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Old 26th April 2023, 23:00   #1
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How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Before we start, this is not a restoration thread. This is also not a review thread.
If anything, this is a slice-of-life piece summarizing the last 6 months of my life. If you like lazy rambling and motorcycles, read on.

How my mind works

I have always tried to live my life a little closer to the safe side.

This is not because I do not love the wild side - rather the opposite. When I was getting assembled in the divine workshop the assembler missed one crucial bit, the self control valve. It takes a very little push for me to be sprinting down a mountain path towards certain abyss, with a wide smile on my face. I realise this behaviour far too late, sitting at the bottom of the aforementioned abyss that whatever I started was too much too fast, and I should have taken it slow.

Hence, as mentioned in the first line I try to live my life a little closer to the safe side. It doesn't always work; for example, I got my current motorcycle within 3 hours of intending get it (after 8 years of not owning a two-wheeler) - but trust me, I do try.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230423_112450.jpg
My CB350, named Kraken through crowdsourcing

Then again, there is also the law of attraction at play in my life. You must have heard of the popular theory "Law of Attraction" - right?
No, I am not taking about the law of universal gravitation theorised by the unlucky chap who had an apple fall on his head - and instead of trying to eat it or make a facetime call, thought really hard about the why. I am talking about the "new thought" belief that like attracts like, you can manifest things which you really want - or if you are inclined to refer Bollywood, you know the line from Shah Rukh Khan that has the words "shiddat" and "kaynat" in it.

The devil on my shoulders

The set of people I usually interact with outside of work are anything but normal, in the usual sense of the word. Some get into the mood of buying old cars when winter sets in, some irk the hell out of snowflakes on social media for the fun of it, and some - the particular one important to this story is on an evangelical mission of keeping old two-stroke motorcycles on roads. BHPian boniver, it has been theorised (by BHPian predatorwheelz), might not be entirely human. No one knows about his early childhood or what transpired in his toddler phase - his life is known only in bits and pieces like the Stig from Top Gear. He runs on chips and coke, doesn't eat vegetables, quotes 50 km distances for rides and takes people 250 kms away and redlines in every gear, every vehicle at every possible opportunity. I barely knew this guy 6 months back but now we talk almost daily. How many people do you know who make an inline-6 cheese sandwich? The law of attraction checks out, being a weirdo will attract other weirdos.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-sand223db8575adb4e848cdd878b18624e4b.jpg
The inline-6 cheese sandwich, patent pending

The first interaction I had with boniver was over a WhatsApp chat group, in June 2022. I didn't even know his name back then, just saw some guy was asking for validation on the group about a perfectly sane plan that he had cooked up. He had lovingly restored a Suzuki AX100 in Bangalore, his stint there was over so he wants to get it back to Kolkata. Makes perfect sense till now, right? Here's the kicker, he wants to ride it back to Kolkata, alone, with his (albeit frugal) luggage. The WhatsApp group, as expected according to LoA was full of other sane people who cheered him on, offered support like going halfway towards Bangalore from Kolkata to greet him, and so on. That (mis)adventure was cut short due to some bad weather (you can, and I guess you have, read more about it here (A Failed Road Trip | 800+ kms in a day on a 2 stroke)).

Holy smokes, it's a two stroke!

Some time later both him and the AX was in Kolkata with support from Indian railways, and there was talk about an early morning ride in the same group. A lot of people expressed interest but in the end it came down to three, BHPian ritkon with his FZ-S, me with my CB350 and boniver with his AX. In December 2022, we took a short ride (around 150 kms total) to a place called Begor Mukh, which is the divergence point of the rivers Damodar and Mundeswari. There's not a lot to see, except cultivated land, sandy riverbed, a rickety bamboo bridge - which we crossed by foot but locals were crossing on 2 wheelers with their wife, children, mother-in-law and pet dog in tow - bless their courage! That ride was my reintroduction to two strokes. In childhood I must have come across them but have no recollection, the only two wheelers I remember is an Enfield with a sidecar which my uncle had, and an M80 which the family doctor used. I was aware of the fact that two strokes are as cool as bee's knees and RX100 is a thing but had no idea why. Through the ride I had multiple instances when I thought something was wrong with my CB350 because I could hear a shrill metallic rasp, only to see boniver zipping past me on the 6 lane national highway, full clip, not a care in the world.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_3397.jpg
First close interaction with a two-stroke

My interest piqued. What was this machine? How is it doing such insane accelerations past my modern age powerful ride, that too with a large alien on top of it? Does it run on petrol or jet fuel? What sort of black magic you-know-what-ery is this?

The second interaction was at the parking garage of BHPian (and another fellow weirdo) ron82x3, in January 2023. He was still doing his MBA back then, and looking at the job prospects was also running a free car wash scheme whenever he came back home for holidays. He is placed at a corporate now, but the free car wash side gig is still on - "MBA Car Wash wala" will be looking for angel investors any day.

The AX had just finished having a bath, and I was giving it lustful stares. Detecting a potential victim for the two-stroke bug, boniver asked me if I want to take it for a ride. I didn't need any coaxing and was on it in a flash. First feeling, the motorcycle is barely there! Coming from a 184 kg (though well balanced) machine this felt like nothing, as if I was straddling a cycle. The key turned, a few mis-kicks and the machine started its now-outlawed music. Put it in gear, rolled the throttle and let the clutch go - and I was reminded that it doesn't matter what capacity, weight or size is the thing between your legs, what it can do is completely independent of those facts. (Any innuendo detected in the previous line is completely on you, you have a dirty mind)

I went off along the local roads and came back after quite some time. boniver, ron82x3 and Rohan (boniver's friend, not a BHPian) were sure I had met with an accident somewhere. Well, I had, but not the physical kind. My missing self control valve was the downfall once again, and I was running down the philosophical slope towards the inevitable abyss. Getting down, I quoted "It's a death trap" with a wide grin plastered across my face.


"It's a death trap" - a propaganda video by boniver

Somewhere in his alien lair, boniver got signals from the cabal of two-strokes that phase one is successful, he should initiate phase 2. Man, this guy would do such great work being a propaganda artist, if he was not wasting time around OLX and FB marketplace looking for old two-strokes. But that is what he does, and the outcomes are hand-delivered to the WhatsApp chats of the active victim at that point of time - which was me.

I used to get YouTube videos for two strokes, motorcycles up for sale from both OLX and FB marketplace in dozens those days. Most of them were not even good propositions, some looked too rundown, some were atrociously priced, some were modified to hell. However the point was not to get those bikes, the point was to get my mind hooked on the idea of owning a two-stroke, to make me understand how easy and fuss-free it is to procure, restore and maintain these things, how having a two-stroke is a noble venture, how two-strokes can bring world peace. And I fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

How I met her

Long story short, around March 2023 end we came upon a RX100 up for sale which did not have the usual red flags. It did look shabby but not unsalvageable, it wasn't modified too much and it came with clean papers. I was super busy with office work, and lacked the necessary skills to identify any issues with it if I went to check it physically - therefore boniver, so kind of him, dropped off from a meeting to go check it out. 30 minutes later he calls me and informs the bike looks okay, the engine had a weird sound but we would have to go for a rebuild anyway so it will be taken care of, and I can go for it if I want to. Thanks to UPI the financial transactions went through and it was delivered by the seller then and there to boniver's bungalow in Barrackpore.

(He may try to disown the bungalow, so here's the post - from the horse's mouth https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post4583501 (Parking during a cyclone: Please advise))

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_6333.jpg
Not too shabby

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_6335.jpg
Not 2 shabby

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_6134.jpg
First ride was a mixed bag, but the silly smile sums it up


boniver takes her out

The next steps were to restore the bike to glory days. boniver believes in mechanical fitness; and while that is a perfectly rational school of thought it did not sit well with me. I wanted to to get some of the cosmetic parts sorted as well, which ended up with most of the cosmetic parts getting sorted.

First order of business was searching for a capable garage which will take up this job. The motorcycle FNGs take up two-stroke jobs quite eagerly knowing these are done more from heart than from head - hence a chance of a fat bill. However, if the mechanics are not up for it, it might be disastrous for the bike. I remembered seeing a couple of two strokes at a house in my locality and approached that person, who directed me to a FNG which was not very close to where I stay but apparently the guy in charge was a master of his craft.

Before bringing the motorcycle over (as boniver's place and mine are around 20 kms apart) I went to talk to Mr. Lalu, proprietor of Jagannath Garage - and found him to be a very colourful character, as you will get to know in the coming paragraphs. Take the guy - with his pencil moustache and gold-rimmed glasses sitting at the end of his nose - out of the grease-stained coveralls, put him in a brown trouser and crisp white shirt; one can mistake him as a professor. As I got to know slowly, like all good craftsmen, he brings his own beliefs and strong opinions to the job. You may not like it as it might go against your own wishes at times, but at least you know this person is equally passionate about the job as yours.

Bringing the bike over to garage was also a task for me, as this was the first time I was going to ride it. It did not have front brakes (i.e. the lever worked fine but there was no braking action), made a real racket while running, had no mirrors and I had to do it in peak traffic. With a couple of close shaves (as I have a bad habit of putting my right foot down while stopping, hence no rear braking) we got it to Jagannath Garage. boniver and Rohan accompanied me on the AX and R15, we must have made quite an oddball combination on the road that day.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img20230426wa00671.jpg
On the way to FNG

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_6369.jpg
Hype shot by boniver on the way to FNG

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-f74504cbf74347f9b66eb14443a73ec4.jpg
At the FNG

The restoration

The parts list started from the engine. The engine was abused, and the level of abuse revealed itself as the bike was stripped of parts. Also, the bike was RX100 on paper but the engine was of RX135, with the YEIS airbox - this meant there was two possibilities, either it was RX135 which was converted to RX100 for the macho factor, or it was RX100 with the engine swapped. I did not want to get too much into it, just wanted it mechanically and cosmetically back in shape, and fast. It got back in shape on both counts eventually, but it definitely did not get done fast. Getting a two-stroke restored is a long game, as I got to know. Issues will reveal themselves as things progress, parts will be scarce, the might not fit even when you get them and in some cases it might not be available at all, which would mean it is time for some jugaad.

The chassis was fine with minimal rusting, mudguards had rust patches cut out and metal pieces welded to cover the holes, electricals looked shabby but worked fine, 2T pump was not working as expected. The engine was the most surprising part, as we found out the oil drain hole was welded shut and engine had a lot of mSeal in it. Most likely the bike had gone for a failed engine overhaul at some point in its life, post which oil leaks had started. Instead of taking it to a good garage it was taken at some moonlighting plumber, whose solution to oil leaks was mSeal at all places. Mr. L was heartbroken - I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to mourn for a day or two even before he decided what should be the next course of action. He recovered eventually with a few well-chosen quotes from Bhagabad Gita delivered by me, and took up his spanner like Arjun.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_6324.jpg
A sign of impending bad news

The list of items started arriving thick and fast over phone calls, and soon I had a footlong list to get through. boniver and me went to Wellington bike market one day and visited MR Automobiles, the authorised Yamaha parts dealer.

That place is literally a madhouse, with mechanics and FNG guys leaning over the counter to get the attention of one person who knows every part - and I mean every one - of all Yamaha two wheelers produced in India till date. It was really a spectacle to behold, one person being fed with the colloquial terms of motorcycle parts (e.g. "lock cover pinion patti") or shown parts photos from WhatsApp chats, and quoting out part numbers from heart which he was punching into a computer. This generates a list of items to be procured which is handed over to the backroom boys. They fish out the parts from the warehouse and send them over to the billing counter where payment and delivery goes through.

Not just a human database, the man from the first counter is a teacher of sorts as well. I heard him stopping the whole process for a minute to lecture an young FNG upstart on the model years and updates for Yamaha RayZ, how many clips the front cowl has, and why he thinks the colour of the part shown to him doesn't match with the year quoted by the requestor - so something's got to give!

I have made up my mind to go back there one day just to hang around the counter and take in the proceedings, and try to identify the method in the madness that goes on, if there is any.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-0b08fc14084f4391820e386a43659e16.jpg
Happy faces outside MR Automobiles

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-44992cd24e0d42baab4ffd456243bca2.jpg
Delivering the goodies to Mr. Lalu

After we were done, we delivered the parts to Mr. L who went over each item with the passion of a Michelin star restaurant's head chef going over the day's produce. Some items were appreciated, some begrudgingly accepted and some fought over. This is where Mr. L's opinions came into play. For example, we had got a full carrier which was not to his taste and we spent quite some time convincing him this is indeed what I want for this bike. This pattern repeated over the next one and a half month of the restoration job, if the issues were mechanical I had to get more stuff and if they were cosmetic I had to have design discussions with Mr. L - and also get more stuff of course.

I will call out a few things I had to get done even if they were not needed, like getting the perfectly fine rims and spokes replaced, changing the working headlight, replacing the handlebar - not because anything was wrong with them but because they looked shabby. I will get calls late into the night from Mr. L going over parts which were messing up the look which he had in his dream - and the next day I will place orders for those. I had to order two sets of monograms as the first one I got did not have screws along with it, and the man with the spanner outright rejected the use of the old screws as the chrome had worn off. He also tried to strong arm me to not use mirrors - because "buro buro lage" ("it looks old"), but on that I held firm. The final state the bike got to is a labour of love both Mr. L and me, no puns intended. Of course I needed to supply the money and patience - but I have to say this bike is as much Mr. L's and boniver's as it is mine - just don't let those two hear it.

A huge shoutout is due to MotoLegacy at this point, a two-stroke parts supplier who have everything going from them. Quick responses over WhatsApp, pics of parts whenever requested, trying to figure out which part mechanic meant from the phrases used by him, fast shipping post delivery - you get it all that you need from an online outfit who you are interacting over the internet. Without them this would have taken a lot longer, for sure. They, along with boniver and Mr. L was in the top 5 WhatsApp contacts for me in the past couple of months.

Got the RR and CDI gifted from BHPian Dhruvritzed, which were not assembly line stuff. These parts are finished at a different level and I think I won't have to replace them in my or the bike's lifetime.

The final battle over the restoration was a grand 3-way one between me, boniver and Mr. L about the colour of choice. The spanner-man was on the maroon/black camp as he is a stickler for doing a stock job, but us BHPians were on the blue camp. Even there, boniver wanted to get a darker blue which is closer to the one RX100 came with, while I wanted to go for a comparatively lighter shade, as the RX100 original one looks close to black after dark. I put my foot down on this with an emotional plea, told Mr. L that the rest of the bike has been done to his taste so the colour has to suit mine, and conveniently changed the shade of blue one week when boniver was out of town. Mr. L tried one last time before the spray went on, calling me from the painter's shade ("rong ta neel ee hobe to?"/"sure you want to go with the blue?") but I could deter him from any final change with a curt "dada, ar na" ("not any more, please").


The last mile

The bike was close to completion in the last couple of weeks, but not without niggles.
Mr. L kept finding out small parts which needed change/cleaning/refurbishment and work dragged on. The paint guy went AWOL for a week with the parts locked in his garage almirah - props for security but negatives for professionalism.
I would expect a call from Mr. L at 1030 PM every day, and they followed a similar script. He would share some pics over WhatsApp, and while I was happy with the progress made he will broach the topic of just one more change that is a must - otherwise, "bhalo lagbe na dada" ("It won't feel nice").
I tried my best to make him happy and same from his end - in the end the relation between a passionate mechanic and a smitten owner is sort of like marriage, you win some, you lose some - but the ride is awesome!

Finally one day in late April, I get the call from Mr. L to hear the 3 magic words - "Ready hoye geche" ("It's done").
I drop all my meetings on the pretext of some terrible tragedy and arrive at the FNG in 20 minutes, and take the first ride. The colour looks lovely to me, and even Mr. L admits it looks different that the usual RXs on the road. The absconding painter has done a good job with the finish and applying the pinstriping sticker.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230426_182012.jpg
Close to completion

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230426_182419.jpg
FNG doggo approves colour

It feels the same as the AX in terms of weight and feel, but the ride is crazier. If that was a death trap, this was ACME corporations of death traps - I would have to learn to tame this one! Crazy - that's the word I chose to use to sum it up, which brings us to the naming.

The christening

When it comes to naming automobiles, I am not too keen.
My Polo went a long time without a name, and when VW dieselgate came to fore I named it "MoMa" - short for Monoxide Madness - though the name was rarely used.
My current ride, the Brezza is called "Beja" in respect to another artist with a spanner, Mr. Tarak who refers to all Balenos as "Bleno" and Accents as "Assent". Thanks to the welcome message feature of the car, it chimes "Beja is ready" whenever cranked - so that name is stuck.
The CB350 doesn't have a name, but the day I got it I posted "Release the Kraken" on social media. That was in reference to a footballer being signed to my favourite club, but people thought otherwise - so it is Kraken, maybe?

With this, I had the idea that this one should have a name starting with "K". My love for the sing-song tone of dakhni Urdu, the Netflix series Rana Naidu, MotoLegacy - a major player in the restoration - being located in Hyderabad - all these factors came into play and I decided to name this one 'Kirak'. For the uninitiated, here's the extract from Google - "Kirak is a slang word used for a person or a thing which is awesome and crazy", so perfect fit - right?

The delivery

Waited till the next morning after hearing the magic words, as I wanted to take Kirak home in daylight. This meant any potential flaw would be easily visible, and boniver will also have the time to drop by to lend an expert pair of eyes. ron82x3 also joined us uninvited, as his gym is right opposite the FNG. He told us it was the racket made by Kirak that brought him down - could he be the next victim?

As luck would have it, one of my relatives were to be released from the hospital on that day and I had to leave for a trip two days after - so the window was pretty small. Somehow managed to finish paperwork at the hospital and get over to the garage. As I get there, I see almost all hands at the FNG fawning over Kirak to get her looking her best.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230427_114402.jpg
all hands on deck

I had to get a shot of Mr. L as well, but the suave and confident spannerman got shy all of a sudden, citing reasons like his shirt is not clean enough, he is sweating a lot etc. As I came to know over the last months that convincing this man will take a lot of time and energy, decided to take a spy shot of him. I think a man can not look better at any moment, compared to the one when he's doing honest work - so here is he in all his glory.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230427_113916.jpg
The marvellous Mr. L

boniver did a great job of doing another hype video, that's his thing. I am sure it will be used to lure some other unsuspecting soul into the cabal of two-strokes. In case you are reading this after being bitten by the bug - welcome, brother!


Kirak comes to life

Rounding this up with a couple of parting shots, thank you for reading through this - may you live long and prosper!

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230427_123613.jpg
Kirak with Kraken (under wraps)

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-copy6a62eaab356645ef8d63d92f93fd1ece.jpg
The silly grin gets wider

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230427_17470701.jpeg
Key-rak

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-profile_20230427_115946.jpg
Here's to a long ride together

Last edited by cr4nkshaft : 27th April 2023 at 18:32.
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Old 27th April 2023, 19:40   #2
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re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing cr4nkshaft!

Last edited by BlackPearl : 27th April 2023 at 19:41.
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Old 27th April 2023, 20:35   #3
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re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

2 strokes really are something else if you want to have some pure, unadulterated fun, and while not everyone will agree with me, people who take a ride on these get hooked onto them. That's why I let everyone have a go on my bike at all our meets

Congratulations on adding a marvelous bike to your garage. I'm sure Kirak will keep you happy for a long long time to come, and now that you have the mirrors installed, you can ride safely and grow old with the bike

Ending with a picture of our 2-smokes taken today:
How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-whatsapp-image-20230427-8.34.52-pm.jpeg

Last edited by boniver : 27th April 2023 at 20:38.
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Old 28th April 2023, 00:14   #4
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Fabulous! Rated 5*.
You have not bought a bike, you have bought a time machine! Thanks to the missing 'self control valve'!
Your writing skill along with MR.Lalu's restoration skill made this thread a fantastic read.
The final outcome looks droolworthy. Loved the color shade too. Can't wait to have a look at this bike in person!
A special thanks to boniver for his effort and passion behind the scene. .

Quote:
Originally Posted by cr4nkshaft View Post
Also, the bike was RX100 on paper but the engine was of RX135, with the YEIS airbox - this meant there was two possibilities, either it was RX135 which was converted to RX100 for the macho factor, or it was RX100 with the engine swapped. I did not want to get too much into it, just wanted it mechanically and cosmetically back in shape, and fast.
This should originally be a RX100 later converted to RX135.
RX135 was launched roughly around 1998 & yours is from 1994.
When you bought the bike, the thick golden sticker on the black tank was also from the RX135, but later after the restoration, the double lined white thin sticker brings back the original look of the RX100.

From my school days, I was a fan of the Yamaha RX series. Our English teacher used to ride a wine Red RX135, & everyday I used to wait for him to zoom past us. That scene along with that sweet sound from the late 90s is still kept intact in my brain's memory chip!
That time my dad was also looking to buy a new two wheeler, and he almost finalized on the RX135, but later after a conversation with my mom, the conclusion was, it wont't be safe as they couldn't trust me! Instead he brought home a bottle green Kinetic Marvel. That was also a lovely machine.

Few years later in Bangalore, during the 2nd year of my college days, a blue Yamaha RXZ with a 5 speed gearbox was our ride for a year.
I will never forget those crazy days! Unintentional wheelies were a part of life!

Since childhood, I was crazy about two names, one was Fiat & the other was Yamaha!

One guy in our locality has also got a pristine Yamaha RX100 from 1994. Every time we meet in the local tea shops, we admire each other's ride!

My FZ25 with his RX100!

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-img_0010.jpg

Last edited by Samba : 28th April 2023 at 00:35.
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Old 28th April 2023, 03:58   #5
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Wow lovely post written in trademark cr4nkshaft way - witty and entertaining ! This increased my knowledge of 2-strokes as well If I am not wrong, Bhpain Blooming Flower is also making a RX100 build at his place. Would love to see Kirak in flesh if I happen to be in Kolkata in future TeamBhp meets. Just curious, how much it cost for the bike along with restoration & updates ? Rated *****
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Old 28th April 2023, 07:03   #6
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Congrats! Always extremely happy to see people get introduced to two-strokes. There's no coming back once you step in, though. Purely addictive they are. The blue is absolutely gorgeous.

Dad had an RX 100 in maroon too, once upon a time. He always vouches for their toughness and performance. Pretty sad that I couldn't experience his one as he parted ways with it long back. But did ride a friend's RX 100 and just listening to the beat of the exhaust while cruising through the great city on a sunny afternoon is where this one speaks to me

And Mr. Boniver, well he worked his magic with me too, without even having met in real life, but just through his first thread of his motorcycle. It was fantastic that when I was looking towards getting a two-stroke that time, about a year back, I stumbled across his thread that cemented my decision to go for this one specifically. Lots of smiles per mile ever since.

How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100-20230420142407_img_2332.jpg

And there's Suzanna, my pride & joy.
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Old 28th April 2023, 12:19   #7
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Your post is so funny and poignant - I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and possibly Rajkumar Hirani could make a film out of it if he read it.

As someone who mastered biking on his roommate's RX-100 way back in 1995, I can completely relate to your emotion and joy. It was exhilarating to ride the RX-100 and before I got my Splendor in 1997, the Yamaha was the only bike I rode, for the better part of two years.

However, the RX-135 was already on the market in 1997 and the RX-100 was getting phased out, so I went with the Splendor rather than risk buying a bike that was no longer available at most showrooms (The 135 never appealed to me). A decision made from the head more than anything else and one which I regret only when I come across posts such as these.

At that point of time, I had no way of knowing that the RX-100 would become a classic in future, else the heart would have overruled the head. (It was still available for sale in Betul in Madhya Pradesh - one of my friends got one from there in 1997).

I still remember the ad for the RX-100: "Listen to the heartbeat of the Yamaha" and it was my first love, being the first bike I rode. Glad that you could get hold of a piece of history and of course Boniver and his love for old two strokes never fails to amaze me.
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Old 28th April 2023, 12:55   #8
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Congratulations - every two-wheeler rider should know the thrill of a 2-stroke engine. I have, in my day, owned an AX100-R, Jawa, Yezdi and sundry scooters of that era. I always liked the KB100 RTZ of that era (even over my AX100) among that crop of tiny screamers.

BTW, 2 things: 1) how did you develop a habit of grounding the right leg in India? Did you used to ride the OG bullet?
2) No offence - but the colour is quite close to the Suzuki blue, which you have on your bike! Looks excellent, of course.
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Old 28th April 2023, 13:04   #9
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

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Originally Posted by Pennant1970 View Post
Congratulations - every two-wheeler rider should know the thrill of a 2-stroke engine. I have, in my day, owned an AX100-R, Jawa, Yezdi and sundry scooters of that era.
What a garage! Can we have pics, if you have them with you?

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Originally Posted by Pennant1970 View Post
I always liked the KB100 RTZ of that era (even over my AX100) among that crop of tiny screamers.
Just got to know this morning that a local teambhp member has this in his garage.. And he might be interested in fixing that up, exciting times!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennant1970 View Post
BTW, 2 things: 1) how did you develop a habit of grounding the right leg in India? Did you used to ride the OG bullet?
Nope, not that lucky. I stay in neutral at signals with intent to get on first, so the left leg stays up.

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Originally Posted by Pennant1970 View Post
2) No offence - but the colour is quite close to the Suzuki blue, which you have on your bike! Looks excellent, of course.
Thanks! It did turn out quite nice.. Take that, boniver!
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Old 28th April 2023, 13:12   #10
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

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Originally Posted by cr4nkshaft View Post
What a garage! Can we have pics, if you have them with you?
Those were non-picture times! 1990s. Though I should have a photo of the AX100 (modified), I can't for the life of me remember where it is!
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Old 28th April 2023, 13:12   #11
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Congratulations on the new ride!! Cannot get over the nice sound of the RX!!. Brings back many happy memories. Circa 1995!, IIM Bangalore campus.. zipping around in anyones RX we could get hold of.

Thanks for reviving the memories and wishing happy long rides. Cheers!
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Old 28th April 2023, 13:25   #12
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Wow, i too still own a Silver RX100, 27/04/1992. An auspicious date for me and i got married on the same day exactly three years later. Its lying unused ( since the last 5 years)with me in almost pristine condition. My wife keeps on telling me to give it away, and i keep procrastinating. Well. Ive finally decided to sell it only if i get a Thar rwd. That would be a worthy replacement !
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Old 28th April 2023, 13:31   #13
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

The 2 stroker mania never died down did it?. You still find enthusiasts who swear by them. They were simple, easy to repair, low on maintenance and gave you the kick every time you opened the throttle.

Congrats on your new acquisition and happy miles.

Reminds me to take the tarpaulin off my Supra and start it over the week end.
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Old 28th April 2023, 14:49   #14
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Amazing read. You got a gift to tell stories. Keep it up and keep 'em coming.

Rx100 is one of a kind. Affordable and fun at the same time. The way it pulls wheelies in 3rd and 2nd gear without giving a hint to riders used to wrigging their 4stroke machine throttle is something.

Forget riding, just watching rx100's revv to glory in rallies is enough to make you a convert.

Have fun with your machine.


Cheers
HTC
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Old 28th April 2023, 16:15   #15
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Re: How I got bitten by the 2-stroke bug: Kirak, my Yamaha RX100

Lovely read. Even I got a 1994 model RX on Diwali last year. They are addictive vehicles.
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