Most people associate two stroke auto rickshaws with a smelly, oily ride. This morning, I hitched a ride in one and it was anything but that. The auto rickshaw was relatively new and the driver knew how to put the power down too. The result, I made it to my destination a full 5 minutes quicker!
As I settled in for the next part of my commute, I couldn’t help but think of the possibilities that could be unlocked with a similar, brand new 2stroke auto rickshaw, with a few tweaks to suit my tastes. And so, here’s a closer look at some heady thoughts as they mashed with my hyperactive imagination:
Chassis Mods –
Custom roll cage
Now, this one is a must. The auto-rickshaw has been known to come with a dubious safety record and I’m not the one to take any chances with this one. So, in goes a custom-roll cage, with proper braces et al. Thus, if and when we do go tumbling down, I’d like to feel a lil’ safer knowing that the chances of escaping alive would be higher.
Besides this, I can’t think of anything else that could possibly be done within a reasonable amount of resources that are at hand.
Brakes –
Hmmm. Now this one should be easy. The brakes on the Bajaj auto rickshaw can and do lead to several heart stopping moments. This is because, braking in a rick as a delicate art, a lil’ too much pressure and you’ll topple over. Too little and you’ll be splat into the obstacle in front of you. So, it is, discs all round. The biggest, most powerful ones that can be fitted, the better it would be.
Suspension –
I’m thinking more motocross than regular street use, since our roads anyways resemble the former, more than the latter. So, it is going to be a raised suspension setup. An inch or two added to the ground clearance should do a world of good when tackling that moon-sized crater, lurking ‘round the corner. What I’d love to have in my ‘rick would be,
- Upside Downs at the front
- Independent gas charged shocks & Stabilizer bars at the rear
These two changes alone should be good enough to do the trick.
Tires –
The tires that come with the rick are slightly wider than a rubber-band. So I’m going to opt for something wider and grippier. Upsized tubeless radials with a slightly sporty tread design would be sweet.
Engine Mods –
Ever run up an incline in a rickshaw? Then you’d get why the mods in this section get special attention from me. So here’s a list of the goodies that’d go in:
- Performance crank assembly
- Quick throttle assembly
- Larger, smooth bore carburetor
- 100/90 ignition system
- Uprated sparkplug
- Port the existing bore or plonk in a big-bore kit
- Calculated, Tuned expansion chamber in SS
- Matching air filtration system
The above Eight should help in unleashing a few hidden ponies in that buzzy engine.
Aesthetics
But it’s not just all function and no comfort though. There are a few plans on the aesthetic front as well.
- Captain’s seats fore & aft, with 3 point seatbelts – for rider and occupant comfort
- Projector setup from the P220 – to light up the road ahead
- LED turn indicators, DRL’s and Tail Lamps – just so everyone knows where I’m going
- Stock colour scheme, better paint and clear coated to perfection – to prevent miscreants from tampering with my ride
- All weather canvas roof, braced to minimize wind noise – again, to lower the discomfort in this open vehicle
- Loud, bassy horn – to relive those childhood memories of playing ‘Moses’ in the school play
- Mood lighting – to get into the groove of things
Don’t really know how much of this is doable or feasible even, but it sure as hell is worth a try…
Sigh! Who knows, someday….
theangrysaint 