7 Iconic two-wheelers of India

1.) Yamaha RX100:

When compiling a list of most iconic two-wheelers of India, it’s hard to leave this one out. In production for 12 years, from 1985-1996, the RX100 was easily the most sought after bikes in its time and is even today. And that mainly for the fact that it had something for everyone. The long seat and overall riding posture made it absolutely comfortable much to the liking of the commuter junta. And then the 98cc 2-stroke single-cylinder air-cooled making 11 horses of power and yet weight just 103kg made it quite a performer. The raw power and the light weight made it a favourite for a lot of racers too. 

2.) Bajaj Chetak:

Before automatic scooters took over the Indian scooter market, the Bajaj Chetak was the ride for millions of families across the country. Named after the legendary horse of the Indian warrior Rana Pratap Singh, the Chetak was in production from 1972-2009, and during this time it was the epitome of reliability. And that is exactly why it had the nation going crazy over it and in its heyday demanded a waiting period of more than a year. The Bajaj Chetak first came with a 2-stroke 145.45cc unit that made 7.6PS and 10.8Nm. The Chakan-based two-wheeler manufacturer then graduated the Chetak to a 4-stroke unit. Bajaj Auto stopped production of the Chetak in 2006 and it went off sale in 2009. Since then the two-wheeler manufacturer hasn’t had an offering in the scooter segment. 

3.) Bajaj Sunny:

While the Bajaj Chetak was already hitting the high note on the sales charts, the Sunny was the scooter that kick-started the transition to automatic offerings. It was India’s first automatic scooter offering. With an efficiency of 50 kilometres to a litre of fuel, the Sunny was targeted towards teenagers eligible to get a license at 18 years of age. Much unlike the geared scooters, the Sunny weighed just 63 kg and was easy to manage. Production of the Sunny commenced in March 1989. Bajaj then launched an upgraded 60cc version in the Sunny Zip. 

4.) Kinetic Luna:

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The Luna was one of the most popular mopeds in India aside from the Hero Puch. It came into production in 1972 and it continues to be on sale even today. Rugged built, string chassis and low cost maintenance brought it success especially in the rural markets. Moreover, the 60cc offering could be switched over to peddling in case it ran out of fuel. 

5.) Kinetic Honda:

Produced as a joint venture between Kinetic and Honda, this automatic scooter offering was another product that changed the Indian two-wheeler market as it was the first electric start scooter in the country. Aside from the Sunny, this was another product that marked the shift to automatic scooter in the Indian Scenario. 

6.) Hero Honda CD100:

A product of the Hero Honda joint venture, this offering changed the way of commuting in India. Launched in 1985, when Bajaj was still playing around in the scooter market, Hero Honda set new standards with the reliable, comfortable and extremely efficient CD100. In 1991, Hero Honda launched an updated CD100SS version which too was a massive hit in India. 

7.) Royal Enfield Taurus:

When Royal Enfield introduced the Taurus, it became the only bike maker to mass produce a diesel powered motorcycle. It was produced for a short duration from 1999-2002 before it was called off due to stringent emission regulations. Although the Taurus didn’t really boast of a phenomenal performance thanks to a heavy diesel engine, it held its bragging rights with regards to efficiency.