Comments on: RIP, Bajaj Chetak (1972-2005)

By: 2strokebuzz » Blog Archive » Business Standard interviews Rajiv Bajaj

2strokebuzz » Blog Archive » Business Standard interviews Rajiv Bajaj — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:10:41 +0000

[...] Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, talks to the Business Standard about his plans for the company, which include a big push in Mexico, cooperation with Kawasaki, and breaking the 200cc barrier. Rajiv practices yoga, runs the company “holistically,” and drools over new technology, yet we sort of miss his Harvard-Business-School, sentimental, right-wing dad Rahul Bajaj (and the Bajaj Chetak). [...]

By: 2strokebuzz » Blog Archive » The death of Chetak

2strokebuzz » Blog Archive » The death of Chetak — Mon, 01 May 2006 14:38:32 +0000

[...] With a dearth of Bajaj Chetak news for the foreseeable future, here’s the story of The Battle of Haldighati, featuring Chetak, the horse after which the Bajaj scooters (and the HAL helicopters) were named. [...]

By: Professor Matthew

Professor Matthew — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 19:05:17 +0000

I’m just hoping that they don’t become like the old German scooters in that you CAN get parts for them and there are SOME people who can work on them but they’re not the easiest things in the world to own. I suppose as long as Phil is still around I’ll have the possiblity to keep mine running.

On the other hand considering the amount of money those German bikes are fetching maybe I should just drain the Chetak of all fluids and put it somewhere safe and dry.

And buyer’s guides are just press releases unless the publication actually includes editorial content.

By: illnoise

illnoise — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:50:32 +0000

Sure, Matthew. I’ve always been a big BajajUSA supporter, they’re fine scooters, and Argo’s dedication to their customers, along with the Chetak’s ages-long market dominance in India, will ensure parts supply for years to come.

But I think it’s a disservice to consumers to present scooters that were likely imported in 2004–not to mention discontinued in 2005–as 2006-model bikes.

If I were Al at Argo, I’d do the same thing, he obviously wants and needs to continue selling them, I was more trying to make the point that any “Buyers Guide” is pretty thin on journalism, it’s usually just a favor for advertisers. That’s not really an insult to Scooter World, they’re clearly more successful than I am, but they’re a commercial publication and thus they have obligations to advertisers that a bitter, penniless crapfest like 2strokebuzz does not, ha.

On another note, what do you think Costatino Sambuy is doing these days?

By: Professor Matthew

Professor Matthew — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:49:56 +0000

Well, ArgoUsa is claiming that they still have quite a number of Chetaks left to sell for the rest of the year and that they can still get spare parts for much time to come so provided enough people in this country know how to work on them, they’re still a decent option.

By: Brooke

Brooke — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:28:16 +0000

Let me guess, you are not an officially certified and legitimized Piaggio blog?