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Bajaj Chetak Scooter is Going Custom, Fitting a Rocket Sidecar

Bajaj Auto Limited is a famous motorcycle manufacturer, originating from India. Its purpose is to fabricate motorcycles and rickshaws suited for its home country legislation, which has higher taxes per cubic centimeters than most other countries, so most of the models are based on well-known motorcycles having a smaller cc engine.
Bajaj Chetak sidecar 12 photos
Photo: Mecum
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The Bajaj Chetak scooters (based on the classic Italian Vespa Sprint and Vespa PX150) used to be sold from the 1970s until 2005, when Bajaj Auto stopped scooter manufacturing because Lohia Machines Limited (LML) had much higher sales in the scooter ranges and had dethroned Bajaj.

In 2019, Bajaj managed to re-enter on the scooter scene, revealing an electric-powered two-wheeler, which I can say it suits the city commute much better than a classic four-stroke or a two-stroke engine. Less noise, less pollution.

However, the fan base of these nuggets is so big, that I happened to find a good condition red 2004 Bajaj Chetak (labeled as Baja for some reason) on a public Mecum auction in Glendale. It has a 150 cc single cylinder engine, paired with a 4-speed manual gearbox and the big bonus is that it has a sidecar! The scooter was not originally made as a three-wheeler, it had been attached subsequently a rocket sidecar kit.

This type of sidecar scooter is surely an exotic piece of machinery, but I think not only it does look cool, but it may be practical also for short rides around the house, bringing the kid (only one can fit into the "rocket") to school and back, while doing some light shopping. Just throw the grocery bag in the sidecar and go.

The only negative aspect that I can see is that the scooter seems slow, as the engine has only 7.5 hp and is used to push the scooter alone with a top speed of 90 kph (56 mph). Now with the added weight and aerodynamic factor of the sidecar, it will surely be much slower. But this custom build is not made for fastness, it is made to have fun and look cool in every little trip you have around the house.

The bidding for this auction already started, but you have time until mid-march to make up your mind.
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