.

Like they say, "there is no replacement for displacement!"

4-Stroke vs. 2-Stroke

2007-12-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

When it comes to rallies like the Cannon Ball (coast-to-coast) the Bajaj Chetak has one benefit . . . it is a lot less likely to seize because it has a 4-stroke engine.

Four strokes have dedicated oiling systems, putting oil under pressure where
it needs to go. Two strokes have to rely on the gas/oil mixture getting squeezed in where it's needed.

On the flip side . . . 150 cc 4-stroke kicks out the power of a 125 cc 2-stroke. A 2-stroke runs hotter, harder, and faster! That is why the motor-cross bikes are 2-stroke.

That is the only thing I'd change about my Bajaj Chetak if I could. I wish they installed a 200 cc 4-stroke engine (175 cc 2-stroke). That would have been great as I often feel underpowered on my Chetak, especially when riding double or going up hills.

Dead battery?

2007-12-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

Own a 2002 Chetak? Battery keep dying super duper fast? My wife owns a 2002 Butter Yellow Bajaj Chetak and I went camping with a buddy and used her scoot as I loaned mine to my friend. From riding just one full day the battery was dead. This bothered me, because I was scooter camping for the weekend and had to run the bike without the batt/front light on dark forest rodes. Not the safest way to ride. I went out and bought another. And it happened again on our second scooter camping weekend. It killed my brand new battery too. They don't recover well from a full discharge like a car batt does. I eventually found the fix, replace the $110 rectifier. Luckily it was under warranty as a "recall."

When I removed the old rectifier I could see it was melted a little. No wonder it was dead. The rectifier sits behind the battery on the opposite side of the battery compartment -- closest to the frame.

Bajaj @ home -- India

2007-12-09T13:38:00.001-08:00

Pondicheri Bajaj Trip
Uploaded by mattgallet

Scooter Camping 2006

2007-12-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

This is a ton of fun! Two rules: (1) no cars, absolutely no cars and (2) stay at least two nights. This idea came from a watch of Easy Rider and reading about ol'school dirt bike campers, who packed their bikes up with every drop of gas and camping item they could carry and rode deep into the canyons. Dirt biked all day and beer, fire, and camp at night. Nice way to spend a week!

This slide show has two camping trips on it and a friend drove up for an evening. The car was NOT a chase car. I have a scooter camping list you are welcome to request. It's thorough. It's a MS Word. Email me at jeremy at bassmonkey dot com.

*Note: It is much safer to pack your weight on a front rack. Riding the way we have is not as safe. In fact, just hitting a small bump in the rode will result in doing a wheelie, which as you can imagine is dangerous around corners. I aim to buy one in the future.

When scooter camping . . . you can see the view like this guy did on the Red Rocks run. Now doesn't this make you want to go out and ride/camp right now?!

Bajaj Commericials

2007-11-25T14:38:00.000-08:00