Owning a Harley-Davidson or a B.M.W. bike remains a pipedream for many a youngster. So, what's the next best thing to do? Remodel your own 100cc bike to look like the American brand. There are a few whiz-mechanics in the city who do the job of refashioning a run-of-the-mill four-stroke metal steed into a heavy-duty machine. Once on the road, the heroic-looking bikes are capable of cutting through the wind at amazing speeds, zipping past any vehicle in sight.The sides are clamped with sleek synthetic fibre flanks and the fuel tank and hard-chrome exhaust pipes are curved to reflect the macho or sporty look of an international brand. An aerodynamic dome, Trax tyres, twin headlamps, trendy blinkers, a grab handle and an elegant seat complete the replica. Adept at duplicating any popular brand, the professionals are sought out by customers from places afar: Hyderabad, Chennai, Berhampur, Rayagada, etc.Despite the launch of several trendy and high performance bikes over the past two years by two-wheeler companies, the craze to do one better by young bikers has not waned. Says the trail-blazer mechanic in the business of recasting bikes, K. Satyanarayana Achari, who claims to have transformed over 1,000 bikes since 1970, ''Earlier, we used to work on Yezdis, Bullets and Javas. Now we get more of the new generation 100cc bikes for modification. Most young men go for the racing model look, which is the current craze. We cut moulds in iron and synthetic fibre to replicate the parts of the wished-for design.'' The cost of cloning of an international model could be anywhere from Rs.2, 000 to a whopping Rs.30,000. Says L. Satyanarayana Achari of New Achari Works in Nehru Bazaar, ''I enjoy the creativity involved in this work and I don't always look for profit margin. I make concessions for students who are unable to afford the actual cost. There are a few who are willing to shell out even Rs.50,000.''By sheer coincidence, all the workshops undertaking remodelling of bikes in the city are named Achari, a brand name of sorts for remodelling.Ramakrishna Achari of Achari Tinkering in Allipuram says, ''Some customers pick up old bikes for a song and then literally spend a fortune to convert them into super bikes. It takes over a month to complete the job, but customers don't mind waiting.'' Ramakrishna, who makes all moulds in iron, find this metal more durable compared to the 'delicate' synthetic fibre. A young businessman, P. Avatharam, who recently gave his LML Adreno the look of the more recent CBR Kawasaki, says, ''The idea struck me when I spotted a sports bike on display in the showroom.'' Once Avataram had saved enough money, he did not waste any time in giving his old bike a new 'avatar'. It is not just the old bikes that are getting a facelift.An intermediate student of Nalanda Junior College, S. Shivaji, already seems bored with the look of the Bajaj Pulsar he had bought very recently. ''Indian bikes are not very trendy so I decided to get my Pulsar a new look. I enjoy going for long rides and I like to give my bike a cool look,'' says the lad.Though manufacturers allow minor alterations on vehicles, insurance companies insist that any modifications made should be brought to their notice. As none seems to be complaining, the bike enthusiasts can carry on experimenting.
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