The end of this blog

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click on picture to enlarge.

Battery

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

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

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

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.