In Retrospect - A Biker's Diary. Review on Bajaj 125 RTZ

I am a proud possessor of a KB125.  One of the first users in India who laid hands on this “Silent Killer” – that’s what I call KBs.  Unlike RX and Shogun, KB doesn’t shout from the rooftop that it’d arrived, whereas it gallops with the same might, but silently and thereby making the adage “an empty vessel makes much noise” fitting.  Thanks to its silent engine and exhaust.

During my 11 years’ tie-up with KB, barring one occasion when the water seeped into the spark plug, I hadn’t had to kick it more than it required to get it fired up.  But I must say, once the engine warmed down, had to apply choke to bring back engine to life.  Anyway, just prodding the  choke ain’t a big deal.

When it comes to road grip and handling, this bike has set benchmarks - a fact that’s being acknowledged by even the worst critics of KB.  Riding position is upright and very comfy against the lean position in today’s many performance bikes(let alone comfort, that will eventually trigger back pain).  If you’re a person who has a passion for long haul rides, then KB is your best sidekick.  I’ve taken my bike to a hell lot of destinations in South, including Cape Comerin, Palghat and Ponmudi(a hill station on the outskirts of Trivandrum); the bike surprised me with its handling and agility.

Be it congested city traffic or a stretch of long road where the biker in me inadvertently start blipping the throttle to get myself lost, the machine exudes confidence that’ll eventually pass on to you.  My only grouse is the seat - though it can accommodate two adults, ain’t wide enough - so I got it recently replaced with a wider one to pamper my a*s.

Whoever designed KB, he’s a visionary.  Don’t take my word for it - have a look at the meter console.  I suppose the KB series was first launched in 1986 and ever since the beginning the meter console sports a speedo, odo, tacho and a fuel gauge.  Other makers took more than a decade to come up with such a console.

As for maintenance, it won’t cost the earth.  During my college days, I’d to make ends meet with a shoestring pin money, but KB didn’t burn a hoole in my pocket.  And that holds true even after clocking around 50, 000 kms 11 years down the line.  I got the engine overhauled when it did around 35, 000 kms, which I find pretty early for a bike ridden sedately.  Anyways, all is well that ends well and now the engine is perky. In fact, the bike cries out for a fifth cog in the gearbox! Even after all this time with the bike, I find myself trying to shift into the fifth.

What went wrong against this mean machine is the then well-etched image of Bajaj Auto as a scooter manufacturer, which hampered the bike from taking off on the sales charts.  And the authorities new norms in automobile manufacturing acted as the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Now two stroke is a kind of endangered species and over the years it’s achieved a “cult status”.  To me, my bike is an extension of my personality and I take good care of it – still looks virtually like a new one.  You know, my folks use to tell my pals "if you wanna see Renjeet after office hours, you've to check out local workshops".:)  Though I’m now in a position to buy even a R15, my heart doesn’t allow me to part with this old warhorse.  No wonder, whenever I take it for a spin, it makes heads turn and bikers murmur ”oh that’s a good old KB.!”

Renjeet Nair.

Mobile: 094953 00472

http://www.geocities.com/renjoose2