The two-wheeler buyer in India today has a variety of options to choose from, which wasn’t the case a couple of decades ago. Back then, we had a limited number of brands, and most of them offered commuter segment...

The two-wheeler buyer in India today has a variety of options to choose from, which wasn’t the case a couple of decades ago. Back then, we had a limited number of brands, and most of them offered commuter segment motorcycles. One such popular motorcycle present in the market half a century ago was the Rajdoot 175, which has an interesting history behind it. Today, there are only a few well-maintained examples of this motorcycle in India, and in this video, we have one such Rajdoot 175.

The video has been shared by Old Pistons Garage on their YouTube channel. The vlogger runs a classic and vintage motorcycle restoration workshop, having restored several 2-stroke motorcycles in the past. Alongside his brother, who currently works abroad, they are both 2-stroke fanatics. Their personal collection boasts several interesting two-stroke motorcycles, and in this particular video, the vlogger showcases a 1984 model Rajdoot 175.

He purchased the motorcycle from its previous owner in 2015. At the time of purchase, the motorcycle had a completely different appearance, as the owner had customized it to their liking. The bike had only covered around 19,800 km. The vlogger mentions that the bike still retains its original paint job, and he also possesses the original booklet that came with the bike. Additionally, the owner still has the second key for the motorcycle.

The bike was in working condition and had been used by someone else before the vlogger acquired it. However, it wasn’t in stock condition, so he undertook a complete restoration to return it to its factory look. The motorcycle now features an all-black paint job with Rajdoot branding on the tank and side cover. The vlogger even displays the original Rajdoot label on the speedometer cable of this motorcycle. Almost all the parts on this bike are original.

While the vlogger managed to completely restore the bike, he encountered difficulties in sourcing the original wheels. Eventually, he settled for spoke rims used in the Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. The bike was actually purchased and used by his brother, who is currently working abroad. With no one currently using the bike, it had been sitting in the garage for at least 7 months. The vlogger showcases the motorcycle’s appearance and finally starts it.

The Rajdoot 175, as mentioned earlier, has an interesting story. It was introduced to the market at a time when Royal Enfield and Jawa motorcycles dominated the segment. People had limited options, and both these motorcycles were quite expensive to maintain and notably heavy. It was during this time that Escorts, a farm equipment manufacturer, recognized the opportunity and brought the SHL M11 to India in 1962, rebranding it as the Escorts Rajdoot 175. People were impressed by its riding position, low maintenance, and fuel efficiency, which made it popular among Indian buyers. Despite the launch of many other motorcycles in India with the same engine after Rajdoot, none could make much of a difference. It was only after the introduction of Japanese motorcycles like the Yamaha RX100 and Suzuki that Rajdoot lost its charm.

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