Nov 25, 2011 06:00 AM
40742 Views
I bought the Bajaj Caliber(only Caliber, original Kawasaki engine) in June 1998. My bike was the first in Gujarat. I had booked it well in advance and I got delivery after 2 months. When I rode the bike initially, people were very curious. Some felt I had modified the Splendour, some said I had modified the Boxer, etc. However, it was a matter of great pride and attention to have a bike such as that.
It has been 13 years since then. I have had no problem, whatsoever, with my bike. To many people's surpise, it still has the same parts - same tyres, never changed clutch plates, nothing except the handle bar. I changed it for that of Yamaha RX100, since I find the Yamaha handle bar more comfortable. In 13 years, I have just had 3 punctures - the tyre tubes are still the same. And I have driven this bike in every part of Gujarat - on roads that felt like hell. Quite often, I have driven this bike from Bhuj to Ahmedabad(and from Ahmedabad to Bhuj) - a distance of 350 kms, and sometimes non-stop. The bike never failed to perform. Since the past 3 years I have been driving in the city, but very recently I drove the bike for a non-stop distance of 150 km, and yet it preformed. I am not sure how many bikes would be able to live up to this standard. In the city, I can still cruise through the traffic faster than any other, even 150 cc bike. I have tried this many a times with my friends, I have always won the race.
I feel the only problem with this bike is a problem with the company - Bajaj. Why did they not work hard to make a star or a superstar? Bajaj has been changing its models far too often for any person to now trust Bajaj - not for quality, but for resale value.
Its time now that I change my bike. I have decided not to sell it but gift it to somebody needy. That way it will still remain in front of my eyes, I can borrow it at times for a ride.
